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Message started by Routy on 09/10/09 at 20:35:33

Title: Harley Question here ?
Post by Routy on 09/10/09 at 20:35:33

Can I ask a Harley question here ?
Like,.......what makes up the Harley sound ?
Some guy tryin to tell me that it come from both cylinders coming up on comp and firing at the same time. I say, BS ! I'm not buyin that.
Anyone know how they fire, and/or what really makes up the sound ?

Rich

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Boule’tard on 09/10/09 at 21:04:10

The cylinders share a common crank pin and are 45 degrees apart. So they can't possibly fire at the same time. They're off by an 8th turn of the crank. I have no idea why people think this sounds like the word "potato" or why it's so great.. if you want thump, get a single ;)

HD once tried to patent this configuration and the sound Harleys make; just another reason I'll never buy one.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by gerald.hughes on 09/10/09 at 21:57:13

Actually, There is no "Harley Sound". There are lots of different Harley Sounds. If you listen, and pay attention, you will see that every model of Harley has a different sound. A pan head sounds different from a shovel head, sounds different from an evo, sounds different from a dual cam. Any long time Harley rider can not only tell you that the bike they are hearing is a Harley, they can tell you what model. For my own taste, I have always loved the cadence and sound of a shovel. (Wouldn't own one bacause you have to do a top end every 5k or so, but love the sound.)

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Routy on 09/10/09 at 22:41:42

Thanks all,......I found a little more info on this also.
I kinda like the sound too, but thats as far as the Harley goes.
I really like my "thumper"

Rich

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by boofer on 09/10/09 at 23:33:24

Routy,
I used to ride Kawasaki Two-Stroke Triples. Ring ding. My riding buddy had a BSA twin 500 or 650, can't remember (This was around 1973.) I don't know what year it was either, but it had the best sound I ever heard. We swapped frequently when riding, and I was always downshifting his without the clutch. His shifter was on the right, so I naturally stomped it when braking. He was always sliding my rear tire, because my shifter was on the left, and he stomped my brake thinking it was his shifter. Harder to remember than you might think.

I'm going to see if I can find a youtube of the old BSA exhaust. Thanks for reminding me. Boofer

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Routy on 09/11/09 at 05:17:46

I remember the old BSA, a friend had one,....it was a real thumper,.....w/ manual compression relief and all. It was a fun ride,....if you could get it started. But In those days, I wasn't big enough to start anything but my 305 super hawk w elc start ! :-/

Rich

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/11/09 at 08:19:25

I saw a show about the Harley plant. How threy build them & all the engineering they would show the public. They hade a room where they analyzed the sound & worked on the sound. It was a big deal to them. & No, they wouldnt show much of what it entailed. Some, but they hid a good bit of that part.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Charon on 09/11/09 at 09:49:11

I read somewhere that part of the sound, especially at idle, involved "charge stealing" from one cylinder to the other through their common "Y" manifold. It was said that about one in ten times one or other cylinder missed fire because of that. When they had to go to fuel injection to meet EPA standards the missed fires went away, and so did some of the sound. Apparently it gave Harley fits trying to get their sound back.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by verslagen1 on 09/11/09 at 10:07:14

So they programmed the EFI to be inefficient to get the sound back?

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Oldnewguy on 09/11/09 at 14:55:16

I was waiting at the local dealer (HD, Suzuki, Yahmamma, Honda) a few days ago when this young lad came to pick up his ride. The service manager told him that they had completed his routine maintenance and had to add an oz of oil to each cylinder (or something like that). Gave him a bill for $239.00! I guess I'll drill some holes in my muffler and call it good enough!

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by bill67 on 09/11/09 at 16:51:25

636C766D717764666E6077050 wrote:

What make the Harley sound is because its a v-twin 45 degree The Moto Guzzi is a 90 degree and has a V-8 car sound.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Stimpy on 09/11/09 at 21:29:49

^{....what makes up the Harley sound ?}

It goes kinda: "Ka-Ching!" every time you go in for
accessories, service and of course ...REPAIRS.

So there ya' go. ;)

---------------------------------------

....oh! wait, wait, I have another one
It also goes "Thump!" when you drop the 750lb sucker on its side :D

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by 4carbcorvair on 09/12/09 at 04:35:51

Harleys are so over-rated. Everyone and there brother has one. The bike show I went to last weekend was overpowered with HD's. Far as I know, I was the only S40 there.... I barely got off the bike when a guy came up to check out mine and complimented it over and over and over. He loved the big single. :)

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by 12Bravo on 09/12/09 at 06:51:20

The sound is from the engine running rich. After my bike is warmed up I can put it on half choke and it will sound like a V-Twin at idle. I get compliments about the big single too, though most people can't believe its a 650.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Boule’tard on 09/12/09 at 09:06:20

782F2D3E2E2F233E3A2D253E4C0 wrote:

No joke. The last time I went to the Rebulic of Texas bike rally, of course it was jam-packed with Harleys. I putt over there on my 20 year old bone stock Honda Hawk (v-twin, water cooled, dual crankpins) and people are looking at it like I just rolled off a space ship.. ooh so HIGH TECH ;D I should have punched out the exhaust and made it loud, then they really would have gone nuts.

Title: Re: Harley Question here ?
Post by Stimpy on 09/12/09 at 14:05:58

...little off topic here, sorry, but speaking of spaceships
look what a friend of mine just bought last week!

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/7703/28082009002h.jpg

It"s a 1981 CBX1000, stock/almost mint condition, 25k, he's the 2nd owner it seems,
1st owner was a guy up in Oregon somewhere that was in a CBX owners club; price: $2k ;D

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3940/p10706722.jpg

The bike is getting serviced and lubed in my house right now,
can't wait to ride it soon 8-)

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3216/p10706832.jpg

And that's me again and Nasty (my savage) in the back the day we went 2 towns over
(about 120miles each way) to pick up the CBX, anyway so that's the story, C'ya!

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/417/280820092.jpg