still sounds like a Harley

[timmyho414]

*edit. Look, I'm not asking that question, some guy wrote into Cycleworld and asked it. I thought it was funny how stupid of a question it was so I posted it. *

I just read this in the Sept CW Service and had to share...

A few months ago I purchased an exceptionally nice 2005 H-D 1200 Sportster that only had 2300 miles on it. I really like the bike and am happy with it, but the one thing I want to change is the exhaust sound. My favorite bikes for sound are the Ducatis, and because they are V-twins like my Sportster, I've tried to get the same sound by using three different exhausts, but I haven't had any success. The bike still sounds like a Harley. That's not bad but it isn't what I want. Is there something else I can do, like changing the cams or some special exhaust I don't know about, that could give my bike the sound I'm after? This is really important to me, but everyone I ask just laughs and says it's impossible.

[ZX-12R]

Harley puts a considerable amount of engineering effort into their motors to get the sound you are accustomed to hearing. You aren't going to get a Ducati sound out of it no matter what you do. Your best (and probably cheapest) bet would be to try and mount a Ducati engine in the Harley frame.

[timmyho414]

oh believe me, I know quite a bit about how and why engines sound the way they do.

The picture that goes along with this is a Sportie with a desmoquattro in it. That someone would even come up with this idea is hilarious on so many levels.

[Jim]

harley with Termi exhaust

[obsolete]

You can't take the poe-tay-toe out of poe-ta-toe.

[ZX-12R]

oh believe me, I know quite a bit about how and why engines sound the way they do.

And I misread your original post. I thought it was you asking about making a Harley sound like a Ducati!

[Bkilm]

... I want my CBR to sound like a harley... does that mean all i have to do is purchase one of this guys 3 wasted exhausts?

[timmyho414]

... I want my CBR to sound like a harley... does that mean all i have to do is purchase one of this guys 3 wasted exhausts?

nope, just disconnect number 4 and 2 spark plug wires, you should be pretty close.

[Bkilm]

nope, just disconnect number 4 and 2 spark plug wires, you should be pretty close.

Woooo Timmy your my life saver!!! i was about to sell it now i guess i dont have to!

[nhbubba]

Harley puts a considerable amount of engineering effort into their motors to get the sound you are accustomed to hearing.

'Engineering'! Ha..

You mean cost-reduction. The sound is a mistake.

[zgr]

Pointing out that you are a "tool" on a national level, priceless!

[Sheppo]

The sound is a mistake.

To you... They do have the sound pattened (sp?) it's the most distinct sound in Motorcycling. I personally love the sound

[SRTie4k]

Patented.

[nhbubba]

It is not patented. They tried though.

They made the sound first by using a common crank pin design, which I argue was to keep cost down. I am sure I've read this somewhere, but since I can't provide a solid reference and this is the internet, I will claim it as just another opinion instead.

Later the sound became synonymous with the brand.

There is no way in hell you can tell me they knew it would be this popular ahead of time.

[bstnsboy]

No patent for harley sound but it is trademarked.

[Sheppo]

I stand corrected on the Patent. I agree they never knew it would be so popular as well, but it is.

[timmyho414]

off the top of my head, the first harleys were not much more then a bicycle frame and a motor, single cylinder. when they wanted more power they added another cylinder in the frame they had, or an evolution (no different from anyone else)of what they had. to get it to fit it side to side it had to be a V. To get it to fit front to back it had to be a tight V.
Bam! 45degree V. Firing order spaced 315, 405, 315, 405. It's 360 plus or minus the 45deg separation.

Fast forward 100 year HD is an icon. People don't like it because it's the sound of a good running engine(it's not), they like it because it sounds like a Harley. An idea, an image.

It doesn't mater what else you do to it, size, cams, exhaust, whatever. They all sound the same. You can change the tone but that's it. Two exhaust joined with one outlet ,to me, sounds the best and makes the most power(I like power), like a Buell and the Thunderheader, but keep in mind though are meant to make power.

edit, by the way, I have 3 ducatis and I don't like harleys on most levels.

