With few exceptions in modern motorbiking, the two-wheeled world has broken down something like this: Manual transmission equals motorcycle (and macho). Automatic transmission equals scooter (and sissy).
But in the last year, the most caveman of two-wheeled categorizations has begun to evolve: Motorcycles are beginning to incorporate automatic transmissions.
The Honda DN-01, which is rolling into U.S. dealerships this week, lets riders do away with hand-squeezing a clutch and foot-shifting through gears when they're also trying to stay balanced, navigate traffic and coordinate accelerating and braking.
The DN, which stands for "Dream New," is angling for two seemingly opposite ends of the market: New riders who want to feel the wind in their hair without a clutch in their hands; and seasoned riders who want to be the Joneses with whom everyone else aspires to keep pace.
It's an experiment, though. And priced at $14,599 in a down economy, it's probably more of an experiment than Honda was intending.
"I applaud Honda for doing the DN-01 because in recent years there's been some criticism of the motorcycle industry that it's kind of stuck in a rut," said Paul Dean, senior editor of Cycle World magazine. "There are markets and demographics into which motorcycling could and very well may expand, and I think having an automatic transmission technology will help that happen."
Autos have made the transition almost completely. According to WardsAuto.com, an industry data website, 93% of the 2008 model year cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. used automatic transmissions, compared with 79% in 1990.
Two-wheelers are starting to head in that direction to attract a broader audience. Sales of scooters, which use automatic transmissions, were higher than they had ever been in 2008; 1 in 4 on-road two-wheelers sold last year was a scooter.
"Five years from now, you'd be amazed how many automatic and semiautomatics you're going to see in the two-wheeled world," said Jon Seidel, assistant manager of motorcycle press for American Honda in Torrance.
Honda isn't the first to try innovative transmissions that involve riders less. Oklahoma City start-up Ridley Motorcycles has sold 4,000 of its V-twin "Auto-glide" automatic motorcycles in the last 10 years. Yamaha -- the first major motorcycle manufacturer to introduce a clutchless motorcycle for the street -- saw a 13% increase in sales of its FJR1300AE from March 2008 to February, a time during which total motorcycle sales, both on- and off-road, were down 9%.
