That German Accent

While driving my VW Vanagon Westfalia lately, I'm noticing some subliminal similarities between it and the BMW. I know they're both German made engines, and I was willing to stop there and call it a day, but there seemed to be something else, something more.

There's a timber, if you will. A rhythm when in third gear, spinning between 3 and 4,000 rpm that's eerily similar, almost as if both engines have the same accent, something unique to them that others don't have, not Japanese or American engines. Something specific to the German motors.

After reading a bit up on it, I learned that it's the actual design of the engines that's the difference, and it's in a very obvious way. Both the van and the bike have "boxer" engines, meaning their pistons are lined up opposed to each other, and horizontally positioned instead of the more common straight line up for 4 cylinder cars, or the popular "V6". This gives them a very unique placement for the noisier parts of the engine, mainly the valves and rockers(the parts that move the valves), and a very distinctive sound. Kind of a tinny pitter-patt, or rattle. I've decided to appreciate this more in the van than I did before, and now I call it "The German Accent".
This entry is more for me than for any reader I imagine. If anything it may give insight into the workings of the mechanics I'll be dependent upon for a few weeks. Now all I have to do is figure out how to maintain one and I'll be all set, right?