Have a look at this …
http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/1989
isn’t there supposed to be an automatic bike at the NEC…
Nice, but the trouble with CVT (continously variable transmission) is that the mechanism isn’t condusive to handling significant power being put through it, hence why it works well for scooters, and not big-bikes. CVT can be described as similar to a chain and sprocket arrangement, connecting the engine to the final-drive, except the ‘sprocket’ is shaped like a cone, so when the cone is just touching the chain, or belt, it has one gear ratio just there, a low one, but when the cone is pushed into the belt further, the gear ratio increases, allowing the bike to go faster, akin to going up through the gears on a regular cog transmission. Obviously a belt and cone can only handle so much power before they slip, as there’s no sprocket-style teeth to hold them together.
I liked the look of it! 
History repeats itself
honda already done the automatic bike years ago.
Here’s the keynotes form the launch <http://world.honda.com/Tokyo2005/motorcycles/keynote/photos/01.html> the notes are a bit crap though, but with some digging you can get more info on the bike plus the E4-01. Personally, I’m not impressed with them, but hey I like the Zoomer, when they bring out the 600 version I’ll be there 
On the subject of quirky bikes, we had a weekend in the Isle of Wight earlier this year and there was a monkey bike bash. They looked really good fun, and I like the idea of being able to keep the bike in the house and hang it on the wall. I’ve being seeing a few around town, but I wouldn’t want to commute on one.