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Most modern automatic transmissions let you pick a gear if you really want to, either with paddle shifters on the wheel or a sideways +/- slot next to "D" on the gear lever.

You don't get the sensation of letting the clutch go at juuust the right revs, but hey, there are always motorcycles.



Whenever I try that it seems to overrule my shifts. Can’t go to first gear above a certain speed. Stay in a low gear too long and we’ll go ahead and upshift anyway.


Yep, the only thing that’s missing is modulating your front/rear braking split (and hence under/oversteer) with the clutch on the way in to corners.

Of course, front wheel drives can do this with left foot braking but I never got the hang of that.


> Of course, front wheel drives can do this with left foot braking but I never got the hang of that.

I used to do this in my mom’s Kalos. Super fun. Makes it feel like your car is on rails.


Motorcycles are seeing some movement towards DCT too.


Not really. They’ve been available for ages now but not much uptake. This happens periodically - there was an automatic Honda back in the 80s that also didn’t sell.

WHat has changed, at least in performance bikes (broadly stated) is autoblippers/quickshifters. A skill you could learn (clutch less shifts) of course but never as fast as these.


The Honda Super Cub was pretty cool, and it dates back to the late '50s. Apocryphally, it used a centrifugal clutch to free the left hand so the rider could hold a package while driving.


Interesting tech ... but empirically (at least in north america) didn't sell well at all.


Really? Honda's the only one I know of with the Africa Twin and Goldwing right now AFAIK. Are there more?




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