My dad bought one for my mom and she hated motorcycles. So, it fastly became the bike of the little kids to ride on the street when they were gone. LOL

@sebastianclausen9973

Жыл бұрын

😂

@michaelb.42112

Жыл бұрын

HAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!! That's so cool.

@leebenson4874

11 ай бұрын

@@st-qd8wg Got that when I was 7

@SmaxChristopher1

10 ай бұрын

Anybody understand that comment?

@leebenson4874

10 ай бұрын

@@SmaxChristopher1 ?? and you don't?? what part??

I still remember the first time using a clutch on a motorcycle. I was nine years old and my parents bought me a brand new 1973 Honda xr 75 to replace my mini trail 50. I shot out from our gravel driveway then proceeded to wheelie across the street into the field across the street. I didn’t crash and got pretty comfortable with the clutch after a few more tries. I’m 59 years old now and still love riding.

@davidleonard8369

11 ай бұрын

@@st-qd8wg I don’t understand what you mean by, you call that riding? Please elaborate.

@kennethsouthard6042

5 ай бұрын

I remember a guy in high school who had an XL75. I thought that little bike was so cool and it convinced me to ditch my moped and I ended up by a used CB360T. I have a Gold Wing today.

Not sure if I missed it, but surprise you didn’t cover Honda’s DCT tech, which in many ways is the evolution of this idea. I think Honda kept with the automatic idea, but changed how it was marketed. For beginners they now have a ton of miniMoto options with groms, monkeys, trail 125, etc. DCT is marketed more as a “earned” convenience feature which experienced riders graduate to. Half of all gold wings sold are DCTs so there definitely is a market, but no one would consider gold wing a beginner bike.

@greatbigeye2506

Жыл бұрын

DCT is fantastic, super smooth quick shifting

@emmettjohnson8220

Жыл бұрын

The difference being that the 750A used a torque converter to send power to the transmission. The Goldwing DCT uses a friction clutch operated by the computer. In slow speed use, the Goldwings have been seeing clutch failures from partial engagement.

@American-Motors-Corporation

Жыл бұрын

Well really it was marketed to try and attempt to bring New riders in. The problem was the bike was too big for new writers to be honest of 125 Street and trail is perfect for a new rider! Although anymore the last I heard Kawasaki was the only one that made a 125. Suzuki in the Honda and Yamaha quit making them... Though I might be wrong it might be gone Maha continue to make him and Kawasaki in the others quit.. it was one of them too and that was years ago I can't really remember!

@ShogunAutoworks

Жыл бұрын

Also even better the Hondamatics weren't dct they had a literal torque converter. That's why I say it's literally like a 2 speed powerglide.

@SoulTouchMusic93

Жыл бұрын

i've heard that 80% of goldwings are auto nowadays.

A riding buddy picked up a CB750A around 1980, fully kitted with fairing, saddlebags, and a boot bag that could conveniently coddle a case of beer on ice. I had an XS11 at the time and when the expectations for each were contrasted, the 750 Automatic delivered a relaxed, graceful, almost elegant riding experience; the XS11 was in almost every way the exact opposite. Both were, in their own way, great fun.

@goldenboi7685

Жыл бұрын

I had an xs1100 and a cb750f sohc. Loved both, too much torque for the little brakes they put on the XS lol

@jmoney7289

11 ай бұрын

I can tell you were great friends.... Too great lol

@phantom0456

10 ай бұрын

@@jmoney7289WHERE’S MY MONEY?!?!

I rode a 1976 Honda automatic 750cc for several years. It was a great bike to ride long distances.

@st-qd8wg

11 ай бұрын

Different strokes for different folks automatic was for non skilled riders or someone that just wanted to not shift still Ride.

It may have been slow and heavy, but I think it looked really great, for what it’s worth.

I rode for years on the back of my old man's 1970 750E Chopper. Only needed the clutch to take off and stop. That motor can be built to 1000cc. My husbands was bored out and used a three-quarter race cam for the 836 CC. Age 65. Thanks for the Memories.✌

I had a regular CB750 K and picked up a working CB750A for a few hundred dollars. I was living in SF and that was a great bike for the traffic and hill. Fun bike

@st-qd8wg

11 ай бұрын

This guy has a problem with everything. Honda was doing the wheels as well his probably Yamaha salesman

I owned a Honda 400 Automatic around 1978. I bought it at a sale price, presumably because it did not have much power. But it was great for riding around London and was very reliable and comfortable. It was a twin with pressed metal wheel spokes.

@georgebarnes8163

Жыл бұрын

Comstar wheels, my CB400AT had spoked wheels and the better bike due to the reduced weight of the wheels, also owned the auto 750 which was a gutless overweight pile of junk, I had great fun blowing the engine up by jamming the throttle, to its credit it lasted nearly ten minutes before the crank exploded.

@nickhall5959

11 ай бұрын

No rev counter just a clock that had two lights for showing which of the two gears you were using.

