Honda has gone in a different direction with its adventure bike to other manufacturers and the biggest difference is the DCT gearbox. Can it really work well off-road? Mat takes a closer look, with the help of a friend.
I am a disabled 62 year old, and, thanks to DCT, I am still able to ride a motorcycle. Even if I was able bodied I would choose DCT. It makes such a difference. I love it!
Be sure that if you diss the dct you have ridden it! Otherwise you’re just uninformed troll! I bought one and it’s superb. Just because you didn’t know you wanted it, doesn’t mean it’s not a great benefit. Open your mind and try it. If it’s then not for you, fine.
I'm in my late 60's in the US and have a left hand with weakness so this is a godsent for me and now I can continue riding and touring. Years ago "70's" I had a Honda 550 with the "HONDAMATIC" H2 it had a foot lever 2 speed no clutch lever worked but it was a "DOG" This DTC what an improvement !!
I️ plan on buying an new AT with DCT. I️ have shifted gears all my life and I️ love the fact that I️ can get an automatic motorcycle. That does not mean I️ have ride slow or sacrifice the riding experience. I️ don’t purchase automobiles with straight drive transmissions any more either I️ say bring on the DCT and if you don’t want one don’t be negative at Honda for making one for me.
Took my (recent) AT w DCT on a few thousand mile journey into the Colorado mountains. after riding manual only i was a bit concerned that the DCT would be strange, but not at all, little adjustment (about 3-5 minutes), and it was a breeze, simply fantastic! Nothing but good things to say after 2500ish miles over the course of 5 days (used highway and offroad), actually did swap off the auto to manual for twisties, off road and city (stop and go), for all the highway full auto.
Brilliant review I've just bought my Africa Twin DCT 2 days ago very helpful understanding the system..I laughed when you put it into D again because it's so lovely to use
As said at the end of the vid, you're bloody right ! I tested the AT with mechanical gearbox but disliked it for lack of sensation; then I tested the AT DCT the same morning and ... I ordered one at the end of test ! My friends laughed at me and my "scooter", but it's not a scooter, the DCT changes gears at time you would do it, so that the Honda marketing is right : you just concentrate on your riding, choosing the right path. 25.000km now on my 2016, I rode my DCT off-road as well, using my enduro technique to pass some slow speed technical terrain, no problem , as shown in your vid. I don't use the G button, I get the Track Control fully off instead. I never use the D mode, allways S1 , except S3 for off-road hill climbing. Reducing gears with bars buttons in down hill riding if needed. The only thing I do not master yet is sliding the rear wheel with rear brake because it needs to go Neutral to slip the clutch. So. The Africa Twin would be the best bike in the world with 20 kg less. Thanks for very well balanced demo and video.
I am so sold on this, that I called a dealer right away here in India, who told me he might have one last bike left at a different dealership in another state, and that he could get it for me. If that works, I would have my Africa Twin DCT, the 50th in India.
I’ve just got the 18 plate Adventure Sport DCT and it’s brilliant. MASSIVE, but fantastic. I went for a test ride on it quite determined not to like it, but it converted me within about 45 minutes.
Mike did u try the standard AT at all or just the ATAS? I’m trying to decide between them both in a DCT but super hard to find good ones to test/compare. The bulk of the ATAS is intimidating, but most say it disappears when you are mobile with a load centre of gravity
Funny enough I learned how to ride a bike on a little Honda Deputy scooter 125cc 4 speed gearbox with no handclutch.Just lift of the gas for a moment and then kick it into gear.Wish more bikes used this system.Especially for us that aren't as experienced on bikes.
I really fancy a DCT Africa Twin, won’t be buying one until they offer cruise control though. I see the 2018 AT has ride by wire so no excuse now Honda. 👍🏻
Nice review! My friend & I are going to get a couple brand new Africa twins but the 2017 or 18 model year wish I could afford that 2020 I would like to save the 5k tho. Plus I think that 2017 would do more than we could do 🤔 lol
I believe that people will come around to is some day.Its the same as when shaft drive was introduced.Oh its only got power from one side and will spin you out!?Thanks for posting.
If someone wants the DCT then I say fine. I’m just glad Honda has the sense to make it with a manual transmission and clutch so that I’m interested in buying one.
how does it behave when the bike is being pushed harder than what was shown here... i havent ridden it... but all i can imagine is that it works similar to a car with an automatic gearbox... which i have always not been 100% comfortable with.. i mean i love it when u r driving easy... its perfect... but how about u pushing it hard.. then i miss engine braking.. i hope u get what i am trying to say...
In Australia 99/100 motorcyclists hate DCT and wouldn't even give it a try. So much so that Honda discontinued the NC750X DCT variant in Australia. I think I want to give the DCT a try. What could be better than a motorcycle that you can ride like a scooter.
I know automatics in the car world are easy to steal. I have a manual. I wonder how difficult it is to service the DCT when it comes time to freshen the clutches. Hmm...I'd still take a DL1000. The AT needs and wants more dirt than I would be willing to give it. 17/19" are more superior for the majority of paved work.
