:''See also

list of Honda transmissions Honda has long built nearly all of its own automobile transmissions, unlike many other automobile manufacturers which often source transmissions from external sources. The most notable exception was in 2014, when Honda decided to forgo an in-house ...

for other Hondamatics'' The Hondamatic (also called the H2) was

Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...

's first

semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a "theoretical" multiple-speed transmission where part of its operation is automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input would be required to launch the vehicle from a standstill and to ...

. It was produced from 1973 through 1988. The ''Hondamatic'' name continued to be used on

fully-automatic An automatic firearm is an auto-loading firearm that continuously chambers and fires rounds when the trigger mechanism is actuated. The action of an automatic firearm is capable of harvesting the excess energy released from a previous discha ...

transmissions from Honda.

Design and Application

The original Hondamatic, like all following Honda automatics, featured gears on parallel axes rather than

planetary gear An epicyclic gear train (also known as a planetary gearset) consists of two gears mounted so that the center of one gear revolves around the center of the other. A carrier connects the centers of the two gears and rotates the planet and sun gea ...

s like most other automatic transmissions. Each gear continuously meshes, and each gear included a dedicated clutch. The clutches are hydraulically controlled, applying oil pressure to the desired "gear". Shifting between forward gears was done by simply sliding the gear selector (actually a hydraulic valve) from 1 to 2. It did not automatically shift, but because of the torque converter, could be driven entirely in second gear. The Honda automobile

torque converter A torque converter is a type of fluid coupling that transfers rotating power from a prime mover, like an internal combustion engine, to a rotating driven load. In a vehicle with an automatic transmission, the torque converter connects the power ...

had a lockup, leading the company to sell the original Hondamatic (which had just two forward gear ratios) as a three-speed. The true three-speed H3 was launched in 1979. In 1982 Honda introduced a four-speed fully-automatic (called ''Hondamatic Full-Auto''), followed by a fully-automatic three-speed in 1983. The semi-automatic version continued to be available in Honda's smaller cars, where it was gradually replaced by conventional automatics. With the 1988 remake of the Honda Acty/Street, the last Hondamatic was discontinued. Applications: * 1973–1983

Honda Civic The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Acc ...

* 1976–1983

Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...

* 1979–1982

Honda Prelude The Honda Prelude is a car produced by Japanese car manufacturer Honda from 1978 until 2001. The two-door coupe was loosely derived from the Honda Accord, and spanned five generations. The Prelude was used by Honda to introduce the Japanese Honda r ...

* 1982–1986

Honda City AA The first generation Honda City (Honda Jazz in Europe) was a subcompact hatchback aimed mainly at the Japanese domestic market. The somewhat uniquely designed City, referred to by Honda as "Tall Boy" style, was also marketed abroad and was availa ...

* 1982–1988 Honda Acty/Street

History

Honda could not make a conventional planetary gearset automatic transmission without infringing on any patents. Honda eventually asked Borg-Warner to design a prototype transmission for their upcoming vehicles. However, Borg-Warner declined. This was due to Borg-Warner not having transmission specifications that were efficient enough for such a small engine like the 500cc Honda S500 and one that was able to be reliable at a maximum engine speed of 8000rpm. This led Honda to design its own transmission. They purchased a transmission from Borg-Warner for the purpose of developing an original transmission design. They tested their newly developed automatic transmission on the L700. When testing and refinements had been made, Honda sold their first automatic transmission in the N360.

Motorcycle

The Hondamatic was later used in Honda's 400, 450 and 750 cc

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

s.{{cite web, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPgDAAAAMBAJ&q=hondamatic&pg=PA31, title=American Motorcyclist, first=American Motorcyclist, last=Assoc, date=1 September 1977, publisher=American Motorcyclist Assoc, accessdate=10 March 2019, via=Google Books In this application, it was not a true automatic transmission, as the driver had to manually select one of the two gears. The transmission of the 750 Hondamatics incorporated two hydraulically-controlled clutches (one for each gear), with the foot-operated gear selector operating the hydraulic valve. The 400/450 Hondamatics, however, have no clutches at all. The foot-operated gear selector physically moves a gear with "dogs" to change gear engagement, the same as on a non-Hondamatic motorcycle transmission. Applications: * CB750A (1976-1978) * CB400A Hawk Hondamatic (1978) * CM400A Hondamatic (1979-1981) * CM450A Hondamatic (1982-1983)

Scooter, ATV, and power equipment

Honda also applies the ''Hondamatic'' name to a

hydraulic Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...

piston-based

continuously variable transmission A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that can change seamlessly through a continuous range of gear ratios. This contrasts with other transmissions that provide a limited number of gear ratios in fixed steps. T ...

used in

motorscooter A scooter (motor scooter) is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet, emphasizing comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles ...

all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...

s, and other types of

power equipment Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power and control, ...

. Applications * TRX500FA (2001-2011) * TRX400FA (2004-2007)

References

H2 Automatic transmission tradenames Motorcycle transmissions