Loud generators, I don't understand why...

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I discovered way back when I was a mid teen that it was a lot cheaper to go very fast on a motorcycle vs. a car.  I bought a lightly used '72 Kawasaki 750 H2.  Three cylinder, two stroke, also known as the world's fastest production motorcycle at that time.  The summer of 1974 was spent at two different drag strips...one on Wed. Night and the other on Sat night.  The bike was stock with the exception of a set of Wirges brand expansion chambers (full race exhaust) and a carb rejetting to richen it back up.  I broke into the high 11 second times....11.89 in the 1/4 mile and low 6 seconds though the 1/8 mile at 95 mph.  At the end of the 1/8th mile, the front wheel would pull up just enough to turn the timing light off with the rear tire....front was up in the air a bit.  That was damn fast for a motorcycle back then....now days, not so much.  Lots of trophies and some cash, and the most fun summer I ever had on two wheels
 
I don't remember the year exactly but I had the orange 500 Kawasaki triple. My now-wife used to beat on my back when I get up to about a hundred miles an hour. I think it was the 1969 model 500 that had a shake in the front end when you got up to high speed and they were known for breaking crankshafts. Not good when it's on the pipe. Nothing like a 2 stroke.
 
martin2340 said:
Most of those quieter bikes that pass me up while I am just cruising, I am not in a race, are the most dangerous kinds of bike riders. Sometimes on 1 wheel at well over 100MPH, zig zagging in and out of traffic etc. I am in no hurry while out cruising, not making a big noise commotion.  As far as the loud pipes save lives statement that you can only hear the sound from behind is absurd. I hear these bikes, whether Harleys, crotch rockets or others with the exception of maybe the fully loaded Honda Goldwings engines but with their radio blasting so everyone can here them while I am sitting miles away.
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Sometimes the "tone" of the little crotch rocket is louder and heard further than the deep rumble of the Harley.  I am not a biker, but I do love the sound of a Harley and am not so fond of the swarm of bumblebees sound of a crotch rocket.
 
SeilerBird said:
I ran regular tires on the street and Mickey Thompson racing slicks at the track. Racing slicks were a lot more expensive and wore out quicker. And I think they were illegal on California roads at that time.
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I ran "slicks" much of the time, too. Not because they were cool or had better traction for drag racing, but because I couldn't always afford to get them retreaded for my old '48 Plymouth flat head 6. You guys and your big noisy V8's apparently had a lot more money to burn (pun intended) than I did when I was 16-17 years old. After that, Uncle Sam kept me off the streets.


As for loud generators, we hate to run our little 2.5 KW Onan factory installed under the RV. It's certainly not as loud as those contractor units, but louder than a Honda 2000. About all I use it for is to make coffee in the morning...usually after 9 am as we don't get up until about then.
 
QZ said:
I don't remember the year exactly but I had the orange 500 Kawasaki triple. My now-wife used to beat on my back when I get up to about a hundred miles an hour. I think it was the 1969 model 500 that had a shake in the front end when you got up to high speed and they were known for breaking crankshafts. Not good when it's on the pipe. Nothing like a 2 stroke.
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I had the H1 triple also, before I bought the 750.  IIRC, it seems that the Orange 500 was a '71....but I might be wrong.  The 500 triple I had was the '69 and yes, there were some head shake issues.  I know where there is a brand new, engine never started 1972 750 H2.  The plastic is still on the seat and the owner's manual is laying on it.  It's one of five known new/never started '72 H2's in the world....and it's about 75 miles from where I live.  I've lusted over it several times.  It's also in a glass case/display in a dealership.  It's got about 7 or 8 miles on the odometer from being pushed from place to place over the last 46 years.  Scott is the original and only owner.  Magnificant bike!

EDITED..........The Orange 500 was a 1972 model.  I had a Kawasaki 125 endure bike the same color that I bought new in '72.
 
Molaker said:
I ran "slicks" much of the time, too. Not because they were cool or had better traction for drag racing, but because I couldn't always afford to get them retreaded for my old '48 Plymouth flat head 6. You guys and your big noisy V8's apparently had a lot more money to burn (pun intended) than I did when I was 16-17 years old. After that, Uncle Sam kept me off the streets.
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You are correct I did burn up a lot of money needlessly. However in the long run it saved me a ton of money because I soon figured out how stupid and expensive it was to race and grew out of that phase. Since then I am the slowest guy on the highway.
 
Shasta Bob said:
not everyone can afford a Honda generator, so that is what quiet time in the park is for. or you don't remember when you started RVing on a budget. just my two cents.
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When I couldn?t afford a quiet generator I went without. Actually I did that for years and years. Yes, there were times when I didn?t go camping because it was too hot and I couldn?t get an electric site, but that was part of not having the money. Sorry, I am not giving a pass on this one.
 
