More manufacturers unveil automatic transmissions
Since introducing its Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) in 2010, Honda has practically monopolized the market for automatic motorcycles. Big Red only doubled down on that investment when it debuted the E-Clutch system last October. By May, BMW entered the space with its Automated Shift Assistant (ASA), an option soon to be offered on the 2025 R 1300 GS Adventure.
Now, two more OEMs are poised to join those ranks in the coming months. The bigger question is whether we’re seeing a lasting trend that will take hold in the industry. But first, let’s look at the new developments.
Yamaha Y-AMT
Y-AMT ditches the clutch lever and shifter pedal. Instead, users upshift with the Plus trigger along the backside of the switchgear and downshift with the Minus button at the front side. Yamaha photos.
In June, Yamaha unveiled the Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission, or Y-AMT for short. The setup consists of a Manual Transmission (MT) and Automatic Transmission (AT) setting. In Manual mode, the user dictates shift points, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of actuating a clutch lever and shifter arm, the rider changes gears via shifting triggers mounted under the left switchgear.
As one would assume, the Automatic Transmission setting performs all gearbox duties without the user’s input, but two different modes determine the gearbox’s shifting characteristics. In D+ mode, AT shifts in the upper rev range, promoting a sportier ride. Conversely, D mode “delivers a softer gear shift experience” by initiating shifts at lower rpm. No matter the mode, riders can always utilize the shift paddles to manually change gears while in AT.
Yamaha has yet to reveal the inner workings of Y-AMT’s automated functions but based on the diagram provided (top photo), it looks like the layout employs electromechanical actuators similar to BMW’s ASA technology. The bLU cRU may not fully expound Y-AMT’s how, but it fully communicates its why.
The brand’s marketing materials focus on the three main pillars: Engagement, Enjoyment, and Exhilaration. If you’re picking up some sporty undertones, you’re not mistaken. According to the press release, Y-AMT not only streamlines shifts but also “requires less thinking time, allowing you to hyper-focus on throttle and brake application, lean angle, body position, and tire grip levels.” All in order to “intensify the ride.” Yamaha also claims that removing the shifter pedal improves the rider’s “weight distribution through the pegs,” especially when cornering.
By now, it’s abundantly clear what Yamaha intends for Y-AMT, even if the Japanese marque hasn’t confirmed which models will receive the automatic option. Sporty performance tops the list, a quality shared by another category entrant: KTM.
KTM AMT
KTM lived up to its “Ready to Race” mantra when it tested the Automatic Manual Transmission (AMT) Prototype at the 2024 Erzbergrodeo. Two-time Enduro World Champion Johnny Aubert piloted the AMT-equipped, twin-cylinder ADV (rumored to be the new 1390 Super Adventure) to a seventh-place finish in the event’s Iron Road Prologue.
Though the Austrian marque revealed the new tech in a competition setting, it won’t officially launch AMT until September. For now, KTM released limited information and technical details. What we do know is that AMT features manual and automatic modes and does away with the clutch lever in favor of bar-mounted shift triggers, similar to Yamaha’s Y-AMT.
Still, Team Orange’s setup differs in one way, it retains a foot-operated shifter for manual gear changes. While centrifugal clutch and auto-shift system patents filed by KTM (in May 2023) hint at the firm’s direction, the full details won’t become available until September. Until then, we can only speculate which orange-clad machines will benefit from an AMT option.
Is this the tipping point?
Automatic transmissions have remained on the fringes of motorcycling for decades. Could they become more mainstream in the years to come? With more OEMs developing the technology, it sure seems so. However, I can’t help but identify a flaw in the rollout for many of the new automated systems coming to the market.
Automatic shifting can serve everyone from commuters to off-road explorers, but younger, newer riders stand to benefit the most. Manual transmissions are a major deterrent to prospective Millennial and Gen-Z riders (in the United States, at least). Equipping entry-level, small-capacity models with automatic gearboxes could convince a new generation of riders to jump on two wheels. By the looks of it, that’s not what BMW, KTM, and Yamaha have in mind.
BMW designated its Automated Shift Assistant for its suite of boxer engines — engines that only power liter-plus models. KTM’s AMT could go the premium route as well, if its appearance on a full-size ADV test mule is any hint. There’s no telling which Yamaha platforms will receive Y-AMT technology, but the emphasis on “sports performance” doesn’t lean toward the beginner’s end of the market.
It’s worth noting that only Yamaha’s European arm has announced Y-AMT. At the time of writing, the manufacturer hasn’t confirmed Y-AMT for the North America market. Likewise, Honda’s E-Clutch is only available on CB650R and CBR650R units offered in European territories. That’s all to say that manufacturers may severely limit the models and markets offering automatic transmission options. In the immediate future, that is.
Is this the tipping point for automatic transmissions? Does this mark a major shift in the motorcycling business? Not just yet. But the industry is inching closer to that point as more automatic gearboxes make their way to the market.
