Seamless-Shift Gearbox | MotoGP

Honda's RC213V is leading the 2013 championship, in large part thanks to Honda's seamless-shift gearbox. The F1-derived technology allows the new gear to engage before the previous gear disengages. As a result, Asphalt & Rubber magazine reports that the Honda can shift in just 0.009 seconds—significantly faster than the Yamaha M1's conventional transmission, which takes 0.038 seconds. Yamaha is working feverishly on its own seamless gearbox. Rider Valentino Rossi explains the advantages: "For me, in one lap it doesn't change a lot ... I mean the lap time. A lot of people speak about two-tenths for a lap—I think it's less than two-tenths. But the big improvement, I think, is in the 20 or 30 laps, because the bike becomes a lot easier to ride, is more stable, more stable in acceleration, but also more stable in braking." Will my bike have it? If the seamless transmission ever makes it to the World Superbike class, each manufacturer will be forced to build 250 road-legal versions for public sale, so there is some hope that a seamless-shift gearbox will someday make it to the street. 

Read more: PopularMechanics.com