Engine Noise

[JackMcClymont]

Hi all, I am completing a project for school on a motorbike with an electric engine, and was wondering how important people think the sound a motorcycle produces is. I know people around me that practically choose their bikes based on the noise, and was wondering what the general opinion was. Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I was certainly very much swayed by the sound my Triumph Bobber creates. The soundtrack is a key part in the joy of riding it. Triumph spent a lot of effort getting it right.  

 

My CBF by contrast has no character in terms of engine noise.

 

Riding the two bikes is totally different.  In traffic a lot of motorists will cheerfully pull over to allow the Bobber through with a wave. The Honda gets ignored. 

[S-Westerly]

Decent engine sound is a key part of having a bike. A V twin has a special note.

[Fiddlesticks]

 

Different engines have different characteristics. 

 

I have an inline four muscle bike (still no offers, hint hint ) a parallel twin cruiser, and a triple cylinder adventure bike.

The inline four is smooth and torquey. And, due to the aftermarket exhaust, loud. Probably too loud for polite company.

The cruiser does not quite have the whop whop sound of the big Harley v twins but it's deep, resonant and very pleasing to the ear.

The Triple sounds like a tractor mated with a bag of spanners until you get it over 5000 revs, at which point it takes on a visceral roar. This lessens the frustration of listening to it rattle and clunk away at tickover speeds.
 

[Nick the wanderer]

I like the way the exhaust note changes as the revs increase, especially when you hit the power band, the tones alter to an almost shouting out.

I hate too loud exhausts and don't believe loud pipes save lives, they are just obnoxious. But get it right and no greater sound.

[RideWithStyles]

Ive

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[geofferz]

If electric bikes had good range, quick swap batteries, and were cheaper, faster and generally better than petrol ones I'd seriously consider one, sound notwithstanding. I like the exhaust note, but if electric was say half the price of petrol, in addition to the above, I'd swap in a heartbeat, exhaust note be damned. 

[RideWithStyles]

Got

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Steve_M]

I’ve ridden a selection of electric bikes and really wasn’t bothered by the different sound they make. 

 

However…

 

The sound from the air box of my ZXR 750 when the revs hit 10,000 rpm was practically musical - and potentially licence shredding. Something I wish I’d explored on a track day - the A47 Norwich by-pass had to do (in first gear only, honest officer).
 

My VFR 800 (and the 750 before it - keep forgetting I owned the 750, too) had, for want of a better word, a growl as it was revved reasonably hard - and, yes, I did explore that on numerous track days. 
 

My other bikes were MEH (down with the kids there, eh? ). Until this one.

 

I will admit to the exhaust sound being a bit of a selling point on the R1200GS. The tale is a long one and I’ll try to précis.

 

1995 - Brands Hatch, Carl Fogarty et al on Ducatis with that glorious bass exhaust note as I sat and watched - and listened - as they hurtled down from Paddock Bend.

 

2018. We were having a picnic by the side of a stream not too far from the road on the Maloja pass. Several BMW R1200GS bikes came past and their exhaust note brought back memories of Brands Hatch. Not the same note but a resonance. My good lady also mentioned they sounded better than the dreadful FJR1300 we were on at the time,  

 

I’m not sure if that helps… 

 

[KiwiBob]

3 hours ago, geofferz said:

If electric bikes had good range, quick swap batteries, and were cheaper, faster and generally better than petrol ones I'd seriously consider one, sound notwithstanding. I like the exhaust note, but if electric was say half the price of petrol, in addition to the above, I'd swap in a heartbeat, exhaust note be damned. 

Me too! .. When they have a true range of 150+ miles and a charge time of 10/15 minutes I'm in!

 

The Zero has a range of around 90 miles and a charge time of 4 hours!

[Steve_M]

17 hours ago, JackMcClymont said:

Hi all, I am completing a project for school on a motorbike with an electric engine, and was wondering how important people think the sound a motorcycle produces is. I know people around me that practically choose their bikes based on the noise, and was wondering what the general opinion was. Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

Just a passing thought.

 

If you chose to give it an ICE motorbike sound which would you choose? Imagine choosing, say, a Ducati. Turn up to your local bike meet, heads turn and… what a disappointment. And how much ribbing would you get?

 

This, though, could be an option. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

1 hour ago, KiwiBob said:

Me too! .. When they have a true range of 150+ miles and a charge time of 10/15 minutes I'm in!

 

The Zero has a range of around 90 miles and a charge time of 4 hours!

Just to add that someone I know set up as a Zero dealership and found they were a nightmare when it came to warranty work. In the end he gave up because they fell to bits so quickly and customers weren't getting the support they needed from the company.

[RideWithStyles]

.

