A revolutionary new motorcycle shifting system

I first learned how to use a clutch and shifter back in the late 1970s with my father. Getting ready to take the road test for my learner’s permit, he stated, “You’re going to have to learn how to use a clutch in an automobile, so let’s go out and practice some.“ He took me out in our little 1977 Honda Civic, and I honed my skills in a nearby church parking lot with him. It was not unfamiliar to me, however, since my brothers and I had grown up clutching and shifting with dirt bikes. So a manual transmission was easy for me from the outset.

Fast-forward to the mid 2000s, when our daughters began to drive, and manual transmissions had become a thing of the past. In the decades since my adolescence, the automotive industry had all but completely phased out manual transmission cars and trucks. My girls learned how to drive automatics, and neither had the opportunity nor desire to learn how to use a clutch and shifter. Both loved to ride on the back of my motorcycles with me, but neither wanted to learn how to ride themselves. They both told me, “It looks too complicated.“

And therein lies one of the reasons why so many Millennials and Gen Zers are not riding motorcycles these days. Out of convenience, our generation phased out manual transmissions in automobile production over the years, and basically destroyed any incentive for most of the subsequent generations to learn how to ride.

It’s our fault the younger gens haven’t taken up motorcycling.

The 2024 Honda CB650R and CBR650R, with the new E-Clutch tech. Photo by Jonnem Media.

Now Honda has decided to remove some of those barriers to young people entering our sport, by introducing their vaunted DCT transmission a few years ago, and now a new innovation, their “E-Clutch” system. Honda has long been known as an innovative brand, very forward thinking, and they’ve done it again with a remarkable riding and shifting solution.

We were invited to historic Dahlonega, Georgia for an introduction and demonstration of Honda‘s new system recently. Honda has introduced the E-Clutch on their CB650R and CBR650R models, perfect bikes for this new tech. We were given the opportunity to not only learn the system but sample it on both of those motorcycles, first on a closed circuit racetrack, then out on the open roads of the north Georgia foothills.

The E-Clutch unit visible on the right side. Photo by Jonnem Media.

The basic premise is, the ability to shift up and down with a traditional foot lever, but not having to use a left-hand clutch lever. Sounds like a quick shifter, doesn’t it? It’s actually a step beyond that, yet not quite a full automatic like their DCT tranny. It’s even more seamless than a quick shifter.

Okay, here’s how it works for you gearheads. The clutch operation is driven by two motors, controlled by what Honda calls the Motor Control Unit (MCU). The MCU takes information from the bike’s ECU, which monitors shift-lever load, gear position, throttle position, engine rpm, and wheel speeds. A rotation-angle sensor reads the “opening” of the clutch plates, and the engine countershaft. A sort of “feedback loop” is created between the rotation-angle sensor & data from the ECU. Based on the above inputs, the MCU controls clutch operation when “automatic clutch control” is active. And the whole thing can be easily switched off. More on that momentarily.

The E-Clutch unit takes up very little additional space, with minimal weight gain. Photo by Jonnem Media.

Again, it’s not a quick shifter, nor is it a fully automatic DCT. It’s a clutch control mechanism, doing the work for you as the bike is ridden and the rider toe-shifts up/down through the gears. Basically, you start the bike in neutral, tap it down into first gear without using the left grip clutch lever, then you don’t need to use the clutch lever at all, even coming back to a stop. So you are shifting up and down through the gears like a traditional motorcycle, just eliminating the extra step of pulling the clutch lever in, closing the throttle, then shifting and getting back on the gas. The traditional way leaves a millisecond gap in power delivery when shifting between each gear, whereas this tech makes clutchless downshifts and upshifts even quicker and more smoothly than a quick shifter.

Okay, back to the demonstration. After a dinner and presentation in Dahlonega the night before, Honda reps drove us over to Atlanta Motorsports Park, in the Georgia foothills. This is primarily a car and cart track, not specifically designed for motorcycles. The course has no real long straightaway, just constant and at times tight curves up, down and around its hilly topography. I had never seen this track before, much less ever ridden on it. “Looks like fun,“ I thought to myself.

Getting a feel for both the unfamiliar track and E-Clutch mechanism. Photo by Jonnem Media.

After getting a feel for the E-Clutch system around the parking lot, we rode out onto the track to familiarize ourselves with the curvy course and Honda’s clutch system. One thing they told us before we went out on track was, “Whatever you do, try not to use the clutch. It will disable the system, and you’ll have to reengage it.” I accidentally did it once on the first lap anyway, yet found it very easy to reengage by simply popping back into neutral, which activates the system again. Then I tapped back into 1st, and I was off again around the track. “Don’t touch the clutch,” I kept repeating in my helmet.

Such a high-tech but simple-to-use system.

Before long I was throttling around the track at much higher speeds and deeper lean angles, not even thinking about the left grip clutch lever. Simply tapping up and down through the gears at will, no brief power loss between shifts, and no slightly clunky downshifts which I’ve experienced on some quick shifters at times. This was seamless and effortless, just up and down through the gears. Extraordinary.

A little more speed, a little more lean angle, smooth up/down shifting via the E-Clutch; Digging it on the CBR650R as well. Photos by Jonnem Media.

Some might argue, “It just takes away from the immersive motorcycle riding experience.“ I would disagree. I actually focused better and enjoyed getting around the track quicker without a manual clutch lever pull. It’s a paradigm shift, for sure, but I think a good one. I sure was enjoying it over a couple of hours around the track.

We soon lit out from the racetrack up into the north Georgia mountains. The Southern Appalachians here are full of roads with wide sweepers, challenging curves, and tight hairpins. US 129, The Tail of the Dragon is famous, but so many small state and county roads up through the mountains are just like it here. The track time we spent getting familiar with the E-Clutch really prepared us for using it up in these hills. Diving through corners, accelerating out, upshifting and downshifting at will with none of the brief power loss from a manual clutch pull, was absolutely exhilarating.

Throttling up into the hills. Photo by Jonnem Media.

After a private-party lunch at Two Wheels Of Suches, we rolled back to Dahlonega, where we had begun. In the brief stop-and-go traffic of this college and tourist town, we were able to experience the convenience of this system in another real world scenario. It was super easy to negotiate the side streets of the downtown as our day drew to a close.

Honda’s all new E-Clutch system really makes these bikes very versatile. You essentially get two motorcycles in one. You can engage the hand lever clutch and ride manual, or engage the E-Clutch and simply tap up/down through the gears. We sampled the CB650R about a year ago, and for my size, it was the perfect fit (not to mention the sexiest pipes in the industry). So Honda’s installing the E-Clutch system in this and the sport model makes this bike even more inviting, not just to younger, new, and potential riders, but also to somebody like me. I loved it.

Riding twisty tarmac, up at elevation, on an amazing new motorcycle. A good day. Photo by Jonnem Media.

We might be getting a long-term 2024 CB650R loaner in a month or so, which I personally am greatly looking forward to. I love this model in their lineup anyway, and this revolutionary clutch system makes me even more eager for some more seat time with it.

The system will be utilized in future models as well in the years ahead, and we here at Road Dirt sincerely hope it is successful. Not only is the system fantastic, but we are of the opinion that any opportunity to invite more people into our riding culture is a very good thing. Kudos to Honda for creating another bridge to motorcycle riding.

Rob

For more on the Honda E-Clutch system in these 650 bikes, click here:

Honda E-Clutch

*Check out our video review of Honda’s E-Clutch here: