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Old 2nd March 2012, 14:35   #1
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Why no gearless motorcycles

I ride bikes occasionally, but I prefer the convenience of going gearless on a scooter. I wonder why no manufacture has has combined the best of both worlds and brought out a gearless motorcycle. A big percentage of scooter users might consider switching to bigger wheels. Also, a small percentage of motorcycle users could opt for the convenience of a gearless ride. It's an untapped market. Why no takers? Is it technically impossible or unfeasable to create a gearless motorcycle?
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Old 2nd March 2012, 14:51   #2
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

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Originally Posted by abybabykcc View Post
I ride bikes occasionally, but I prefer the convenience of going gearless on a scooter. I wonder why no manufacture has has combined the best of both worlds and brought out a gearless motorcycle. A big percentage of scooter users might consider switching to bigger wheels. Also, a small percentage of motorcycle users could opt for the convenience of a gearless ride. It's an untapped market. Why no takers? Is it technically impossible or unfeasable to create a gearless motorcycle?
Well I guess Motercycles are considered to be macho, hence no fun driving them without control in your hands or rather feet
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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:18   #3
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

It is definitely possible to create a gearless motorcycle. It is neither difficult technically or financially (well except for initial investment by bike manufacturer).

I think it is just a case of this is the way we have been doing it for years so "don't fix it if it ain't broke" philosophy in play here.

I think there has been one or two gearless motorcycles that have been launched in India, but none of them were successful and the sale stopped. Off hand can't place any names though
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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:33   #4
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

There is one in the market already. TVS Jive, been there for a while too.

Hero (Honda) tried their hand here much before, with Street. It combined the positives for both a bike and a scooter but it was market dud. Reasons are citied as low mileage or maybe it wasnt manly enough! But this things are hot stuff in other South Asian countries.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:33   #5
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

TVS had launched a gearless motor cycle approx. two years ago (was named as Jive, if i remember correctly); not sure what kind of response it got from the market and why.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:45   #6
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

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Originally Posted by mac187 View Post
There is one in the market already. TVS Jive, been there for a while too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by infotech58 View Post
TVS had launched a gearless motor cycle approx. two years ago (was named as Jive, if i remember correctly)
If I'm not wrong, Jive is a clutchless bike, not gear less. The rider still has to use his feet to shift up & down.

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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:47   #7
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

I've always been confused if the TVS JIVE and HH street were Auto-Clutch or Auto-transmission motorcycles, thought I have never test ridden either of them.

IIRC both these vehicles have rotary gears and auto clutch. Correct me if I am wrong.

Coming to Gearless motorcycles, though it sounds convenient, I'm sure no biker would get the adrenaline rush experienced in a normal motorcycle!
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Old 2nd March 2012, 15:56   #8
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

I have been thinking this too for the last few weeks. Nice someone brought out this thread. I guess Bajaj would have to start and everyone else will follow, ideally it should not be a new model, but just an option on all or select existing models.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mac187 View Post
There is one in the market already. TVS Jive, been there for a while too.

Hero (Honda) tried their hand here much before, with Street. It combined the positives for both a bike and a scooter but it was market dud. Reasons are citied as low mileage or maybe it wasnt manly enough! But this things are hot stuff in other South Asian countries.

Don't know about the Jive, but the HH Street was a step through (a cross between a bike and a scooter) like the Bajaj M-80 and it was a auto clutch geared bike. I don't think anyone has come out with a motorcycle with auto transmission.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 16:11   #9
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

There is a powerful bike in this category - Honda DN1

Refer below link:

2009 Honda DN-01 Review - Motorcycle.com

...enjoy.

There could be 1-2 in India as well.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 16:13   #10
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

As pointed by others in case of Jive one still needs to shift gears using left feet just liek any conventional motorcycle. Though it's do away with conventional clutch, as the clutch/acceleration co-ordination is like the worst nightmare coming true for a new rider but the thing is mastering this is not an issue at all. The problem with the Jive was it's neither here nor there. Someone who is looking for convenience of automatic will opt for gear-less scooter.

I think there are few international motorcycle which boost of proper clutchless/gearless riding.

Aprillia Shiver
Honda VFR1200
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Old 2nd March 2012, 16:16   #11
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

I guess one reason for gear-less automobiles is for the fairer sex to be able to use them as for them changing gears in a Vespa scooter was quiet a pain on the wrist, the the scooters were launched gear-less.

Like someone above said there was a bike launched without gears and it hasn't been successful killing any chances of anyone else launching a similar product.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 17:15   #12
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

TVS Jive and Hero Honda Street were both auto-clutch, whcih is only half-way there. They didn't entirely do away with manual shifting. Automatic transmission is what I'm talking about. A well-designed and well-built bike with good performance and automatic transmission could easily convert a lot of scooter users, especially considering the crater-filled mine-fields that pass off as roads.
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Old 2nd March 2012, 20:36   #13
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

Auto transmission vehicles suffer heavy transmission losses. They are expensive and not very compact. Now imagine that on our vehicles, which are not that powerful to start with.
Bajaj did launch auto transmission Saffire. But it was a market dud.
VFR1200 is a good example for a good auto transmission. But at 19L on road, you dont but VFR for its autotransmission
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Old 2nd March 2012, 23:23   #14
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

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Originally Posted by allajunaki View Post
Auto transmission vehicles suffer heavy transmission losses. They are expensive and not very compact. Now imagine that on our vehicles, which are not that powerful to start with.
Bajaj did launch auto transmission Saffire. But it was a market dud.
VFR1200 is a good example for a good auto transmission. But at 19L on road, you dont but VFR for its autotransmission
Saffire is again a scooter, the only difference is it had three fixed ratio gears that changes automatically instead of variomatic employed by other scooters. Market dud?.. yes it was but i personally liked this one
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Old 2nd March 2012, 23:37   #15
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Re: Why no gearless motorcycles

Mileage matters.powerful scooters have flopped just due to that aspect (kinetic blaze )

A automatic will have to be beefed up to be comparable to a manual.mileage goes down and so do the sales
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