Motorcycle Noise

jmx411
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jmx411
Edited Date/Time 3/1/2013 8:19pm
I along with my pops have been going to the ATL Supercross since 99. I know I constantly see on this board how loud 4-strokes are, but pops and I both agreed Saturday thats the quietest the bikes have ever been.

I remember back when everyone was on 2strokes you couldn't hear the person beside you screaming at each other, nor could you hear the trackside announcers. I could hear the announcers the entire night and could have a conversation about the race with people beside me.
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nb11
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nb11 2/25/2013 10:03am
2/25/2013 10:03am
Sound restrictions have gotten a lot tighter, though. I was there this year, too, and the biggest source of noise was just 70,000 people talking.

I was disappointed in the smell this year. Has there been a new type of fuel released in the last year? Usually the whole stadium smells so sweet.
jmx411
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jmx411 2/25/2013 11:45am
2/25/2013 11:45am
I smelled the burned racing fuel in the pits, but the smell wasnt near as strong in the dome as it normally is.
The Rock
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The Rock 2/25/2013 5:05pm
2/25/2013 5:05pm
Bikes are quieter and they can still do all of the jumps plus still sound like race machines. "Sounds" like win win to me!
malachi177
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malachi177 2/25/2013 5:33pm
2/25/2013 5:33pm
jmx411 wrote:
I along with my pops have been going to the ATL Supercross since 99. I know I constantly see on this board how loud 4-strokes are...
I along with my pops have been going to the ATL Supercross since 99. I know I constantly see on this board how loud 4-strokes are, but pops and I both agreed Saturday thats the quietest the bikes have ever been.

I remember back when everyone was on 2strokes you couldn't hear the person beside you screaming at each other, nor could you hear the trackside announcers. I could hear the announcers the entire night and could have a conversation about the race with people beside me.
Two strokes louder then four strokes?? Not at any of the SX I've been to over the years, inlcuding domed stadiums full of two strokes. The one or two four strokes at the time were waaay louder than any of the 2s. I do like how they're bringing the noise down to a somewhat manageable level. Could still be quieter though.

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E-man811
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E-man811 2/25/2013 6:48pm
2/25/2013 6:48pm
I noticed that it was quieter in the GA Dome. I was very pleased that I did not have to fear for my kids hearing. It still sounded like a race too. good stuff.
The Rock
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The Rock 2/25/2013 7:34pm
2/25/2013 7:34pm Edited Date/Time 2/25/2013 7:39pm
E-man811 wrote:
I noticed that it was quieter in the GA Dome. I was very pleased that I did not have to fear for my kids hearing. It...
I noticed that it was quieter in the GA Dome. I was very pleased that I did not have to fear for my kids hearing. It still sounded like a race too. good stuff.
You have Feld and the AMA/FIM to thank for the sound level being tolerable. Without Feld's commitment to 2 M Max compliance and the AMA/FIM sound test crew being so diligent with their weekly testing the races would still be LOUD. BTW what we are seeing is the product of mandatory testing instead of voluntary compliance.

One thing I am really impressed with is the post race sound testing.
Travis_Hudson
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Travis_Hudson 2/25/2013 9:01pm
2/25/2013 9:01pm
E-man811 wrote:
I noticed that it was quieter in the GA Dome. I was very pleased that I did not have to fear for my kids hearing. It...
I noticed that it was quieter in the GA Dome. I was very pleased that I did not have to fear for my kids hearing. It still sounded like a race too. good stuff.
The Rock wrote:
You have Feld and the AMA/FIM to thank for the sound level being tolerable. Without Feld's commitment to 2 M Max compliance and the AMA/FIM sound...
You have Feld and the AMA/FIM to thank for the sound level being tolerable. Without Feld's commitment to 2 M Max compliance and the AMA/FIM sound test crew being so diligent with their weekly testing the races would still be LOUD. BTW what we are seeing is the product of mandatory testing instead of voluntary compliance.

One thing I am really impressed with is the post race sound testing.
Not to turn it into a two vs four thing.......but two strokes you could always hear well and the sound didn't travel....these things bore me.
keeptwostrokesalive 2/27/2013 11:05am
2/27/2013 11:05am
I was surprised at how quiet the bikes were too. Maybe it was the 70,000 fans drowning the sound out, but it was still a lot quiter than I expected.
dak446
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dak446 2/27/2013 11:52am
2/27/2013 11:52am
malachi177 wrote:
Two strokes louder then four strokes?? Not at any of the SX I've been to over the years, inlcuding domed stadiums full of two strokes. The...
Two strokes louder then four strokes?? Not at any of the SX I've been to over the years, inlcuding domed stadiums full of two strokes. The one or two four strokes at the time were waaay louder than any of the 2s. I do like how they're bringing the noise down to a somewhat manageable level. Could still be quieter though.
That's because they were new, and people were just excited to race them and didn't care about the sound. Now, it's an issue that has been tackled by FIM and AMA and it has gotten much better. Plus, it's not hard to hear one or two four strokes in a sea of two strokes because they stand out as being 'different' to the ear. Just as a two stroke on the track (nowadays) can be heard over a sea of four strokes.

