Is it frustrating for you to hear a dirt bike whizzing past which is so loud and distracting in the woods? It certainly spoils the mood and ambience in nature, and we’re sure humans aren’t the only individuals annoyed.
Dirt bikes are loud due to having short mufflers which only have a small impact in reducing sound. Given that dirt bike engines have high revs and typically accelerate hard, it causes the loud and thick sound to emerge and echo for miles. Add in the fact that 2-strokes are even louder, it certainly leads to riders not being welcomed in some areas.
There is more to this though as there are variances between engine power and manufacturers.
Why Do Dirt Bikes Much So Much Sound?
Dirt bikes are loud even when idling and there are several reasons for that. Combined, they certainly make a sound that is heaven to the ears of the rider, but frustrating for those who don’t like dirt bikes.
Age
Typically it’s the older dirt bikes that make the most sound. Manufacturers today have produced dirt bikes that don’t make too much sound at high speeds which means that riders can go casually through tracks and trails without causing as much frustrating towards other users. In the other meaning of age is the age of the rider, as it’s mostly the younger crowd (under the age of 30) that loves to rev their dirt bikes hard.
2-Strokes
The biggest culprit of them all is 2-strokes. As the 2-stroke engines have internal combustion happening more frequently, they have an annoying rattling sound which is almost twice as loud as a 4-stroke. Luckily, we find fewer 2-strokes available for sale by dealerships today because 4-strokes have caught up performance-wise.
Mufflers
One of the best ways to make a dirt bike quieter is to install a better muffler. Unfortunately, it’s last on the list of desirables by riders as they prefer to increase their dirt bikes performance, not reduce the sound that it makes. In fact, some even install special mufflers so their dirt bike is even more annoyingly loud! So much so that it annoys other dirt bike riders. Argh!
Riding areas
For those riding around the mountains and valleys, sound tends to travel far as it can echo against the cliff faces. Compare this to open deserts where there is nowhere for the sound to travel or bounce off, and you’ve got yourself a haven for dirt bike riders. Essentially, where someone rides do have an impact as to the sounds and nuisances that they create. This is why you’ll find MX events held at entertainment centres very loud as the sound is bouncing off the stadium.
Throttle and Clutch Control
This is something that few people think about – throttle and clutch control. The smoother someone can get this, the quieter their dirt bike can be when switching up gears. This takes practice and in most instances, you actually wouldn’t even need to touch the clutch at all.
Performance Modifications
If someone has increased their power output through some performance modifications, then this is a key reason why their dirt bike becomes louder. This can annoy the neighbors when their revving up their dirt bike in the garage. If you’re concerned about noise, then we recommend that you leave things stock-standard.
Final Thoughts
It’s always best to leave your dirt bike stock. If you’re simply someone who doesn’t appreciate the sound of dirt bikes, well the sound is due to the rider and type of bike they choose. Not all dirt bikes are loud.
Fortunately, there are electric dirt bikes coming to the market which will solve these problems once and for all. As 2-wheel enthusiasts ourselves…we can’t wait!