Outside of the scooter segment, few motorcycle models have offered the option of some form of automatic transmission. Honda has been the honorable exception with its DCT gearbox, which it has offered as an option on a number of its models. In 2024, however, a number of other brands have presented models with solutions that more or less automate shifting.
Honda presented its E-clutch solution on the CBR/CB 650 last fall, and the models have been on sale throughout 2024. I attended the Honda launch in France early this spring and enthusiastically reported on the excellence of the system. I haven’t changed my mind – this is a solution I’m guessing will be adopted on more models. E-clutch is not an automatic transmission. The gearbox is completely conventional and you have to shift yourself, but the clutch is driven by an electric motor that engages the clutch when needed. The solution has both a gear pedal and a clutch lever, and you can choose whether you want to clutch manually or let the electronics take care of it for you. In other words, the solution eliminates the need for manual clutching, but you still have to shift gears yourself.
Over the course of the year, several of the other manufacturers have come up with automatic transmission solutions. Yamaha already has its Y-AMT (Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission) on sale on its MT09. We have test ridden it and concluded that the system works surprisingly well, and it is difficult to find functional reasons not to choose the Y-AMT version. The solution will be available on several models in 2025.
Yamaha has gear switches on the handlebar.
BMW and KTM have also surprised the market with automatic transmission solutions on their two flagship models. Both the new BMW R 1300 GS/A and the new KTM 1390 SuperAdventure S Evo offer automatic transmission as an option. The undersigned hasn’t test ridden either of these yet, but reports from those who have are that the systems work very well. I’m considering trading in my KTM 1290 SAR, and these two models are vying for my favor. The problem is that I now not only have to decide which model to choose, but also whether to choose with or without automatic transmission. I’m struggling to decide.
BMW calls its system Automated Shift Assistant (ASA). Electromagnetic control of the clutch and gearshift should make driving easier and more relaxed. You can choose between full automatic shifting or manual shifting with the foot pedal. The pedal is essentially just an electronic switch, and the system works in much the same way as on a car with automatic transmission. KTM’s system is called Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Like the other manufacturers’ modern solutions, the automatic transmission system works together with the ECU and retrieves all the necessary data in milliseconds. Like BMW, KTM has a foot pedal that can be used in manual mode, but the Austrian also allows you to operate the gear changes with a switch on the handlebar.
The technology is interesting, of course, and you can delve deeper into it via the links at the bottom of this page. Personally, I’m convinced that the functionality is excellent, but I still can’t make up my mind. The automatic transmission solutions work and make driving easier and more comfortable. But do you lose anything? There’s some extra weight, but it’s negligible, at least on the big heavy models where the weight is high anyway. At the same time, there are of course more advanced electronics that can stop working. What then? Is it reliable enough for me to take a chance on a trip to Ulan Bator? And will I forget what it’s like to ride an old-fashioned motorcycle? With the exception of reliability, I’m pretty sure I can handle the rest, and I’m not planning a long trip to Ulan Bator or Cape Town anyway. However, I am planning a trip to southern Europe in the summer, and I’ve had problems with electronics on motorcycles in Europe before. You do get home, but it’s no fun to have the vacation you’ve survived the winter looking forward to ruined. However, the biggest uncertainty for me is none of these factors. It’s how the market accepts the innovations. When I change bikes again in two or three years’ time, will second-hand customers only want automatic transmissions, or will the trend flop so that I end up with a model that nobody wants? Do I dare to be a pioneer, or should I be conservative and wait to see how it goes? For the most technically minded, you can read more about the different systems here:
Automated shift assistant | BMW Motorrad
Y-AMT | Automated Manual Transmission – Yamaha Motor
Text: Kenneth Nordahl-Pedersen
Photo: Yamaha, KTM, BMW
