OK, I've kept quiet until now, but some of the opinions expressed here have persuaded me to give my .02's worth.
I consider myself a competent user of the AE (or AS as we British know it), and an
expert on how
not to use it.
To answer the original question:
So, the AE has no clutch.... how do you do tight parking lot maneuvers with it?...
Same as a bike with a clutch lever, but you don't use a clutch lever, just go slowly (as you would "conventionally").
If you need to be really slow, reduce the speed of the bike while still straight until the clutch disengages (about 1300 rpm "officially"). Then ease the throttle on until the clutch starts to engage (at about 1800 rpm). Hold the speed on the throttle, increase or decrease to increase drive or reduce drive, the clutch still slipping. Using the rear brake is a usefull way of improving control, just drag it a bit (as is often done in slow manouvers with a conventionally levered bike).
If it sounds complicated, it isn't. As with many biking skills, it just becomes second nature.
The bike behaves just as a levered bike would, it's just you control the speed by increasing or decreasing the throttle or the brake. So in answer to the second question:
...How can you feather something that isn't there?
The clutch is there, it's just the lever that isn't. You feather it by controlling the throttle. The faster the engine, the more the clutch engages.
To sum up, slow speed control uses exactly the same mechanism as far as the bike is concerned, it's just a different operator method to control it.
Is it easier or harder? Neither, it's just a little different, and requires a learning phase to get used to it. As did the manual lever when you first rode. The learning period varies between minutes/feet to weeks/thousands of miles, according to comments given in other threads on this forum.
Disadvantages?
- It's different, and can take some getting used to.
- You can't disengage the engine without slowing to a near standstill.
- You can't rev the engine whilst waiting to move off if you are in gear.
- Use it wrongly, you can drop the bike. (But use a manually levered clutch incorrectly, you can drop the bike.)
Advantages?
- Your left hand doesn't need to worry about a clutch lever, so doesn't get tired in heavy traffic or while waiting for lights to change.
- You can change gear in a corner without upsetting the bike's line with just a little throttle control. Unless you are on ten tenths.
- You never miss a gear change.
- You can use your hand to change gear instead of your foot, so no "above-below" dancing of your foot with the lever or touching your toe down if it's preparing to change up (I always use my index finger).
- It is impossible to stall the engine.
- You can (skill-lessly) move from rest in ANY gear. (Well, I've done it in 4th, not a hint of stalling, but not much acceleration!)
What don't I like about it?
- You can't free-wheel, ever. [Edit]Except under one circumstance - start to move from rest, then close the throttle before the clutch has fully engaged. You will free-wheel until you bring the revs up with the throttle. I have found this unnerving. [/edit]
- You can't change up to second (or higher) whilst stationary.
- You can't rely on clutch slip to control rear wheel torque. (I'll expand on that if anyone's interested.)
What do I like about it?
- I can ride a bike (because of a bad finger joint, I can't use a clutch lever for any length of time without intolerable pain).
- I can flick up and down the gears unbelievably easily and quickly.
- I can select a lower gear for an instant overtake, guaranteeing a clean change and instant acceleration (but it's not skill-less, if you don't control the throttle properly, it will "drag" for a second or so).
- I can pose by moving from rest with my left hand on my hip. (Well, I've done it once, caused a long conversation at the next stop.)
- I can ride a bike :yahoo:
I hope this is read as a relatively unprejudiced opinion from someone who was forced into using YCCS, but who is very grateful for its existence.
:yahoo: 