I wish this was available on more bikes than just this and the new Goldwing. Oh well, I’ll just wait a couple more years then. The only question I have is that if you put it in Manual mode, does it take itself back into Automatic after a while? Like if I take it off-roading and put it into manual, do I need to worry that it’s going to revert back to automatic, or will it stay Manual until I turn it off?
Jake Furmaga hey! It stay automatique as long as you desire ! Even in low rpm! In manual mode , the good thing also , if you stop , it directly go back to speed 1 :) veryy cleaver !
To all the people that have never ridden a DCT but are poo-pooing it, saying it doesn't work off road in sticky situations and swearing they are like Chris Birch with a 500+lb bike off road, the DCT is better then you are, on and off road. If you're an ADV rider and know what it's like rolling up to some gnarly terrain fully loaded up the DCT is your best friend. Johnny Campbell shows how much easier it to get your tank rollin in this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eZ3ijMbb82w.html
My only complaint it's they haven't pushed it harder on the other models other than adventure bike ? I want a DCT transmission but I don't want an adventure bike, neither that sorry excuse for a motorcycle called NC750 or w/e it's called. I wanna see it on their sport bikes and standards. Even in cruisers should be a good idea(I don't want a cruiser either). Good review, keep spreading the good word about the DCT. 👌👍☺
I don't think you'll ever see it on a full fledge sport bike. In it's current form it adds 20+lb of weight. Factor in they aren't exactly making the most powerful bike... They've pretty much only put it in models where heavy weight is acceptable.
I had a go on an nc750x dct and I wouldn't choose this version. Automatic transmission worked great and temporary manual downshifts covered the rest. But the lack of a clutch lever is a no go. Nc750 is still a powerful motorcycle and at low speeds on a wet roundabout controlling it with just a throttle was tricky, to say the least. Give me a clutch lever to smooth out the throttle, lock down the gear when it is depressed - that will convert me in no time.
It’s not the best looking bike...I like it in tricolour, and being an old bugger with dodgy wrists I’m interested in the DCT (although I’d do push button selection unless it’s a hassle), but the three things that put me off are (a) ordinary looks, (b) somewhat underpowered for a litre bike and compared to my 1290SA; (c) priced too high compared to the KTM adventure bikes given they have heaps more technology & power
I am saying in terms of manual shifting, they serve the same purpose which is shifting without the clutch. That's why I don't see any difference apart from the maintenance cost for the DCT if they share the same problems in which happen on car DCT
the big difference between bikes and cars is the clutch, on a car is really annoying to move the foot around, specially on traffic, it actually requires an effort, but on a bike it doesn´t, your fingers are always there so no problem, you don´t really feel anything. On a bike I´ve never thought 'damn, this clutch is annoying, I wish this was an automatic', and I´m sure nobody else ever except for maybe scooter riders. So theres that, this technology will be forgotten because somebody that wants a huge dual purpose bike is definitely not gonna have a inconvenient at all with the clutch because it has always been like that. Casuals don´t get an africa twin, the automatic might work better on the big cruisers. In the end it just makes it more expensive, harder to work on and the advantages are almost zero.
On a car I´m already done with manual transmitions, is not practical, on a super car sure it might be fun, but even on an average sport car meh, whats the point, if I´m on my car I just want to chill, but when I jump on the bike I want it to be loud and aggressive. But yeah, in general automatic transmitions make people bad drivers, it spoils the new comers, you SHOULD learn on a manual.
"if you have a go, you will be converted" allot of bs. I admit it is better than I thought it would be, but when really worked properly hard off road (not like in the video), it falls to pieces! And you say car guys welcome this tech. Not all do and there is a big fight to keep manuals in cars. Guys get your facts straight and when you do an assessment of a bike, do so with a bit more objectivity
Waif Nickelson of course I have. I'm not saying it is a bad system. I was genuinely surprised at how good it actually is. But this video does not tell the story in full.
Waif Nickelson And please understand I'm not fighting the tech. I have a family member who due to circumstances cannot use a clutch, and this bike in dct has been a revelation to get them riding again. The point I want to make is that when making such bold claims as in this video is purely subjective and is not true for all. Especially when a road orientated rider is assessing a more off road focused machine. You cannot accept their claims as accurate.
Thanks for the input. I was wondering how the DCT would fair with an experienced off roader putting the coals to it. DCT seems really nice on the road but if I'm in the dirt, I'm going to be gettin silly with my clutch. Cheers.
Automatic transmissions should not exist. They make people so disconnected from the road, and opens the door for dangerously unskillful drivers. Doing this on bikes is idiocy. Especially for extra $1000, it's not a feature that should be advertised.
Time to embrace change Newt. Technology brings us new options. It's not for everyone, hence they still sell the manual but having ridden the DCT it's very clever indeed and i think the way forward. In the four wheel world, Ferrari no longer make a manual car. A coincidence, i think not.
I am unable to use a clutch due to a disability in my left hand so I don't have much of a choice when it comes to buying a bike, my NC750X DCT is perfect for me.
I've seen ways around this, even some riding without a left arm. Don't know how much this costs, but I do see how dct helps for those in your situation.
+Brigante7, I was born with club feet and while I can walk normally I have limited ankle movement, making gear changing difficult when standing off-road. DCT in Manual Mode is perfect for me.
