THE BRADLEY REPORT
Honda Switzerland- ' Concept 2027 ' by Stark Industries
Honda Austria- ' Ruth ' by Reier Motors
759602: Honda Italy- ' Saharja ' by DRS Custom
from 10 different countries to create five different customs based on two very different platforms. There were five road going concepts based on the CB750 Hornet and five off-roaders based on the XL750 Transalp- to bring an ' On Road vs Off Road ' element to the seventh iteration of their annual European competition. An online poll at hondacustoms. com will crown Europe ' s favourite custom with results due to be announced " at the end of the summer ". This year another new element to its long-running hondacustoms. com customisation competition( this is its seventh iteration) will see each of the custom projects reviewed by the Honda R & D centre( Rome) designers of the original bikes- Valerio Aieillo( Transalp) and Giovanni Dovis( Hornet).
Honda E-Clutch- ' Technology for People '
Setting the pace in the rush towards ' shift assist ', Honda says that its E- Clutch technology has been " developed in the spirit of ' Technology for people ' with the aim of broadening the appeal and benefits of motorcycling to a range of potential riders ". In a June report, Honda stated that " electrical assistance to the clutch operation enables smooth starting and gear shifts, and improves the riding experience whilst removing unnecessary stress- freeing rider capacity to concentrate on cornering, braking and acceleration, ultimately resulting in better, safer riding. The
THE BRADLEY REPORT
technology facilitates smoother, and quicker gearchanges over manual transmission allowing faster and more stable acceleration." Honda went on to say that in a motorcycling world increasingly shaped by electronic innovation, one component has " proudly retained its analogue character- the clutch lever, that tactile connection between the rider ' s left hand and transmission that defines the riding experience." Honda states that it ' s E-Clutch " is reshaping this concept and final frontier of manual control. Reimagined- not erased but enhanced. " By mitigating the shock that occurs during gear changes through half clutch control, the system delivers shifts that are smoother and quicker than those of a conventional quickshifter," explains Junya Ono, Assistant Chief Engineer, Motorcycle and Power Products Operations Honda Motor Co., Ltd. " Riders can feel the benefit across all riding situations, but the difference is especially noticeable during lowspeed riding, such as in urban environments, where smooth gear changes are most apparent." Honda explain that the phrase, half clutch control, is central to understanding why E-Clutch feels different. " A conventional quickshifter momentarily cuts ignition or fuel to unload the gearbox, allowing clutch less upshifts." It ' s effective, especially at higher revs, but it can introduce a jolt, particularly at lower speeds. E- Clutch, by contrast, actively manages the clutch itself via electronic actuators. Instead of simply interrupting power, it subtly slips the clutch during the shift, smoothing torque transitions before the rider even perceives them. " The result is a shift that feels fluid rather than abrupt, controlled rather than interrupted- especially noticeable in heavy traffic." Honda states that its objective is to " expand accessibility without diluting engagement. " The primary objective is to allow a wide range of riders to have FUN by being able to ride with greater confidence across a broad variety of situations," says Ono-san. " This has been achieved by further evolving and refining the control logic based on the system originally developed for the 650 class models." That system, which made its debut on the CB650R and CBR650R, proved that automated clutch control could coexist with a manual gearbox. The new generation, which made its public debut at EICMA 2025 on the XL750 Transalp and CB750 Hornet, is described as building on that foundation, taking the technology to different engine capacities and riding environments. " A major step forward with the 750 system comes with the integration of Throttle-by-Wire( TBW), unlocking further potential as the E- Clutch ' s behaviour becomes adaptive rather than reactive. " With selectable riding modes now available, the E-Clutch has become easier to use across a wide range of scenarios, from urban commuting to sporty riding, allowing its behaviour to better match the rider ' s demands," explains Ono-san. " In addition, downshifts now incorporate an automatic blip function, enabling smoother and more seamless downshifting. " Similar to downshifting with a quickshifter, the system blips the throttle to match the engine speed to the appropriate RPM after the downshift," says Ono-san. " However, because the E-Clutch also engages half-clutch control, it achieves a
Junya Ono, Assistant Chief Engineer, Motorcycle and Power Products Operations Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
24 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS- SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2026 www. idnmag. com