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Steve_M]

4 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

. Someone will say two strokes soon enough...

this is where to put it bluntly hgaf cos it will always be the wrong thing unless you make it to account for everybody's so called preference.

no point asking a load of old dudes (dinosaurs) cos ice is being killed off and that is that, just like asking about what music is better.

Next best for us is a mobility scooter (EV) then we'll all be wheeled in an old folks home left forgotten about soon enough. 
 

question id go with is what does YOUR generation want or think? if you're making and designing something for them? What attracts them? Noises of Music (i just get the vision of  old peeps with theirgoldwings play on the ghetto blaster of pink floyd or some music from their bikes that sound shite while they cant actually hear it on the move but when they slow down is LAF, terrible AND SO CRINGY, so would memes, downloaded sounds be better?

 

I test rode a Goldwing. I forgot to ask how the stereo worked on it so no idea how to turn it off.  That was half an hour of some god-awful music I had nightmares about for days after. 
 

 

[geofferz]

5 hours ago, Steve_M said:

Just a passing thought.

 

If you chose to give it an ICE motorbike sound which would you choose? Imagine choosing, say, a Ducati. Turn up to your local bike meet, heads turn and… what a disappointment. And how much ribbing would you get?

 

This, though, could be an option. 

Don't think I'd want that. Although I don't like the idea of fake engine noise in my car, yet when I turn it off its too quiet! I hate myself every time I turn it on. 

[geofferz]

5 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Just to add that someone I know set up as a Zero dealership and found they were a nightmare when it came to warranty work. In the end he gave up because they fell to bits so quickly and customers weren't getting the support they needed from the company.

Same as mv agusta a few years back but hey 'Italian spirit' 

[bonio]

2 hours ago, geofferz said:

Same as mv agusta a few years back but hey 'Italian spirit' 

To be fair, the guys are being as good as gold over warranty stuff on mine. Big improvement on BMW.

[RideWithStyles]

...

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[RideWithStyles]

Zero

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Throttled]

The engine noise of the CF Moto 650GT was horrible and that alone would stop me from buying it. When I replaced stock exhausts on two Kawasakis, that had come apart, with exhausts from a company called Black Widow, the sound was like a WWI machine gun, which was fun, but got tiring on long journeys. I could also not cope with a really loud exhaust, for long journeys. My favourite so far is the Akrapovic that came with my present bike. It is nice and quiet on start up and pottering about, but then howls as the revs rise.

[Bianco2564]

I think as the current generation grow up and EVs become more mainstream, they will be less exposed to different engine noises and therefore less interested in it. Probably be more interested in their ring tone, they couldn't tell a V-twin from a V12. Unless you are an enthusiast, a car or bike is just transport and there are more important reasons for owning that particular vehicle than the noise it makes.

I like the sound many engines make, ones with slightly off beat pulses like a V10, x plane V8, I5 or triple really stand out. Exception I make is a flat 4, I think they sound cr@p. I do also like my 3.2 litre M3 straight 6 at 8000rpm and let's not forget two strokes, which are a bit marmite,  that sound of a well set up bike on spannies hitting the power band.....

[bonio]

The sound is a big part of being on a bike. My two each have their moments where just the noise is enough to put a big smile on your face. But I remember when I tried out a Zero - this must have been over 10 years ago - I loved being on a bike that was almost silent. The best bit was being out on a country road and reaching a village with its neat little green and its pond and a red telephone box. I liked being able to go through and be part of the peacefulness of the scene. And there wasn't any feeling of having to keep the bike under control so as not to be a nuisance. Made for a really enjoyable ride.  

[Steve_M]

Just now, bonio said:

The sound is a big part of being on a bike. My two each have their moments where just the noise is enough to put a big smile on your face. But I remember when I tried out a Zero - this must have been over 10 years ago - I loved being on a bike that was almost silent. The best bit was being out on a country road and reaching a village with its neat little green and its pond and a red telephone box. I liked being able to go through and be part of the peacefulness of the scene. And there wasn't any feeling of having to keep the bike under control so as not to be a nuisance. Made for a really enjoyable ride.  

I once a Ducati Monster M1200 for a test ride. It came complete with obscenely loud pipes. I passed through numerous small Norfolk villages and felt embarrassed that I was spoiling their quiet places. 

[bonio]

5 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

I once a Ducati Monster M1200 for a test ride. It came complete with obscenely loud pipes. I passed through numerous small Norfolk villages and felt embarrassed that I was spoiling their quiet places. 

Sounds awesome  

I had a GSX600RR that was similarly rude. Whenever I parked up in a town, I was instantly surrounded by a swarm of teenage boys. Had to get rid. 

[RideWithStyles]

!! .

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles