Could Motorcycles become Too Quiet?

nakkers

nakkers

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As the advancement of battery power improves from scooters to motorcycles, what do you think of the possibility of motorcycles travelling roads in relative silence?

I've read the back and forth on loud pipes which has been beaten to death. But, could bikes become too quiet?


Would a law be enacted to clothes peg hockey cards to the rear swing arm? How about strings of beverage tins?


Just a random Sunday morning thought.

It was this or another wave thread.......
 
nakkers said:
I've read the back and forth on loud pipes which has been beaten to death. But, could bikes become too quiet?
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Loud stereos save lives, man.
 
nakkers said:
Would a law be enacted to clothes peg hockey cards to the rear swing arm? How about strings of beverage tins?
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It's already being talked about. Some manufacturers of electric cars are already looking into the issue of silent cars and looking at incorporating "noise" into their electric vehicles, at least during low speed operation where there is negligible wind or tire noise to announce the vehicle's presence to pedestrians and bicycle riders. http://content.usatoday.com/communi...the-ford-focus-electric-car-will-sound-like/1

Also, from google:
Electric vehicle warning sounds are a series of sounds designed to alert pedestrians to the presence of electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and all-electric vehicles (EVs) travelling at low speeds. Their purpose is because vehicles operating in all-electric mode produce less noise than traditional combustion engine vehicles and can make it more difficult for pedestrians, the blind, and others, to be aware of their presence.

Japan issued guidelines for such warning devices in January 2010 and the U.S. approved legislation on December 2010.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP][2][/SUP] Several automakers have developed electric warning sound devices, and as of December 2010 advanced technology cars available in the market with manually activated electric warning sounds include the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Fuga Hybrid/Infiniti M35, and the Toyota Prius (Japan only).[SUP][3][/SUP]
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Gummiente said:
Loud stereos save lives, man.
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Ah yes, blast the oldies.

turbodish said:
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It's already being talked about. Some manufacturers of electric cars are already looking into the issue of silent cars and looking at incorporating "noise" into their electric vehicles, at least during low speed operation where there is negligible wind or tire noise to announce the vehicle's presence to pedestrians and bicycle riders. <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/07/spaceship-car-what-the-ford-focus-electric-car-will-sound-like/1" target="_blank">http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/07/spaceship-car-what-the-ford-focus-electric-car-will-sound-like/1</a>

Also, from google:
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Google? I'd rather post the question here in GTAM and let my peers do the reseach for me. lol. Thanks T.

.......maybe they will have to make vroom vroom noises through a mic and speakers?
 
That's when bikes will become boring. C'mon, how many people appreciate their bike because of the particular sound their engine makes?
 
Gummiente said:
Dude, I've never met you, but I've read many of your posts here. If I ever get into a verbal altercation at a bar, I want you on my side. :thumbup:
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Thanks. I can see the need for some noise, especially in crowded city areas where pedestrians and vehicles mix in close proximity. Also, the blind should be given at least some chance of survival in all this. This on-board noise generator is just the 21st century equivalent of sleigh bells, if anyone remembers what they or a sleigh is.

With on-board sound generators for electric cars, you have to wonder how long it will be before some fool decides that if noise is good, then massively bigger noise through mega-amplification will be even better. At least the side effect of that amplification will be faster run-down on the batteries, in which case the problem will be self-solving for a bit.
 
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Not me - love to have a completely silent machine tho with the earplugs in mine is silent - just a little turbine like whine from the CVT.

You could always resort to playing cards and spoked wheels for that retro-effect. Noise gets boring ( and damaging ) real quick.
Try some tunes ;)
 
short stop said:
That's when bikes will become boring. C'mon, how many people appreciate their bike because of the particular sound their engine makes?
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With electronically-generated noise, you have a lot more in the way of options to make your bike's "sound" uniquely your own.

You'll even be able to pipe it directly to personal earbuds at any volume you like so you can still get that loud effect without also forcing everyone else within several city blocks to also "appreciate" your bike's sound.
 
It'd sure make a track owner's life easier if bikes were too quiet..
 
turbodish said:
With electronically-generated noise, you have a lot more in the way of options to make your bike's "sound" uniquely your own.

You'll even be able to pipe it directly to personal earbuds at any volume you like so you can still get that loud effect without also forcing everyone else within several city blocks to also "appreciate" your bike's sound.
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Yeah, but that would be so........lame. :p
 
It would be like the soundracer v8 (look it up in youtube if you dont know what it is. I would link a vid but im on my ipad and subject to its epic flash fail...)Look up shonky soundracer v8 for a good review and the austrailian julian lookalike.
 
short stop said:
Yeah, but that would be so........lame. :p
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I have heard of an electric motorcycle from Europe that does generate its own engine sound. You can turn it off. The builder said it was necessary because he was spooking pedestrians. The possibilities would be interesting. You could download the midi file and "tune" it on your computer, then upload it back to your bike. Or you could buy pre-recorded versions of your favourite bike and switch the sound as you switch your underwear. Change the sound of your bike into a racing car, or a monster truck.

Still I do agree that unlike sound waves from the original source, the digital version would be far inferior.
 
Ringtones for cars!

Welcome to Hell.
 
This is so ridiculous. Take a listen when walking down the street. You don't really hear cars at all with modern efficient engines accelerating at a normal pace. All you hear is the rubber on the road when they speed by. Noise is just a negative factor that shows lost efficiency in engine design from an engineering perspective.

Invest in better driver education (ask your mp) if you want safer roads you numptys...
 
cbr125looksfun said:
All you hear is the rubber on the road when they speed by.
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That requires the vehicle to already be at speed. There is little or no tire or wind noise created at very low speeds.

Proposed electronic noise measures would take effect only at lower speeds where there is little or no appreciable tire or wind noise generated by the vehicle's motion. Above 30 kmph or so, most of the proposed systems would stop generating electronic substitute noise. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_warning_sounds#Specific_systems
 
Just watched Mark Neale's, "Charge," the docu about the Isle of Man Zero Emissions TT and one of the main complaints was increased bird strikes. Apparently they don't hear the bike till the last second. Regardless of how people feel about electric bikes, it's a pretty cool docu, with lots of drama and well worth a look.
 
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