To dct or not to dct

...........The DCT is pretty much what you find in most cars now-a-days that have paddle shifters. You control the shift point without having to clutch. The question I have is that I believe my car will shift up if you rev it too high. Does the DCT do that before hitting the rev limiter?[/QUOTE]



Manual mode: This is just as it implies, totally manual. It will hit the rev limiter if you don't shift, just like a standard tranny. The primary difference is that when you roll to a stop and you forget to downshift to 1st, it'll do it for you.

 

Thanks anbark. That is what I was looking for. In my car, it does downshift if you forget to - which does make sense since you cannot start from a dead stop in let's say 5th gear. So it sounds like the 1200 behaves the same way.

 

I was interested in dual clutch transmission since Porsche started using them 25 years ago. this particular thread helped me decide that the DCT model was great for me. In this forum, and another forums, there were lots of comments from people who were primarily opposed to "automatic" transmissions on motorcycles, but were obviously unfamiliar with the DCT and obviously have never seen, touched or smelled this actual machine.

It seemed anyone who had ridden the bike, with an open mind, had come away with a very good impression. Actual owners, seem to love them.

So it's DCT for me. I just wish they come up with a way so we didn't have to put our feet down when we stop… that ought to get the chatter going!

 

Spike, what utter rot you talk. You write as if it is fact, but it's really how you feel. And you've never ridden a DCT have you?
The reality is, riding the DCT (especially in sport mode) means you don't have to think about gear changes so you can think more about cornering or braking or what the clown ahead is doing. So you have a better experience because of it.

 

I went with the DCT....I for one will NEVER want another road bike without it. It flat out works....
Just think ....F1 technology for motorcycles....

Imagine if the new Ducati 1199 came with this option.....

 

Disabled from a prior accident, left leg paralyzed. The DCT got me back up and riding, killing HWY 9 with all the liter bikes. I ride it solely in manual mode, which you get accustomed to. Off the line, I stay with all the inline liter bikes. DCT works for me!

 

I want to own a 1200 in the next 5 years or so. I will really have to test one and think hard about Dtc, but I really like the idea. Besides, i'lll probably have a smaller hooligan bike with a standard trans to thrash around on....

Thats fantastic to hear. Great that Honda got you back on the road!!!

 

Still waiting for the snow to melt, but it's time to return to the forum after many months of hibernation here in the Great White North. :bored:

As per my sig, my perspective is from a relatively new rider with a mix of CVT, clutch, and DCT. Additionally, I took the standard 1200F out for a spin and feel I can compare somewhat objectively.

I LOVE my DCT! However, it is not perfect. Without the clutch to help modulate at very low speed, I find the DCT to be somewhat twitchy in first (regardless of mode); requiring a gentle hand. I suspect Honda had to balance 1st gear ECU mapping between control at walking speed vs takeoff performance. I think they did fine, but as with every compromise there are casualties...in this case slow speed control.

In EVERY OTHER WAY, the DCT has allowed me to focus on all the other aspects of riding. The speed and smoothness of gear changes is phenomenal. I'm still reluctant to relenquish full control, so I ride in manual (trigger) shift mode almost exclusviely.

Cheers,
Saint

 

My DCT is with me for nearly one year now and I'm as happy as on the first day. I grew up shifting in video games by pushing a button, so the DCT was very natural for me from the first moment and the half an hour test drive was enough to know that I never wanted anything else.

For 9 years since my 16th birthday I was driving manual transitions and always shifted very much. With the DCT I even shift MORE, not less. Coming out of a 35mph corner, full throttle shifting at 50...55mph up from 1st to 2nd gear, hitting the brakes hard at 75mph while shifting back to 1st gear for the next corner - wouldn't be able to do that without loosing speed with a traditional tranny. So for me it's way more sporty this way and I never understood how pulling one additional lever can be the fun part of motorcycling.
Of course, whoever wants to stay with the traditional tranny, that's fine, but you really should try the DCT manual mode at your favourite twisties.

It even handles fresh snow very well. Of course, there ARE downsides. No launch control was mentioned before, so it's really really NOT build for traffic light drag racing. No slipping the clutch through tight corners, so especially with the bit erratic engine (would be called "character" if it was an Italy bike) of the VFR you need to develop a very sensitive right hand (might help with the girls too). But that's between 2nd and 1st gear. At walking speeds the electronic modulates the clutch quite well; maybe needs a little bit back brake support sometimes, but that's all.

 

have any of you DCT guys ridden a manual VFR12 with a Z Bomb installed ?????? don't mean to bust balls but it made a huge difference in mine...from very disappointing to awesome !!!!

 

Here's my take...

Ever ride a Kawi GPz 750 Turbo? The turbo would kick in, giving you lots of extra power. (And I mean like a light switch.) Sometimes the turbo would kick in during a turn. The added power would upset the suspension. Thusly making the jaunt more exciting than expected.

I worry the DCT is going to do goofy stuff like that. Just when I'm carving a tasty turn it will downshift or upshift or something I am unprepared for. Just knowing that it can pull a goofy stunt like that is going to effect how I view the bike. Do I trust it?

I like the way I ride. I dislike computers telling me what I can and cannot do. Granted, I am more aggressive and controlling than others. :smile:

Whatever you decide, enjoy it!

 

The DCT won't do anything like that, which you'd know if you'd ever tried it.