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LAST LEVER NEWS
Motorcycling has always been as much about feel as it has been about speed. Long after ride-by-wire throttles, cornering ABS, traction control and semiactive suspension transformed modern motorcycles, one component remained defiantly mechanical: the clutch lever.
Now Honda is challenging that last bastion of analogue motorcycling with a system that promises to retain everything riders love about a manual gearbox while removing many of its compromises.
Called Honda E-Clutch, the technology first appeared on the 2024 Honda CB650R and CBR650R, becoming the world ' s first automated clutch system designed specifically for motorcycles with a conventional manual
Honda ' s E-Clutch is quietly redefining the manual motorcycle.
transmission. Unlike a dual-clutch transmission( DCT), E-Clutch does not remove the rider ' s control over gear selection. Riders still shift using the familiar foot lever, but the electronics manage clutch operation automatically when required, allowing starts, stops and gear changes without touching the clutch lever.
The concept is deceptively simple, yet beneath the surface lies one of Honda ' s most sophisticated riderassistance systems.
For 2026 the technology has taken another significant leap forward, expanding beyond the original 650cc platform to Honda ' s latest 750cc models, including the XL750 Transalp adventure bike and the CB750 Hornet. Thanks to the addition of throttle-by-wire, new riding modes and more advanced control software, E-Clutch has evolved from a clever convenience feature into a system capable of actively improving stability, confidence and ride quality across almost every riding environment.
" 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."
That phrase— half clutch control— is what separates Honda ' s system from existing quickshifters.
Traditional quickshifters work by briefly cutting ignition or fuel during an upshift. This unloads the gearbox, allowing the next gear to slot into place without the rider operating the clutch. The system works brilliantly under hard acceleration but can feel abrupt at lower engine speeds or during everyday riding.
Honda approached the problem from an entirely different direction.
Instead of interrupting power, E-Clutch electronically operates the clutch itself. During each shift the system partially slips the clutch, carefully smoothing the transfer of torque between gears before the rider even notices it happening. The effect is remarkably natural. Rather than feeling a brief interruption in drive, the motorcycle simply flows from one gear to the next with almost imperceptible refinement. In heavy traffic, navigating roundabouts or filtering through congested city streets, that smoothness quickly translates into reduced fatigue and increased confidence.
Yet Honda insists the system was never designed simply to make riding easier.
" The primary objective is to allow a wide range of riders to enjoy riding with greater confidence across a broad variety of situations," says Ono.
" This has been achieved by further evolving and refining the control logic based on the system originally developed for the 650 class models."
The arrival of throttle-by-wire on the 750cc platform has dramatically expanded what E-Clutch can achieve.
Because throttle position is now electronically controlled, the clutch system can predict the engine ' s behaviour rather than merely reacting to it.
" 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,
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