[SVRACER01]

you cant make a HD sound like a ducati or any sport twin for that matter. there are so many variables involved, not least of which is the angle of the cylinders. sport twins arent 45degrees. they are usually at least 60 and in ducatis case...90. the further you push the cylinders apart the more power they make. which why a 1600+ cc HD only makes about 85 HP. an engine of similar displacement in a Ducati design would probably make insane power.
but back to the sound issue, with the pushrod motor, 2 valves per cylinder, air cooled, large displacement, and the shared crankpin design....its the sound it makes. D&D and Akrapovic make an exhaust for the sportster. not sure how it sounds but im sure in true D&D fashion theirs is stupid loud.

[timmyho414]

I'm not asking the question. Some guy wrote into CW asking.

my assumption with the OP was that most of us know why they sound different and we could just laugh at the guy.

[G21forme]

'Engineering'! Ha..

You mean cost-reduction. The sound is a mistake.

+1
I looked but couldn't find an article about harley motors and why they sound the way they do. Cliff notes are it's an ancient piece of shit that they continue to build because a modern vtwin wouldn't sound like a harley.

[Garandman]

'Engineering'! Ha..

You mean cost-reduction. The sound is a mistake.

HD purchased sound engineering software in the late 90's. They were trying to trademark the exhaust note. It is carefully engineered.

http://www.lmsintl.com/the-sound-of-...arley-Davidson
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/law/st_...998101101.html

This is not at all uncommon. The original Miata was engineered to sound like an MGB. There are even cars that have multiple sound modes and even pipe sound in electronically. Cambridge MA wanted to pass a law requiring noise from hybrids after a blind guy got run over, and there are all sorts of artificial engine noises available for the Prius.

[nhbubba]

I maintain that the sound was well established well before the 90's.

My comment stands.

One thing I think we can all agree on, the guy who posted that is an idiot... ...or a troll.

[timmyho414]

I maintain that the sound was well established well before the 90's.

My comment stands.

One thing I think we can all agree on, the guy who posted that is an idiot... ...or a troll.

some of you guys really need to reread the first line of my post. I DID NOT ASK THE QUESTION! I read it in this months Cycleworld.

And you are right about the sound. It is simple the by product of an engine designed to fit in a bicycle frame.

[nhbubba]

I understand this. This is why I said "the guy that posted that is an idiot", not "Tim is an idiot".

I'm with you on laughing at their expense.

Edit: Although it seems I do have some reading comprehension deficiencies. I did not get that it was a letter to a mag.

Some days I really do think those mags make letters up.

[SprintPoser]

you cant make a HD sound like a ducati or any sport twin for that matter. there are so many variables involved, not least of which is the angle of the cylinders. sport twins arent 45degrees. they are usually at least 60 and in ducatis case...90. the further you push the cylinders apart the more power they make. which why a 1600+ cc HD only makes about 85 HP. an engine of similar displacement in a Ducati design would probably make insane power.
but back to the sound issue, with the pushrod motor, 2 valves per cylinder, air cooled, large displacement, and the shared crankpin design....its the sound it makes. D&D and Akrapovic make an exhaust for the sportster. not sure how it sounds but im sure in true D&D fashion theirs is stupid loud.

I don't believe the physical angle between the cylinders of an engine makes much difference in the power it produces. That can influence the fundamental primary balance of the engine and reduce vibration. That balance can also be compensated by using balancing shafts, for which Harley V-twins have no provision. If it was true then wouldn't a 180º BMW boxer engine would be more powerful than the 90º of the Ducati?

The power output of any engine is derived from the total sum of firing sequence, crank timing, stroke and weight, valve lift, duration and volume, compression ratio, air-fuel mixture, combustion chamber shape, temperature of the engine, incoming mixture and exhaust, the flow of the exhaust pulses, timing of the spark, inflow of air, and so much more. The power output of the parallel arrangement of a high-revving four or the latest short-stroke Ducati twins is evidence of power having less to do with physical angularity of cylinder arrangement than the overall complete system design.

BTW, the Harley sound is neither patented nor trademarked. You can't patent a sound frequency and a trademark is just a protected name, image, slogan, etc.