ADVENTURE BIKE RIDER FESTIVAL 2021

There was also the opportunity for festival goers to try out Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) technology onboard an Africa Twin. Safely secured to a rolling road, the bike allowed inquisitive riders to experience DCT in complete safety whilst absorbing instructions from on-hand Honda staff.

If you don't know what a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) is on a motorcycle and what it does, you could always look up the official description from Honda of what a DCT does. As the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer and a great exponent of the technology, we describe a DCT as a "computerised electro-hydraulic control system to switch between the gears of a conventional six-speed transmission. It is equipped with two clutch packs… one for odd-numbered gears – 1, 3 and 5 – and one for even-numbered gears – 2, 4 and 6." 

That's what a DCT is, but what it does probably needs a little more explaining, and we're happy to oblige: "Before actual gear shifting operation begins, the system automatically prepares itself for the transfer of drive power between gears by starting up the rotation of the gear to be changed to. Its two independently actuated clutches then smoothly transfer rotation speed from one gear to the next without zeroing out the drive force transmitted to the rear wheel." 

If you're very technically minded and understand how mechanical systems work, the official explanation is clear and accurate. If, however, you're not especially au-fait with advanced mechanics, a simpler, less-technical explanation is probably required so you really can understand just how great a DCT is on a bike, what it really does, and who it might appeal to. 

It's perhaps easiest to think of a DCT as working for the rider a lot like an automatic transmission that shifts gears for you, which means you don’t shift gears manually if you don’t want to. Manually changing gears and operating a clutch can be a bit of a pain at times, especially if you find yourself in stop-start traffic, so a DCT can take the strain for you. A DCT can make riding a motorcycle more appealing and more accessible to those who like the idea of getting into biking but are not entirely sold on a manual-only transmission. The idea of changing gears on a motorcycle with your foot can be even more daunting to the uninitiated than the manual gearbox on car. What does need to be understood is there's a particularly big difference between a bike with a DCT and a fully automatic transmission, which is you still need a full manual licence for a DCT-equipped motorbike so you can’t ride one legally if you only have an automatic license.