Straight pipes/open headers

[holy666diver_imp]

This bike will never sound like a Harley. It's an inline 4! They have a constant output rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at idle not like a v twin rr rr rrr rrrrr rrrr rrrrrr rr rrrrr. If you cut out the catalytic converter that's not gonna change how loud this bike it just give you more emissions and a little HP. If you run it open this bike will be the most annoying constant noise you'll ever hear at idle. I can't stand super loud pipes but I do have a great appreciation for the sputtered sound of a V Twin with semi loud pipes The CB will never be that. Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine. But you'll loose performance and engine size. If sound is your priority go with the Bonnie. My bike is running a slip on and plenty loud when you give it gas but not annoying at idle and in California removing your catalytic converter is contributing to the smog problem like all the modded lifted F-150s. There is a reason they have emission restrictions in America. I too owned a shadow with loud pipes and used to ride with Harley guys and I quickly discovered po'ing off everyone with my loud pipes isn't worth it. I got cut off just as much as on my CB, super loud pipes didn't much as far as safety is concerned.

[Rebel73_imp]

I think, like with most things, that moderation is the key. I feel that the CB is much too quiet stock, and an exhaust upgrade is in my near future. However, I think running straight pipes is excessive. I don't see the point of the insanely loud Harleys. They really are just a nuisance.

[kmoney_imp]

I think straight pipes would suck on the CB would be aweful. Maybe nice at idle, but with the RPM these things turn on the highway it would be brutally annoying and probably unrideable on longer trips. In-line 4s in general are crappy for loud exhausts -- best left to Harley, Ducati V-twins and Honda + Aprilia V4's

[Bheezy27403_imp]

Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine.


Bonnie's are a parallel twin with a 360 degree crank. That is where the glorious british sound comes from.

[holy666diver_imp]

Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine.


Bonnie's are a parallel twin with a 360 degree crank. That is where the glorious british sound comes from.

I mean parallel twin. Same point though a bonnie IMO sounds more like a harley. CB sounds closer to a sport bike with a constant sound at idle.

[MikeOxbig_imp]

I think, like with most things, that moderation is the key. I feel that the CB is much too quiet stock, and an exhaust upgrade is in my near future. However, I think running straight pipes is excessive. I don't see the point of the insanely loud Harleys. They really are just a nuisance.

I completely agree, the guys riding around in straight pipe Harley's think they are so cool but in reality everyone (around my area at least) frowns upon that; bikers and non bikers. But seems like in Arkansas loud pipes are ok, so maybe it's regional.

I think straight pipes would suck on the CB would be aweful. Maybe nice at idle, but with the RPM these things turn on the highway it would be brutally annoying and probably unrideable on longer trips. In-line 4s in general are crappy for loud exhausts -- best left to Harley, Ducati V-twins and Honda + Aprilia V4's

I'm with you on this kmoney. My Aprilia V4 has an intoxicating exhaust sound. As one magazine editor put it "sounds like the devil clearing his throat." Raspy, loud but not overly, raw and deep and rumbly.

The CB is more like a "puuuuuurrrrrr." Like everything else, it's all subjective at the end of the day.

[furious_blue_imp]

Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine.


Bonnie's are a parallel twin with a 360 degree crank. That is where the glorious british sound comes from.

I remember reading somewhere (probably reliable) that there is at least 1 Bonneville that does NOT come with a 360 degree crank (the 'America' ?).

This bike will never sound like a Harley. It's an inline 4! They have a constant output rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at idle not like a v twin rr rr rrr rrrrr rrrr rrrrrr rr rrrrr. If you cut out the catalytic converter that's not gonna change how loud this bike it just give you more emissions and a little HP. If you run it open this bike will be the most annoying constant noise you'll ever hear at idle. I can't stand super loud pipes but I do have a great appreciation for the sputtered sound of a V Twin with semi loud pipes The CB will never be that. Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine. But you'll loose performance and engine size. If sound is your priority go with the Bonnie. My bike is running a slip on and plenty loud when you give it gas but not annoying at idle and in California removing your catalytic converter is contributing to the smog problem like all the modded lifted F-150s. There is a reason they have emission restrictions in America. I too owned a shadow with loud pipes and used to ride with Harley guys and I quickly discovered po'ing off everyone with my loud pipes isn't worth it. I got cut off just as much as on my CB, super loud pipes didn't much as far as safety is concerned.

