2008 Honda DN-01: MD First Ride

Since we first saw the prototype a few years ago at the 2005 Tokyo show, we had the feeling that the DN-01 was not just a futuristic design exercise. It seemed like its intent was to find a home for the new electrohydraulic HFT (Human Friendly Transmission), a transmission that was gaining success in the world of ATVs, in a decidedly unconventional motorcycle. Last year the production version debuted, and it will be arriving in dealers (not in the U.S., for the moment) with a 680-cc water-cooled v-twin engine derived from the Deauville motorcycle. Aesthetically, the design of the final production version is nearly 100-percent faithful to the first concepts.

Honda HFT Transmission

HFT Automatic; the secret
Well, we aren't going to go through a complete technical breakdown here, the result of which would be a particularly complex discussion of continuously variable transmission design. This Honda link will tell you about the HFT technology if you are interested. Here we intend to be more practical, and start by answering the question you're all asking: does it work? The answer can only be a resounding yes. Start the engine; press a button on the right marked "D". As soon as we give the bike any throttle the "N" light goes out and the "D" illuminates. We accelerate away as we would on a scooter. There's no need to worry about a clutch lever or foot-operated gear selection because those things don't exist on the DN-01.

What? We want to accelerate harder? Well, we'll have to press a button at our right-hand fingertips. Once pushed an "S" illuminates (for Sport) instead of an "N" or "D". It's quite clear that we're in "S" mode when we open or close the throttle, because we can clearly sense the electronic brain that controls the bike reacts more quickly to our throttle inputs. In either case, there is clearly something different going on here than anything we've ever experienced in a megascooter: there is a distinct sense of connection between the throttle and the rear wheel missing from most scooters.

When it's time to stop, you can press the right button to bring the "N" onto the display. And as if by magic, we can now rev the twin-cylinder engine without moving (or holding the brake). It's in neutral as on any other bike.

It's also a manual! Yes, the automatic mode works as advertised, and it works very well. But since man cannot live on comfort and practicality alone, particularly a man accustomed to two-wheeled vehicles, the bike offers a playful side that appears once you press the button next to your right index finger. Do so, and a number representing the gear we're in appears on the right side of the screen. We're now in the manual mode, where six preset ratios are at our command, except when we ask for a gear that isn't rational. For example, at just 30 kilometers-per-hour (18 mph) we can select fourth or fifth gear, but not sixth as the bike's brain has determined that doing so will severely bog the engine. Nor will the bike allow us to overrev the engine by selecting too low a gear.

Manual mode allows you to safely downshift for acceleration or deceleration. Something you probably do every day with your bike, but the DN-01 does so without use of your hand and without a clutch. It's all very video-game-like, but in reality the bike doesn't allow for rider mistakes or strange behavior.

As also happens to automatic scooters that have preset gear ratios (for example, the Suzuki Burgman 650), in practice one just ends up leaving the bike in the automatic mode that most suits you, and that's it. One last peculiarity: if we maintain a steady pace, the system will eventually adopt he highest gear possible (lowering RPMs) to maintain the selected speed. This is excellent for reducing fuel consumption and emissions, in terms of both CO2 and sound.

Not just a gearbox
The DN-01, whose name is an acronym for "New Dream", brings much more than an electrohydraulic gear shifter. The bike's design is futuristic, but it has some features that reflect the "motorcycle of tomorrow" from a decade ago. The aesthetic weight rests on the front end. Viewed from the front, the design is aggressive and shark-like, with two ellipsoidal and multiconvex headlamps leading the charge. The windshield is low, clearly an aesthetic decision. The truth is that it could be higher, but making it larger would ruin the style, and Honda has been very careful with styling the DN-01.

Looking at the bike from behind, the look is one of elegance and restraint, in contrast with the front. This is a bit of a curiosity.

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