Saw a review on motorweek this morning about the 850 Mana with a CVT style trans (and flappy paddles!). My wife though it was cool, and she hates motorbikes.
Is it a gimmick? Whats the consensus from the real bikers (I just ride dirt bikes around the pits @ race tracks).
Its $10k now, waay to expensive - but a couple years of depreciation might help.
Kendall
"Is it a gimmick?" of course it is. Why would you need to have flappy paddles on a CVT?
Most likely it has flappy paddles with the CVT, beacuse (and I am not certain of this) like Honda did with their CVT in the Civic, there are "gears" programmed into the transmission, so that riders get the feeling of "accelerating through the gears." Never mind that it would be both faster AND more fuel efficient to keep the optimal RPM for conditions as much as possible, instead of varying RPMs.
Right, so it is a gimmick. They put a single speed gearbox into the motorcycle so it would appeal to those who don't want to have to change gears. Then they put a fake gear changer into it so you can pretend to change gears. Just buy a normal motorcycle.
The reviews of the bike are pretty good.
Yes, the faux-manual is a gimmick, but the auto trans itself works well.
The bike is reasonably quick - faster than most maxi-weight scooters and on par with other middle-weight standards. But, not as fast as middle-weight crotch rockets. That's as much a function of the engine as the transmission.
The "fuel tank" is really a storage bin. It was reported to hold a full-face helmet. The actual tank is under the seat, IIRC.
The new Honda VFR1200 is reported to have a dual clutch transmission with 3 shifting programs including a manual shift mode. I can see these in heavier GT and touring bikes like this new VFR , the ST1300 and maybe the Gold Wing but I don't see this catching on in the true sportbike (600 and 1000) market where very ounce of weight is painstakingly scrutinized. The Yamaha FJR 1300 has been available with a push button shift automatic for a few years now.
Gonzo_Bmod wrote: I can see these in heavier GT and touring bikes like this new VFR , the ST1300 and maybe the Gold Wing but I don't see this catching on in the true sportbike (600 and 1000) market
The Aprilia isn't being marketed as a sport-bike. It's a competitor to the SV650. A sporty-standard for newer riders, commuters, and people who just want a good value bike for putzing around on.
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