THE SEXY MOTORSPORT

Dual-clutch transmissions are all the rage on the high-performance car scene, and Honda has now brought the first DCT-equipped motorcycle to market in the form of the 2010 Honda VFR 1200F We had already sampled the delights of the manual six-speed model, enjoying the torquey responses from Honda's new 1200 V4 engine and the overall levels of refinement accompanying them. But the experience on the new DCT-equipped VFR1200FD is unlike anything we've ever encountered. The bike can be operated in one of two auto-drive modes'normal or sport'or be shifted manually by triggers on the handlebar. There is no clutch, and downshifts are accompanied by blips of the throttle that accurately match engine revs to road speed. As with its four-wheel counterparts, the DCT-equipped Honda is a harbinger of things to come.