In the motorcycle stadium, major manufacturers are competing in automatic clutch technology. Honda's E-Clutch, Yamaha's YAMT, KTM's AMT, BMW's ASA, MVAGUSTA's SCS are all making efforts in this field, and the standard configuration rate of mass-produced cars is also increasing, and even domestic manufacturers have entered the market one after another. But strangely, Ducati, who has always been ambitious on the track, has always seemed a little "abnormal silence". What strategic considerations are hidden behind this?
It was not until Ducati's patent was exposed that everyone discovered that it had carried out a dual-track technological revolution. Let’s first talk about the Hybrid Electromechanical System (HYDRA-MECH), which combines traditional hydraulic systems and electromechanical actuators. The previous steel cable transmission was like a slightly stiff rope, which was not flexible enough to control, while hydraulic control was like a smoother "liquid conveyor belt", which made the rider's control experience achieve a big leap. It also has an excellent two-way pressure control technology that allows seamless switching between manual and automatic modes. The rider can get started at any time when he wants to control himself. When he is lazy or needs to concentrate, the automatic mode can be pushed up.
In the motorcycle stadium, major manufacturers are competing in automatic clutch technology. Honda's E-Clutch, Yamaha's YAMT, KTM's AMT, BMW's ASA, MVAGUSTA's SCS are all making efforts in this field, and the standard configuration rate of mass-produced cars is also increasing, and even domestic manufacturers have entered the market one after another. But strangely, Ducati, who has always been ambitious on the track, has always seemed a little "abnormal silence". What strategic considerations are hidden behind this?
It was not until Ducati's patent was exposed that everyone discovered that it had carried out a dual-track technological revolution. Let’s first talk about the Hybrid Electromechanical System (HYDRA-MECH), which combines traditional hydraulic systems and electromechanical actuators. The previous steel cable transmission was like a slightly stiff rope, which was not flexible enough to control, while hydraulic control was like a smoother "liquid conveyor belt", which made the rider's control experience achieve a big leap. It also has an excellent two-way pressure control technology that allows seamless switching between manual and automatic modes. The rider can get started at any time when he wants to control himself. When he is lazy or needs to concentrate, the automatic mode can be pushed up.
Let’s look at the all-electric control system (E-HYDRA), which is simply a disruptive change, which directly cancels the physical clutch lever. The lever on the left hand of the rider used to be gone now, so what do you rely on? By sending signals from the ECU, the electronically controlled motor responds in milliseconds. This is like when you used to manually step on the clutch when driving, but now it has suddenly become a super intelligent automatic mode, and the reaction speed is amazing. Let’s compare these two systems. The hybrid electromechanical system has a bit of a traditional shadow, retaining some mechanical structures, while the full electronic control system is completely electronic, simpler and more efficient.
The performance improvement of Ducati's technology on the track is quite significant, reflected in the five intelligent control dimensions. There is an automatic clutch anti-aircraft shutdown mechanism when starting and stopping, so you no longer have to worry about turning off the engine when starting; there is an ECU collaborative algorithm for starting ejection, just like a racer has a super brain to help calculate the best starting time; the load sensor linkage shift logic can automatically adjust gear shifts according to the load condition of the car, making the power output more reasonable; the engine management of automatic speed matching ensures that the engine always runs in the best state; the smoothness of the lift and downshifts makes the rider feel smoother when changing gears, without that feeling of jerk.
In terms of race rules, Article 5.3.2 of the FIM Technical Rules Manual stipulates that the technology equipped with commercially available models is legal. Ducati is very good at taking advantage of this. Its strategy is to "mount commercially available models legally", starting directly from civilian mass-produced cars to open up the access channel for events. There are some restrictions on WSBK events. Ducati has found a cracked path through this hydraulic automatic clutch system, so that its racing cars can have stronger competitiveness under the premise of compliance.
Compared with Honda's E-Clutch, Ducati's technology has its own unique advantages. In terms of fine handling response, Ducati has done more well, allowing riders to control the car more accurately; in terms of race adaptability parameters, it also meets the needs of the track; and leaves more custom space for users, so riders can adjust system parameters according to their own habits and track conditions.
Regarding technology decentralization, you can make a prediction. In the first stage, the 2026 Panigale V4R event special edition will be equipped with this system first, allowing professional drivers to test its performance on the field; in the second stage, the data obtained through WSBK actual combat will be iteratively optimized to make it more perfect; in the end, Ducati may apply this technology to mass-produced cars of the Hyper performance series and implement a civilian track plan, so that more people who like motorcycles, even if they are not professional drivers, can experience speed and passion on the track.
However, some people may ask, will the automatic clutch deprive the driving spirit? Listen to what professional drivers say. Some drivers feel that the lap speed has indeed improved, and the sense of control and ritual has seemed to have disappeared a little. Just like Lorenzo, the development of electronic systems had a great impact on the performance of the event back then, and the automatic clutch technology is also similar now. But from another perspective, a lower control threshold means that more people can enter the track and experience the charm of motorcycle sports. I might have thought the track was out of reach in the past, but now with this system, maybe ordinary people can try it too. Ah, this automatic clutch does not deprive the driving soul, but opens the door to the track for more people, giving everyone the opportunity to feel the passion brought by the speed.
What do you think of Ducati's hydraulic automatic clutch system? Can it really subvert the rules of the event, or is it just a flash in the pan? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area for discussion.
