Back in June KTM debuted their first clutch-free bike prototype at the formidable Erzbergrodeo Iron Road Prologue. Dubbed the KTM AMT (Automated Manual Transmission), the heavily camouflaged bike was put through its paces by two-time world enduro champion Johnny Aubert but very few details were provided by KTM about its gearbox technology.

Now KTM has officially dropped the cover on their new semi-automatic transmission and confirmed the tech will be offered on several upcoming models. And while BMW and Yamaha have also recently unveiled auto-shifting gearboxes, KTM does it differently, doing away with electronic actuators for the clutch and instead using a centrifugal clutch that disengages automatically at idle.

At its core, the AMT allows the rider to choose between using a manual shifting operation in M Mode – without a clutch – or a completely automated transmission in A Mode. Once 1st gear is engaged, forward drive is initiated by raising the engine speed, at which point the centrifugal clutch engages and sets the motorcycle in motion. 

This makes starting on a slope, pulling away, stopping, and slow-speed maneuvering much easier, particularly on a bigger motorcycle. In addition, it is impossible to stall the engine, which on its own is a massive benefit.

Unlike traditional motorcycle gearbox setups, the AMT features a P – N – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 gear sequence, with P denoting PARK to prevent any unwanted rolling thanks to a locking pawl within the gearbox.

Both PARK and NEUTRAL positions can only be selected using the shifting paddle on the handlebar switch cube, whether the engine is running or not, with the front or rear brake needing to be applied to engage 1st gear. 

In terms of shifting speed, the gearbox is electronically controlled via the ECU and Transmission Control Unit. Shifts are initiated by an electromechanical shift actuator, which turns the shift drum. This means shifting between gears takes 50 milliseconds which is comparable to a traditional transmission using a quickshifter.

KTM AMT Highlights

• Quick and dynamic gear changes.
• Adds minimal weight and no increasing of overall chassis dimensions. 
• No engine stalling, no need to operate a clutch.
• Many options to individually configure the system to the rider’s preferences thanks to different shift modes and the choice of manual or automatic gear shifting.

However, while the merits of an automated transmission are well documented, the AMT’s party trick lies with its Manual Mode. 

In the M shift mode, the rider can purposefully shift gears by using the traditional gear lever on the left side of the engine or with the paddle shift on the left switch cube. This allows riders to maintain a READY TO RACE, sporty riding feel without any compromises in speed or agility. This has been done by carefully engineering the AMT gearbox to maintain traditional gearbox proportions, along with keeping the weight well within the same ballpark. 

The AMT system also allows riders a wide range of setup configurations, with SHIFTING modes working in unison with RIDE modes, to allow for individual preferences, regardless of application.