BMW R 1300 GS Adventure
BMW’s iconic GS adventure bike range has been Britain’s best selling big bikes for yonks now, so the replacement of the old R 1250 GS series in 2024 is a really big deal.
The standard R 1300 GS arrived earlier in 2024, kicking off BMW’s centenary celebrations, and it is joined by the bigger Adventure version for 2025.
The new 1300 platform is faster and more refined, and the ‘GSA’ is more accessible than before too. It still has the taller suspension and bigger fuel tank, but technology like self-lowering electronic suspension (which drops the seat height when coming to a stop) and the Automated Shift Assist (ASA) are options which will make the big adventure bike easier to get on with for more riders.
ASA is BMW’s ‘automatic’ option, which will surely be rolled out to other models in the coming months and years. It automates the clutch and gear change and features two electromechanical actuators linked to the bike’s ECU. There is no physical clutch lever, although there is a traditional foot operated gear lever, meaning riders can still change gears the old fashioned way, albeit without having to use a clutch lever.
In D mode, the ASA fully automates the shifting with the characteristics modified to match the ride mode selected at the time. Either way, it’ll be impossible to stall the automatic R 1300 GS Adventure.
Get our riding impressions of the ASA equipped BMW R 1300 GS Adventure off-road here.
KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo
It feels like 2025 will be a really important year for KTM. The company has had a torrid few years and is in the process of restructuring in order to maintain liquidity, but that hasn’t stopped the Austrian brand from investing heavily in its R&D programme.
Like BMW and Yamaha, KTM has a new automatic transmission system. It is not unlike the technology used by its rivals but where Yamaha has applied its system to a number of mid-range models, KTM has chosen to launch on a new flagship adventure bike.
The 1390 Super Adventure S is a development of the 1290 Super Adventure S, with the upspecced Evo debuting the new AMT transmission, which allows the rider to choose between a traditional shifting manual using either the usual foot lever or bar-mounted paddles, or to have a completely twist-and-go automated transmission.
The V-twin motor gets variable valve timing and a 50cc capacity hike, taking it to 1350cc and a peak of 173bhp. It’s right up there with Ducati’s Multistrada V4 in the battle of the high performance adventure bikes and it is a machine KTM hope will play its part in turning their fortunes around.
Honda NC750X
Honda were years ahead of the curve when it comes to automatic transmission on motorcycles.
The hydraulically operated ‘Hondamatic’ system of the early 1980s might not have been a runaway success, but it wasn’t a complete disaster either. However, they really found the secret to a good auto years ahead of the competition when they introduced their DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) system over a decade ago.
As the name suggests, the design features two clutches. This creates super smooth gearchanges, as the second clutch ensures the next gear is spinning at the correct revolutions before it is engaged. In fully automatic mode, DCT feels almost seamless, while riders can still change manually using a handlebar mounted button if they wish.
While DCT has really found its audience on the Africa Twin adventure bike it is available on other models, and almost 250,000 units have been sold over the years.
Our pick is the modest NC750X. One of the most practical motorcycles on sale today, it has been updated for 2025 and its softly tuned twin cylinder motor is perfectly suited to the DCT. With inbuilt storage, low running costs and an ease of riding which makes it a perfect commuter/light tourer, the NC750X is one of those unsung motorcycles which flies under the radar despite consistently selling well.
This year the NC gets updated brakes and suspension to go along with recalibrated transmission, TFT dashboard and new, environmentally friendly, paint. There’s no injection of adrenaline, but this extremely competent motorcycle is a faithful friend to its legions of fans.
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+
Yamaha announced its Y-AMT (Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission) earlier this year, introducing it on the MT-09 Y-AMT a few months back.
The feisty MT-09 might have seemed like an unusual place to launch an auto, but Yamaha was keen to focus on the playful side of the system and to emphasise the ‘manual’ in the Y-AMT acronym. The system is similar to the one used by BMW and KTM, although all the manual shifting is done through a handlebar mounted, finger operated, rocker switch.
Now the technology is being rolled out to other Yamaha models, with the MT-07 and Tracer 9 getting the auto treatment too. The Tracer feels like the perfect home for a modern automatic transmission, with its ability to cover all bases from sports to touring to commuting. Three levels of Tracer 9 are offered, with Y-AMT available on all. It is standard on the range topping GT+ though, which offers a formidable specification which includes semi-active electronic suspension, adaptive cruise control and, in a world first, adaptive LED headlights. These monitor the surrounding and use a matrix of LED bulbs to change the shape of the light beam to give optimal illumination when riding at night.
Zero XE
Automatic powered two-wheelers have been around in big numbers for decades. Scooters have been twist and gos for as long as we can remember, but the final bike in our selection is probably a bit controversial with many bikers.
Electric motorcycles make perfect automatics. The huge instant torque means a gearbox is usually redundant and they can run a fixed gear set-up. But electric motorcycles have yet to capture the attention of traditional motorcyclists, while simultaneously failing to attract new riders to the industry. It’s looking pretty bleak for electric motorbike manufacturers, with Californian company Zero Motorcycles the last survivor in the sector.
And their new models for 2025 mark a stark change in direction, earning them a place in our list. Where their previous models have frankly been too expensive to make a serious dent in the marketplace, the new X-line models start at £3710.
Sure, they are far removed from the £12k+ models which have been their previous entry point, but perhaps the small, light and inexpensive off-road machines indicate the direction electric manufacturers have to take if they are to survive.
The £5410 XE weighs just over 100kg and has a top speed of over 50mph, making it a viable short distance machine. The 4.2kwh battery is removable and it looks like a super fun off-road toy – and there’s no gearbox, which makes it an automatic in our books!