The newer Yamaha R1s are an inline-4 with a 'cross-plane' crank that does not fire evenly. They sound so good (to me) that maybe someday I'll try and get one..

[MikeOxbig_imp]

That's right, the R1' s with crossplane crank (09+ models I believe) has a very unique sounding motor. More "rough" sounding than the traditional inline 4.

[flynrider]

Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine.


Bonnie's are a parallel twin with a 360 degree crank. That is where the glorious british sound comes from.

I remember reading somewhere (probably reliable) that there is at least 1 Bonneville that does NOT come with a 360 degree crank (the 'America' ?).

This bike will never sound like a Harley. It's an inline 4! They have a constant output rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at idle not like a v twin rr rr rrr rrrrr rrrr rrrrrr rr rrrrr. If you cut out the catalytic converter that's not gonna change how loud this bike it just give you more emissions and a little HP. If you run it open this bike will be the most annoying constant noise you'll ever hear at idle. I can't stand super loud pipes but I do have a great appreciation for the sputtered sound of a V Twin with semi loud pipes The CB will never be that. Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine. But you'll loose performance and engine size. If sound is your priority go with the Bonnie. My bike is running a slip on and plenty loud when you give it gas but not annoying at idle and in California removing your catalytic converter is contributing to the smog problem like all the modded lifted F-150s. There is a reason they have emission restrictions in America. I too owned a shadow with loud pipes and used to ride with Harley guys and I quickly discovered po'ing off everyone with my loud pipes isn't worth it. I got cut off just as much as on my CB, super loud pipes didn't much as far as safety is concerned.

The newer Yamaha R1s are an inline-4 with a 'cross-plane' crank that does not fire evenly. They sound so good (to me) that maybe someday I'll try and get one..

That's correct. The America, the Scrambler and I think the Speedmaster all had 270 degree engines. From what I've read, the new 1200 water cooled engine is also a 270 degree twin.

The exhaust note of a 270 is more like a V-twin. More importantly, that configuration drastically reduces the amount of primary and secondary vibes, since the pistons don't rise and fall together (as in a 360 degree parallel twin). That 1200 engine would have shaken your teeth out at speed if they'd made it a 360.

[furious_blue_imp]

Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine.


Bonnie's are a parallel twin with a 360 degree crank. That is where the glorious british sound comes from.

I remember reading somewhere (probably reliable) that there is at least 1 Bonneville that does NOT come with a 360 degree crank (the 'America' ?).

This bike will never sound like a Harley. It's an inline 4! They have a constant output rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at idle not like a v twin rr rr rrr rrrrr rrrr rrrrrr rr rrrrr. If you cut out the catalytic converter that's not gonna change how loud this bike it just give you more emissions and a little HP. If you run it open this bike will be the most annoying constant noise you'll ever hear at idle. I can't stand super loud pipes but I do have a great appreciation for the sputtered sound of a V Twin with semi loud pipes The CB will never be that. Bonnies have a similar setup to a Harley being a Vtwin and you can get a louder output from that engine. But you'll loose performance and engine size. If sound is your priority go with the Bonnie. My bike is running a slip on and plenty loud when you give it gas but not annoying at idle and in California removing your catalytic converter is contributing to the smog problem like all the modded lifted F-150s. There is a reason they have emission restrictions in America. I too owned a shadow with loud pipes and used to ride with Harley guys and I quickly discovered po'ing off everyone with my loud pipes isn't worth it. I got cut off just as much as on my CB, super loud pipes didn't much as far as safety is concerned.

The newer Yamaha R1s are an inline-4 with a 'cross-plane' crank that does not fire evenly. They sound so good (to me) that maybe someday I'll try and get one..

That's correct. The America, the Scrambler and I think the Speedmaster all had 270 degree engines. From what I've read, the new 1200 water cooled engine is also a 270 degree twin.

The exhaust note of a 270 is more like a V-twin. More importantly, that configuration drastically reduces the amount of primary and secondary vibes, since the pistons don't rise and fall together (as in a 360 degree parallel twin). That 1200 engine would have shaken your teeth out at speed if they'd made it a 360.

I really like the rich sound of a 360 degree crank twin.. I wonder if they could have made the 1200 engine with a 360 degree crank along with some added counterbalancers ?

The 1200 might have a lot of mass to balance out, but the balancers on my 1540 (? I've forgotten the exact size) Softail work really well at taming the pounding of the 45 degree angle V-Twin..