I say almost foolproof because the manual says you can ’ t stall it , but I did find a way . In that microsecond when I released the lever in a manual start , but then rolled off the throttle immediately - because the car in front stalled , in that half second the computer hadn ’ t yet reverted operation back to the E-Clutch , and as a result one can stall it . But it ’ s a micro-window . So do I like it ? I love the E-Clutch . Yes , there is a noticeable extra box sitting on the top of the clutch housing , and connected to the actuator , but it ’ s not obnoxious . It looks like it belongs there , and I didn ’ t ever collide with it . Does it improve things ? Well that ’ s a personal taste – but yes , it does - in that shifts are slick and perfect every time , fast and accurate up and down , engine braking is unaffected , And if you don ’ t want it , just use the clutch and it becomes a manual lever . In the city I slowed at the lights and deliberately left the bike in 3rd gear . Yellow downshift warning arrows surrounded the gear select numeral . But I didn ’ t shift down , and the take off in 3rd was as smooth as one can achieve manually . Foolproof . Simple . Gamechanging . In my opinion it will become the standard offering relatively quickly , and I ’ ll be surprised if its not ‘ built-in ’ in coming iterations .
THE CB650R It ’ s taken a while to get here and so far I ’ ve barely talked about the new Honda CB650R , but there are further surprises in store . Firstly , it is a superb example of polished delivery . Every inch is a class act ; a little understated but with real presence . Lustrous dark red paint , superb plastics , perfect welds , glowing dark bronze colour pallet on wheels and on that superb inline-four-cylinder engine , set off by gold forks , and satin black elements everywhere else . Four shining stainless pipes snake , in linear but eccentric fashion , down into a snug engine base cowling , popping out into a single exhaust vent low on the right . Every inch of it a modern motorcycle , and the LAMS moniker rendered almost superfluous . 48 horses are highly adequate , and the bike sounds terrific at higher revs too – redlining at 12.5k ’ s . Although I never got anywhere near that .
54 KIWI RIDER