Following the unveiling of the Yamaha Y-AMT (Yamaha Automatic Manual Transmission) last month, the MT-09 will be the first Yamaha motorcycle to receive the feature.
Yamaha says base specifications of the upcoming bike with the new option will remain the same. The Y-AMT system enables the rider to shift gears via handlebar-mounted buttons, or leave it to the system to sort out gear changes automatically. The functions are similar to Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), but the Y-AMT system does not have dual clutches. Another similarity is the deletion of the clutch and gear levers.
Gear shifting is controlled by two electric actuators, in place of the rider’s left hand and left foot. The system weighs 2.8kg and is slim enough without increasing the bike’s width.
The Y-AMT is not the first Yamaha automatic transmission (apart from scooters with CVTs, of course), as the the manufacturer had equipped the 2007 FJR1300A with the YCC-S (Yamaha Chip Controlled Shift). It uses an automatic hydraulic clutch and the rider changes gears through a finger operated gear lever.
