I laugh when I hear this. I'm as much a car guy am a bike guy. Automatics out perform manual transmissions in every way except maybe fuel economy, and that's slight. Quarter mile acceleration time differences are several te the of a second difference in some models. The intelligence on a race course or twisting roads on gear selection can't be matched except for the very top professionals. For braking or just slowing down, you can select a gear just as easy in an auto than a manual.