01-29-2018, 01:07 PM
popgun, I don't think the shorter inlet tracts and exhaust would account for the different feel of the motor, which the '17 certainly has, compared to the '14. Rev the throttle, and the '14 has the typical ziiiiing...ziiiiing...ziiiing zero-vibration feel of just about every I-4 Honda has ever made. Rev the '17's throttle and there is a distinctive, unevenly-spaced pulsing that you can feel throughout the bike. It's along the lines of an inline Triple or V4, with a similar sort of additional texture.
Although I don't know how they achieved it, this additional texture is exactly what Honda said they gave the '17 motor by changing the timing on the first two cylinders.
mickey, this video has been posted here before...
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNOCYoK-GDo&t=173s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNOCYoK-GDo&t=173s
...which shows the two models being fired up side by side, and you can clearly hear the different engine note of the '17 model. It's not as smooth as the previous-gen motor. I've seen a better video of this same presentation by Honda, in which they go into greater depth with the sound comparison, but I can't locate it at the moment.
Although I don't know how they achieved it, this additional texture is exactly what Honda said they gave the '17 motor by changing the timing on the first two cylinders.
mickey, this video has been posted here before...
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNOCYoK-GDo&t=173s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNOCYoK-GDo&t=173s
...which shows the two models being fired up side by side, and you can clearly hear the different engine note of the '17 model. It's not as smooth as the previous-gen motor. I've seen a better video of this same presentation by Honda, in which they go into greater depth with the sound comparison, but I can't locate it at the moment.