I’d better turn on the light so we can ride my Honda tonight
Motorcycle Ping!................
Not everyone can manually shift a car much less a motorcycle.....I strongly suspect this was done to expand the customer base to those who can’t.
A shrewd business move if you ask me.
As a long time rider of two wheelers, there are times when a motorcycle operator will need to use both hands AND both feet all at the same time to ride properly.
Right hand throttle
Left hand clutch
Right foot brake
Left foot shifter
Done it a million times......I can assure you, that’s not for everybody.
Yeah, sure, why make motorcycles easier to ride and safer?
I suspect companies have done their market research and plan to rent motorcycles to tourists who don’t want to be seen on a scooter. These tourists don’t own motorcycles and won’t learn how to use a manual clutch by the time they finish their vacation.
Kinda surprised they didn’t do this decades ago. Honda has long been the “starter bike”, then people that really like it go and buy something else. Or not. I remember in the 90s reading the average Goldwing buyer was over 60, and it was their first bike. Entry level controls seems like a no brainer.
Moto Guzzi had an auto transmission way back in the 70’s. The Convert was the model I believe. Just a fancy California.
Nothing new. Honda produced ATVs with electric shifting over 20 years ago. No manual operated clutch. Just push a button to change gears. Up shift button, downshift button. Worked great.
Bean counters destroy everything.
They tried this 50 years ago, the Honda CB750A.
Scooters, the future of transportation belongs to the scooter.. Better get on board now..
Thanks for posting. I sort of lost track of Eric Peters recently. I am not a motorcycle guy so I won’t comment about that. He does have another amusing article posted today about the Schumer Shutdown.
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2025/10/21/the-shutdown-show/
From the article:
“People who work outside the government – who earn rather than take their living – cannot tell that the government has “shut down” because they are still having to pay the taxes that the government redistributes to those who take rather than earn their living; they are still having to comply with the laws and regulations imposed by the government. If the government had truly shut down, they would be free to do business – and to keep the earnings (all of them) generated by their labor.”
Honda already has the DCT automatic transmission as an option on it’s bigger bikes, and as others have stated, it has been experimenting with automatic clutches for over 50 years.
It’s not quite the “end of motorcycling” that the click-baiting title implies.
Honda E-Clutch is an electronic system that automates the clutch for a more accessible and convenient motorcycle riding experience, while still allowing manual operation.
It enables clutchless starting from a stop and can perform clutchless upshifts and downshifts, acting as a quick shifter and an anti-stall system.
Riders can choose to engage or disengage the E-Clutch with a button, or use the clutch lever manually at any time.
Key features
Automated clutch control: The system automatically engages and disengages the clutch, eliminating the need for the rider to operate the clutch lever.
Clutchless operation: You can start from a stop and shift gears using only the shift pedal and the throttle.
Anti-stall function: The system prevents the engine from stalling, making it easier for new riders.
Quick-shifter functionality: It provides smooth upshifts and downshifts without the need for manual clutch operation, though it differs from traditional quick shifters by physically engaging the clutch.
Manual override: The clutch lever can be used at any time for manual control. After a few seconds of manual use, the system will re-engage.
Customizable settings: The system may include settings to adjust how the clutch performs, such as changing the level of input needed for shifts.
Disengageable: The system can be fully turned off via the bike’s settings menu, reverting the bike to a traditional manual transmission.
How it works
The E-Clutch system uses an electronic actuator with motors to control the clutch, taking signals from the engine’s RPM, throttle position, gear position, and other sensors to determine when to operate the clutch.
It automatically pulls the clutch in when the bike comes to a stop and releases it when the throttle is applied.
When shifting gears, the system electronically disengages the clutch to reduce load on the gearbox and allow for smooth, clutchless shifts.
Wait, you’re all worked up because Honda will OFFER an automatic transmission on one model? I always presumed there was a technical reason why they never (successfully) marketed an automatic.
I’m old. I don’t care if it has a clutch or not. Given the choice, I’d probably buy the new one. It would be one less thing in life I wouldn’t have to deal with. At least it’s not a Harley. That’s one bike I’d never buy. :)
The automatic transmission for cars did not end “driver enthusiasm” to drive cars, and it will not end enthusiasm for real motorcycles.
Coming soon, self-driving maotorcycles!
There have been DCT transmissions on motorcycles for a good while.
Author is just pissy because “those” people are going into his space.
Deal with it. I’m good at manual and faster by far with paddles and two-foot driving. F1 last had manual shift in 1995 in the space where only the best play and the final rule is the podium.
How is this new? The Honda 90 I drove to high school in the mid 1970s had no clutch.