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octavious
octavious HalfDork
4/23/15 8:33 p.m.

Simple question, which stock motorbike sounds the best? No aftermarket pipes or cans, just stock.

And go...

Toyman01
Toyman01 MegaDork
4/23/15 8:57 p.m.

Any inline 4cyl that will turn 12K+. Love that sound.

Nitroracer
Nitroracer SuperDork
4/23/15 9:08 p.m.

I'm not a bike owner, but I'd like a Honda VFR for the sound alone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU4cl7khX5c

Nick_Comstock
Nick_Comstock PowerDork
4/23/15 9:27 p.m.

VFR

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker MegaDork
4/23/15 10:10 p.m.

VFR

Well, Honda V4... the Magna sounded awesome too.

secretariata
secretariata HalfDork
4/23/15 11:51 p.m.

Best sounding bike I've owned was a pre VTEC (YO) VFR. The gear driven cams & V4 sounded great. I also like the sound of the Triumph 675 triples. I think I'd vote for the triple comparing stock exhausts...

44Dwarf
44Dwarf UltraDork
4/24/15 6:40 a.m.

Define best? 60's British twin reved out flat tracking is hard to beat but a Harley xr750 doing 140mph sound great too....2 stroke twin is one of my fav's aswell....70-80 supper bike 4cyl too. All depends on the mood I'm in at that moment.

octavious
octavious HalfDork
4/24/15 7:52 a.m.

44Dwarf- good point. I didn't define good sounding as listening while riding or listening as when went by wide open.

And is the Honda 919 the same motor as the VFR?

yamaha
yamaha MegaDork
4/24/15 8:12 a.m.

In reply to octavious:

No, VFR's were V4's while the 919's were I4's.

The best sounding stock bike is the Kawasaki zx2R with its "ZOMFG, its almost a 20k rpm redline" Seriously, 40hp never sounded so amazing.

Ranger50
Ranger50 PowerDork
4/24/15 8:47 a.m.

Probably doesn't fit the question, but I like huge stroker Harley v-twins and single cylinder big inch thumpers.

I am the outlier.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn PowerDork
4/24/15 8:52 a.m.

Norton, BSA, classic Triumph. A Honda CBX sounded pretty good too, in a totally different way. Kawasaki H1 and H2 two strokes.

pres589
pres589 UberDork
4/24/15 9:15 a.m.

<--- That bike (VFR800) sounds pretty decent.

yamaha
yamaha MegaDork
4/24/15 9:16 a.m.

In reply to Ranger50:

The howling MV Agusta triples of yesteryear were better yet.

singleslammer
singleslammer UltraDork
4/24/15 9:40 a.m.

I love my Honda Hawk GT but it has a two brothers exhaust and is therefore disqualified. It sounds like a Nascar V8, no E36 M3.

toad9977
toad9977 Reader
4/24/15 10:52 a.m.

I'm a sucker for V4's so I might have to vote for the current Aprilia RSV4.

rotard
rotard Dork
4/24/15 11:01 a.m.
toad9977 wrote: I'm a sucker for V4's so I might have to vote for the current Aprilia RSV4.

The older vtwins sounded good, as well. Also RC51.

HappyAndy
HappyAndy UltraDork
4/24/15 11:03 a.m.

No one has mentioned Ducati yet?! That noise is one of the most compelling reasons to own one.

Triumph triples sound pretty mean too.

I find that BMW boxer twin noise is kind of soothing.

H-Ds Make my least favorite engine noise. I'll make an exception for xr750s, but they're far from stock

I grew up on dirt bikes, high revving singles sound like home. I don't care if they are 2 stroke or 4 stroke, I like them all the same.

pres589
pres589 UberDork
4/24/15 11:10 a.m.

In reply to HappyAndy:

To me the modern BMW R bikes all sound kind of "weedy". Like a kind of chirpy exhaust note that doesn't sound too great at all. Kind of like the VFR1200 and how awful those sound stock. And I haven't heard one via online videos that sound "better" with aftermarket exhausts. That bike is such a let down...

HappyAndy
HappyAndy UltraDork
4/24/15 11:12 a.m.

In reply to pres589: I had air-cooled R bikes in mind when I wrote that.

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
4/24/15 11:26 a.m.

Honda RC166. I suppose it's not "stock" but, damn, the sound!

former520
former520 Reader
4/24/15 11:28 a.m.

I love the sound of the big twins. 1198 and RC8R are fantastic. I am also partial to the literish (955-1050) Triumph triples as well.

SEADave
SEADave HalfDork
4/24/15 11:36 a.m.
HappyAndy wrote: No one has mentioned Ducati yet?! That noise is one of the most compelling reasons to own one.

Yeah, I was waiting for someone to bring up Ducati. Mine sounds pretty bad-ass, particulary when rolling off the throttle. And this is with a stock exhaust, which looks crappy but actually sounds fairly good.

For all the folks talking about Honda's, I think the original question was "with the stock exhaust." I know Honda makes some great engines and I have a lot of respect for the VFR series, but man do Honda stock exhausts make everything sound like a Civic.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker MegaDork
4/24/15 11:42 a.m.

In reply to HappyAndy:

The BMW R's? My R1200GSA sounds terrible with the stock exhaust. Luckily it's also quiet so with earbuds in I don't have to listen to it except the popping and crackling on overrun. The rest is just a thrumming feeling in the seat like a good tractor.

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke Dork
4/24/15 12:04 p.m.

Honda V4s, moto guzzis, Yamaha vmax, and triumph triples.

pinchvalve
pinchvalve MegaDork
4/24/15 12:10 p.m.
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