The Ridley Auto-Glide 744 LE was a limited edition model (just 40 were produced) that represented the first use of belt final drive for the now semi-defunct Ridley motorcycle company. Ridley was founded back in 1995 on the premise that no motorcycles at the time were available with an automatic transmission, and the hope was that removing shifting from the equation would make it easier for some individuals to get on a bike and start riding.
Unfortunately, Ridley’s biggest flaw was naming this bike the “Auto-Glide”, an odd decision after Harley-Davidson had used the “Glide” term for decades. After years of consistent growth, Ridley was sued by HD over the term, and the ensuing legal fees and settlement put Ridley out of business. The 744 LE was packaged in an interesting way – all of the bikes came with the most popular equipment, but no factory options were available.
Look Ma, No Clutch!
This specific Ridley Auto-Glide 744 LE comes with a few extras, including a quick release Memphis Shades windshield, a chrome engine guard, and the interesting custom paint that the Limited Edition received. Technology dealing with automatic transmissions in motorcycles has developed steadily since Ridley championed it, but if you specifically want a cruiser without a clutch, your options are pretty much limited to the bikes from this marque.
Want to see more? The seller has created a short walkthrough video (with a startup) here on Youtube:
Find this Ridley Auto-Glide 744 LE for sale here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now price of $10,500 in Mission Viejo, California.
