BMW’s Automated Shift Assistant

[Hugh Janus]

A look inside BMW’s new ASA transmission. (BMW/)

Despite multiple attempts over the years, there’s still no standard form for semi-automatic motorcycle transmissions. However, BMW is about to join the fray with its own system and yet another different approach.

For decades cars have followed an unspoken industry standard, with the P-R-N-D auto shifter pattern becoming the norm and allowing drivers to jump from one vehicle to another with no learning curve. On motorcycles, the automatic transmission has never managed to get the same sort of dominance, and as a result, there’s still no established convention on how they should work. Sure, there are twist-and-go scooters, with centrifugal clutches and belt-operated CVT transmissions, but as soon as automatic gearboxes are transferred to larger and faster bikes, it becomes a free-for-all in terms of tech.

Over the years we’ve seen Honda’s Hondamatic bikes of the 1970s, with just two foot-selected ratios and no clutch lever, we’ve seen Aprilia’s Mana with a scooter-style CVT, we’ve seen Honda at it again with its fiendishly complex dual clutch transmission (DCT), and Yamaha take a simpler route with the FJR1300 YCC-S. Then there are semi-auto systems like MV Agusta’s SCS smart clutch system and, most recently, Honda’s new E-Clutch on the CB650R and CBR650R, giving the rider the choice between completely conventional operation of the clutch or letting the bike take care of it instead, while leaving a conventional, mechanical foot shifter. Oh, and then there’s Honda’s DN-01 with its all-hydraulic transmission, and probably a dozen other short-lived attempts to eliminate the convention of a left-hand clutch and left-foot shifter, with the goal of making riding a simpler prospect.

Related: Automatic Bikes You Can Buy in 2023

MV Agusta’s SCS smart clutch is used on the Dragster RR SCS. (Jeff Allen/)

Given BMW’s openness to alternative ideas, whether in the form of Telelever or Duolever suspension or its full-blooded embrace of unconventional engine layouts from boxer twins to inline-sixes and laid-flat triples and fours, it’s surprising that we’ve had to wait until 2024 for the Bavarian brand to leap into the semi-automatic transmission game. But later this year, the company’s new Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) will be available, initially on an as-yet-unconfirmed boxer-powered machine.

The system itself is perhaps closest in spirit to the setup used by Yamaha on the YCC-S-equipped FJR1300. There’s a conventional hydraulic clutch and six-speed transmission, but they’re both operated by electromechanical actuators rather than having any direct mechanical connection between the rider and the ratios. The two actuators appear to be the same—each is a rotary motor that rotates when commanded by the system’s computer. The clutch actuator spins a gear with a spiral groove carved in its face, a pin running in this spiral groove is attached to a “swivel arm” (essentially a surrogate clutch lever) that pivots as the gear turns, smoothly operating the hydraulic clutch master cylinder. Spin the actuator one way and the clutch engages, turn it the other direction and the clutch disengages.

The gearshift has a conventional-looking shift drum, but instead of using a ratchet system attached to a foot-operated gear lever to change ratios, the second electromechanical actuator turns a Geneva drive mechanism that turns the shift drum into defined positions that correlate with the engagement of each ratio.

Related: Where Are The Motorcycles With Automatic Transmissions?

A look at the left handlebar pod shows the D/M mode button that allows the transmission to be switched between D and M modes. (BMW/)

In semi-auto M mode (selected via a single, bar-mounted button) you shift gears manually using a conventional-looking, conventional-feeling foot lever, but it has no mechanical connection to the gearbox. Instead it acts on switches that send signals to the transmission control unit (TCU), which in turn operates the clutch and gearshift actuators to follow your commands. Hit the button again and it switches to D mode, giving the TCU full control over gear shifts, with information coming from an array of sensors—throttle position, lean angle, revs, riding mode, and more are considered—to decide when to shift ratio.

Why is BMW leaping into the semi-auto fray? The answer probably lies in the growing success of Honda’s DCT. Around half of all Africa Twins are optioned with DCT now, and more than two-thirds of Gold Wing buyers tick the same box, so it’s clear there’s a growing appetite for automatics. For some customers it’s likely that the semi-auto is the deciding factor when it comes to choosing an Africa Twin over a BMW GS, so it makes sense for BMW to offer its own equivalent.

