Snowmobiles have 4 strokes for quiet, smoke-free driving, at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour. All of the quietest snowmobiles have four-stroke engines. The difference between two-stroke and four-stroke engines is that the four-stroke engine has fewer explosions at any given RPM. 4-stroke sledges are quite quiet.
Four-stroke snowmobile engines are considered to offer better fuel economy, smoother and quieter operation, and more reliability than two-stroke ones. They are also supposed to be heavy, slow and produce less horsepower per cubic inch. Despite the lack of a turbocharger and a two-stroke engine, the Ski-Doo is one of the quietest snowmobile models available. Replacing the insulating material on the muffler is a proven way to reduce snowmobile noise.
The Yamaha RX-1 is another example of why the brand is known as a reliable manufacturer of snowmobiles. Radiated engine noise on snowmobiles comes from hood vents, ventilation spaces, and any unsealed joints around the engine compartment. The winning machines had new technology, were innovative and advanced the sport of snowmobiles. Industry experts pointed out this problem, so most new snowmobiles now come with insulating foam added in these areas.
While exhaust noise is considered the main source of sound on a snowmobile, intake noise can be mitigated. You may be a little late in your decision, but I highly recommend that you look at the category of SUVs offered by most snowmobile manufacturers. Avoid any accessories for your snowmobile and you'll get the added benefit of greater durability and reliability. I'm thinking of trying to get my wife interested in snowmobiles in the long term, but something that has bothered us both about off-road vehicles and snowmobiles is the noise.
Yamaha has won the Snow Goer Snowmobile of the Year award three times since 2003, and all of the sleds were powered by four-stroke engines. If you need to know both the sound pressure level and the sound power of the snowmobile you've chosen, you can research the dBA. Since most complaints about snowmobiles come from bystanders, not from users, snowmobiles are tested for proximity to the machine. The only important difference between the motorcycle and the snowmobile is that the snowmobile uses four Mikuni BSR37 carburettors with a peak of 145 HP at 8300 RPM.
