Triumphrat

biker7 · 12-15-2007, 08:44 AM

I don't know guys....but the 270 deg. motor is one of the sweetest I have ever heard. Here is a youtube vid of a Speedmaster worth a listen:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h0QCRc4_nBM

I prefer the Bonneville to the Speedmaster but do you guys think the 360 degree crank motor has the same character? Also, the pipes in the video are pretty opened up. If you were to choose pipes for the Bonny that would have close to that sound, which would they be?
George
Low res. pic below of the pipes from vid intro.

kludge · 12-15-2007, 09:18 AM

I don't think you ever would be able to make a Bonnie sound like that except perhaps with unequal length separate exhaust pipes. The 270 motor sounds nice, but imo doesn't sound like a Triumph twin... more like some metric cruiser. The Bonnie basically defined the sound of the 360 twin and no matter how nice the 270 sounds it will never supplant that expectation that a twin-cylinder motorcycle with Triumph badges should snarl like a Bonnie of old. Anything else is like one of those bad Hollywood movies where a two-stroke dirtbike races off making noises like a 4-stroke inline four. Just... wrong.

biker7 · 12-15-2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kludge

I don't think you ever would be able to make a Bonnie sound like that except perhaps with unequal length separate exhaust pipes. The 270 motor sounds nice, but imo doesn't sound like a Triumph twin... more like some metric cruiser. The Bonnie basically defined the sound of the 360 twin and no matter how nice the 270 sounds it will never supplant that expectation that a twin-cylinder motorcycle with Triumph badges should snarl like a Bonnie of old. Anything else is like one of those bad Hollywood movies where a two-stroke dirtbike races off making noises like a 4-stroke inline four. Just... wrong.

Well said. Is there any argument however that later 4 valve Hinkley incarnations with related camshaft timing don't really capture the sound of Triumph's of yesteryear? Sorry to step on your purist toes and quite right staying true to the Triumph heritage contributes in large measure to the heritage of the Bonneville. I am guilty however of liking the 270 deg. sound.
Your last comment is hilarious and really hit home.
Cheers,
George

CAPTDON · 12-15-2007, 10:56 AM

You can hear a 360 degree Bonne comming a mile away & know what it is! A very unique sound!1

kludge · 12-15-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biker7

... later 4 valve Hinkley incarnations with related camshaft timing don't really capture the sound of Triumph's of yesteryear?

I agree. It's probably the reduced valve timing overlap. Good for the environment, but bad for the ears. Oh well, there are always aftermarket cams eh?

mikeinva · 12-15-2007, 02:01 PM

I think the pipes on that one gave it the sound you like.To me it sounded flat on top.I think yhe 360 with good pipes when its up in the top rpms is what i love to hear.

Old Scratcher · 12-15-2007, 02:07 PM

I'm not really into retro, & bought my Scram for other reasons. So I don't care about which sounds more like an original Triumph twin, though I acknowlege that I'm in the minority here, on this one.
But I love the sound of my Scram's 270 motor. & it sounds even better since I had the TB pipes & cams fitted. I don't know (or care) if it's "old school" or not. But it hits all the right notes to get my blood racing. & that'll do me.

ohiorider · 12-15-2007, 02:33 PM

Sort of has some V8 sound to me, somewhat like a Moto Guzzi. I like that!

Bob

Diego · 12-15-2007, 03:14 PM

> I prefer the Bonneville to the Speedmaster but do you guys think the 360 degree crank motor has the same character?

If by "character" you mean sound, obviously not. In any other regard, sure it does.

> Is there any argument however that later 4 valve Hinkley incarnations with related camshaft timing don't really capture the sound of Triumphs of yesteryear?

There's no argument about it at all. There's no way the modern twins can truly sound the same, regardless of 270 or 360 degree firing sequence. The sound isn't just a function of what comes out of the exhaust system. You can make that part of it very similar, but it also has to do with the difference between overhead cams versus pushrods, the weight and composition of cases and cylinders, etc.

kludge · 12-15-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diego

The sound isn't just a function of what comes out of the exhaust system.

Heh heh. Back in the day I just put louder megaphones on the bike as the mechanical clatter got louder, to cover it up.

One time I did a major overhaul on my 750; new cams, followers, tappet blocks, bearings, rebore, valves and guides... just about everything that moved. Fired the bike up and immediately just assumed I'd gone half deaf.