In the past, automatic motorcycles were often laughed off, considered boring or “uncool”
amongst most motorcycle buyers.
That is no longer the case, CVT transmissions were the main reason people turned their back
on maxi-scooters, but huge improvements have been made in CVT technology, especially for
high torque applications.
Honda has also made a big investment in DCT transmissions for their motorcycles, bringing
a far more exciting transmission to a far more exciting group of large displacement
automatic motorcycles.
10.
Kymco Xciting S400.
Kymco is not necessarily a household name in the western hemisphere, but the Taiwanese
company has taken big strides forward since they entered into a partnership with BMW.
This is not a BMW engine, but it certainly shares similar characteristics with the BMW
engines they supply.
Making decent power, this maxi-scooter genuinely lives up to its name and can provide you with
a basic city runabout that is also a comfortable cruiser.
9.
Honda X-ADV 750.
Arguably the best-looking bike on this list is also the most overpriced.
In our opinion, Honda pretty much priced this bike out of the market, but for those interested,
this king of all maxi-scooters is actually fairly capable off-road.Not that we would
feel comfortable on long dirt trails with those small wheels, but it makes for an interesting
alternative to the mainstream Adventure bikes.
8.
Suzuki Burgman 400.
Sadly, slow sales and emissions came together to kill the trusty Burgman 650, but the 400
lives on and in most respects is a solid torchbearer.
Obviously, a little down on power compared to the 650, the 400 will still keep up with
traffic on the highway, provide great fuel economy as a commuter, and generally make
other bikes in this segment rank average.
7.
Honda Goldwing Tour.
If any bike actually makes sense as an automatic, it has to be the ultimate highway cruiser;
the Goldwing.
It gets the DCT transmission to make the plush motorcycle even easier to ride.
As long as you are riding in a straight line, that is, corners and cities are not exactly
home turf for the massive Goldwing.
6.
Yamaha X Max.
Although the Yamaha toes the line between maxi and regular scooter, its 300cc engine
has enough get up and go to keep up with highway traffic.
It is another high-quality option, with heaps of storage space and one of the best designs
in this particular motorcycle universe.
There is a 400cc version is on its way next year so if you like the looks of this bike,
wait and watch out for that rather.
5.
Honda NC750X.
Coming in at just $9,000 this is by some margin the cheapest bike you can get with a DCT.
It kind of makes sense with it too as the bike is a solid cruiser and commuter, with
few, if any sporting aspirations.
It is the kind of bike that has defined Honda over the years, with great economy, reliability
and comfort but just lacking the x-factor other bikes are able to find.
4.
BMW C650 GT.
BMW has indeed discontinued this in the US, but elsewhere it is still going strong, with
a small but loyal fanbase.
They will also still have new old stock available for some time, down to the fact that these
were never their most popular product.
However, that should not put anyone off, because they are top-quality machines that live up
to their premium brand.
3.
Honda Rebel 1100.
If you have it, why not flaunt it?
It seems like that is currently Honda’s philosophy with their DCT, one thing is for
sure, they have the first mover advantage.
One would not have expected an automatic cruiser, but that is what you will get from the Rebel.
It is an exciting direction for motorcycle enthusiasts that have previously been put
off by manual transmissions.
2.
MV Agusta Turismo Veloce SCS.
Ok, so this is a little tenuous, as it is technically closer to a quickshifter than
an actual automatic transmission as you will find in the Honda DCT units.
Nonetheless, this is a truly special sport-touring motorcycle, and the fact that you can get
it with a semi-automatic transmission is a great feature for long-distance touring.
1.
Honda Africa Twin.
Easily the most famous, and controversial, motorcycle to be launched with an automatic
transmission in recent years.
Being a more dirt-oriented machine, you could make a good argument why this is not the ideal
motorcycle to come with a DCT.
However, that does not change the fact that it is the coolest fully automatic motorcycle
money can buy.