@oldbatwit5102

11 ай бұрын

I had about five of them and rented a sixth. They were virtually bomb-proof if ridden sensibly. A friend worked at a big Honda dealer in Clapham and told me nobody bought them, they had to discount them hugely just to get rid of their stock.

@georgebarnes8163

11 ай бұрын

@@oldbatwit5102 they were slow and boring but a good despatch machine, just change the oil and they keep on going.

@oldbatwit5102

11 ай бұрын

@@georgebarnes8163 Yep. I despatched in London for 15 years, mainly on 400 autos. You are right about the oil. They seem to destroy the oil and you have to change it pretty often.

I worked for Honda at the time, trained a lot of dealership mechanics to service this bike. It didn't make much of a dent in my consciousness, just another bike I wouldn't own. Riding it was at best, adequate. I certainly wasn't taking one to the road races on the weekend!

@senior_ranger

11 ай бұрын

@@st-qd8wg Thanks, I'm long, long retired now.

Excellent video. I knew a moto cop in Santa Barbara that loved this bike because it didn't have a clutch. If you have ever ridden in a parade you'll understand this.

@solsol1624

Жыл бұрын

Good point. I've never been in a parade but do own an '83 car with a torque converter. They do make progress very smooth at very low speeds.

They finally learned their lesson and offer the best automatic transmission today. I have both a CB 1100 EX with a clutch but also a NT 1100 with the DCT transmission which is choosen by 50 % of the customers if available in a todays Honda model. And I love both. Clutch for having fun but DCT for relaxed touring.

@jaxager

Жыл бұрын

I honestly don't know if I could ever get used to that, switching between the two

@lacowart

8 ай бұрын

That 50% is in part because they are forcing them into the market

I have an 82 cm450A in my stable. It was my re-entry to motorcycles. I believe, if I got rid of the other bikes in the garage, I would keep this one. For the riding I do, it's perfect. A great Sat Breakfast go getter. Besides , it kinda reminds me of the CB350 from my high school days in the last 70's

@ccrider8483

Жыл бұрын

That is interesting as I did not realize Honda made a 450A much less as late as 1982.

@dionmoore879

Жыл бұрын

@@ccrider8483 actually as late as 83 Honda made them with better Com Star wheels

@ShogunAutoworks

Жыл бұрын

​@@dionmoore879 same wheels flipped inside out actually 😊 You can flip the older ones too

@therabbit9115

11 ай бұрын

My 82 was blue

@dionmoore879

11 ай бұрын

@@therabbit9115 mine was Blue from new. Purple now, re-painted by the guy who sold her to me.

I worked in Honda dealerships when the Hondamatic was released, and frankly, I hated them. "Low buck, I can't afford a Goldwing" guys, tended to gravitate to the Hondamatic, therfore they were frequently under-maintained, and generally suffered from "owner installed 'improvements'." Ironically, I've now owned several, (and still have two) and have come to accept that they were brilliantly engineered for their time, and so have retained a sort of "period charm." And they tend to remain surprisingly useful for every day chores (picture bumper-to-bumper, stop and go traffic), as well as retaining a level of reliability that belies their 45 year age. Mine sport "collector" plates, and almost invariably receive somewhat "puzzled" attention from semi-interested observers.

I had a 1977 750A in the metallic green color. I used it to commute and it was very reliable, comfortable and fast in in gentlemanly sort of way. No sport bike. Zero problems in 6 years of nearly daily riding. On the road or highway it was fast enough to cruise above 70 if wanted in the days of 55 mph speed limits. All mid 70s Honda 750s steered like trucks. But I really liked the bike and was disappointed to not be able to get another one. The 450 had a Hondamatic version a bit longer I think, I don’t know if it was ok. The 750A never once let me down.

The main challenge in new people deciding to start riding a motorcycle is probably having to balance, go safely around corners and getting cold and soaked in the rain. I don’t think the option of having an auto box would make any of those factors any less of a challenge…

@biocta

Жыл бұрын

I mean I've known several people who were interested in riding but as soon as they learned about the manual transmission they either instantly nope'd out without even trying, or they did try and it was their biggest source of struggle. Us seasoned riders don't think about it at all, but operating a motorcycle transmission proficiently while also steering and braking and watching out for cars etc. can be really stressful for new riders especially once they make it out of the MSF course onto real roads. Hopefully Honda's new DCT models can overcome the silly stigma of not being "real" motorcycles so they can bring in new riders.

@nonsononessunooko4066

Жыл бұрын

YOU AINT A REAL MAN WITH AUTOMATIC🗿🦅🇺🇲💥🇺🇲💥🇺🇲💥🇺🇲🦅🇺🇲💥🇺🇲💥🇺🇲🇺🇲🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

@MisterOcclusion

Жыл бұрын

Starting off in a turn without stalling was probably one of the most stressful skills to master. I know a few folks that are intimidated by the clutch.