I'm new to the thread, have been gone a few days...skimming it though, I noticed a lot of discussion of selfishness and such
I think that there' another facet as well.... I think this "issue" is in large part a "hey, look at me" kind of thing.  "Look how much stuff I have aren't you jealous?"
generators and cycles too
 
Shasta Bob said:
not everyone can afford a Honda generator, so that is what quiet time in the park is for. or you don't remember when you started RVing on a budget. just my two cents.
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Good point, Bob. 
I think most RVers can tolerate loud generators if they are used very sparingly.  When they are left on for hours, that becomes the problem for everyone around them.  Once the ranger was involved, they were restricted to 15 minute at a time.

Now, back to loud mufflers, motorcycles, music, '57 Chevys, and other memories from daze long ago ;)...
 
When I bought my first generator at the big box store,  I was completely ignorant of noise levels, difference in construction of different brands, and even different fuel sources. And I was on a shoe string budget. And I didn't belong to any RV forums back then (1998). Not sure there was any around, and if there was I was way to busy working and taking care of family needs to worry about it. I think that's the story for many newbie RV'ers. Don't be too hard on them.

And as for the other side of the conversation, I had motto as a young kid. "Music is like fast cars. It don't get awesome until you are running wide open". 
 
blw2 said:
I'm new to the thread, have been gone a few days...skimming it though, I noticed a lot of discussion of selfishness and such
I think that there' another facet as well.... I think this "issue" is in large part a "hey, look at me" kind of thing.  "Look how much stuff I have aren't you jealous?"
generators and cycles too
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That may be true about some folks, but you are 100% wrong with that statement about me.....so don't lump everyone together in one big group.
 
SargeW said:
When I bought my first generator at the big box store,  I was completely ignorant of noise levels, difference in construction of different brands, and even different fuel sources. And I was on a shoe string budget. And I didn't belong to any RV forums back then (1998). Not sure there was any around, and if there was I was way to busy working and taking care of family needs to worry about it. I think that's the story for many newbie RV'ers. Don't be too hard on them.

And as for the other side of the conversation, I had motto as a young kid. "Music is like fast cars AND Motorcycles. It don't get awesome until you are running wide open".
Click to expand...

Fixed that for ya.......you're welcome!    ;D
 
xrated said:
I discovered way back when I was a mid teen that it was a lot cheaper to go very fast on a motorcycle vs. a car.  I bought a lightly used '72 Kawasaki 750 H2.  Three cylinder, two stroke, also known as the world's fastest production motorcycle at that time.  The summer of 1974 was spent at two different drag strips...one on Wed. Night and the other on Sat night.  The bike was stock with the exception of a set of Wirges brand expansion chambers (full race exhaust) and a carb rejetting to richen it back up.  I broke into the high 11 second times....11.89 in the 1/4 mile and low 6 seconds though the 1/8 mile at 95 mph.  At the end of the 1/8th mile, the front wheel would pull up just enough to turn the timing light off with the rear tire....front was up in the air a bit.  That was damn fast for a motorcycle back then....now days, not so much.  Lots of trophies and some cash, and the most fun summer I ever had on two wheels
Click to expand...
I scared myself silly on one of those, it cured me of going fast on a motorcycle.
 
Roy M said:
I scared myself silly on one of those, it cured me of going fast on a motorcycle.
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The fastest I've ever been on a motorcycle was about 11-12 years ago when I had my CBR1000RR.  I saw 186 on the speedo (that's as high as it would read), and I still had about 400-500 rpm left on the tack before the rev limiter....so I'm guessing maybe 188 or so.  The fastest I've been legally, on a racetrack where there are no speed limits of course was 175 down the back straight at Road Atlanta....and the bike was silky smooth.
 
Not sure if I can do this, but I'll try.  If it works, turn up the volume and enjoy the "music"!

https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/1891846201123679/?t=110

This is the start of the MotoGP race at Misano last Sunday.....the best of the best!  :D  Misano isn't one of the fastest tracks on the 19 race MotoGP circuit, but still saw top speeds in the 195 range on the Ducatis.  I forget which track(s) they run where you will see 217-218 mph on the straight.
 
H5-Phil said:
Why do some RVers bring obnoxiously loud generators to a crowded campground??
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This is one reason we don't camp in developed campgrounds.
It's not just generators, some jerks think everybody at the campground
wants to hear their crappy music and listen to their dogs bark.
I could stay home for that.
 
xrated said:
Fixed that for ya.......you're welcome!    ;D
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I stand corrected, thanks!  But I do have to admit that even my Harley, no where near a superbike, could scare me when I opened it up. That's just a lot of hp and not a whole lot of weight.  That's why the guys that ride superbikes just impress the heck out of me.
 
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