An interesting rumor is going around about Ducati working on a seamless shifting gearbox for its street bike lineup. The rumors are grounded in patent documents, and the notion that the new gearbox would feature on Ducati’s next-generation superbike.
The engineers at Honda are busy looking at the future of how we will ride on two wheels, and their latest creation is a clutch-by-wire system for motorcycles, first spotted by the eagle eyes at Cycle World.
Similar to how a brake-by-wire system works, the clutch actuation begins by measuring the pressure applied to the clutch lever by the rider, and then sends an electronic signal to a slave cylinder, which replicates and applies that force on the clutch, either engaging or disengaging it.
MV Agusta is making an interesting move in its sport bike lineup, announcing this week that they will be adding the company’s “Smart Clutch System” (SCS) to its Brutale 800 RR and Dragster 800 RR models.
For those that don’t remember the debut of the Smart Clutch System, it was built in collaboration with Rekluse, and first debuted on the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso sport-tourer.
Effectively, the implementation of the Smart Clutch System means that an MV Agusta rider needs only to use the clutch when firing up the motorcycle, as the clutch will auto-engage when coming to a stop, and isn’t necessary when shifting because of the up/down quickshifter.
If you recently bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, then it is very likely that your new motorcycle is part of a massive recall from the Bar & Shield brand, as 177,636 machines are affected by an issue with their hydraulic clutch.
Specifically, the issue affects the Brembo secondary clutch actuator cylinder, which may leak fluid internally. If this leak continues for an extended period, the clutch master cylinder reservoir could lose enough fluid to expose the hydraulic clutch circuit to air, which may cause the clutch master cylinder to lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch.
Owners of a 2018 Honda CRF250R motorcycle should take note that American Honda is recalling these dirt bikes for a safety issue concerning the motorcycle’s clutch.
Specifically, the recall is for the CRF250R’s clutch basket and judder spring. Under certain conditions, the clutch basket can break and possibly lock up the engine in the process, which can lead to a crash and injury.
The only motorcycle in MV Agusta’s lineup with a tall windscreen, bags, and a passenger seat designed for a human, it would be easy to call the Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso a sport-tourer or an adventure-sport, and indeed we do.
But for the Italian brand, the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso is treated like a sport bike…a sport bike that one can ride all day, with bags and a pillion, if you so choose.
It seems like a fine distinction, or perhaps even splitting hairs, but in reality it is a subtle nuance that shows how MV Agusta thinks of its business, what sort of motorcycles it wants to produce, and for which riders it has in mind when it produces them.
Riding the Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso near MV Agusta’s factory in Varese, Italy, Asphalt & Rubber got to see first-hand how this “sport bike with bags” works in the real world.
And while the motorcycle looks no different from the last time we saw it, at the base model’s press launch in the South of France, there have been subtle changes to refine the Turismo Veloce, and to make it compliant with Euro4 regulations.
Getting now to see the premium “Lusso” trim level, as well as MV Agusta’s new “Smart Clutch System”, there was plenty to try on this motorcycle, and while we have a few criticisms, the result with the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso is an ideal machine, if you could only own one motorcycle in your garage. Let me explain.
The concept of an auto-clutch is nothing new, and for dirt bike riders, products like those produced by Rekluse are virtually common place. But, on the sport bike side of things, the use and adoption of this technology is still relatively young.
We have seen scooters and other small-displacement machines use continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology before, and Honda is currently proudly touting its dual-clutch transmission (DCT) on several of its models, the latest being the new Honda Gold Wing, but what about the rest of the market?
Today we see that MV Agusta is the first brand to strike back in this space, debuting its “Smart Clutch System” (SCS) – an automatic clutch designed with sport bikes in mind, making it an option on the marque’s MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso sport-tourer.
Call it a hat trick, because today marks three years in a row (2014 & 2015 here) where Harley-Davidson has had to recall a large swath of its model lineup for issues with their clutch actuation.
For 2016, 14 Harley-Davidson models are facing a recall because their clutches may not disengage when the clutch lever is pulled by the rider.
The recall affects 27,232 units in total – more specifically the 2016 Electric Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Electra Glide Ultra Classic Low (FLHTCUL), Ultra Limited Low (FLHTKL), Ultra Limited (FLHTK), CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide Special (FLTRXS), Road Glide (FLTRX), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Road Glide Ultra (FLTRU), Fat Boy S (FLSTFBS), Softail Slim S (FLSS), and CVO Softail Pro Street Breakout (FXSE) motorcycles.
Ducati North America is recalling the Ducati 1199 Superleggera for an issue in its clutch assembly. The recall affects all 168 units that were sold in the USA – bikes manufactured between April 8th, 2014 and November 13th, 2014.
According to Ducati North America’s filing with NHTSA, the damper plate assembled between the primary driven gear and the clutch basket assembly could break due to fatigue.
Harley-Davidson has issued a recall with the NHTSA that affects 45,901 motorcycles, all of which might have a faulty clutch master cylinder that doesn’t have enough force to disengage the clutch, especially if the motorcycle hasn’t been operated in a while.
The recall affects the following models, all of which were manufactured between April 28th, 2014, and October 24th, 2014: Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Electra Glide Ultra Classic – Twin Cooled, Ultra Limited, Police Electra Glide, Street Glide, Street Glide Special, CVO Street Glide, Electra Glide Ultra Classic Low, Ultra Limited Low, Electra Glide Ultra Classic Low – Twin Cooled, Road Glide Special, Road Glide, and CVO Road King.
Harley-Davidson is recalling many of its 2014 models for issues with their clutch systems. Issuing two recalls, the first one affects the FLHRSE, FLHTCU, FLHTK, FLHTKSE, FLHTP, FLHX, and FLHXS models, and centers around the clutch master cylinder possibly allowing air into the clutch system.
Harley-Davidson says that these motorcycles may also have been assembled with an incorrect clutch release plate. Either condition could cause the clutch not to disengage.