@ralphwarom2514

Жыл бұрын

I love riding, but after seeing the consequences of bad motor skills.....it might be better for the world that only the people that really want to ride on two wheels do so.

@DougBurgum4VP

Жыл бұрын

Millennials don't know how to work a manual transmission. Motorcycling should be simple. My first bike was a vespa because I haven't shifted a car since my first yugo.

I had the 76 750A just like the green one you showed. I loved it ! It was heavy good ride. Least we forget a few drag racers turbocharged them and did quite well!! And it had quite a mid range on them. I also had the 75 Z1 and amazing enough on a 50 mph roll on it could walk from the mighty Z1, course drop a gear on the Z1 and no contest. But struggling to do 100 ? Mine would do 110 in stock trim a little more after I stuck straight pipes and some carburetor work! If I could find a good one I would not hesitate, Great Bike!!

@peterholthoffman

Жыл бұрын

I had one exactly like yours and agree completely! I would buy one today. Btw, I also had a 1977 KZ1000 LTD which was also a good bike.

Hey!!! Thanks for making a video about a motorcycle I own!! It's funny because it's actually the first motorcycle I ever bought/owned, a 1976 Honda CB750A (Hondamatic)! The way I looked at it when I bought it, is that motorcycle riding is so different than vehicle driving that not having a clutch was one less thing I had to master in order to learn how to ride/master other things like braking, swerving, cornering etc. As for the motorcycle I think it's an absolute blast to ride, and funny to wave at people with your left hand as you pull away from a stop too! Haha! I personally will never sell it because it looks gorgeous and it's an awesome conversation piece everywhere I go! Keep up the great work my friend!

I started riding in 1972 on a friend's Kawasaki 100 G5. I quickly got my own bike, a BSA B-50T. I then owned an RD-350B, XL-250, KZ1000 LTD and some others. My green 1976 CB-750A was one of my favorite bikes. It was smooth, comfortable, reasonably quick, easily exceeded the 55 mph national speed limit, handled well, and carried a passenger very well. It also looks good and was completely reliable. I hope to someday come across a clean example for a reasonable price.

Having been in the Honda motorcycle business back in the 70's and 80's I am very familiar with the 750 A and 400 A of which we sold a few. While Honda may have missed on the strategy of appealing to a market that might have felt an automatic would be easier to ride... What was a neat use was riders who, because of physical limitations - handicaps, attached these to sidecars which allowed them safely ride. I saw this on more than one occasion. One such customer only had one useful arm/hand.

@RebelCowboysRVs

Жыл бұрын

I have been riding sense 1992 with one hand. Had manuals until 2000 when I bought a CFMoto V5. I like the automatic. Its easier to have one less lever to find room for. But honda failed this market traditionally. The made two kinds of automatic. The high-end ones well out of the budget of someone on disability an the scooter which has no gas tank between your knees for a one handed person to hold on to. For an automatic to bring in new riders, especially the disabled ones, it needs to be a real motorcycle with a gas tank between your knees. And it needs to be cheap enough for someone to afford to buy it an drop it. People who would buy an automatic as a first bike dont want to buy an drop a $10K plus bike. The Navi is the first thing they have produced somewhat like that. But its a toy. Honda needs to get its automatics in there 250 an 300 bikes if they want it to bring in new people.

driving an older manual transmission car is very nice. sometimes i'll go to one of the twisty roads nearby and just enjoy throwing that stick around and being in tune with the car. it really is a theraputic effect and i sometimes do wish i had a motorbike to do this on.

I bought a 78 Honda Hawk 400A from the father of one of my friends. It was really easy to ride and do errands around town. It was a little boring though. I owned it for 3 years before selling it and then I bought a 76 Suzuki GT 750. I agree that the reason a person buys a motorcycle is for the involvement. The clutch and shifting gears is part of the pleasure.

Had a NC750SD for half a year, 5000 km, the automatic transmisson impressed me so much that my next bike will have a DCT again, even after riding more than 50 bikes with clutches in the last four decades.

@The_RC_Guru

Жыл бұрын

I keep eyeballing the new 1100 rebel dct myself.

@PrimoStracciatella

Жыл бұрын

@@The_RC_Guru I was quite surprised how quick the NC750S was even though it's as heavy as the 1100 Rebel. Never thought I'd be happy with only 48 hp. Test ride a used low-mileage 750 and see if it works for you, they cost half as much as a big Rebel new.

I remember Moto Guzzi bringing out the V1000 convert in '75. Never was too appealing to me but the Italians did it first and kept it around longer.

Back in the day motorcycle magazines noted that regular riders found the CB750 automatic uninspiring however big city urban motorcycle cops liked the automatic because it made their work day easier and the power band was more suited to their riding environment.

