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I thought this was an interesting concept especially for those that have trouble getting the hang of shifting.



http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/

uh, Mintbread, there's an awful lot of people riding scooters now with automatic transmissions and getting a ton of enjoyment from their rides. Who are we to say they shouldn't be riding? I think all modern scooters except for the Vespas and Vespa clones are automatic.

I've sampled the chat on some of the scooter boards, a lot of these folks find regular motorcycles intimidating. If a scooter works for them, go for it I say. The more 2 wheel activity out there, the better for all of us.

And Honda says it,s DN-01 automatic cruiser is supposed to come out in the near future.Buddy of mine has a Honda Silverwing.and has put 10.000 miles on it in one year,couldn,t be happier and he has traveled close to700 mi.in one day.

jstark47 wrote:uh, Mintbread, there's an awful lot of people riding scooters now with automatic transmissions and getting a ton of enjoyment from their rides. Who are we to say they shouldn't be riding? I think all modern scooters except for the Vespas and Vespa clones are automatic.
I've sampled the chat on some of the scooter boards, a lot of these folks find regular motorcycles intimidating. If a scooter works for them, go for it I say. The more 2 wheel activity out there, the better for all of us.

Ditto......

my first bike back in 1974 was a honda ct 70 with an automatic 3 speed trans it was infreekendistructable

Has anybody checked out Revlocs centrifical clutch. I just read a article on them. Very interesting

Try this: http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/reviews/2002revloc/

& this from another Post: Honda Automatic cruiser:

viewtopic.php?t=8809

The following is a quote from March 2006 Cycleworld: Sorry I couldn't get the pic of the bike in..
Joe

Quote:
From the minds of the manufacturers straight to the buyers?
Calvin Kim

Debuting at the Long Beach International Motorcycle Show, the Victory Vision 800 gave motorcyclists a small glimpse into the future. The Vision was created as a testbed for new technologies and concepts. Things like a continuously variable transmission, single-sided swingarm, parallel-Twin engine architecture and a large storage compartment are not new for motorcycles. Yet it's the combination of all these factors with the addition of a distinctly unique design that shows Victory is now interested in more than just making cruisers. Will the market bear a large motorcycle with a CVT? The Japanese think so, as many concept machines were equipped with CVTs at the recent Tokyo Motorcycle Show.

While not a production motorcycle, the Vision isn't that far off. It's powered by an 800cc, water-cooled, parallel-Twin borrowed from parent company Polaris' snowmobile division. The front fairing holds two full-face helmets while a fuel bladder lies underneath. Victory engineers designed the bike to have a cruiser-like riding posture for a low seat-height and relaxed riding style. Rear suspension is fully adjustable, while the front is a 43mm inverted unit. The exposed rear wheel uses a fat, 250-section tire on an 18-inch aluminum rim while the front rides on a 17-incher. The entire chassis is made of aluminum. Large 300mm rotors and two-piston calipers up front and a single 250mm rotor with a single-piston caliper out back handle the stopping duties.

The routing of the exhaust headers is slightly disconcerting. Being that close to the external shock reservoir can't be good for damping properties. The mufflers themselves are interesting, too. The large metallic panels that flanks and sits just below the seat is the heat shield. Which means the mesh panel behind the heat shield is the outlet for the muffler. Very unique, although there might be some concern with the wafting exhaust flow. But again, this is just a concept bike. Go future!

The Vision may be a sign of things to come.
The front-end styling left many show goers stunned.
The Vision concept bike is a hybrid of sport, cruiser and touring machines.

Expect various parts of the Vision to make their way into the Victory product line. {Unquote}

Personally, I can't stand an automatic transmission even in a car. It really removes alot of control and stability when driving "hard", the throttle gives totally non-linear response. I can't imagine riding a motorcycle with one. Though it probably helps for very low speed maneuvering.