Best motorcycle engine sounds

[PH_AJH]

For all (motorcycle) sound-freaks ,as I am.

It's a shame they don't build Merlin engines into motorcycles but there you go.

AJ

[Sock]

Harleys have got the best sound.  I bet you could slap a Merlin on a cycle.  I once saw a Tractor, type thing, with 6 Allison engines.

Sock

[Hagar]

I bet you could slap a Merlin on a cycle

I think someone actually did this some years ago. Things have changed a lot since my day. I used to love the sound of the old single-cylinder long stroke racing engines. My friend reckoned he could break a car windscreen at 50 paces with his old BSA Road Rocket.

[Rifleman]

I fondly remember the 1979 Honda CBX..... six cylinders, 24 valves, and 1 litre of growl...........

[Scottler]

Anyone ever see the stand up comedian who did a bit about this very subject?  He said you can identify the make of bike by the sound the engine makes, and gave these examples:

SuuuuuuuuuuuuuZuuuuuuuuuuuKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

HarleyHarleyHarleyHarleyHarleyHarley


hooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnddddddaaaaaaa

[Rifleman]

now you're workin it a bit hard there Scott.....I guess we need a way to upload the wav files of your voice adn then laugh at your sounds ?......?    ???

             ;D                                          

[Scottler]

Yes, it's definitely a stretch having to read it.  (Especially if you don't know the sounds I'm referring to.  lol)

I promise, it was funny.  Trust me.  

[OTTOL]

Harleys have got the best sound

Harleys sound like plugged up toilets!  :-/

Actually I'm being kind of hard on Harley. There is a saying about Harleys..."they may be heavy, but they're slow!"

. I used to love the sound of the old single-cylinder long stroke racing engines.

That's kinda before my time, but I did work on some vintage Binelli's and Ducati's. The pushrod single has a beautiful sound, from the rider's perspective. Purely Mechanical!

I fondly remember the 1979 Honda CBX..... six cylinders, 24 valves, and 1 litre of growl...........

Growl, describes the sound perfectly! Three and Six cylinder engines share this chracteristic. The H1, the Trident, the Speed Triple, the Binelli six and the CBX all have the raspy/growl! The Binelli sounds like a Ferrari which is, in turn, a very close second to the Merlin. The valvetrain on the Binelli makes a jingling sound just like the Ferrari.
My two favorites:
1) The factory Ducati racebikes on the highbanks at Daytona. Reminded me of the sound a P51 or Spit makes on a high speed pass.
2) The sound of an 8 second H2 at the GatorNationals. On the board they list the displacement of the motorcycle. I don't know if it was so much the sound of the bike as much as watching a naturally-aspirated 750 two-stroke spank a 1600cc Turbo Harley.
There used to be a sound clip of the Moto-Guzzi V8 somewhere on the net. If you've never heard that engine, you might give it the vote.

[Rifleman]

[quote]

[Ronnie]

I love the sound of a V-Twin Harley with some nice pipes. My mom used to have a nice-soundding 1200 Sportster.

[ozzy72]

I love the sound of V-Twins, but I like to ride V-fours.

Ozzy

[PH_AJH]

I noticed the V-four configuration now has 3 votes...one by me of course, one maybe by Ozzy (?) but who was the third!?
Ozzy, do you ride a V-four and if so, what kind?
I ride a Honda NC30 (VFR400R) with a Bos racing exhaust, K&N airfilter and tweeked carburation. It produces 72 brake horsepower (tested on a Dynojet bench) which is not bad for an almost road-legal 400. And it sounds soooooo sweet. Anyone ever heard the mighty RC30/45's on song? That's exactly what it sounds like. It has very trick gear driven cams (which you will find only in a few Honda V-fours and formula one cars as far as I know) which add a great turbine-like sound at over 9000 rpm (it will rev up to 15000!!).
I like the sound of Ducati twins and Triumph triples as well but not on stock exhausts...

Tomorow is the day here in Holland, World Superbikes at Assen! I'll get my share of aural satisfaction, you bet.
Cheers
AJ