Modern Vespa

Riding a Honda is about to get a lot easier.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/690819/honda-electronic-clutch-system-introduced/

Nice, but more unnecessary moving parts to go bad. A speed shifter is more than enough IMHO…

Interesting, but I guess that I didn't realize that riding any Honda motorcycle was particularly difficult anyway, though I guess it's good that it can be retro-fitted to some existing Honda models.


The BMW S1000R I owned five years ago had an optional clutchless shifting mechanism (speed shifter?) where, if you chose to, all you had to do was whack the throttle and bang the foot shift lever through the gears without touching the clutch lever. It worked best during all-out acceleration episodes, but of course, it still had to be started off from a stop using the hand clutch as normal.

In my BMW's case, I felt that it was a technical novelty, and I seldom used it, not being a habitual drag racer and all.

Interesting, but why not just offer models with CVTs for people who don't want to shift? Seems like needless complication to graft another system onto an existing bike.

The biggest problem for people who first get on a bike is stalling at takeoff. If this system alleviates that then more people might get onboard. DCT is already out there on larger models and this system might make Honda Rebel 300's more approachable for new people. They can move onto DCT bikes later.

I didn't read everything about the Honda system, but does it allow a smooth take-off from a standing start in 1st gear without the use of the bike's hand clutch?

If so, it might as well be a DCT if it functions just like one from a stop. Otherwise, wouldn't it be like any other manual clutch bike when in first gear, along with all the potential take-off problems a beginning rider might experience at first with a manual clutch bike?

Speaking of 'problems with shifting', a couple days ago I was driving my wife's Subaru Crosstrek with my mother-in-law beside me in the front seat, and my wife, 'Trixie' sitting in the back, when I slowed for a gentle left hand curve at about 40 mph, reached for the floor shift, and pressed the foot clutch pedal in to downshift one gear.

The problem was, the Crosstrek is a CVT automatic, and I had been driving our Miata MX-5 almost daily, and had become so accustomed to it's manual 6-speed that, without thinking, I instead pressed fairly hard on the Subaru's brake pedal unconsciously thinking it was the clutch. which was abrupt enough to have sent 'mom' and the wife into the dash had they not been well-strapped in.

Anyway, forgive me for the only semi-related side trip, so I won't mention the time I absentmindedly hand-clutched the left side brake on my Burgman 650.

I'm pretty sure this is aimed at people like me--a market of at least one I'm somebody who likes options and gears, but I don't particularly want to deal with a clutch. I've accepted that our US market for bikes does not support the bikes I want (sighs in direction of the X-ADV), so I think it's quite clever of Honda to muddy the waters with something like this. Their mission seems to be to try to get a motorcycle for everybody and to break down barriers. Being able to offer something like this without having to add completely different models is great and hopefully will give me more options in the future.

I'm currently trying to offload my BV350 for something that is larger and more distinct from my GTS 300. After a lot of thinking and soul-searching, I started looking more seriously CRF300Ls, CB500Xs, and NC750Xs. I finally decided that I would start pursuing the latter, as I really wanted DCT. The recent announcement of the Kawasaki Ninja 7 HEV really got my attention as one of the first non-Hondas to offer something like the DCT. Now Honda is getting ready for this. Exciting times, for me at least!

I've got a Honda with a DCT. It is awesome and allows for manual one touch shifting if I want it. Quicker than a CVT, Honda reliable. I'm not sure what the new technology adds but, they've already got a pretty good solution!

This is a computer controlled clutch with manual operating option. Impressive by itself.
If you then add pneumatic piston to the shift lever it gives the option of automatic transmission, with less complications and weight than the DCT and more efficiency than a CVT.
It gets my vote as nice option to have.

Agree 100%. More stuff to break....

I owned a Honda CTX with the DCT set up for a short time. Really did not like the way it downshifted and push the button shifting novelty wore off quick. The only advantage I see of the system is if you want to shift some days and on other days want the scoot to do it for you.

Thinking about this a little more, I think Honda is aiming at a very, very small part of the market here. Honda clutches have always been on the easy side to disengage/engage and many of their models have an option which is called throttle assist - which just raises the idle speed slightly prior to shifting. So, really this is a non issue. And by the way, all this is nothing new. A girlfriend I knew in high school wanted to own a manual shift car, but no amount of time spent in my Karmann Ghia seemed to help. We then found a Ghia with an electric clutch. When you touched the shift knob to operate, it clutch would disengage. She liked it, I hated it, so all was good.

https://www.advrider.com/honda-e-clutch-makes-life-easier-but-only-if-you-want-it-to/

Thanks for this link. The Great Miles Davis said the best days are when you learn something new, and I learned something new! Having the clutch still handy to use if you want makes this a lot more appealing that the DCT to me. And a whole lot less complicated.