[SantaCruzRider]

Once upon a time, manual transmiissions were more reliable, faster and cheaper to repair than automatics. Like it or not, that’s no longer the case. Add in all the baby boomers who aren’t interested in working their knees trying to get thru the daily stop-n-go and you have situation where there is very little market for the manual tranny.
Most of the time, the only reason an auto maker even has a manual tranny (or manual windows) is so that they can post some ridiculously low price on their bargain basement model. But even then, most of the entry level cars on their lot will have upgraded windows and tranny, because that’s what sells.
It won’t be long before manuals will be special order, even on “performance” rides.

[Munch]

I would have to say mid 90’s is when they started disappearing. About the time urban sprawl got out of control. The car I have now is actually my first auto. I miss the connection that a manual gives. Being a mechanic you actually realize how manuals are still out there. Now with the onset of semi autos and slap shifters it makes manuals obsolete. Let’s face it, the world is getting lazier and to much involved with electronic multi tasking. Besides if you have one hand on the wheel and the other texting…..then how does one shift?

[feezee29]

at 28 yrs. old i just learned this year how to drive a five speed in iraq the main two things that stopped me from learning was the fact that the only manual car we and in the family was my mom’s brand new bmw convertible. and i was afraid of stalling out. but now that i know how to i cant believe what i been missing out on all these years. i plan on getting a manual as well as a bike being that i have never been on a bike i do feel a little more confident going into my 1st msf class about not falling flat on my face.

[JackTrade]

Good for you; a manual transmission makes pretty much ANY car more enjoyable to drive, even the most base-model econo-car.

And yep, understanding the whole clutch-gearshift thing will definitely help during the MSF…one less thing to worry about. You’ll find a lot of your classmates won’t know how, and will find even the concept (much less the execution) somewhat tough.

[owlie]

Its funny that you mention some lady rolling back into you. My boyfriend in college tried to teach me to drive his manual (a beat up rust bucket of a Datsun 510 whose clutch was nearly gone), and to this day I remember sitting at a stop sign trying to figure out how to convince the guy behind me to just go around because I was afraid that I would roll back into him when I tried to go. He didn’t, I didn’t, but the lessons on using a stick-shift didn’t go much further.

The funny thing is that my Mom tried to teach me to drive her manual last year, and frankly, I would have been better off if the lessons had come >after< I took the MSF class a few weeks later. For her, the techniques involved with friction zone, clutch control, etc were so ingrained that she didn't know how to explain what I was doing wrong. I’ll stick with my automatic, thank you very much. I don’t think that not having the skills for driving a manual transmission car really negatively affected my ability to learn to ride enough that I would stigmatize it.

[eternal05]

Not knowing how to drive stick is one thing, but if you go into the MSF class not even understanding the concept of a clutch and gears, you’re in big trouble. I’ve actually seen this quite a bit, and it really gets in the way of instinctively understanding what to do.

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