Why don’t scooters have gears? Know the secret of CVT technology and its benefits
In today’s time, scooters or scooters have become the most popular vehicles on the city roads. People especially rely on scooters for daily commuting. They are very easy to operate and have proven to be most convenient for people going to office, shop or college-school.
Especially in a country like India where traffic jams, narrow streets and everyday hustle and bustle are common, scooters have replaced bikes. But one question comes to everyone’s mind – why don’t scooters have gears? Whereas motorcycles have 4, 5 or 6 gears. If you too are sitting with this question, then today you are going to get the answer.
What about gear replacement?
First of all let us understand what is the place of gear in a scooter. Most modern scooters run on Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) system. This is a type of automatic transmission, which does not have manual gears. CVT has two pulleys and a belt.
When you rotate the accelerator, this pulley automatically expands and narrows as the engine speed increases and the position of the belt changes. Due to this, the gear ratio keeps changing continuously and smoothly. Without any shock. You don’t need to press the clutch or change gears, just twist the throttle and go.
This system matches the design of the scooter completely. Scooters have small engines (100-150 cc), which are made for low speed in the city. Not for high speed or long distance like motorcycles. CVT keeps the small engine at low RPM, which keeps acceleration smooth and also saves fuel. If gears were installed, the overall look, weight and maintenance of the scooter would have increased.
Why are there no gears?
Now the question is why so? The real reason is convenience and user experience. Scooters are mainly designed for women, youth, beginner riders and family use. One has to stop every 10-20 meters in traffic. If there were gears, one would have to play the clutch-gear-accelerator game every time, which could be tiring.
Because of CVT, the rider focuses only on brakes and throttle. There is no distraction. Especially in India where scooters are the favorite vehicle of women, this facility has proved to be a game changer. In olden times, scooters like Vespa had manual gears, but after 1990-2000, companies adopted CVT as the market demand changed. Today scooters like Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, Bajaj Chetak are completely gearless and crores of units have been sold.
How beneficial is CVT?
The benefits of CVT are not limited to convenience only. It also keeps maintenance low. Manual gear boxes contain chains, sprockets, clutch plates which wear out over time. CVT has belts and rollers, which run smoothly for 20-30 thousand kilometers.
Due to smooth acceleration, there is less pressure on the engine, which increases life. CVT works perfectly at city speed of 40-60 km/hr. Even if you go 80-90 km/hr on the highway, it can handle it, but the scooter is not designed like a sports bike.
In comparison, motorcycles have gears because they have powerful engines (above 150cc). Different gears give the rider complete authority to control the power of the engine. Low gear on hills and high gear on highway, but the purpose of the scooter is different – comfort, ease and daily use.
What will happen if I put the gear in?
If gears are added to the scooter, its price will increase, weight will increase and the target customer (who wants convenience) will go away. Some people think that lack of gears reduces control. But the reality is the opposite. Due to CVT being smooth, braking and balance remains better. In electric scooters, there is no question of gears because the motor directly supplies power to the wheel. In future also CVT or direct drive will remain.
Summary: Scooters are gearless because they are made for convenience, safety and city traffic. CVT technology has made this possible. This is not a deficiency, but the result of smart design. If you are also thinking of buying a scooter, then know that not having gears will make your riding easy and fun. Next time someone asks why scooters don’t have gears, just smile and say that CVT has made gears obsolete.
