Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > How loud is yours?

[Dunks]

Here's a fun game for all the family...

I happened to be at a school demonstration project on noise.. lots of high tech equipment available to demonstrate to kids about noise, hearing damage, decibels etc.. all that kind of stuff... one bright spark suggested that they test how loud my ST2 is....

So.. at 10,000 rpm (!!) at 5m distance with the microphone towards the side of the bike (not downwind of the exhaust), and fitted with road legal standard Ducati exhaust.. the bike registered 92 db!!

Blimey.. that is pretty darn loud.. those Termi pipes that some people use must be close ear bleeding volume....!

[rockhopper]

I think the SVA test is at 1m and at 45 degrees from the end of the can so your bike would be quite a bit louder!

[Rushjob]

And the noise is measured nowhere near 10K revs...I think about 4 - 4.5 K is used.

[rockhopper]

Its something like a third of max revs isnt it?

[Dunks]

I got a bit carried away with the revving bit...! Lucky I never blew the engine up... are they protected with some kind of cut-out in the engine management system to prevent damage?

[rockhopper]

Well it does have a rev limiter which will cut the ignition when you get to whatever its set to, around 10 or 11k i think. Only hit mine once on the start finish straight at snetterton. Felt like i was suddenly going backwards as everyone zoomed past me!

[rockhopper]

Oh and rev limiters dont stop you over revving the engine by changind down too early either!

[Jools]

My ST2 is on Ducati performance cans (ex-Rushob, ex-Marko - they've been around a bit)

They're loud, but...the great thing about two valve per cylinder Duke engines is that they produce a really deep booming exhaust note that sounds fantastic (to my ears anyway).

Last week at the BMF show we had a 'massed pipes of the Ducati regiment' band going, with Dukes of all sorts bouncing off the rev limiters. I'm pleased to report that despite some very exotic machinery on show, the old ST2 still sounded amongst the best of 'em.

Popular opinion was that, on Saturday's performance, Sparkin's 888 took first place, with a bit of banter about whether the ST or the Monster with titanium cans took second (those titanium cans really rasp). Then Nelly in the Cornerspeed tent fired up Paul Mortons "Bloo Duke" and trumped us all. In fact, they fired all the bikes in their tent up and filled it up with exhaust smoke. Two minutes in there and you would come out with your eyes streaming.

[rockhopper]

Nelly just loves that exhaust smoke!

[Road Runner]

I have just had my offer accepted on house in nice quiet cul-de-sac in very nice part of Woking.
I wonder what they will think of me when I start up my 996 ( Arrow cans)early on a Sunday morning?? the neighbour from hell..