’ ll start by declaring a conflict of interest . I am an ambassador for Honda Outdoor Power equipment , which includes motorcycles , so in the interests of moderation , I ’ ve restricted my enthusiasm down by 50 percent . That said , here we go .

PIONEERING HISTORY For over 50 years Honda has been at the forefront of technological innovation , as well as being the world ’ s largest supplier of motorcycles – with three times the annual output of their nearest rival – with around 15 million bikes in the first nine months of 2024 alone . ( For interests sake , Yamaha is third , and Suzuki eighth in the top 10 ). I ’ m going somewhere with this , honest . Honda ’ s history of pioneering motorcycle technologies to make control easier started in 1958 when Honda developed the automatic centrifugal clutch , and introduced it on the Super Cub . In 1963 , the Juno M scooter was the first with a continuously variable hydraulic transmission . In 1977 , the Honda 750 EARA sports bike featured a Hondamatic auto . The 1980 Honda TACT was their first scooter equipped with the belt drive system , which became the standard for simple CVT . In 2008 , the DN-01 Sports Cruiser offered Human Friendly Transmission ( HFT ). Honda ’ s Dual Clutch Transmission ( DCT ) system for sports bikes followed .

SIMPLE BRILLIANCE - THE E-CLUTCH SYSTEM In the early 2010s , Honda engineers decided to bridge the gap between manual and automatic transmissions . The goal was to retain the tactile control of a manual gearbox , while making it user friendly for a broader ( including learner ) group . So the E-Clutch was born , and it is , as they say , a game-changer . ( Although I detest that hackneyed term ). How does it work ? The E-Clutch system is controlled by an onboard computer that monitors engine speed , vehicle speed , and driver input . DCT has two side-by-side clutch packs , one for odd numbered gears and one for even numbered gears and in the tiny intervals before gear shifts , the DCT spins up the next gear to be changed into . Two independent clutches smoothly transfer rotational speed from one

50 KIWI RIDER