How do you suggest could it be quieter? There are only so many things the manufacturers can do to keep the noise down, unless you want to be riding around on a lawnmower.

IMO, they've done an excellent job of quieting the machines down in recent years, and I'm glad the governing bodies have taken such initiative to fix the problem.
MotoTones
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MotoTones 2/27/2013 2:36pm
2/27/2013 2:36pm
The post race testing should be done more often. I remember a while back hearing a rumor of a top team using plastic inserts at the mid pipe that would melt, making them perform way better but being much louder after the race was over.
GuyB
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GuyB 2/27/2013 3:35pm
2/27/2013 3:35pm
MotoTones wrote:
The post race testing should be done more often. I remember a while back hearing a rumor of a top team using plastic inserts at the...
The post race testing should be done more often. I remember a while back hearing a rumor of a top team using plastic inserts at the mid pipe that would melt, making them perform way better but being much louder after the race was over.
Some people believe the moon was made of green cheese, too. Smile
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 2/27/2013 3:47pm
2/27/2013 3:47pm
MotoTones wrote:
The post race testing should be done more often. I remember a while back hearing a rumor of a top team using plastic inserts at the...
The post race testing should be done more often. I remember a while back hearing a rumor of a top team using plastic inserts at the mid pipe that would melt, making them perform way better but being much louder after the race was over.
GuyB wrote:
Some people believe the moon was made of green cheese, too. Smile
Actually, the Tips were made from a special composite of Green Cheese, Wookie Ear-Wax & left over R2D2 Exo-Chassis Molded Zytel & would shrink/melt over 8-12 minutes @ > 280hz.

I'm jus' sayin'...
malachi177
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malachi177 3/1/2013 4:41pm
3/1/2013 4:41pm
malachi177 wrote:
Two strokes louder then four strokes?? Not at any of the SX I've been to over the years, inlcuding domed stadiums full of two strokes. The...
Two strokes louder then four strokes?? Not at any of the SX I've been to over the years, inlcuding domed stadiums full of two strokes. The one or two four strokes at the time were waaay louder than any of the 2s. I do like how they're bringing the noise down to a somewhat manageable level. Could still be quieter though.
dak446 wrote:
That's because they were new, and people were just excited to race them and didn't care about the sound. Now, it's an issue that has been...
That's because they were new, and people were just excited to race them and didn't care about the sound. Now, it's an issue that has been tackled by FIM and AMA and it has gotten much better. Plus, it's not hard to hear one or two four strokes in a sea of two strokes because they stand out as being 'different' to the ear. Just as a two stroke on the track (nowadays) can be heard over a sea of four strokes.

How do you suggest could it be quieter? There are only so many things the manufacturers can do to keep the noise down, unless you want to be riding around on a lawnmower.

IMO, they've done an excellent job of quieting the machines down in recent years, and I'm glad the governing bodies have taken such initiative to fix the problem.
Four strokes are way louder then any two stroke period. Completely different sound waves. The two stroke sound doesn't carry far, where as a four stroke sound travels a hell of a long ways. When only a couple two strokes are out on the track with a sea of four strokes, the only time you can hear them is when they pass close to where you're standing. Other than that it's drowned out from the four strokes.

The manufacturers are doing a good job quieting the thumpers down, but they can continue to make them quieter. The tech is there to drop noise and still have power. The whole "gotta sound like a race bike" is crap. The quieter the better. The electric bikes are wicked, and I hope they continue to develop. Silent fun!
Fat Fingers
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Fat Fingers 3/1/2013 4:50pm
3/1/2013 4:50pm
Here's a funny story, I was at the lights a couple of says ago and pulled up alongside a holden volt - 100% electric car. I got a good jump and that was it, I got dusted by an electric car in my 2.0... The point is, it won't be that long until sound isn't a problem for moto.
The Rock
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The Rock 3/1/2013 8:19pm
3/1/2013 8:19pm
malachi177 wrote:
Four strokes are way louder then any two stroke period. Completely different sound waves. The two stroke sound doesn't carry far, where as a four stroke...
Four strokes are way louder then any two stroke period. Completely different sound waves. The two stroke sound doesn't carry far, where as a four stroke sound travels a hell of a long ways. When only a couple two strokes are out on the track with a sea of four strokes, the only time you can hear them is when they pass close to where you're standing. Other than that it's drowned out from the four strokes.

The manufacturers are doing a good job quieting the thumpers down, but they can continue to make them quieter. The tech is there to drop noise and still have power. The whole "gotta sound like a race bike" is crap. The quieter the better. The electric bikes are wicked, and I hope they continue to develop. Silent fun!
The electric bikes are wicked, and I hope they continue to develop. Silent fun

If you think four strokes made the cost of entry more expensive wait until electric bikes hit. Fortunately I can't see this happening anytime within the next seven or so years.

I'm a fan of quieter but definitely not silent.

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