Source: Canadian Biker Magazine –
Use the clutch lever, don’t use the clutch lever, use it some of the time. The Honda eClutch promises a scenario for any ride.
For a while it seemed the motorcycle world was headed towards that of the auto world when it came to shifting your own gears. Good or bad? Who is to say? Some of like shifting ourselves, other prefer an easier way. A truly minimal percentage of cars sold today – some estimates suggest it is only 2% – have the extra pedal down at your feet and a stick by your near your right hand. The idea of coordinating your left foot and your right hand in creating a symphony of mechanical delight was more than most people wanted to do. All that shifting in city traffic risked a case of tennis knee. Letting a computer take care of the shifting is obviously the preference of some 98% of purchasers
Should the desire to emulate shifting yourself take hold, those little buttons or paddles on the back of steering wheels could provide a similar experience. And to be fair, it has been proven time and time again that paddle shifting with the aid of a CPU produces quicker shifts than doing it yourself.
But it just isn’t the same.
Honda has been at the forefront of taking the shifting out of motorcycles. The company’s dual clutch technology has replaced the the clutch lever on many Honda models – although, for now, there is usually a manual shifting model also available.
With all innovation and engineering finesse that has gone into Honda DCT tech, it is interesting that the most recent development brings manual shifting back. The Honda eClutch system combines the existing DCT system with a traditional transmission to provide a gamut of options. Being made available in some markets on the CBR650R and the CB650R, the eClutch allows for both up and down shifting of the foot shifter without the use of the clutch lever and reportedly allows fro smooth starts and stops – also without the use of the clutch lever. But there is more. Riders will be able to choose a manual mode that requires the clutch for all shifts and a hybrid mode that engages the eClutch at certain rpm levels. It really does seem like it has all the bases covered. The rider is even able to select how much force is required to shift the gear pedal.
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