Loud Pipes

[Greg Davis_imp]

Just wanted to comment on loud pipes. When motorcycles have excessive noise, ( loud pipes ) it annoys most non motorcyclists. and is annoying to many motorcyclists also. Loud pipes hurt all motorcyclists. One should do whatever they want to their own motorcycle, ride wherever they want, as long as it doesn't hurt others, and loud pipes hurt all motorcyclists

 

[HikerToo_imp]

good one

 

[Inline4_imp]

I somewhat agree. There are times when a loud exhaust can alert a cager to your presence, BUT whether its a v-twin or an inline 4, there is no need to wind it to red line through the first 2 or 3 gears while in traffic.
I love the sound of any high-performnce motorcycle but even to me, the exhaust can be annoying at the wrong time.
This subject reminds me of a signature line by a member of a forum long ago...................................................................

"Harley-Davidson................
Turning gasoline into obnoxious noise without the harmful effects of horsepower since 1903."

 

[Damfino_imp]

But, "Loud pipes, save lives"....right??

I ain't buying it!

 

[HikerToo_imp]

I think motorcycles should have to follow the same laws as cars as far as noise goes, I also think we have to many guns in this country, I'll be glad to give both up when the laws are passed.

 

[Guth_imp]

Greg, you should be free to voice your opinion, whether or not others agree. But I wanted to note to all to make sure to keep this discussion civil as it's a bit of a loaded topic and I'm not sure it gets us anywhere.

So, how are you guys defining "loud": 90dB, 95 dB, 100 dB, 105dB? What's loud to one person might not be to another. My wife thinks my Hawk is too loud at times when I'm working on it (stock exhaust) as she's concerned I'll upset the neighbors. So one day I asked the woman who lives behind us if it has ever bothered her (she would have no problem saying so). She said "no, your bike sounds like a purring kitten compared to some I've heard". You just never know.

 

[Randy B]

I think motorcycles should have to follow the same laws as cars as far as noise goes, I also think we have to many guns in this country, I'll be glad to give both up when the laws are passed.

This is a dangerous thing to say as passions roll strong on both sides of this.

Greg, you should be free to voice your opinion, whether or not others agree. But I wanted to note to all to make sure to keep this discussion civil as it's a bit of a loaded topic and I'm not sure it gets us anywhere.

So, how are you guys defining "loud": 90dB, 95 dB, 100 dB, 105dB? What's loud to one person might not be to another. My wife thinks my Hawk is too loud at times when I'm working on it (stock exhaust) as she's concerned I'll upset the neighbors. So one day I asked the woman who lives behind us if it has ever bothered her (she would have no problem saying so). She said "no, your bike sounds like a purring kitten compared to some I've heard". You just never know.

I agree with this, but I think with SOME of this we may be straying into territory that you removed the general section for.
My $.02.

 

[Guth_imp]

Lets leave the gun stuff out. Just trying to give discussion a chance as it is motorcycle related. If people can't stick to the subject at had, we'll just shut this one down.

 

[Cormanus]

My return-to-riding bike was a VT750 Shadow that had an OEM exhaust slightly modified to remove a baffle or two. It was noisy, in a V-twin kind of way and lots of bikers and enthusiasts would tell me how good it sounded. Over time I got embarrassed by it as I didn't really like drawing so much attention to myself. I also got sick of riding it as the noise of the exhaust got wearing after a time in the saddle.

I'm much happier with the stock CB1100 muffler (which I mostly can't hear) and have no intention of increasing the noise the bike makes.

I accept the adage that "loud pipes save lives" may have some truth in it, but it may also be a cute rationalisation for people who want their bike (or car for that matter) to make a lot of noise.

To each their own, but it isn't for me.

 

[OldF7Guy_imp]

Loud pipes dont bother me. My Sportster was probably as loud as you could make one and my Nighthawk is probably as quiet as they get. I have been to both extremes. I do think there is something to be said about being heard before you are seen. I rode yesterday with a two guys and both of them had very loud exhausts. Didnt bother me in the least. One guy was on a 650 V star Yamaha and the other guy was on a custom chopper with a S & S 117 Cubic inch monster.

I am sure that the really loud motorcycles are probably illegal but in my area the law wont bother you as long as you are not cutting up or doing something stupid. I am going to leave my Nighthawk alone and leave it stock. My hearing is already starting to go on me and I figure its from riding loud motorcycles too much and from years of shooting too may guns.

To each his own. Its kinda like wearing a helmet. I was the only guy yesterday with a lid on but I like the fact that in Kentucky we have a choice even though I always wear one. I am not going to lecture anybody about it unless it was my kids of something like that.

 

[thumper_imp]

I'll be brief, as this is a hot topic.

If loud pipes really save lives, then by the same logic, shouldn't the siren on my patrol car point backwards? :idea:

 

[OldF7Guy_imp]

I'll be brief, as this is a hot topic.

If loud pipes really save lives, then by the same logic, shouldn't the siren on my patrol car point backwards? :idea:

When I hear a siren it always takes me a minute to figure out which way or where its coming from. But, it gets my attention and that is the point. Its a different noise kinda like loud exhausts that you are not used to hearing. We are all riders here and we are probably tuned in more to what is going on around us that the average guy/gal in a car that is busy putting on their lipstick or texting.

