Motorcycle Noise

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
mrjemm
Posts: 2933
Joined: 20 Nov 2011, 4:33pm

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by mrjemm »

I also dislike the sound of 4s, but all my bikes were twins or singles. The 2 I mention both V twins. Both obnoxious in their own right. Go past any dirt/X track and you'll soon realise singles are not quiet or pleasant either.

Both those I refer to above were too loud however ridden, without baffles in. Touch the throttle and they'd bark. Ugh. Luckily I had baffles for the Tuono, and they made a huge difference. Neither bike was on OEM exhausts, though the Aprilia came with the Akras from new. Previously had 2 other KTM Adventures, which I'd loved, but they were with fairly normal exhausts. Still rather loud though.

Very glad I left mobikes behind. Way too many downsides.
Chris the Sheep
Posts: 154
Joined: 13 May 2009, 1:20pm

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by Chris the Sheep »

Since I got my licence in 2005 I've had two Suzuki DL650 V-Stroms (V-Twin), a Honda Pan European (1300cc V4 Tourer), a Yamaha XJR1300 (air-cooled straight four) and a Suzuki Bandit 650 (water-cooled straight four).

Not one of these in my view made any remotely objectionable noise; the XJR did when I first bought it because it had a legal aftermarket can on, but I soon refitted the factory one.
All of those bikes had a catalytic converter from new and all of have been fun to ride and much quicker than most cars on the road. Travel around on normal roads (i.e. not summer Sunday hotspots) and that kind of bike is predominant. I don't run a car, my motorbike is how I get about when cycling isn't a practical option.

One of the best-selling bikes of late has been the Honda NC700 (now 750) range; half a Honda Jazz engine, built for reliability and economy.

There really is no need for bikes to be noisy, and ironically on a fast bike you leave most of the noise behind you anyway!


Something I honestly don't understand is how cyclists going about their legal business are treated as scum, yet motorcyclists (of which I am one) seem to avoid the same kind of treatment apart from in a handful of locations such as Brent (http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news--general-news/brent-councils-motorcycle-ban-not-working/23563.html). What's happened here is that illegal riding (stunts, racing etc) and noise at night has led to ALL motorcycles being banned from the road, even though a motorcycle is a legitimate mode of transport and ridden sensibly not particularly dangerous. An example of how a minority group can suffer discrimination through the actions of a small subset of individuals. Sound familiar?
beardy
Posts: 3382
Joined: 23 Feb 2010, 4:10pm

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by beardy »

Something I honestly don't understand is how cyclists going about their legal business are treated as scum, yet motorcyclists (of which I am one) seem to avoid the same kind of treatment


Apart from excuses like road tax and red lights, the real reason is simple:- motorcyclists do not normally hold up car or HGV drivers for a few seconds of their journey.
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mill4six
Posts: 932
Joined: 10 Feb 2009, 7:42pm

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by mill4six »

Unfortunately noise can be fun, sorry. I'm all growed up now and have become quite sensible but sometimes I retrace old routes where I used to come screaming through with a carbon fibre exhaust on, bouncing off the rev limiter and the rear wheel skipping on the downshifts and I wonder how I survived. In a sense that person has gone now but I remember him and he was having a whale of a time.
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BeeKeeper
Posts: 1265
Joined: 29 Apr 2011, 6:45am
Location: South Devon

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by BeeKeeper »

Although not the reason why they are noisy, but there can be a benefit for the rider of a noisy bike - people (drivers, cyclists and pedestrians) notice them so in some circumstances it has a safety benefit. It is the opposite of the problem of the silent electric car.
pyruse
Posts: 55
Joined: 6 May 2011, 5:35pm

Re: Motorcycle Noise

Post by pyruse »

mill4six wrote:Unfortunately noise can be fun, sorry. I'm all growed up now and have become quite sensible but sometimes I retrace old routes where I used to come screaming through with a carbon fibre exhaust on, bouncing off the rev limiter and the rear wheel skipping on the downshifts and I wonder how I survived. In a sense that person has gone now but I remember him and he was having a whale of a time.


Fun for the rider perhaps, but unpleasant for everyone within earshot. It's possible to have fun without annoying lots of other people.
Loud exhausts on motorbikes (and indeed on cars) are just obnoxious.
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