Can you actually hear your bike on the motorway?

[moppy]

Something that's been annoying me recently. Before I had a bike, I used to love hearing bikers pass us on the motorway when I was in the car. The engine sound is gorgeous at those high revs & speeds.

But when I'm riding my own bike, I can't even hear the faintest sound of my bike on the motorway, it's replaced by a lot of wind noise instead. Which makes me wonder if my bike (ZZR6) is just very quiet or whether my helmet (Box something or another) is very shit.

So I'm just wondering how many people can actually hear their own bikes on the motorway?

[Kwakki Si]

try riding in a lower gear!!!! Does your bike have fairings? get tucked up behind them to cut out wind noise.
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[DrSnoosnoo]

My ZZR600 is almost silent on the motorway (obviously not silent but wind noise takes over) Think if some baffles could be removed the sounds could become a bit louder!
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[EXC-Rider]

my bike is the same even with my new exhaust, I can hear the bike just a little but most is just the wind as i have no fairings.
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[moppy]

[Bendy]

Depends on the bike.

I rode a Blackbird with standard cans at the weekend - very quiet. Probably a combination of the exhaust and the fact that you don't have to be much above idle if you're sitting at the NSL.

My GSXR - you can hear it no bother. I wear earplugs and usually listen to music when I'm on the motorway and I can still hear the engine fine through all of that. But then it is uncouth and shouty while the Bird is refined and understated (and designed for gobbling distance where the racket could get a bit wearing after a while - a logic that could applied to your ZZR).

[Cadbury]

Earplugs.

I never ride on motorways without them. They block out the wind noise, but make you still able to hear/feel your engine (albeit with a slightly 'deeper/lower' sound)
My bike is a Fazer 600, with a standard can, not exactly ear bursting levels of noise, but I can still hear mine well enough with my plugs in.

[moppy]

[Kingstondavo]

Yes. Its significantly louder than wind noise
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[Joncrete Cungle]

I can't hear my CBR600f with standard can on the motorway. However the NC35 with the baffles removed from it's 'chav' can is audible.

[shereen]

[moppy]

[Pol Anorl]

can hear mine on any road at any speeds, the stubby exhaust makes it hurt my ears sometimes.
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[P.]

Yep...

I think every car can hear mine

[robbieguy2003]

600RR, yep it's pretty loud, you certainly know it's there, it's louder than a lot of wind noise unless you're going really fast.

The 1250, yes, you can hear it, you couldn't with the standard can, now it's got a remus on and the baffle fell out...
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[Irn-Bru]

654cc single with Akrapovic exhaust & no quiet insert.. yes, I can hear it, everyone within a mile of me can probably
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[Sako]

mine is a bit antisocial with the stubby can fitted, can definately hear it on the motorway/dual carriageway, bike likes to pop and bang a good bit on the downshifts too.

[lllN30lll]

If you own a racefit exhaust you have no choice
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[Jim Mc]

All I can hear when I ride mine are voices chanting, "You are awesome, you are awesome!"

[carlosthejack...]

The rare times I go on the motorway, all I can hear is wind noise at 70+mph, but on A/B roads at similar speeds, I can hear it no problem. I'm hoping it will be louder when I get the stubby on...
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[Recluso]

I can barely hear mine when I'm next to it with my helmet off xD

On the motorway I'm usually listening to music so the ninja bike isn't making a sound as far as I know
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[m3-paul]

Without a doubt I can hear mine on the motorway.
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[dragstaar]

[Slacker24seve...]

Yes. Even with the baffles in and no earplugs (I've run out )
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[Mikey3]

well, just.

Exhaust is facing the opposite direction to me, and is a foot or so behind me, wind is pumelling my face, and my ears are covered by a helmet.
Sound waves will be carried away from me, even being spat out away from me before the wind kicks in.

I can hear it, just, very clearly though when doing like 0-60ish. After that wind dominates.
Its a Micron race can, no baffles.

Mike
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