I was looking at the Honda web site last night and there is information about an electronically controlled duel-clutch system that while it is actually a gear drive trany, the combination of the duel clutch and electronic control apparently allows the transmission to work like an automatic. There was a mention of a mode where the driver has more control over the gear selection.
There was information about many of these transmissions already in use in Europe (if I remember correctly it said 12,500).
The web site had something about a 700 size 2 cylinder water cooled with the duel clutch, that will be available in the United States later this year, and there was something about it being used on one of the largest bikes.
I can see how a duel clutch combined with a microcomputer in control of the gear and clutch selections can enable the clutch that is not engaged to have the gears it is connected to mechanically selected to be ready for an up-shift or a down-shift, and then the clutches can change which one is engaged, all done by electronics. Having worked on electronic controls of three phase generator synchronizers that take into account the closing time the high power relay that tied the generator to the line took to actually close after the signal to close was given, I can also understand that electronic control of the clutches could (and probably does) take into account the time lag from the signal to engage and disengage so that the no selected or duel selected time interval can be minimized.
I would like to take one of those 700 Hondas with this system for a ride someday. Though they probably ruin it by making the seat too low for a tall person, and setting the bike up for the rider to be bent forward for less wind resistance and better handling.
There was information about many of these transmissions already in use in Europe (if I remember correctly it said 12,500).
The web site had something about a 700 size 2 cylinder water cooled with the duel clutch, that will be available in the United States later this year, and there was something about it being used on one of the largest bikes.
I can see how a duel clutch combined with a microcomputer in control of the gear and clutch selections can enable the clutch that is not engaged to have the gears it is connected to mechanically selected to be ready for an up-shift or a down-shift, and then the clutches can change which one is engaged, all done by electronics. Having worked on electronic controls of three phase generator synchronizers that take into account the closing time the high power relay that tied the generator to the line took to actually close after the signal to close was given, I can also understand that electronic control of the clutches could (and probably does) take into account the time lag from the signal to engage and disengage so that the no selected or duel selected time interval can be minimized.
I would like to take one of those 700 Hondas with this system for a ride someday. Though they probably ruin it by making the seat too low for a tall person, and setting the bike up for the rider to be bent forward for less wind resistance and better handling.
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