Honda unveils next-gen motorcycle powertrains

New engines designed for low-speed torque, fuel efficiency, and riding ‘character’ are coupled with new DCT and CVT transmissions.

His name is Suzuki, he's head of Honda's motorcycle R&D operation, and he's not shy about praising Harley-Davidson for its torquey, low-rpm, user-friendly engine power delivery. Not only that, he's openly critical of some of his organization's previous product directions.

That's pretty unusual stuff for a top Japanese engineer, but the world's largest maker of motorcycles and internal-combustion engines is boldly rethinking its powertrain development path for bikes. And Tetsuo Suzuki, who also is President of the wholly owned Honda Racing Company (HRC), is responsible for the designs and technologies to make it happen.