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

I spent the night at a friends house in Daytona during Bike Week a few years ago. He was right on the river, and I was up at dawn enjoying the quiet, the birds. As the morning went on, a din of motorcycle noise began to rise until it was as thick as a summer fog. I asked my host and a few other people what they thought about it, and without exception they said they were happy to have the tourists in town spending money.

Personally I've reached a point where loud pipes don't appeal to me like they used to. But you know that those guys on their Hawgs aren't going to enjoy themselves if they can't make a racket. Is it REALLY that intrusive on anyone's life to have a loud bike go by from time to time? If Daytona can put up with thousands of them for weeks at a time, I have to think the rest of us can.

 

[OldF7Guy_imp]

Sitting here thinking about it a little more. I cant stand the kids that have a 500 dollar car with a 2500 boom box in them that ride up and down the road blasting rap music. That is noise polution to me and annoys the heck out of me. So, I see the OP's point although it doesnt bother me any. I just thought it was fair to point out what bothers some of us doesnt others.

 

[the Ferret]

I was a little worried about this thread and considered adding this subject of the things we can't talk about list, but so far you guys have done an admirable job. Lets keep it up.

It may all be a moot point someday as the Gubmint will undoubtedly pass legislation requiring the use of stamped exhausts that meet noise and emissions requirements eventually, but enforcement would be a nightmare.

The Press Democrat

for fun google "Ban on loud motorcycles"

BTW I got my one and only loud pipes ticket with a set of fishtail mufflers on a Harley Panhead in 1969 in the Village of Fairfax, Ohio. I was 19 then and didn't think they were too loud. The officer who could not get his nightstick in the end of the pipes to verify silencers disagreed. So did the Mayor in the Mayor's Court in the village I got busted in. If I remember correctly it cost me $37 plus court costs.... around $50 total. A weeks wages in 1969 for this kid.

In the intervening years I have come to appreciate a quiet set of pipes.

 

[Scoobynut_imp]

I've found that most, not all mind you, proponents of the "Loud Pipes Save Lives" argument -- if you can call it that -- are generally people to whom a great ride is a 30 mile trip to the bar with 100 of their closest friends in tow.

IMO it's just a juvenile rationalization of a juvenile notion of what creates safety. What really saves lives is being alert (situational awareness), knowing how to ride your machine in an emergency situation, and wearing the proper gear, among other things. Myself, I hate the whole 'argument.' Now if you want to argue that you like how the bike sounds with louder pipes, I'll have that debate with you, because then you're not assigning some dubious safety rationale to louder pipes.

If you're depending on loud pipes to save your life in a sea of phone talking, texting, loud-music-listening drivers, good luck with all that I say.

 

[Guth_imp]

As I follow this discussion, I keep coming back to this: how are we defining "loud"?

The answer that you would have received from me when I was 18 probably would have been a bit different than you would from me now at age 51 and yet again in another 10 or 20 years should I be so fortunate. Such are the joys of getting old.

 

[ride4now_imp]

The problem with the loud pipes is even though 'we' as riders may be 'ok' with it... the general non-riding public can get very annoyed. And that hurts the sport because they equate all motorcycles and motorcyclists as being a noisy nuisance.
My Harley has stock pipes... and it is not loud at all. Yet, down the street a bit another guy has a Road King with a modified exhaust and every time he fires it up, I get annoyed. And when he rides down the hill out of the neighborhood you hear his engine braking... way too loud. So when people look at that, they think all bikes are annoying, especially Harley's. It's not the bike... It's the owner who modified it.
I'm with Greg on the one...

 

[Guth_imp]

So what do you say to the person that is annoyed by your stock Harley and feels that it is too loud?

 

[Scoobynut_imp]

The problem with the loud pipes is even though 'we' as riders may be 'ok' with it... the general non-riding public can get very annoyed. And that hurts the sport because they equate all motorcycles and motorcyclists as being a noisy nuisance.
My Harley has stock pipes... and it is not loud at all. Yet, down the street a bit another guy has a Road King with a modified exhaust and every time he fires it up, I get annoyed. And when he rides down the hill out of the neighborhood you hear his engine braking... way too loud. So when people look at that, they think all bikes are annoying, especially Harley's. It's not the bike... It's the owner who modified it.
I'm with Greg on the one...

The town I live in is full of yayhoos like your neighbor. I think if you were to pyschoanalyze most of these people, I think you'd find that they crave attention, and in their juvenile mindset, they think that being loud will get the attention they crave, which no doubt it does, but they pay no attention to whether the attention is good or bad. You cannot be a faux badass if your bike isn't obnoxiously loud. It doesn't annoy only the non-riding public, it annoys the hell out of me. I'm talking about the straight pipes that are so loud they hurt the ears. I have nothing against a baffled, or even non-baffled aftermarket exhaust that stays below the level of obnoxious, why I even own a few of those myself.

Anyone else care to join in the pychoanalysis of riders with obnoxiously loud exhaust?

So what do you say to the person that is annoyed by your stock Harley and feels that it is too loud?

Guth, that's an easy one. "The exhaust on my Harley is EPA/DOT approved, meets all state and federal regulations, and is 100 percent legal. If you feel otherwise, please feel free to inquire with the proper authorities on your own time."