Starting up my Kawasaki Vulcan for the last time, riding it down the street and shifting it through its gears, it's impossible to not enjoy the process and appreciate the sound of the engine as it moves through its familiar melody. And I ask myself the question I've asked so often in the past: do I prefer having gears or would I rather just have a motorbike that doesn't require shifting? It's an important question because in about 20 minutes when I arrive at my destination I'm about to trade this motorcycle in for one that has an automatic transmission. The truth is, I like everything about shifting gears: the organic, modular way it parses the experience of power and sound as well as the total involvement with the machine that's moving me through space. I like all this, right up until the time that I don't. And that's usually in traffic - or at any other time when I have to do a lot of shifting over a long period of time - especially if the riding is confined to city streets. I also sometimes dislike the finesse (read: fussing) required to find neutral repeatedly when stopping. I've ridden motorbikes - fairly powerful ones - which don't require shifting and I've experienced the alternate joy of a large continuous stream of power that isn't chopped into pieces by gears and clutches. And from this experience I know two things: 1) it's not necessarily necessary to have gears in order to enjoy a motorbike and 2) as many reviewers will admit, while shifting gears may be "automatic"for experienced riders, it still requires the rider's attention. When that attention is freed up by not having to shift, it can be used for other things: handling the bike, enjoying one's surroundings, or attending to traffic more easily. While many will deny this fact, it is mentioned over and over again by reviewers who test ride clutchless bikes. And it has certainly been my experience. Repeatedly.
So with the trade-in completed, I now own a Honda CTX700ND with an automatic dual-clutch system. I doubt if I would have made this choice – since I often enjoy the process of controlling the bike's gears so much - if it were not for the possibility of manually shifting the transmission using levers (paddles) mounted on the left handlebar. My hope was that this would provide an adequate experience of shifting the gears manually. And it does. I have complete control over the bike's gears using these paddles and haven't missed having to use the clutch. Not even a little. On many rides, the idea of using the automatic transmission doesn't even come up since I want that total control over the bike's power and music - and this motorcycle has such a sweet sound. At other times, switching into automatic mode for a time feels luxurious.
For people who might be considering purchasing a Honda with a dual clutch system, here's some details of how it works and how it might be used in different situations - at least as far as I've discovered in my 800 miles of riding the bike.
The bike has two basic modes: manual shifting with paddles on the handlebars and automatic shifting.
Automatic shifting works like this. Put the bike in "D" and turn the throttle. That's it. The CTX700 does extreme short shifting in "D" - which I think is how some people have been getting 80 mpg and which might explain the official rating of 64 mpg (or thereabouts). One reviewer described "D" mode as "buzzkill". That's because, while it's quite smooth, it's certainly not very exciting. The difference between owning a bike and test riding a bike however is that the sample size of the situations you encounter is so much greater with the former. Sometimes the situation you're in is already buzzkill - like in heavy traffic. And sometimes, easy and smooth is just the mood you might be in. That short shifting has you in 5th gear by 30 mph and 6th gear at 40, with the motor practically idling at around 2000 rpm. At this ratio, the motor purrs like a huge sleeping cat and the sound is just noticeable in the background, making it easy to converse with a passenger. However, at that ratio, you also don't have much power if you should need it and I keep my finger resting on on the downshift paddle in case I need to downshift (once or twice!) to get some quickly needed power in traffic. And that points up a nice feature of this auto tranny: you can downshift anytime you want (or upshift, but that doesn't come up much in "D"). After awhile the bike will probably shift up again however.
Putting the auto tranny in sport ("S") mode essentially gives you a different motorcycle altogether. The motor sounds quite different: that "cat" is now willing to roar a bit as this mode delivers pretty much all the power the bike has to offer. The difference is stunning. I use this mode when I'm in certain challenging traffic situations or unfamiliar surroundings where I might want speed and power at a moment's notice and want the extra attention afforded by not having to shift. I also use it with a pillion passenger anytime there is a hill (even a small one) or want good acceleration out of the bike (which you won't necessarily get in "D" mode with a passenger). What I don't like about "S" mode is that it wants to stay in 3rd gear for longer than I would normally allow. For example, at just over 30 mph - a common speed to be stuck in with traffic - I often want the bike to shift sooner than it does. And perhaps this is a good time to mention an important distinction of the dual-clutch transmission. It's not the same as a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that one would find on a scooter. It really does have gears, and you really are aware of them - especially if you are an experienced rider. Even if you aren't, the digital display is always showing large numbers that announce which gear you're in. In this regard, one doesn't have the same feeling of "continuously available power" mentioned earlier. An exception would be accellerating quickly in "S" mode: if you really turn the throttle, you hardly notice the gears as the bike is shooting forward in a huge rush of power. One somewhat odd experience for a seasoned motorcycle rider occurs in "S" mode when slowing down - perhaps for a corner. The bike will downshift all by itself with all the audible and palpable sensations associated with that maneuver, and it can be a little disconcerting if you're not expecting it. You might find yourself saying something like, "Hey, who did that? That's not supposed to happen unless I do it!" Still, it usually happens at the right time and allows for engine braking, reducing the need to use the brakes. And if the bike doesn't do it soon enough for your taste, you can always do it yourself.
