We all know that motorcycle sales are in a worldwide slump, sales in the US are worse than in most other area. Very few nations are showing growth.
New riders are simply not making the effort to learn to ride. I have to wonder if some of that is due to the manual transmissions on bikes? Kids haven't learned how to drive stick shift cars in "drivers ed" classes for at least the past 35 years. So now there are parents, possibly even grandparents, of driving age 'kids' who have never driven a stick shift car.
BMW is now offering its clutches EZ shift option on some models, which requires a clutch only in 1st or 1st/2nd gear. Honda offers its DCT (dual clutch) transmission which works as fully automatic, fully manual or a hybrid as the rider sees fit. Harley Davidson's electric LIVEWIRE is clutchless & gearless, as is the entire line of ZERO motorcycles.
Will gearless electric motorcycles, or EZ shift or DCT type transmissions be enough to bring in new riders or are those offerings, which are currently limited to mid-size and larger bikes too expensive for most newbies? I personally think they are all great ideas but I am not sure any are offered on a motorcycle smaller than a 700cc engine size weighing nearly 500 pounds so I'm not sure they are newbie friendly options (yet).
DCT transmissions are getting rave reviews from offroad enthusiasts on Honda's Africa Twin and from the more placid road cruising Goldwing owners. EZ shift from BMW is gaining a lot of traction, but nothing about a BMW is cheap and the bikes just are not parked in front of every Starbucks. Nobody questions the lack of gears/clutches on any brand of electric.
KTM is now offering a clutchless/gearless electric offroad motorcycle aimed at kids. Is that the ticket?
Thoughts?
New riders are simply not making the effort to learn to ride. I have to wonder if some of that is due to the manual transmissions on bikes? Kids haven't learned how to drive stick shift cars in "drivers ed" classes for at least the past 35 years. So now there are parents, possibly even grandparents, of driving age 'kids' who have never driven a stick shift car.
BMW is now offering its clutches EZ shift option on some models, which requires a clutch only in 1st or 1st/2nd gear. Honda offers its DCT (dual clutch) transmission which works as fully automatic, fully manual or a hybrid as the rider sees fit. Harley Davidson's electric LIVEWIRE is clutchless & gearless, as is the entire line of ZERO motorcycles.
Will gearless electric motorcycles, or EZ shift or DCT type transmissions be enough to bring in new riders or are those offerings, which are currently limited to mid-size and larger bikes too expensive for most newbies? I personally think they are all great ideas but I am not sure any are offered on a motorcycle smaller than a 700cc engine size weighing nearly 500 pounds so I'm not sure they are newbie friendly options (yet).
DCT transmissions are getting rave reviews from offroad enthusiasts on Honda's Africa Twin and from the more placid road cruising Goldwing owners. EZ shift from BMW is gaining a lot of traction, but nothing about a BMW is cheap and the bikes just are not parked in front of every Starbucks. Nobody questions the lack of gears/clutches on any brand of electric.
KTM is now offering a clutchless/gearless electric offroad motorcycle aimed at kids. Is that the ticket?
Thoughts?