When you think, “motorcycle,” does a specific sound accompany the image that comes to mind? It does for me. Because I grew up on motocross racing, a 125cc two-stroke motocross bike, its banshee wail at high rpm, will always be the sound I associate with motorcycling at its most exciting and intense. When I purchased my own 125cc motocrosser, I couldn’t get enough of keeping the engine “on the pipe,” in the meat of the power band, simply to hear the sound that so enchanted me.

I also love to distraction the potent sound of a large-displacement, in-line four-cylinder engine at low rpms; like that of, say, Suzuki’s Bandit 1200 or Honda’s CBR1100XX. Withheld and implied energy is sometimes more enticing than the actually display of it. These days there are many different engine configurations to choose from when buying a bike, each with its own distinctive sound and power characteristics.

We a Roadbikemag thought it might be useful to describe the various motorcycle engines, their sounds and personalities, and ask you if you had a favorite. But have you ever tried to describe a sound?

Descriptive language tends to be visual in nature; describing aural phenomena is a challenge indeed. Here’s what we came up with:

• Single-cylinder four-stroke engine: Like hearing and riding a warthog; real quick and grunty, just not a lot of top-end. Just might startle you with a wheelie.
• Twin-cylinder four-stroke engine: Like a moose; not the prettiest thing at a walking pace, but graceful when at full song. Tuck in and smile as the gait is your lullaby, bwump bwump bwump bwump. Like all good dreams, things are moving much faster than you think.
• Two-stroke engine: Like a cheetah; lots of speed and precision, just not a lot of power. Twist it and think ahead, because momentum is king.
• Three-cylinder four-stroke engine: Misunderstood and hard to capture animals. Great hunters, but in the middle of the food chain.
• In-line four-cylinder engine: The howl and wail of a racing greyhound. Pure power and rippling muscles. Point it and twist the giggle stick, try to make that heart beat a few more revs because too much is never enough.

Federico Minoli, CEO of Ducati, brags that his nine-year-old son, Daniel, can identify motorcycles by sound. “Daniel says a Harley goes potato-potato-potato,” Minoli says. “A 600cc Japanese sportbike goes whee-whee-whee. A Ducati goes vroom-vroom-vroom.”

Harley-Davidsons and Ducatis have arguably the most distinctive sounds now going, and in fact Harley-Davidson tried for years to copyright the sound of its big twin. Just as the MGM lion is a copyrighted sound, they argued, so is the Harley roar worthy of legal protection.

The lawsuit failed, but it doesn’t matter: a Harley’s roar is like none other; which is why aftermarket companies work day and night to offer exhaust pipes which approximate the sound of the Milwaukee machine. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Harley has been blushing for decades.

More recently, Honda and Suzuki have introduced large-displacement sporting twins to compete head to head with Ducati. Their efforts have resulted in truly wonderful motorcycles; especially Honda’s VTR1000 Super Hawk–that have found their own constituency. Nevertheless, they lack Ducati’s distinctive sound and exclusivity and have failed to encroach on Ducati’s market share.

So, what’s your favorite motorcycle sound? How important is sound to you as you consider which bike to purchase? Let us know what you think.