Speaking of doing it yourself, you can switch into manual mode any time you want. Anytime the auto transmission doesn't do things the way I want, I just push the button that gives me full control over the bike. And then it's a different bike yet again: like a third motorbike for the price of one. And it's here, in my opinion, that the dual-clutch (DCT) system really comes into it's own. Now you have a regular motorcycle - with that exceptionally great-sounding engine - literally at your fingertips - with just a few notable differences. Normally when you shift a motorcycle it's a delicate dance between the throttle with the right hand, the gearshift with the left foot, and the clutch lever with the left hand. The process requires you to alter the throttle position when you pull in the clutch lever, shift the gears with your foot and then gradually increase the throttle in a way that's compatible with your disengaging of the clutch. Manually shifting the CTX700 requires none of that. Just push the upshift lever with your finger at any reasonable speed - without doing anything to the throttle and without depressing the non-existent clutch lever - and bike shifts to the next gear. It is so much simpler and yet the result is fully satisfying. And, just like with the automatic modes, the result is absolutely smooth and perfect - nearly every time. Very few skilled riders could clutch this smoothly this consistently. One has to ask the question whether any functional subtlety is lost when a clutch lever is removed from the shifting process by a dual clutch transmission. Perhaps a more skilled rider than myself would have a different answer, but all I can say is that I have noticed no deficit at all in paddle shifting. None. Nada. I have never missed that clutch lever even once and doubt I ever will.
The advantages don't stop there.
While you can invoke manual shifting in automatic mode (mostly down-shifting), Honda retains a few automatic features in manual mode. If I were reading this, this is the part where I would be saying, "Aw shucks" (or some similar invective), "I knew there would be a fly in the ointment and I wouldn't be able to really control this bike completely." But my experience is that this is really a feature and not a bug. It goes like this: if you bring the bike to a stop in manual mode, Honda will downshift the bike for you so you don't kill it and it will place the bike in first gear so it's ready for your next move. But Honda (almost always) does this in a very smart fashion. Normally I do all the downshifting and engine braking before corners or when coming to a stop. If the bike were going to do this, it would usually preform these actions at the last minute, so it doesn't get in my way. I usually bring the bike to second gear manually and then don't worry about the rest: no delicate fishing for neutral at stops and no need to put it in first gear before starting. I have to say, it works quite well. When I really want to enjoy the bike and actively control the thing (which is most of the time), I jump on manual mode and go for it. If I get tired of that and just want to move effortlessly through space for a time, automatic mode is always a simple touch away. You can invoke any of these modes on the fly, in any combination, anytime you like. Very sweet.
One thing does bother me however. All this great clutchless shifting happens with clanking sounds that I dislike. Normally if a bike made chunking sounds like this when you shifted gears you would assume a dysfunctional mechanical arrangement and excessive wear which would likely cause problems in the near term. Sometimes I worry that all is not right and perhaps I have received a "lemon". At other times I make the assumption that the Gods of Honda Engineering (GOHE) really know what they're doing, that this is all normal and fine, and I should just disregard the unfortunate esthetics of these clanking sounds. In fact, this is exactly what the Honda mechanic at the dealership said after riding the bike: it's normal for this system to make these sounds and Honda has been using DCT transmissions successfully for their all-terrain vehicles for years. Occasionally however, I find myself doubting the Gods of Honda and still have concern about the noise. In any case, I don't like it. My hope is that it will lessen with time.
Aside from this unfortunate bit, I am a fan of this bike and its transmission. Perhaps it's worth mentioning the intuitive handling, maneuverability AND stability, comfortable riding position, and easy power delivery (although I think some would find it a bit anemic in this respect; it's definitely not a crotch-rocket). It could use more easily adjustable shocks however – one feels every bump on the road – at least when the thing is brand new - and some of them threatened to throw me off balance which is something I'm not used to. The only adjustment available on the shocks is the preload on the rear spring. I've made great improvement by increasing the preload on the this shock and am now satisfied with the ride. But I found doing this to be quite awkward however and could hardly imagine making this adjustment while out on the road.
Some people have said that this would be a good bike for beginners because of the automatic option and low seat height. In my opinion it would be a good bike for some people to start on, especially because you can learn how to shift on the thing and the power delivery in "D" mode is quite gentle. But at 500 lbs, I suspect it would be too big for a number of beginners who would be better served by starting off on a smaller bike. Regardless of one's opinion about this, I've been riding motorbikes for decades and I quite like the bike. Other experienced riders will also.
Despite the opposition of many seasoned riders who may feel that the DCT transmission offers a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, I think Honda is right to push this technology - especially if they can achieve a quieter operation of the transmission. In the long run, word will get out about its advantages and people will want to experience this new way of riding a motorcycle.