Motoring Discussion > Motorbike with an autobox? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Badwolf Replies: 11
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 16:27 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Badwolf
Hello all,

I was pondering today as I was toddling up the M61 in torrential rain whether (apart from teeny tiny scooters) there have ever been any commercially successful motorbikes that had fully automatic transmission. And if not, why not?

Cheers.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 16:47 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - R.P.
Honda did a 400 Dream with an autobox in the 80s which had a following. Yamaha I believe do the FJR1300 with an auto option as do Honda with an auto VFR1200 - BMW don't need to bother as their boxers have a near perfect torque spread across the range, in theory my old 1200GS would pull from a standstill in second gear and once moving could be persuaded into fourth at a very low speed....very good box on that.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 16:53 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Badwolf
Ah, right. I have little or no idea about the world of motorbikes.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 17:21 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Zero
Its two wheels short of a car - so they fall over. Wet and cold too.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 17:37 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - DP
The Yamaha FJR1300AE is semi-automatic. The gear changes are manual, but the clutch is automated.

www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/yccs.aspx

There's also the Honda DN-01 which has a 700cc V-Twin linked to a fully automatic transmission, and looks completely bizarre to boot.

I rode a so-called "super scoot" for a couple of hours once. A Yamaha TMAX, which has 500cc, 44 bhp and a fully automatic CVT transmission. Traditionally, twist and go bikes are slow, so to get on one that does 0-60 in a whisker under 7 seconds (and feels quicker), and does so with no more effort than whacking the throttle round to the stop had a certain novelty value. But this doesn't last too long.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 17:25 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Harleyman
Apart from the Honda 400, which sold better in America (no surprise there) the only "proper" automatic motorbike I can remember was the Moto Guzzi V1000 Convert of the early 1980's.

Most scooters have automatic transmission, even the bigger Suzuki Bergman, and I think Honda have just entered the market with something that looks like a squashed Gold Wing on a bad day, if anything could be that ugly! ;-)

tinyurl.com/6dttz82
Last edited by: Harleyman on Mon 18 Jul 11 at 17:28
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 17:29 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - R.P.
www.motorcycle.com/specs/honda/sport/2010/vfr/1200f--dual-clutch-automatic-transmission-.html


Honda's current auto

www.motorcycledaily.com/2006/05/26may06_2006yamaha_fjr1300/

Yamaha's take - well regarded by Motorcycle Sport, but I suspect a limited customer-base.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 17:36 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - R.P.
Seems that there were various autos marketed in other markets by Honda in the 70s and 80s - Doubt whether the UK market was really that impressed. I can see why, in a qualified sort of way, but they would have to be pretty good on a bike as to why a proper motorcyclist would want one - gearing is a far more important factor in smooth riding than in a car. You need to be in exactly the right gear on a bike for a particular bit of road for added engine braking, proper acceleration and in the case of big shafties to avoid the torque reaction of the shaft on acceleration on bends on big German twins (which with every model they bring out they claim to have solved !) - not the any gear will do approach of your average car driver. Bikes have had sequencial gear boxes for as long as they have been made (almost) - so you need to be in the right gear for all kinds of reasons. Not best left to electronics.
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 Mon 18 Jul 11 22:02 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Ted

I've had an automatic step through bike for several years now, Dave. It's a Honda Silverwing.
I went down the road of an auto as I found it wasn't comfortable to change gear...having to lift my leg with my hand to lift the lever.
The Honda has no pedals and the running boards mean I can move my legs about on long trips.

It's no sluggard...600cc double OHC injected flat twin. It tops out at about 120mph, cruises quietly at the ton and gets to 60 in 5.7 seconds. That's quick enuff for me !
Weather protection is very good and space for luggage is exceptional. I've done over 600 miles in one hit back from the South of France.....with no sore bum.

Probably my last fling at biking so I'll stick with it !

Ted
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 Tue 19 Jul 11 01:39 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Harleyman
On a much smaller scale.... I use a 100cc Honda Lead for commuting, and I must admit although it's a bit slow (45 mph flat out) it's an absolute hoot to ride round town. Wifey won't be seen dead on it, says it's not a proper motorbike! I dunno, buy 'em a Harley and they go all high and mighty! ;-)

I could be seriously tempted into something like yours, Ted, if Harleys get too heavy for me.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Tue 19 Jul 11 at 01:40
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 Tue 19 Jul 11 05:58 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - Mike Hannon
I don't think the Honda 400 was a proper self-changing automatic. I seem to remember it had a variant of the excellent Hondamatic car transmission of that era with two ratios and some sort of torque converter. It had a selectable low ratio and a normal ratio that was useable from 0mph to maximum so, in effect, it didn't change gear itself at all.
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 Tue 19 Jul 11 09:49 
 Motorbike with an autobox? - R.P.
You're dead right Mike. My favourite magazine Motor Cycle Sport used to wax lyrical about them.
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