Yamaha has long been at the forefront of motorcycle innovation. Each step in the company’s technological development seeks to offer a more immersive riding experience which is even more gratifying for the rider.
This approach is inspired by Yamaha’s Jin-Ki Kanno philosophy, which emphasises the seductive enjoyment of a rider truly feeling in symbiosis with their machine.
The new Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission (Y-AMT) is set to take that feeling further, marking the start of a new era for Yamaha by offering an advanced gear shifting technology that introduces a new dimension to sports riding.
Y-AMT allows riders to fully focus on enjoying the sports performance offered by their motorcycle, by delivering consistently linear shifts to create the most engaging riding experience with the choice of a slick, finger operated manual shift or a two-mode fully automatic transmission.
With a closer and more refined connection to the brain than the feet, the hands are one of the most tactile and powerful tools the human body has.
Shifting by hand alone, as opposed to a foot-and-hand combination, is not only quicker but requires less thinking time, allowing the rider to hyper-focus on throttle and brake application, lean angle, body position and tyre grip levels to intensify the ride. It is for this reason that on Y-AMT models the shifting pedal will not be installed. This means the rider does not have to move their left foot from the footpeg, allowing them to instead focus on their body position and weight distribution through the pegs in order to enhance the control of their motorcycle, especially in cornering.
The Y-AMT system allows for the shifting characteristics of the machine to be adjusted to meet the rider’s preference and different road conditions, with a choice of a finger-operated manual shift, ‘MT’ or the fully automatic ‘AT’.
Using manual transmission (MT), fast and precise gear shifts take just one touch of a button without manually operating a clutch lever. Shifts are controlled with the index finger and thumb, via two see-saw shifting levers – a plus lever for upshifts and a minus lever for downshifts. For greater control in sportier riding, the plus lever can also be pulled to shift up and pushed to shift down with the index finger alone, offering greater freedom, as there is no need to remove the thumb from the handlebars. The size, position and stroke of the lever have been designed to be ideal while wearing gloves, meaning only a minimal amount of finger movement is required to perform shifts.
The clutch actuation is highly progressive, providing the rider with completely natural operation at all speeds. Maximising the power characteristics of Yamaha’s crossplane-concept engine designs and sportiest ride modes, MT has been developed to amplify the fun of sports riding. And with the speed and precision of each shift more consistent than when using even the latest quickshifter, the excitement and adrenaline of the fast, slick gear changes in the sportiest of riding conditions is even more thrilling for the rider.
Using the fully automatic transmission (AT), riders can choose between two programmes to suit different riding scenarios – easily switchable at any time via the press of a dedicated thumb operated ‘mode’ button.
Those looking for a spirited ride on the open road can opt for ‘D+’, which offers a sporty gear change by shifting later in the rev range to maintain the thrill of the ride while still offering the benefits of a fully automatic transmission.
Riders commuting or putting in long distances on the motorways can opt for ‘D’ mode, which delivers a softer gear shift experience, while maintaining a low rpm, to maximise rider confidence during low speed, urban riding and manoeuvrability.
While in AT, the rider can also choose to shift manually at any time by simply using the see-saw shift levers.
In all cases, Y-AMT delivers consistently linear shifts, allowing riders to focus on their body position, cornering, braking and acceleration, whether riding in the city or on the open road.
Yamaha has previously been at the forefront of automatic shifting on motorcycles, developing the YCC-S (Yamaha Chip Controlled Shift) system for the FJR1300 sports tourer almost two decades ago. YCC-S featured an automatic hydraulic clutch actuation system which allowed the rider to change gear manually using a finger operated gear lever.
In many ways, YCC-S was ahead of its time, and now as a result of Yamaha’s technological development, Y-AMT is set to change the face of sports riding.
The Y-AMT system is the most sporting solution in the two wheeled sector, providing an innovative alternative for the next generation of motorcyclists who crave the exhilaration and performance of a manual gearbox, while gaining the convenience of a fully automatic transmission.
Unlike the hydraulically actuated YCC-S system, Y-AMT utilises two electric actuators to take on the functions traditionally carried out by the rider’s left hand and foot. The system weighs in at only 2.8 kg and has been designed to allow for a slim and lightweight installation, ensuring Yamaha’s famed compact chassis design philosophy is intact with the engine no wider, retaining the light feeling of a conventional motorcycle and preserving the machine’s handling or performance.
Working in conjunction with Yamaha’s ‘ride-by-wire’ throttle control system (YCC-T), switchable ride modes and cruise control functions, a Y-AMT equipped motorcycle can be configured for all kinds of riding.
Where previous similar transmissions for motorcycles have typically been aimed at touring applications, Y-AMT has been developed to enhance the purity of sports riding, allowing the rider to better focus on the more thrilling aspects of the ride.
Y-AMT perfectly exemplifies the rider-machine relationship emphasised by Yamaha’s Jin-Ki Kanno philosophy, providing a fun and new riding experience whatever the riding conditions, road or purpose of the journey.
Y-AMT equipped motorcycles will mark a shift in the perception of how motorcycles are ridden, resulting in an even more engaged riding experience and delivering Kando, a Japanese word expressing the feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitement experienced when encountering a product of exceptional value, quality and performance.
Yamaha will begin introducing Y-AMT to a range of models in the near future, bringing this innovation to sport riding, touring and commuting.
TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Manual shifting via finger-operated ‘see-saw’ switch
- Two automatic shift modes: D+ (sportier gear change) and D
- Automated clutch and gear shift actuated by electric motor
- Weight 2.8 kg
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