I knew a guy who worked for a courier/messenger service in LA i believe, (althouth it may have been one of California's other major cities as i knew him from working at a bike shop in the 90s) back in the 70sand 80s and he said the company he worked for had a number of CB750A motorcycles and even some of the 400s when they came out. He told me the company originally bought themv with a few reasons in mind, one being that non motorcycle enthusiasts could easily adapt to them as they really preferred to hire delivery riders who were not diehard motorcycle riders who tended to flog the company bikes and would even get caught racing them, two, the ease of a clutchless transmission meant less strain and fatigue for delivery riders who might spend 5 or more hours per day in bumper to bumper traffic with the need to occasionally be able to get up to hiway speeds quickly (or at least quicker than the hordes of 70s automotive sugs they shared the roads with) and third was the idea that maintenance costs for tires chains, and clutch plates would be cheaper than the normal hand clutch motorcycles. He said the 750s initially met all of these goals (the 400s were deemed too underpowered and relegated to only some specific delivery areas where hiway speeds and quick acceleration was less important ) but by the second year as the bikes wracked up high mileage and began needing transmission /torque converter service/repair /replacement that the initial savings on tires, chains, and clutches evened out with the standard 750s and by the third or fourth year the Hondamatics began to cost more to maintain. By then they were over 40K to 50K miles, many of them were stop and go miles puntuated by hard bursts of acceleration and often in the blistering SoCal heat, obviously not really what these bikes were really meant to be doing. If I remember correctly he said they were all sold to a motorcycle salvage yard (about 30 of the 750s and 10 of the 400s) in 81 and by then only a few of them were even rideable. They were replaced by Kawasaki KZ 750s and Suzuki GS 750s starting in 79 and 80 but after numerous crashes (speed related) and skyrocketing insurance costs the company stopped using motorcycles in 84 which prompted him to leave the company.. he did say the first couple years with the 750A bikes were really goodand that they were definitely popular with all the riders during that time. He was in fact the owner of 3 CB750As when I knew him and he put a few thousand miles per year on each riding back roads of the Texas Hill Country.

I had a Green 750A from America.I am in Perth,Western Australia.I loved it.Could take off from the Traffic lights before any other bike got moving.Then I would get blown away.Har Har.I put a 4 into one hot dog muffler on it so it sounded hot.You could take off in second gear & the motor hardly changing in rpm .It had a rattle from the primary drive chain on idol & the carburetors were very hard to tune if you took the airbox off but otherwise everything else was perfect.It was like a old Chevy V8 with a Powerglide transmission.A true Torque Convertor because it magnifies the torque on take off.something clutches cant do.

I owned a 1978 Honda CB400a. I bought it in 2004 for $100. It was a fun motorcycle. Good video!

I remember growing through the CB750 times but I also remember that the auto transmission models were not in much demand by customers. Or by me either.

@williamsiefert5144

Жыл бұрын

Who really liked them was San Diego and San Fran PD. They were busy buying everyone they could find after Honda ended production. Great on San Fran hill starts, which can be a bit of a chore. Worked on lots of them for SDPD.

@st-qd8wg

11 ай бұрын

It was for certain folks who enjoy automatic, not sure what's Video 4 auto ben around longer than this young guy making video

One application that these bikes excelled at was sidecar rigs. The additional torque in the bottom end helped to get the additional weight of the hack moving. Moto Guzzi's automatic was also a great sidecar rig.

I still own a 78 Hondamatic. Runs like a dream. And it's not just back in the 70s. The DCT that started around 2014 is a true automatic. Which I also own one. Automatic bikes are fun and quirky. They are also great for those that might not be able to have proper strength to pull a clutch

I owned the Blue Hondamatic 400 . Loved it. Traded it in for the CBX650 Turbo. That bike was a bit more than I was experienced for at the time.

Owner of a 1981 cm400a here, I've been daily driving it for 800 trouble free miles now. It is super convenient in traffic to not worry about a clutch. My only complaint is it's quite slow and the rpms are really up there when you're trying to go even 50 mph. I wish it had an overdrive for highway speeds.

The auto is a must for me after 4 surgeries on my left hand. Arthritis victims feel the same way.

@rtopalovich

8 ай бұрын

Yeah....4 trigger fingers on my left hand, and now arthritis setting in. Welcome to the club.

I had both the 750 and the 400 Hondamatics. They weren't anything but simple and fun.

Many years ago I had the CB400A, which was quite fun to ride in town and snow but not exactly fast. It ended it's day's with a sidecar for a wheelchair. I did enjoy it and thank Honda for having the guts to make it

@Tigerfire75

Жыл бұрын

A guy named Prince Roger Nelson also owned one and loved it.

My dad bought a Hondamatic 750 because his second wife had a bad back and found the standard gear shifts uncomfortable. He didn't mind it because he wasn't really a "sporty" rider, but he did complain it was kind of "sluggish." In those days I was riding a Honda 750 SS with a Wiseco 883 kit and Kerker pipes. Also in those days my dad would get on my bike and be gone for 2 or 3 hours at a time...

