Is The 'AE'....

[happyPuppy]

1. The Honda does not use a CVT ( Here we go again)

2. I do not know who you are talking too , but I am calling BS. Yamaha's AE Sales are up 13% at a $1800.00 dollar premium.

Here is today's column by Susan Carpenter that she wrote on the DN-01 and talks about the FJR AE the fine bike column writer for the LA Times that they dropped ( Boo!)

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hond...0,4365768.story

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

1. The Honda does not use a CVT ( Here we go again) 2. I do not know who you are talking too , but I am calling BS. Yamaha's AE Sales are up 13% at a $1800.00 dollar premium.

Here is today's column by Susan Carpenter that she wrote on the DN-01 and talks about the FJR AE the fine bike column writer for the LA Times that they dropped ( Boo!)

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hond...0,4365768.story

Great article <above link>, thanks.

Yes the Honda DN-01 does not have a CVT -- it has a hydraulic transmission that is really nothing new (neither is CVT...).

Still, there's this ponderable...:

QUOTE (Fred W @ Apr 1 2009, 08:02 AM) Actual sales figures show the bigger picture of how the AE has been accepted by the motorcycling market.

Which model accounts for the majority of "left overs" found at fire sale discounts?

'Sagebrush': I shopped the AE and ... Couldn't find one when I was ready to buy

Can it be both ways...?

 

[2WheelTiger]

1. The Honda does not use a CVT ( Here we go again)

You'd better mention your thoughts to Honda.

"You can shift it into six preset ratios, or you can let it function as a stepless, no-shifting Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT. "

https://powersports.honda.com/street/crossover.aspx

Pre programmed CVTs have been common in Japanese cars for a few years. A computer "steps" the CVT into a preset ratio based on calculations.

 

[happyPuppy]

1. The Honda does not use a CVT ( Here we go again)

You'd better mention your thoughts to Honda.

"You can shift it into six preset ratios, or you can let it function as a stepless, no-shifting Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT. "

https://powersports.honda.com/street/crossover.aspx

Pre programmed CVTs have been common in Japanese cars for a few years. A computer "steps" the CVT into a preset ratio based on calculations.

OK I agree it incorporates some CVT technology, just not the type used in scooters that are on the market. I should have clarified that , it goes beyond it. Check this video out it is pretty cool

https://www.daytonamotorcycletraining.com/v...cycle-Video.htm

 

[Fred W]

Still, there's this ponderable...:

QUOTE (Fred W @ Apr 1 2009, 08:02 AM) Actual sales figures show the bigger picture of how the AE has been accepted by the motorcycling market.

Which model accounts for the majority of "left overs" found at fire sale discounts?

'Sagebrush': I shopped the AE and ... Couldn't find one when I was ready to buy

Can it be both ways...?

Sure, for several reasons. The AE only accounts for 25% of FJR sales, and FJR sales are not all that astronomical to begin with.

Most dealerships have only a few FJRs in stock at most. Dealerships that got stuck in previous years with AEs sitting on their sales floor might no be so keen on pre-ordering another one and tying up their inventory $$.

How far Sagebrush traveled to "shop" for an AE would be a good question. I know it is purely anecdotal, but it sure seems like every time I do a search on eBay I find 2 year old leftover AE's available.

 

[Big Shasta]

After riding my AE for a few months, I've realized it's great in some situations but horrible in others...there are times I'm just cruising along the gulf coast with a lot fo traffic and the AE is great but sometime I'm out in the middle of nowhere and I wanna RIP IT....I'd prefer a clutch in those situations....the clutch slippage is hard to manage when you wanna get hard on it.

SO, that led me to imagine a "Sport Mode" on an AE....the bike still has a clutch but the AE features are disabled and the clutch is manual in this mode. Then I though I wonder if I could convert it....add a clutch and a switch that kills the AE brain....but the way the foot shifter works I believe isn't directly connected to the tranny (I haven't really investigated yet) so you couldn't shift... oh well, just a thought.

 

[RockiesRider]

OH MAN,

Not another AE thread.

It won't be long till these kind of threads will need to go into the best of NEPRT.

I'm just sayin. :crazy:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

1. The Honda does not use a CVT ( Here we go again)

You'd better mention your thoughts to Honda.

"You can shift it into six preset ratios, or you can let it function as a stepless, no-shifting Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT. "

https://powersports.honda.com/street/crossover.aspx

Pre programmed CVTs have been common in Japanese cars for a few years. A computer "steps" the CVT into a preset ratio based on calculations.

OK I agree it incorporates some CVT technology, just not the type used in scooters that are on the market. I should have clarified that , it goes beyond it. Check this video out it is pretty cool

https://www.daytonamotorcycletraining.com/v...cycle-Video.htm

Yes...., Honda uses the term 'CVT' when describing the DN-01's drive system -- but, it's not what's normally referred to when talking CVT.

Honda has a tilting swash-plate Waterbury Speed-Gear type hydraulic transmission (historically, an infamous power-absorber -- altho, it does have an econ 'lock-up' mode).

CVTs are (in past practice) a pair of moveable sheaves connected with a rubber belt (think snowmobile) and, while efficient in power transfer, seem to have a horsepower/work limit?; and require considerable maintenance.

Subaru sold, in the U.S., a 'Justy' model with CVT -- and, altho it worked as advertised, didn't seem to last. Many were the infamous "Spidel watch band" (in place of a rubber belt) failures. You may find some used, high mileage 'Justys' around; but, I doubt if you'd find many with CVTs (mostly 5-speeds remain)?

So, yes the terms 'continuosly variable' and 'infinitely variable' are bandied about -- but, there are huge differences in machinery.

None of them are as neat as the FJR 'AE'....

 

[Sagebrush]

Still, there's this ponderable...:

QUOTE (Fred W @ Apr 1 2009, 08:02 AM) Actual sales figures show the bigger picture of how the AE has been accepted by the motorcycling market.

Which model accounts for the majority of "left overs" found at fire sale discounts?

'Sagebrush': I shopped the AE and ... Couldn't find one when I was ready to buy

Can it be both ways...?

Sure, for several reasons. The AE only accounts for 25% of FJR sales, and FJR sales are not all that astronomical to begin with.

Most dealerships have only a few FJRs in stock at most. Dealerships that got stuck in previous years with AEs sitting on their sales floor might no be so keen on pre-ordering another one and tying up their inventory $$.

How far Sagebrush traveled to "shop" for an AE would be a good question. I know it is purely anecdotal, but it sure seems like every time I do a search on eBay I find 2 year old leftover AE's available.

600 miles or a days ride was the max time I had at the time for bike shopping. I found an AE in NC and there were some down in FL when I was shopping. They wanted over 13K at the time on a left over in NC. The dealer I bought mine from was no hassel. Cycle world in Daytona, Florida was asking too much for me, almost retail. I ended up with the 07 A for 11,200 OTD over 600 miles from home while traveling. I wasn't finding the good AE prices last summer. They wouldn't let me test ride either, I wanted a test ride before buying an AE. I could test ride a big high dollar goldwing though... Go figure. I wish the BMW attitude about test rides were common with all makes.