Engine Sound

[HikerToo_imp]

wait, did someone say they wear headphones( earbuds) while riding!! Now that I find crazy and dangerous.....not being able to hear your surroundings on a motorcycle.....same goes for bicycle and runners, always need to be aware of your surroundings by sight and sound.

[Chapomis_imp]

You left out chain saws, hedge trimmers, boom-boxes and the guys with base speakers that fill the whole back of their car !

[emptysea]

wait, did someone say they wear headphones( earbuds) while riding!! Now that I find crazy and dangerous.....not being able to hear your surroundings on a motorcycle.....same goes for bicycle and runners, always need to be aware of your surroundings by sight and sound.

So deaf people shouldn't ride (or run or cycle)? Totally agree that we should always be aware of our surroundings, but I think that most folks can do so while listening to music (not too loudly). it does raise an interesting question, though. Is wearing noise reducing earplugs (Hearos, for example) dangerous? If so, more or less dangerous than earbuds playing music (not too loudly). Also, do we know if listening to music (not too loudly) with a good set of earbuds has similar benefits to our long-term hearing as wearing a good set of earplugs?

[HikerToo_imp]

I guess deaf people would not have a choice, but I would not deliberately reduce one of my senses I use to help stay safe and alive.

[emptysea]

Your supposition that wearing earbuds effectively reduces one's ability to hear what is needed to be heard on a motorcycle is a supposition based upon your opinion. The key word there is "effectively".

You put on a helmet every time you ride. You have reduced your ability to hear, but your effective ability to hear something like a car horn is really not reduced. You still hear it, but it's not quite as loud as without your helmet. This works out well because you're protecting your noggin and still can hear what you need to hear. So, you decide to wear a balaclava under your helmet because it keeps your head from sweating up the nice helmet liner. You have reduced your ability to hear, but not that much, really. That siren is not as ear-splitting now, but your head is quieter, arguably less moist, and you definitely can still hear it and with plenty of time to react. You read a thread about how hearing loss can be reduced by wearing earplugs, so you slip some Hearos in under your balaclava and your helmet. Wind and engine noise all but disappear, but amazingly enough, you can still hear the fire truck. Everything is working great. You have protected your head, kept it dry, and saved your hearing so your grandkids won't have to yell at you when you're old. Then, you watch MG's Equinox video and decide that "Into the Mystic" would a perfect accompaniment to your ride and you remove your Hearos and insert a good set of earbuds that help block all that wind and engine noise. You fill a little of that noise vacancy with Van Morrison and guess what? You can STILL hear the car horns, the sirens, your wife on the bike next to you at a stop light shouting that you ride too fast, and the sirens.

In the end, it's a matter of one's preference, I think. It's not crazy or dangerous to listen to music when you ride. It IS crazy and dangerous, however, to create an environment in your helmet where you cannot see or hear the things you need to see or hear. I think a person just needs to be aware that there is a point at which they simply cannot hear what they need to hear or are so distracted that they hear it, but don't react to it. If they stay well short of that line, they will be fine.

Oh, and never ride too fast if your wife is following you. Talk about needing ear protection!

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Speaking of noise and getting off topic, I find my neighbor's weed eater (gas), leaf blower (gas) and lawn mower (gas) running for 25-45 minutes each is more annoying than a loud motorcycle that is only heard for a few seconds.

That's actually a good point - it illustrates how some noise is an INTRUSION, and other noise less so.

We choose some noises at every point - choose to mow the grass - with its noise. Choose to listen to the stereo. Some choose to run their bikes with open pipes.

But when that noise is FORCED on us, be it a neighbor blowing leaves when we're trying to enjoy a quiet morning coffee on the back patio, or a Harley rider blasting through and enriching us with his engine noise...or just some kid with is boom-box car...when it's FORCED on us, it's an annoyance. And in some cases more - when it wakes up neighbors.

If they wanted to listen to a motorcycle engine...they'd be out there WITH us. If they thought that rap-music MP3 was really great..they wouldn't wait for you to blast them with it, they'd have it on their own sound system, playing.

Forcing others to listen to noise that the perp enjoys, but no one else asked for...is the height of boorishness.

[Guth_imp]

JPT, I've noticed that for someone who is obviously down on noise you tend to do a lot of SHOUTING.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I have had louder and throater sounding bikes, I love the sound of this with the stock system. It's gentlemanly, civilized, and doesn't shout "look at me". It's everything a motorcycle should sound like on the street. Plus I don't believe in the adage "loud pipes save lives" since it doesn't take into account the Doppler Effect.

RE Doppler Effect: True, however, not in effect at crawling speeds where much of the "show" noise tends to be.

Something else to consider: If so called "loud pipes save lives", then that implies a part of the rider's well-being lies in the hands of others who will react the way they do, which could be nothing or something unexpected. This implies that control is being given up by the rider in return for perceived respect. I would assume that responsible riders would rather have full control of situations to improve their probability of safety. But I digress, I did say responsible riders.

No disagreement here. Just another way of looking at the annoying problem.

[LongRanger_imp]

I agree. Most of the loud pipe guys around here choose to ride without helmets. I'm not sure self preservation is the reason they go mufflerless. Their actions seem a bit hypocritical, don't you think?

[GoldOxide_imp]

Social pathological maybe.

Certainly at the discomfort of others, and risk of safety to themselves, their family (if they are breeding), and others.