Topic: Modern automatic transmission motorcycles

[nickjtc]

http://www.ridleymotorcycle.com/html/motorcycles.htm

I suppose it had to happen at some point.

[ProTeal55]

They have been out for quite some time.
I remember we saw a few pass thru my old dealership...

[cbjunkie]

...what's next?

chauffeured motorcycles?

[golden_child]

No mention of Reverse?

[nickjtc]

I think it is only a matter of time until we see more automatic transmissions on motorcycles.

Honda and Guzzi were years ahead of themselves when they launched their early iterations. Now, with an aging 'boomer' generation, brought up on 'convenience over all', an automatic Gold Wing is an inevitability.

[HondaJay]

that makes me feel  and kinda 

[HondaJay]

Every vehicle Ive ever owned has been a Honda inline four with a manual transmission.  For me, having that control takes an ordinary everyday thing and makes it far more enjoyable.  The next 2 cars I plan to buy are a jeep wrangler and finally a skyline gtr, both with manual transmissions.  I dont think I'll ever buy anything else if I can help it.

Another one of my hobbies is nitro methane powered radio-controlled trucks and planes.  I built my first truck from a kit of several hundred individual pieces when I was eleven years old and my first plane a few years later.  For me, building them and being able to watch them form from the individual pieces was half the fun of it.  Plus it helped me learn the workings of things and made it much easier to fix broken parts...  Now the radio-controlled world has moved on and pre-built cars and planes have become much easier to find than kits.  It makes it harder to enjoy the hobby with others because they dont have the same knowledge of the vehicles or the attachment that comes from building something yourself.
Off topic, but I had to rant about it to someone. sorry .

[DiscoEd]

...what's next?

chauffeured motorcycles?

Yes! ...and there is definetly a group of riders that this could be a blessing for! (Yes, You, The one in the garage with your California dust mop!, the one who put 52 miles on the bike this summer!, You know who you are!)

Regards,
DiscoEd

[nickjtc]

Now the radio-controlled world has moved on and pre-built cars and planes have become much easier to find than kits.  It makes it harder to enjoy the hobby with others because they dont have the same knowledge of the vehicles or the attachment that comes from building something yourself.
Off topic, but I had to rant about it to someone. sorry .

Don't apologise. I used to build flying models years ago, like you. Now it seems that the 'almost ready to fly' or 'ready to fly' craze has hit. When I go into model shops they look at me with blank expressions when I ask about kits you build from scratch. I'm sure they are still out there; I'll just have to do a bit of research.

[Buber]

I know where the future is. You remeber the MiB car with inflatable driver? So it's just a matter of time (or maybe they already are in the market?) to see washable, weekend-only, biker tatoos?
Oh boy, no wonder so many people go overweight, if they can't bother to move a simple lever in a car or push another in the bike.

I'm european, so the problem (seems) not to exist here, but the plague is spreading....... 
But to give up control of my vehicle to an automated thing? And how I will drive in the snow? And where's the fun? Oh, I know, they will make them with special button "tire smoking" so the guys will be able to do it themselves!

If this is called "advance" then I want back to the medieval times... 

Regards to all!

[oldbiker]

Surely these Ridley bikes are only using what we in tha UK refer to as rubber band drives which has been used on mo-peds for a long time. They have two pulleys and the diameter varies under control from centrifugal weights so that engine revs remains almost constant. It is not a genuine automatic transmission.

[nickjtc]

Surely these Ridley bikes are only using what we in tha UK refer to as rubber band drives which has been used on mo-peds for a long time. They have two pulleys and the diameter varies under control from centrifugal weights so that engine revs remains almost constant. It is not a genuine automatic transmission.

Only genuine in that the rider doesn't have to have any kind of finesse in the control of the motorcycle.

[cmorgan47]

... inline four with a manual transmission.  For me, having that control takes an ordinary everyday thing and makes it far more enjoyable.

went on a road trip with my wife over the last week, and she only knows how to drive automatics....actually, her civic has a CVT which is even more weird to me.   she quickly became tired of me #$%*ing that i wasn't on my motorcycle--there are some damn fine roads in north-west michigan--and even more tired of me complaining about her auto.

the thing is, as i explained to her, if you've only ever had manuals, it's like they took a key control away from you.  like if a new car had no brake pedal, but just "knew" when you needed to brake cause you took your foot off the gas.  sure, most of the time it's acceptable, but if you're used to a certain level of control, you miss it when it's gone.

[number13]

"Old School" automatic???
Automatic CHOPPER???
What, no cup holders?


sheesh........................!

[Vatch]

Why would I want to take part of the fun out of riding a bike or car for that matter?  I haven't owned an auto trans in 10 years, and that car was free. 

There's a market though.  I know a guy that rides those big scooters.  He just doesn't like to shift.

[Chris Schneiter]

I don't think you can get the most out of an engine without a manual Trans. I just went from a manual Ford Focus that was balsy as hell, to an automatic of about the same displacement...The Auto seems really doggy.

[cmorgan47]

yep, i have a 5 speed focus with a 2.0litre engine.  2 litres is more than enough power for that car, though i've driven the automatic and it's slow as molasses.