There’s a quiet shift happening in the motorcycle world. No, not another EV rollout—this one’s about how we ride. More and more manufacturers are exploring ways to make shifting easier or even optional. That’s right: automatic transmissions are slowly finding their place in motorcycling, and it’s not just scooters anymore.
Take Yamaha’s Y-AMT system, for example. It automates both clutch and gear shifts, letting riders either go fully auto or manually shift using buttons on the bar. Honda, meanwhile, has been perfecting this game for over a decade with its DCT models—and more recently, the E-Clutch, which automates just the clutch, but still uses a traditional shift lever. Then there’s KTM, which showcased its own AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) system with no clutch lever at all. Speaking of which, it'll be interesting where this tech is headed, given all the recent KTM drama.
Now, for the record, I’m still team manual. There’s something about managing your own shifts that just feels right. But I get why this tech is gaining traction. Not everyone wants that level of control. For new riders, commuters, or those with physical limitations, automatics make riding far more accessible.
Enter QJ Motor. True to form, they’re not the first to build an automatic sportbike—but they’re among the first to make it affordable. Their latest creation, the SRK 500 RA (or 450 AMT in China), is a fully faired middleweight sportbike with no foot controls: no shift lever, not even a foot brake. The rear brake’s up on the left handlebar, scooter-style. And gear changes? Done via paddle shifter-like buttons or completely automatically.
Powering it is a 449cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, making a claimed 53 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 31.7 pound-feet of torque at 8,000 rpm. For the European market, that’ll likely get tuned down to 48 horsepower to fit A2 license rules. It’s already compliant with the latest Euro 5+ emissions standard, too.
Chassis-wise, it features a steel bridge frame, Marzocchi inverted fork, and a rear monoshock. Brakes are by Nissin, with ABS standard. Seat height is an approachable 30.9 inches, and it tips the scales at an impressive 386 pounds fully fueled and ready to ride. It rolls on 17-inch wheels with 110/70 front and 150/60 rear tires, typical for your 400cc to 500cc sportbike class.
The styling’s sharp, with a slick single-sided swingarm and angular bodywork that wouldn't look out of place next to a CBR or Ninja. And get this—in China, it retails for just $3,300 USD. Even after taxes and dealer markup, it could land well under $5,000 in international markets. Maybe even the US, if all the tariff nonsense somehow magically disappears.
Needless to say, that’s a steal for something this advanced.
Compared to Honda and Yamaha’s offerings, QJ’s system is even more beginner-friendly—completely eliminating manual controls. It won’t replace traditional gearboxes, but it’s proof that motorcycle tech is evolving to fit more kinds of riders, not fewer.
Will it catch on? Time will tell. But one thing’s clear: automatic bikes are no longer just a niche. They’re a growing part of the landscape. And that might not actually be a bad thing.
