The Top Automatic Motorcycles

It’s often said that one of the biggest barriers to motorcycling is learning the complexity of shifting gears. Fortunately for new riders—or those with physical limitations—the last few years have seen a growing segment of bikes that don’t require any shifting or clutch operation by the rider.

We’ve seen semi-auto clutches with electronic shifting and CVT transmissions with full-auto shifts before, but today, it’s all (or mostly) DCT. Most prevalent on Honda’s offerings, the DCT (dual-clutch transmission) system is a quick-shifting variant of automatic transmissions—it still uses clutches, but ditches the clutch lever—as the bike’s onboard computer does the shifting for you (though you can usually manually override the computer shift). We diehards can scoff all we want, but the net result is a smoother shift, more stable launches, and better fuel economy.

We’ll also mention that nearly all electric motorcycles employ a single-speed arrangement or gearset so they can’t technically be called automatic if there’s only one gear. But they do use clutchless arrangements—you just twist the throttle and go—so we include several here simply because they do away with the shifting process. Although called “automatic motorcycles,” the bikes below have either dual-clutch transmissions with automatic modes or one-gear transmissions. Our list of clutch-free bikes is arranged by category to underscore just how wide a variety of bike styles there is to choose from.

In addition to getting a larger trunk and new audio, the 2021 Gold Wing received a host of other updates to further cement its rep as a top-line touring rig (there’s a reason it makes our Ten Best list almost every year). It’s fully outfitted with creature comforts for the long haul and retains the seven-speed DCT that came as an option on the 2019 models, and that’s available on all three of the Gold Wing models for 2021, from the base Wing to the dressed-up Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT. Big Red touts “consistent seamless gear changes’' from the now-familiar system (Honda’s now had it on its bikes for more than 10 years), which deploys two clutches—one for start-up and first, third, and fifth gears, the other for second, fourth, and sixth. Otherwise it’s the buttery-smooth 1,833c horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine that’s the star attraction, doling out 98 hp (as tested on our dyno) at the rear wheel while housed in an aluminum twin-spar frame with double-wishbone front suspension. The DCT has preset Sport, Econ, Rain, and Tour modes to ease your journey, and when we last tested the beast, we raved about how exceptionally thorough the DCT was in its mapping and shift point selection. Is it any wonder that more than half of Gold Wing buyers pick the automatic option (according to an American Honda spokesperson)?

Want to focus your attention on line selection and throttle control instead of manipulating the clutch? Might be good to consider the DCT transmission option on Honda’s Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES model, which already comes dressed to the nines with all manner of premium electronic rider aids like traction and wheelie control thanks to a Bosch six-axis IMU. Opt for the DCT and you’ll benefit from unobtrusive gear changes with minimal disruption to rear-wheel drive, resulting in smoother shifts in unsteady off-road terrain. Your auto-shifts will still act on the Twin’s powerful 1,084cc parallel-twin engine, and you can swap between three modes; Manual for when you want to shift (with the handlebar triggers), Automatic Drive mode for longer hauls, or Automatic Sport when you want to wick it up in the canyons. The automatic Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) also comes as an option on the base-model Africa Twin as well as the up-spec Africa Twin Adventure Sports, which has a larger gas tank and the upgraded electronic suspension. The Africa Twin DCT retails for $15,199, while the more premium Adventure Sports ES DCT rings in just south of $18K.

A clutchless cruiser? Yep, and our first ride on the new Rebel 1100, had us pleasantly surprised at how much user-friendly tech (and power) from the Africa Twin’s Unicam engine ended up bleeding down to the streetbike. Power input, torque control (Honda’s traction control), engine-braking, and shift points are all programmable and with DCT, available modes are set for Rain, Sport, and Standard (User mode allows you to adjust these individually to suit). Of course a manual mode lets you shift via handlebar triggers. We’ve always been fans of the bike’s neutral handling, and even in this larger-engine application, the already lightweight Rebel feels well balanced and nimble. The Rebel 1100 is a compelling and notable entry to the often staid cruiser scene, and as a bonus, you can get a DCT-equipped model for less than $10K. We also can’t help but wonder if Honda may have missed the boat by not also offering a DCT option for the smaller 500 version; after all, a beginner bike with clutchless transmission would be a huge benefit to a new rider. That may all change, though, so we remain hopeful.

