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I just got back from a focus group on Scooters. 13 people were invited to attend. Of the 13, 4 were Burgman owners (two 650's, two 400's). There were two Silverwing owners, one or two Vespa owners, and some other scooters but they weren't mainstream. The survey paid well for participation.
While they wouldn't disclose who funded the survey or its purpose, I came out of it with the feeling that the bottom line was: is there a market for a motorcycle with an automatic transmission. Most (if not all) the participants would be willing to drive a motorcycle that was twist'n'go. If this is correct, then I think we'll be seeing manufacturers start offering motorcycles with automatic transmissions. There's already one such manufacturer that I know of, which is Ridley. They're pricey, but their Auto-Glide cruiser style bikes look very impressive: http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com
While they wouldn't disclose who funded the survey or its purpose, I came out of it with the feeling that the bottom line was: is there a market for a motorcycle with an automatic transmission. Most (if not all) the participants would be willing to drive a motorcycle that was twist'n'go. If this is correct, then I think we'll be seeing manufacturers start offering motorcycles with automatic transmissions. There's already one such manufacturer that I know of, which is Ridley. They're pricey, but their Auto-Glide cruiser style bikes look very impressive: http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com