gives faster throttle response , ‘ Off Road ’, turns most rider assists off , ‘ User 1 ’ and ‘ 2 ’ are rider configurable , and ‘ Urban ’ is a bit more fiery than ‘ Tour ’. It takes some time to find your way around these maps , they all work , and dial up presets are standard these days . Honda does it very well indeed . However , the most important component in good , fast , safe riding is the operator . Practise pays dividends . Too many guys get on an adventure bike and go looking for roads that they don ’ t have skills or training for , and often try to take these on with road tyres . Results are entirely predictable . Given my moto-trials experience , I have found that all the same training skills pay dividends aboard the big twin . Tight turns , figure eights , slaloms , straight line balance , front wheel braking , off-camber turns - all in varying gears , from 1st to 3rd , while slipping the clutch , holding pressure in the bike with dragging of the rear brake , and working the throttle to maintain revs , power , and momentum . All giving you something important , control . But , all of these skills are based around the use of the clutch . Hopping , placing the front wheel on an obstacle , and splatter techniques over logs , up metre plus rocks and banks , are trials skills that the likes of Chris Birch can achieve on a 240kg , 100hp bike , but that I dare not try on a tall top-of-the-line loaner . However , every part of these skill-based activities is made with release , slip , and timing of clutch . Even simply balancing in a stationary position is delivered via the clutch , with throttle and brake combos .
TO DCT OR NOT DCT My question then , is that which I asked at the start of this article . Will a fully developed and engineered DCT system deliver the sort of control I want , need , and am used to - without my experienced input into the clutch ? And , just how badly is that going to effect my synapses when I reach for it and it aint there ? Can I do what I want to do , to the limits of my own abilities , with no clutch allowing me to feather power in and out ? I didn ’ t know yet , but it was time to find out . I read online in a recent review that “ the Japanese brand is trying to offer riders something tangible , and with value , that isn ’ t
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