Yamaha patent: New “fake engine” for electric motorcycles aims to deliver the feel of a real combustion engine

Background: Emotional riding experience with combustion engines

The patent emphasizes that traditional motorcycles with combustion engines offer a special appeal for many riders. According to Yamaha, the typical sound and vibrations produced during acceleration create an emotional riding experience that has not yet been achieved by electric drives.

The patented solution: a “fake engine” for electric motorcycles

In the patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization under reference number WO/2025/191637, Yamaha describes a special design. According to this, in addition to the electric motor, the electric motorcycle has a unit that mimics the functions of a combustion engine. This replica engine does not run on fossil fuels and does not serve any propulsion purpose, but is solely there to generate noise and vibrations.

Specifically, the electric motor is used to drive a crankshaft, which in turn sets a replica four-stroke engine in motion. This causes pistons and other components to move realistically, sucking in air and expelling it again, creating characteristic noise and vibration patterns. According to the patent, the compression and expansion of the air in the intake and exhaust tracts creates sound waves that are amplified by a resonator. This is intended to produce the typical intake and exhaust noises of a combustion engine.

Sound and vibration depending on driving behavior

The sounds and vibrations produced are designed to change depending on driving style, thus mimicking the familiar experience of combustion engines. Visually, the unit is designed to resemble a classic motorcycle engine. Yamaha’s goal is to make electric motorcycles as close as possible to classic combustion engines in terms of appearance, sound, and feel, without actually installing one.

Assessment and outlook

It remains to be seen whether this concept will be successful on the market. The system is designed to replicate the authentic riding experience of a classic motorcycle and thus increase the acceptance of electric motorcycles. However, the decisive factor could be whether the riding experience is also convincing under practical conditions and whether aspects such as range and charging times are also improved.

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