From another thread, what's louder 180s or 120s or twins? The only Laverda in my limited experience that I have found a bit over-fruity was a Coursa and it wasn't unbearable. Jotas around here, my 3c inconcluded have nothing in their mufflers plus big collectors, mine has big bore headers as well so why are they not ear bleeders? Even the local Laverda race bikes haven't caused finger-in-the-ear reactions like some of their competitors, memorably a couple of 450 Honda twins that would crack windows. Is it crank phasing, or something else that dampens offensively loud exhaust sounds?
Sound Perception.
- Thread starter Vince
- Start date
chrisk
Hero member
- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
Eh? 
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
Compression ratio and valve timing have a big effect on harshness of exhaust sound. Laverda triples are pretty softly tuned compared to a lot of modern or race bikes. I haven't heard Red's race bikes for a few years. I reckon they'd sound pretty good with their 3-1 exhausts.
My Ducati MHR Mille has a pretty loud exhaust. While it doesn't make a lot of HP, it's a reasonably high compression engine for a 1980s two valve motor and I guess (without looking it up) the exhaust valve opens reasonably early because it has a real sharp crack to the exhaust note. It doesn't help that all the fibreglass wrap in the Conti mufflers is long gone. Other bevel Ducatis have a softer exhaust note than the MHR Mille.
Noisiest bike I ever heard was a Suzuki 500 twin (2-stroke) race bike ridden by Ken Blake. That thing would damage eardrums at 50 metres. Last time I heard it was at a Broadford Bike Bonanza one easter when they brought it out of storage for a Ken Blake memorial theme. Someone started it up as I happened to be walking past and it actually caused pain in my ears before I had a chance to put my fingers in them.
My Ducati MHR Mille has a pretty loud exhaust. While it doesn't make a lot of HP, it's a reasonably high compression engine for a 1980s two valve motor and I guess (without looking it up) the exhaust valve opens reasonably early because it has a real sharp crack to the exhaust note. It doesn't help that all the fibreglass wrap in the Conti mufflers is long gone. Other bevel Ducatis have a softer exhaust note than the MHR Mille.
Noisiest bike I ever heard was a Suzuki 500 twin (2-stroke) race bike ridden by Ken Blake. That thing would damage eardrums at 50 metres. Last time I heard it was at a Broadford Bike Bonanza one easter when they brought it out of storage for a Ken Blake memorial theme. Someone started it up as I happened to be walking past and it actually caused pain in my ears before I had a chance to put my fingers in them.
CLEMTOG
Hero member
120's are more pleasant on the ears than 180's, crank phasing makes a huge impact on noise blending,
The time that I rode Toddy's 270 converted twin, I had to leave his house carefully, and then through the high street with shops either side, because I feared for shatterd glass, car alarms were going off! out on the open road the crack was loud, it sounded very like a v twin Ducati, for obvious reasons.
I dont care much now because I am getting very deaf, but weirdly, the noise (or sound as Piero will say) makes my ears hurt on long trips (1200/180)
yes I wear ear plugs.
CLEM
The time that I rode Toddy's 270 converted twin, I had to leave his house carefully, and then through the high street with shops either side, because I feared for shatterd glass, car alarms were going off! out on the open road the crack was loud, it sounded very like a v twin Ducati, for obvious reasons.
I dont care much now because I am getting very deaf, but weirdly, the noise (or sound as Piero will say) makes my ears hurt on long trips (1200/180)
yes I wear ear plugs.
CLEM
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
Think Toddy's bike has a short 2-1 with not a lot of baffling. My 270 with 2-1-2 and long straight through 'mufflers' with perf and baffle material is loud but definitely not harsh. Even people who don't like motorbikes say it is a soul-stirring sound and they like it - kinda like a hot V8 with a good system on it. I don't feel conspicuous when riding, even giving it stick in the city. With my factory 2-1 I would NEVER ride that on the road unbaffled ... seriously antisocial.
Last edited:
The 2 Brettoni-tuned 580s that were fitted to the Witt/Harris frames could cause ear-bleeding. Wild cams and sky-high CR let them rev to almost 12000, by far the most obnoxious sound in the BoT fields back then. Db limits came into force soon after, they are possibly still the loudest to ever compete in the german BoT series.
I was present when the MV 6 was fired up at Spa, that was painfull!
piet
I was present when the MV 6 was fired up at Spa, that was painfull!
piet