Related: The TRUTH about Automatic Motorcycles and DCT

Half of Honda’s Africa Twin are optioned with DCT. (Jeff Allen /)

Finally, there’s the question of which bike will get the system first. BMW demonstrated the ASA system on an R 1300 GS and BMW’s illustrations show how it’s integrated with the new boxer-twin engine used on that bike. However, the photos of the bar controls give a blurred glimpse of a red bike with black tank sides and a two-tone red-and-black seat. It’s not a paint scheme that matches this year’s options for the R 1300 GS, and the black panel on the side of the tank doesn’t match the shape of the one on the R 1300 GS.

So which bike is it? The chances are that this is a subtle preview of the expected R 1300 GS Adventure, which is expected to debut later this year. In time, the 1,300cc engine is sure to spread to more models like an R 1300 R, R 1300 RT, and R 1300 RS that are all surely on the way, as well as the R1300 GS Adventure. With them the ASA system is likely to become an option across a broad array of different market niches.

Source

[Buckster]

That will last about five minutes before it shits it’s pants.

[Catteeclan]

More shit to go wrong

[Saul]

Overcomplex fix for a problem that doesn't exist.   Learn to use a clutch and gearbox like everybody else has to.  

[Pedro]

Very brave of BMW, to put that in that new 1300, shows they're confident with recals and having dealers work for free fixing bikes 

It's smart of manufacturers to do these robotic gearboxes, making it easy for people with arthritis and bad legs to continue buying a riding expensive bikes. 

[Saul]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

Very brave of BMW, to put that in that new 1300, shows they're confident with recals and having dealers work for free fixing bikes 

It's smart of manufacturers to do these robotic gearboxes, making it easy for people with arthritis and bad legs to continue buying a riding expensive bikes. 

Very true given the ageing demographic of bikers.  

[Pedro]

49 minutes ago, Saul said:

Very true given the ageing demographic of bikers.  

Not a joke though, and if that’s why people go for one then fairplay to them.

[Saul]

9 minutes ago, Pedro said:

Not a joke though, and if that’s why people go for one then fairplay to them.

It is a joke though, should you really be on a bike that size and weight with arthritis and bad legs regardless of how you change gear?    I think is more to attract with the generation of riders that aren't used to manual gearboxes and clutches whilst driving cars.   Targeting Mericans, mostly I would have thought.  

[XTreme]

5 minutes ago, Saul said:

It is a joke though, should you really be on a bike that size and weight with arthritis and bad legs

Absolutely!

[Pedro]

8 minutes ago, Saul said:

It is a joke though, should you really be on a bike that size and weight with arthritis and bad legs regardless of how you change gear?    I think is more to attract with the generation of riders that aren't used to manual gearboxes and clutches whilst driving cars.   Targeting Mericans, mostly I would have thought.  

I don’t see it that way. I’ve had arthritis on my right hand’s fingers, it didn’t in the slightest make it harder to pick a bike up but would have made riding very painful had it been on the left hand’s fingers. Had it not gotten better I would have no doubt about having something like that now.

I do think you’re right partially, it’s a gimmick to provide a novelty factor to be talked about and help justify increasing prices, but at the same time demographics mean most bikers tend to be older and this richer than when most bikers were young.

[Buckster]

2 hours ago, Pedro said:

Very brave of BMW, to put that in that new 1300, shows they're confident with recals and having dealers work for free fixing bikes 

It's smart of manufacturers to do these robotic gearboxes, making it easy for people with arthritis and bad legs to continue buying a riding expensive bikes. 

Older people tend to have more disposable income.

[Saul]

33 minutes ago, Pedro said:

I don’t see it that way. I’ve had arthritis on my right hand’s fingers, it didn’t in the slightest make it harder to pick a bike up but would have made riding very painful had it been on the left hand’s fingers. Had it not gotten better I would have no doubt about having something like that now.

I do think you’re right partially, it’s a gimmick to provide a novelty factor to be talked about and help justify increasing prices, but at the same time demographics mean most bikers tend to be older and this richer than when most bikers were young.

Fair enough if it's something you need but I do feel it is mostly unnecessary marketing wank.    Like electric handbrakes in cars.  Perhaps I just have my luddite head on today.    Can't see me ever buying anything like that but I am happy for other to do exactly what they want with their money.