Sound of a BMW R1150R

[sunilsingh18]

I love my bike and the way it handles but somewhere down the line the sound of the exhaust leaves me wanting more. The current 'lawnmower on steroids' sound of the bike can definitely do with a makeover. I don't mean that I want to wake up the neighborhood but something more.....
Any suggestions.

[Lee Davis]

I was at MVD a few weeks ago registering my R1150rt and one of the MVD fellows who looked at my vin number made the comment "Nice bike, but not nearly loud enough". I was a bit surprised, especially because the thing that I have always appreciated about BMW's, and what drew me to them in the first place is the subdued, almost quiet operation. When I had a new Harley Softtail I kept the quieter stock pipes on it and loved it, although I was constantly hearing from other Harley riders that I should change the pipes. Is it that people want to be noticed? Not me... I much more want to be unobtrusive and unnoticed, I guess. But I have nothing against someone doing whatever they want to their bike... well, except for ape hanger handlebars. Now, that is absurd! Different strokes...

[SteveJJ]

Is it that people want to be noticed? Not me... I much more want to be unobtrusive and unnoticed, I guess. But I have nothing against someone doing whatever they want to their bike...

+1 I don't wish to add to noise pollution, or be near it.

Now on visuals, I wear hi-viz helmet and jacket, and have added conspicuity lights. I do want other drivers to know I'm there, and light travels so much further than sound with little loss. Light em up, but tone em down.

[Lee Davis]

Returning home from Alaska one time, we found ourselves on an interstate (a rare occurance) at night going through Salt Lake, trying to make time. It was perhaps the most dangerous and scary ride of my life... could not easily see Doug ahead of me with all the lights and road markers for construction. Made me think of the personality here in Albuquerque who was literally run down and killed on his bike by some drag racing idiots. So later I put reflective SOLAS stickers on the rear of my hard bags. These are the stickers that are commonly put on life Jackets to make you seen by spotlights in the water at night. It really lights me up with 8 large reflective patches on the rear. Concerning being seen for safety reasons, I am all for it! I also run with brilliant small running lights mounted to the forks (I don't know what you call them). I have heard a rider with outrageously loud straight pipes tell me that he likes the noise because it is a saftey factor... people can hear you coming. But I thought, he has it backwards... they can hear you going away. It's like a sticker on the back of a van that says "baby on board"... by the time you see it, it is a little late.

[lcarlson]

I have an Akrapovic bolt-on muffler on mine. While it's louder than stock, it's still not loud. It has a substantially deeper, more resonant note, though. Worth noting that BMW uses Akrapovic as OEM equipment on some of its high-performance models.

[Stoalnational]

Hi sunilsingh

I agree about the sound of the standard can, just not "manly" enough.

I'm running a 2003 Rockster around with a Remus Revolution and y-piece to replace the cat, both on the bike when I bought her. It's quiet enough not to annoy them next door yet it barks nicely with a fist full of throttle and rises to a border-line legal howl at speed.

BUT...

The can is only the first purchace. These bikes are set to run on the lean side as standard and a freer flowing can is going to start upsetting the fueling*. Sorting this out is the hidden cost of sounding as macho as one feels.

My answer to the problem is to fit a Power Commander but in doing that you're also going to need to buy dyno time and the expertise to dial it in. That's cost me £400+ for the PC and around £200 for the dyno run.

There are chips out there that are a fair bit cheaper than the route I've chosen but it bugs me that, once fitted, there's no easy adjustment to be had if one of the maps avalible on the chip isn't spot on in the first place.

To make the best of things I've also chucked in a K&N filter (around £35) and, as I want to accentuate the mid range rather than the top end, a set of Lennie's Rocket Sprockets (around £140 inc post). Not forgetting the Y-piece to replace the heavy and rather restrictive cat; more money to be spent.

If you were to do what I (right or wrong) am doing it could end up costing you the sharp end of £1200. A lot of cash just for a bit of noise but the alternative is a bike as inoffensive as Granny's hatchback.

If I've got it right this should be the the graph to demonstrate my case. Forst run, power and torque in red and final run in blue:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2b_- ... 520sml.jpg

Have a good one

Stoalnational


*Not tragicaly but it just won't help. I did around 3000 miles in the six weeks between buying my 1150 and getting her on the dyno. She didn't hole a piston or burn a valve but the plugs and the inside of the headers were a lot whiter than I'm used to seeing.

[frkn_toaster]

Lee – how fast are you going that they can't hear you coming?! I know the Harley's ain't that fast

Seriously though, it's the traffic - street riding, 20 miles an hour – when I hate myself for not upgrading to a loud pipe yet. Used to ride my buddy's Buell around town and I tell you what: EVERYONE knew when I was coming up the street.

[DAQ421]

Just remove the muffler and run a chrome tip. I did that today and the new noise is excellent. Not super loud but with a really nice low note.