This question has been on mind for some time now
why does the V4 have more of a lets say grunt sound
than the inline 4.I just saw a vfr 750 and could not believe
the sound it makes.Thanks

 

All I could say is think of a honda civic's exhaust vs a corvette's exhaust(I know the vettes has 4 more cylenders, but still sounds better). I dont know why but v's always sound better then inlines IMO. I wonder if it has to do with the angle that the v's fire in.

 

Yes, the first cylinder fires and then the next one on the other side of the "V". You get a longer push to the crank during that time. The inline 4's are more evenly spaced firing cylinders.

 

I have to offer my opinion. A properly tuned I-4 at 11,000 RPMs is pure pleasure to my ears, just saying. Maybe I'm old school, but so it goes................

 

Hey:

Well seeing I own or have owned 5 different Honda Engined 1000CC bikes (3 Honda CBX 6s, 1 with Denco 6/6 pipes, 1 with OMT 6/2, 1 with DG 6/1), (3 CBR 1000Fs 1 with Supertrapp 4/2, and 2 with Yoshi & V&H 4/1s), (1 RC51 SP2 spec with HRC Termi/Erion 2/1), (1 VF1000R with Kerker 4/2), and (sold a 75 GL1000 cafe with Jardine 4/2). I feel I have heard a good variety of great sounding Honda engines and really prefer The CBX 6/6 sound, but second place goes to the RC51, then CBX 6/2, 6/1, the CBR 1KFs 4/1 V&H then Yosh, then the VF1000R and FINALLY the GL1000 with the Jardines.

The Honda V engines 2 or 4 cyl just have a great sound that the flat 4 does not have. The CBX straight 6 sounds like a WRC speced Porshe 954 at full tilt, The CBR sounds like the old F1 Honda motors and RC sounds better than any Buell or Ducati, much like a super bike spec Moto Guzzi. They just sound like something other than a 2 cyl Bike motor. They have lots of volume more than many cars, on par with a Hot Ford Mustang with a SLP loundmouth on it. I get Compliments on the sound of the CBX, the RC51 and the VF all the time, But for a short trip the sound of that CBR with V&H is very pleasing as well, just not something I can tolerate for long hours day after day. Funny thing is the CBX6/6 has no baffles really, is louder but I can deal with it all day for days on end, just wish it did not hang so low.
All the Honda engines have advantages and disadvantages over each other and wish they would make an updated CBX motor in a newer chassis, as I would Buy that bike in a Micro second. The only other Bike I have owned that had the visual appeal of the CBX was the CXTurbo and wish they would have made that a 1000CC bike with a blower like the Guzzis but kept the CXT looks, it was just too heavy for a 650CC bike and was traded in for the CBR 1KF I still own.

I would say that the motor config has a lot to do with the sound but no more than say a good sounding aftermarket pipe set. And sound is one of those things that what sounds good to 1 person but may not to another. Also the front rear v bikes are not as easy to work on as a I4 or 6, just keep that in mind if you decide to change bikes. Good Luck on whatever you choose.

Dub

 

Yup nothing like the sound of an inline four 'on the pipe'!