I had the little 400cc hondamatic and it was an insane motorcycle to drive it did okay on the highway kept up with everybody if you ran It wide Open everywhere. I rode it 600 miles to the Sturgis rally. It was a bad year for dead deer in the ditch and I got nervous and stopped and slept overnight under a bridge because I was afraid that quiet little 400 motor would sneak up on a dear and I'd get a big surprise for us both.

In 1982-3, Suzuki one-upped the Hondamatic 400 with their GS-450A which also featured shaft drive. I bought one and put 12,000 miles on it. It was pretty good, remembering we lived in a 55mph world here in USA. But there was a downside. Whereas Honda shifted hydraulically, Suzuki shifted like any other constant mesh gearbox. Only there was no clutch. Any attempt to shift above 25mph was quite a grinding affair. So the idea was to either keep it in High or short shift. The gearing was too low for anything over 65 unless you wanted to rev to 10k.

@rexhavoc7263

Жыл бұрын

I have a 1983 Suzukimatic 450A that I bought less than 6 months ago with 12K miles. After my mechanic made it road-worthy, I've been riding it about once a week (I have 3 other motorcycles I have to take turns on: a 2003 Harley Sportster 1200, a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1500, and a newly acquired just out of the shop 1977 Hondamatic 750A.) The Suzukimatic has better acceleration than the Hondamatic and is a blast to ride! I've only ridden this Hondamatic once so far but I've owned two 1978's in the past along with a 1983 Honda CM450A. I might consider selling the Hondamatic in the future and get the newer DN-01 instead (I love the idea of a shaft drive) or even a Suzuki Burgman 650.

The 750A has always been my favorite bike.

I remember the day I learned that the bike Prince used in Purple Rain was a Hondamatic CM400A. I never even knew such technology was around back in the 70s and early 80s,

Just saw one of these in green at a historic mororcycle show, really neat to see one of these next to the regular 750

I loved the Comstar wheels. My dad had a 1978 CB400T during the gas crisis as a commuter. I would take my first joy rides on it as a young teenager. Bought one as an adult and regret selling it. 100% agree on the clutch being a therapy. My favorite part of riding.

For whatever reason I've had two of these: a 400 and a 750. Not bad bikes really, not great bikes obviously. But, still bikes and ok transportation. When I bought them, I bought them because it was my best transportation option at the time- being 20 years old and broke. I picked up the 400, super clean, for like $800 and the 750 I got in a trade. The 750 was more my size and comfort, full dress- vetter fairings and bags etc. lol. But, it made cheap and reliable transportation for 6 months or so while I got my finances back on track. 2 speeds, no clutch and a harmonic balancer that rattled at idle but never went out on me. The 750 was a great grandpa bike. In a helmet and with those vetter bags, I never got a second look from the po po. They just assumed an old man was puttering around on his goldwing. Lucky too as I never had a motorcycle license. :) (edit: I read some of the other comments. I agree, the saddle bags and relaxed nature of the 750 was actually a nice aspect when this was my only vehicle. I carried big bags of dog food, and even a guitar and amp rig all strapped down on it. I remember one gnarly looking guy coming up to me at a gas station and asking if I had some kind of an assault rifle on my bike, lol. Nope, just a pawn shop stratocaster in a soft case. )

We had the 400 version for sale locally last year. Absolutely immaculate with very low mileage

Interestingly, the very first Hondamatic transmission fitted to the N360 and N600 (as shown at 4:19) was a 3 speed fully automatic, with the later Civic going with the 2 speed semi-auto design. Given how motorcycle-like the N360/N600 power unit was (air-cooled twin), it's odd that they went with something more akin to the Civic transmission for an actual motorcycle.

bart, i think you should do a video on the “history of scramblers” with them being so popular the last few years. like the early off road triumphs and eventually when manufacturers branched off and started making dedicated enduros and dirt bikes vs making a road bike that is modified to go off road

@government_costumes-ui5lx

Жыл бұрын

The channel Fortnine has it covered pretty good. However it's also revealed that most of what they're calling a scrambler via a lot of brands it's not really a true scrambler. So though they are massively popular here in the past some odd years it's largely a fad and a lot of brands aren't really genuine about it being a true scrambler.

Whilst spannering at a Honda dealership back in the 70‘s, I remember servicing a customers Cb750A. The owner had somehow lost the function in his left fingers but was still able to enjoy getting around and go touring on a big motorcycle.

I had a 750/A and loved it. Plenty of smooth power. Road it from Kansas up into Canada and was perfect touring bike with Windjammer fairing.

I owned a Hondamatic 750 in 77 it was actually a pretty decent bike not a big preformer but it was dependable and great in city traffic.

A couple of corrections: the 750A arrived in the US in 1976, but it had already been sold here in Canada since 1975. Even in 1975, it wasn't really ahead of any curve because that was also the year Moto Guzzi launched its own automatic motorcycle: the V1000 Convert. And while the Honda was gone in 1978, the Guzzi lasted through 1982.

