Too quiet? Too smooth? That’s the reason given by some motorcyclists who swear they would never forsake petrol power for electric. We’ve reported before on bike manufacturers whose answer is to produce fake engine noises or even a fake gearbox, but now Yamaha has gone one step further…with a fake petrol engine.

In a patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (an agency of the United Nations), Yamaha describes an electric bike which also has what appears to be an air-cooled four-stroke single, complete with crankshaft, piston and valves (but no fuel supply). Basically, the electric motor, as well as doing the real work of powering the bike forwards, turns the crank, which drives the piston. The sound waves of air pumping in and out, amplified by a resonator, supposedly produces a realistic four-stroke sound with (as an added bonus) vibration. But with no fuel, it does no useful work, just the appearance of same.

Jim Freeman , chair at the BMF put many of our thoughts into words: “For some reason this made me think of an ancient Woody Allen movie Sleeper, made when he was still funny, featuring a device called the Orgasmatron , for people to have virtually enhanced sex in. I suspect Yamaha of having a corporate joke, back in the real world the whole thing appears beyond pointless, throwing away the benefits of electric bikes and incorporating the worst features of internal combustion engines. If I want that sort of thing I could go the whole hog and get a BSA M20, which would add dodgy handling and non-existent brakes, with the bonus of added oil leaks, for an authentic experience. The M20 would probably be cheaper and feature zero depreciation as well. ”

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of Peter Henshaw