DIY Motorcycle Noises

Welp, after a long night (and an even longer campaign) the election's finally behind us. Whoever you supported, it's a new day in America and it seems like the streets could use a little carefree fun again. In today's post, lets talk giving your ride that card-based BRRRRAAAAP you used to relish when you rolled the neighborhood with your friends as kids. Let's make some motorcycle noises!

What You Need

• Card (spoke card, playing card, laminated diner menu, etc...)
• Tape (or clothespins, staples, zip ties, etc...)
• Your bike!

Install

This is a pretty simple one, after all it's tech independently-developed by 8-year-olds all over the country. We want to position the card on the bike so that the free end slaps the spokes going by as the wheel turns.

Begin by holding the card against the frame, rack, any stationary part of the bike where the card can still reach the spokes. Be sure to aim for the rear side of whatever tube you pick so the motion of the spokes will pull the card against its brace and get you maximum noiseage.

Once you've got your card in position, all you need to do is brace it up. Wrap as much of the card as you need to around the frame to leave just a little bit of overlap in the spokes (like 0.5"-1"), and then tape it up! I like to tape from both sides, and feel free to use plenty to keep everything firmly secured (if your card gets spun out of the spokes, you'll stop getting sweet sounds). 

And you're done!

Give the wheel a spin to test it out! (Here's a taste of ours, but note: my phone speaker really doesn't do this roaring beast justice. It sounds way more motorcycle-y in person).

Placing your card closer to the edge of the wheel will give you a higher RPM noise (as your card hits spokes from both sides of the hub), while going closer to the axle will give you more of that slow "Harley" rev-age. Just be sure not to put it too close to anything that'll gobble up the card and lock your wheel.

And you're all set! Add a second card for that v-twin sound, add a few to sound like an entire bike gang, the possibilities are endless! Just be sure to give your friends a heads up so they can equip accordingly. Once they hear your ride, no one's going to want to be the quiet one in the group.

Happy riding! We'll hear you out there.