Bought a Honda 750 dct 2 weeks ago. Never going back to a clutched manual bike!

In the 1980s we had a guy on our street with one of these automatic bikes, the shift points sounded very odd compared to a normal motorcycle, so we nicknamed the guy, " Wind-out Willy". 😂😂😂

"You meet the nicest people on a Honda".

Yes mate. It's the manual gearbox and clutch that makes a motorcycle special.

My dad bought the Hondamatic 400. He probably rode it twice and it became my bike when I was a young teenager. It was an okay bike and I rode it all over.

I had a '78 CB750A for a while. It was great for long trips.

The cm400A was one of the first bikes my family ever let me ride. It was so cool to be able to have a torque converter instead of a clutch. It was remarkably easy to ride and control, no acceleration delay or worry about shifting down and sliding the rear tire thanks to the small engine. It was relaxing and fun, just a simple riding machine that took no thought. You can really focus on the joy of leaning into turns and there’s no worry of grinding the clutch away at starting speeds. My mom has a newer 700 DCT which has all the drawbacks of a manual but without the freedom to use the clutch as you like.

Great information in the video! Personally, I like the clutch because it's another way to control the bike to an extremely fine degree. I can have a style unique to me thanks to that control, but some automatic transmissions lose that control. I'm really interested in DCTs with paddle shifters, and if I could just get a little bit more fine control, then I'd be okay without the clutch.

@drdoolittle5724

11 ай бұрын

Believe You me, control over a dct is finer than a traditional clutch, the use of rear brake can just make stops and starts a 100% success every single time and the grunt in the motor outstrips much more expensive bikes - another feature is the total control on really steep/wet slopes, 1 millisecond downshifts with no lock-up whatsoever! Lord knows what gearbox combo will ever replace dct but I do not care because I'm never changing away, there simply is no point!

Hondamatic is still a thing. They put it in their utility quads. Pretty neat

I used to own four CM400A Hondamatics.

a friend had one of these 750 automatics. it accelerated the same in 1st or 2nd 0-60 in about 9 seconds

Riding my Royal Enfield GT650, the clutch, gears & brakes feel like playing a musical instrument, would not trade for anything.

I have arthritis in both my hands , knees, ankles and shoulder and Hondas DCT is a God send wait to you get older !

My Uncle friend had two of them. One was a parts bike. About 5 years ago went to Americade up in Lake George NY and the bike not restored got a lot of attention. It was all stock and looked like it was from 1970s. funny thing is we took a ride up White Face MT in Lake Placid NY and he had to leave the bike on at the bottom of the MT because of the auto transmission. would have gotten killed coming down or fried his brakes. He sold the bike while he was up there and gave the guy the parts one too.

I liked my friend's Honda Helix (CN259 replaced by the Reflex in 2001) from the mid-1980s. A big plastic-encased 250cc scooter with an automatic transmission. You could drive it on the highways. Fun!

@jaxager

Жыл бұрын

I had a buddy in high school that had a Helix. He let me ride it every once in awhile and I loved it.

@sejembalm

Жыл бұрын

@@jaxager Yes, there's just something extra gleeful about scooters that you don't experience on motorcycles.

I had one of these, it was great because I could carry a case of beer with my left arm and ride away to enjoy the tasty beverages

Your videos are terrific and so is your voice over Bart!

The other part about learning to ride a bike is learning to shift a sequential gearbox, which is unlike a car's random-access gearbox. This allows your foot to easily do the shifting and can be shifted much faster than a random-access automotive-type gearbox (excluding DCTs). New riders have to get used to the idea that neutral is between first and second gear and that they have to move through other gears to get to the gear that they want. I always get a laugh when I see those old TV ads showing a man riding a motorcycle wearing a business suit wearing a dress hat. That hat must be glued on!

I can remember seeing those Honda Hawk Automatics! "Hondamatic" I can't remember if other companies offered motorcycles equipped as such. Of course, they weren't fully automatic since you still had to manipulate the gears.

I wish there were more automatic bikes. I have a 1940s 50cc variated (auto) moped and previously had a five speed "sports moped" type 50cc bike. Both would run 40-50mph. I bought that sporty moped because I wanted to learn to ride a proper motorcycle, which I did, as the controls were the same as any big bike. That 5 speed was a total nightmare around town and just the workload of riding it around was so much higher. You were just busy the whole time, but like I said, through town, where there was traffic lights, you were just shifting up and down gears the ENTIRE time, to the point where it felt like that was all you were doing. Out on the automatic moped it's just so much more relaxing. I can keep my eyes on other traffic and feel so much safer. Basically I can enjoy the ride on the automatic. I get that the lack of power was going to make a big difference to any full size bike and would mean less shifting, but really, what's so good about changing gears if all you want to do is cruise along and enjoy the ride?