With the recent release of the eFTR Mini, Indian now boasts two fully electric two-wheelers in its stable, both of which are powered by direct drive motors and thus don’t require any shifting. You can’t call it a true automatic, but since there is no clutch, the complexity of learning that skill is eliminated—a great selling point if you’re looking to attract young and new riders like the Mini is. The Mini joins the eFTR Jr in sharing the same basic visual design cues, borrowing graphical treatment and color options from Indian’s successful FTR750 flat-track racebike, though the Mini is scaled down to a smaller, lighter, and less expensive package. Since both models are aimed at the youth market, Indian can’t really be considered as much of a threat to the other players here, but kudos to the brand for recognizing that young, new riders would likely balk at the complexity of a clutch. Of the two, the Jr model is the more robust build, with real brakes and actual suspension components at the front and back, but if you’re looking for a low-cost, low-speed way to get your kids on two wheels, this could be it.

Some newer riders probably wonder, if you’re already gonna ditch the clutch lever and gearbox, why not just eliminate the combustion chamber too? Electric bikes are slowly coming into their own, and the segment is becoming more accessible and affordable by the year, with more new models being introduced. Zero Motorcycles has been around for more than a decade, and offers a proven line of diverse electric models ranging from commuters to dual sports, and our most recent experience came on the new 2021 FXE, an extremely lightweight and unintimidating machine. What’s more, it’s reasonably affordable—which is too often a rarity in the ebike world. The supermoto-styled, admittedly short-range commuter bike (Zero says 60 miles on the highway) boasts a sane seat height, healthy suspension travel, 46 hp, and best of all, a sub-300-pound weight, all of which combine to make it a joy to ride. All Zeros come with a single-speed transmission that doesn’t require shifting; there’s no clutch to operate, just twist the throttle and go. Zero claims that with federal and state EV tax credits, the FXE can be had for less than $10,000 (though your results may vary).

If you’re heading down the road to an electric two-wheeler but want some exotic Italian styling to go along with the neck-snapping torque and instant power—and clutchless operation—the Energica Ego+ is what you’re looking for. Clearly, this isn’t a price point option: the race-derived Ego+ brings a trellis frame, adjustable Marzochi suspension, Brembo brakes, and a head-spinning set of figures to the spec sheet, with a claimed 169 peak horsepower and 159 pound-feet of torque from the new liquid-cooled EMCE motor. There’s traction control, cruise control, switchable ABS, and a TFT color dash—and no gears to shift either (though there are four riding modes). A 21.5kWh battery offers a best-in-class 260 miles of range in the city, and DC fast charging makes for a (relatively) quick top-off of 40 minutes to 80 percent of capacity. If nothing else, you’ll ride faster and longer than the rest of your electric-motorcycling buddies.

We’re going to include the new LiveWire One because it is a new-for-2021 release, and because it’s vastly more affordable than its predecessor, which we found to be an excellent machine when we last tested one, even considering its nearly $30K price tag.

In short, the new LiveWire One is $7,800 cheaper than the H-D original upon which it’s based, and starts at $21,999. The One may get a sleek graphics treatment with a stylized “LW” LiveWire logo (remember this is no longer a Harley-Davidson branded bike), but the styling, form, and spec sheet appear to be nearly identical to the H-D branded bike, with a claimed 105 hp and 86 pound-feet of torque emanating from the Revelation powertrain, offering a claimed 146 miles of city range (and one gear only). It’s got the same fully adjustable Showa SFF-BP fork, cornering ABS, traction control, and a DC fast charger that can juice it up in an hour. Other than a higher curb weight, a new color scheme, and what LiveWire calls “evolved software and hardware,” it appears to be the same LiveWire, so if you were put off by the lofty buy-in the first time around, perhaps a less expensive version of what we called a “beautifully produced motorcycle” will be more appealing.

We wrestled with the idea of adding a scooter here, since technically they’re not motorcycles (depending on your state’s DOT, anyway). But they do represent the near ideal of a clutchless life on two wheels, as most use a CVT transmission (similar to a true automatic transmission in that it doesn’t require any input from the driver). At first it was going to be a Suzuki Burgman, but then we realized there was a more forward-looking model in that space, BMW’s new CE 04, released earlier this year. It’s arguably just as hideous—sorry, futuristic-looking—as a Burgman, and it’s packed with gee-whiz tech and single-speed, twist-and-go operation rather than CVT (though there are riding modes). With its flat seat, solid disc wheels, and robotlike fairing, it looks like a prop straight out of Transformers. It’s mounted on a tubular steel chassis with a 60.6Ah, 147.6V lithium-ion battery pack down below, and power comes courtesy of a liquid-cooled permanent magnet motor rated for 42 peak horsepower—not hugely impressive, but plenty for downtown stoplight races. On a full charge, BMW claims the CE 04 will go around 80 miles. Underseat storage, ABS, and stability control are standard too, as is LED lighting. With its oddball looks, tech features, and relatively high price, the CE 04 is likely aimed at early adopters who don’t mind lots of questions from passersby.