@sakurauyou749

Жыл бұрын

theres alot of automatic motocycle here from yamaha and honda

Clutch gives you that feeling of being in control, you could have 1000s of HP under the hood but you are in control, It's a great feeling,

I remember back in the early 80’s I hung around with a group of friends at coffee shops. We used to roar our bikes in and around the city of Hamilton ON Canada. We all had various bikes from Japanese, British and American brands. We rode whatever we wanted and one fellow who was quite a comedian rolled up on a Hondamatic 500. We were aghast with curiosity asking a lot of questions to which he replied “ it’s a Hondamatic. It slices, it dices!” We roared with laughter because he was referring to the handy tool for every housewife widely advertised on tv a vegetable slicer called the “Vegematic”, predecessor of todays food processor. “Yeah!” I said “When you park it does it prepare your meals for you?” 😂

Moto Guzzi introduced an automatic bike in 1975. It was called the Convert. 949cc top speed 110mph

I did once see a Honda Automatic. The ride had lost an arm in an industrial accident, thus it worked for him.

I had a 400 hondamatic , it was 2 speed . Always wanted the 750

Yea it's like the time Moto Guzzi made the 1000 Convert from 1975-1982....It had a torque converter, 2 speed, good handling, it was durable and built like a tank.

When I first got my free barn find 79 CB400T I was absolutely shocked when I found out it had an automatic cousin. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have the odd child of that bikes lineage.

I had a 1982 Honda CM450a, great way to learn street bike life, loved that bike

I had 2 frieds who owned motorcycle shops in the 70 s. One a kind of friend, the other a real buddy. I wanted a Guzzi Calafornian but neve had the money, and I changed bikes all the time. So when the first one said he had a Guzzi 1000 I ha dto have it. It was an auto. Kitted out like a Calafornia, panniers, crash bars and weird little airefoils on the c bars. I really wanted to love that bike. People loved it where ever I went, old timers thought it was a Harley... but it put me down the road quite a few times . No engine braking at all. The linked brakes were good, but I rode it winter and all, and where youd gently drop agear on a std g box, you had to break. Other interesting issue was at about 60 mph if you opened it up to pass a car , it would slip and the engine would rev with no increase in speed as you sat in overtaking position.... Full time job and social life I just let it go cheap, Only found outr later , after many attepts to sort the fluid flywheel that it had astd clutch too, and tha thad oil on the plates. bY then it was long gone and a Kawa Z750 twin took me anywhere and everywherer with zero problems. Still want aCala but knees wouldnt like it. Ride safe. Keith

We used to meet friends from PWN in Death Valley every year. We lived in So Cal. They were two up on a Kaw Z1, we were two up on a R90/6. One year they brought another couple with them on a CB750A. It could be that he was just not as experienced a rider, but we were always waiting for them to catch up. Two up with a little gear and it was just completely out of it's element. Maybe it would be OK as a commuter bike, but that's about it. OK for single purpose, but no where for a new rider to grow. The Z1 was (barely) capable on twisties and good for two-up touring. The R90/6 was good at both. A relatively new rider could handle either bike, and have room to grow into it as they gained experience. The CB750A was a deadend.

Dad had a Hondamatic when I was little and it's nostalgic to me

I had a Honda ATC 90 or it may have been a 70 when I was a kid. I'm only 20 now, when I first got the trike I was around 9 and damn it was so much more fun than a four wheeler. If I find a Honda ATC again I'm getting that sob

Suzuki went after Honda's niche and made a 450 twin automatic. Bought one during the pandemic when all the MSF courses were closed. Became my daily commuter. Fun bikes!

I rode that bike when new in 76'. I rode my motorcycle to school while teaching so my students knew I rode. Later when of age to buy their own motorcycles, they would bring new bikes around for me to ride. Cindy brought this bike an brought it by me to review the automatic transmission.

My daughter bought a 1978 cb400a hondamatic 5 years ago and loves it and it is all original its the orange paint color and my wife loves ridding it even though she knows how to use a clutch so I'm buying her a 1977 cb750a hondamatic no matter what it's fun to ride and put around keep the rubber side down and keep up the good work

I was glad to hear you say that riding with a clutch in both a car and motorcycle is FUN! I've always thought that, and the majority of my cars and all of my motorcycles have been manuals. I wouldn't even consider an automatic bike. When the Hondamatics came out, my city's police department bought a few, but I guess they didn't work out well and they were gone very shortly after that first trial.

In fact the transmission of the 750 and 400/450 versions were quite different - the former using dual hydraulically-controlled clutches (which is what the foot lever selected) similar to the way a planetary gearbox changes gear, and could be shifted under throttle load, while the latter used simple dogs and foot selector to engage gears, requiring the throttle-off technique.

@lomasck

Жыл бұрын

Yes I remember changing gear on my 750A on full throttle no problem.Just like a V8 powerglide.Awesome design.

A 1977 cb750a was my first bike. I loved it.

I Have a 2012 HONDA DCT vfr1200fd that Literally IS the Ultimate drivetrain. Also a 2013 Honda Silverwing 600 ABS That is a Joy to Ride as well. Both are AUTOMATIC

I just bought a 1981 CM400A. I also have a 1988 250cc Honda Elite scooter and a 2000 Rebel 250. I found I preferred the scooter for short trips around town and that motivated my buying the Hondamatic. I'm 71 and a bit lazier but still like to ride.

Never knew these existed....until about a month ago when I saw one at a show. Id be surprised if there's another in the UK.

This was the first bike I got on the road. It was a 76 and by the time I had a license it was cheap... learned a lot. IIRC I had to use the stowed kickstarter most of the time.

I really appreciated the variable ratio drive on my Suzuki Bergmann 650 Scooter. What I liked best is placing the rear brake on the left handlebar. That allowed me far better control of the rear wheel. I always was a late breaker and the improved control really let me ride deeper into corners. After I sold it when I was 72 yo I realized just how fast I was riding that thing. I have owned many motorcycles and the scooter with the automatic shift was the most fun.

It's funny, I owned a '77 CB750A a few years ago and most of the footage you're using is stuff I watched before I bought it lol. It was a cool ride and was super fun to bring around town. Stopped like a bike from '77 and I wouldn't want to take it on the highway. It sounded like two dwarfs were going at it inside the engine whenever I warmed it up, but it had personality for a bike with two gears and no clutch. I do miss the hell out of the parking brake, practical or not, I thought it was neat lol. These old CB's can be hot wired with a paperclip, so I'd get a chuckle at the thought of some dude trying to steal it, figuring out how first gear works, then never figuring out the parking brake. Plan on getting a 400A when a good one pops up, the 750 was just too big and heavy for a town bike. Riding a bike that big without a clutch was pretty uncomfortable at low speeds. Only advantage was not having to hold the clutch at a long light.

@rogerdodrill4733

10 ай бұрын

I usually catch neutral at every lite, save wear of clutch springs & release mechanism

In 1982 I bought a 77 CB750A. I rode it to and from work and took a couple of weekend trips on it, then In August 1983 I transfered from Oregon to the coast of North Carolina. I rode the Honda across country and spent 10 days and better than 4,000 miles on it. The honda was a great ride except the 2 speed trans wasn't enough gears. In the mountains outside Greybull Wyoming the 20- 30 mph turns on the steep hills 1st was too low and 2nd was too high. I was shifting up and down all the time. A split between the 2 would have worked perfect. The onlyy other issue I had with it was on a cold day it had to be warmed up before riding or it would die when I put it in gear. I 30 degree weather it took over 5 minutes to warm it up where it would run. I rode it all over the east coast and it was a great touring bike and yes, like has been mentioned, it would cruise easily at 70 with a top speed of 95. I would nto have sold it but a guy offered me what I had paid for it 4 years before and a GS550... the 550 is another good bike story..

I had a 76 Hondamatic. It was brown with a black Windjammer fairing. Was a great bike until I was doing about 100 and the chain broke. Ripped the chain guard in half and some damage to the trans casing.

@pz6316

Жыл бұрын

+

@pz6316

Жыл бұрын

I knew a person back then that was seriously injured by when it was suddenly down shifting in the turned.

I have never ridden a Honda automatic....but I have used their semi-auto clutch less 4-wheelers and 3-wheelers. I own a 1986 Honda 200 SX that looks, rides, and runs like it is 2 years old. I love it.

Difficult to see how Honda will ever surpass the C90's semi-auto cyclical gear system. It's fantastic.

@The_RC_Guru

Жыл бұрын

They have it in the new ct-125!

@AnyoneForToast

Жыл бұрын

@@The_RC_Guru I've heard a little about them. Honda haven't sold it here in the UK. Does it have the same (or similar) system?

@The_RC_Guru

Жыл бұрын

@@AnyoneForToast yes a semi auto clutch with 4 speeds. I follow a couple guys in the uk who have imported a couple for themselves.

@AnyoneForToast

Жыл бұрын

@@The_RC_Guru A four speed version? Excellent! I hope they officially make their way over here. The original version was a timeless, practical, reliable and fun masterpiece. Thank you.

@ccrider8483

Жыл бұрын

I assume this is the same clutch/tranny as the old Honda 50 Cub. If so it was/is a very reliable drive train for a small displacement cycle. My first cycle was a hand-me-down 50 Cub when I was 8 years old. I road the crap out of that thing. Good times.

Moto Guzzi beat Honda to manufacturing an automatic motorcycle by one year, Moto Guzzi designed their V1000 'Convert' for the California Highway Patrol for use on their freeways. The V1000 Convert was in production from 1975 until 1982, the Honda CB750A 'Hondamatic' was in production from 1976 until 1978. The Convert produced considerably more power that the Hondamatic, the Convert produced 71hp (53kW) @ 6500 rpm, top speed was 110 mph, the Hondamatic only produced 47hp (35kW) @ 7500 rpm, top speed was 97 mph.