Do motorcycles have to be so loud?

[Kalmah]

Originally posted by: ballmode
they are loud, they caught your attention, more likely to be noticed so people dont run them over

zing!

I had one wiz by me so fast one night it scared the hell out of me. It came up around a curve in front of me just roaring. I jumped and almost jerked the wheel to the left.

 

[WiseOldDude]

Porches are sign of the small pee pee, loud motorcycles are a sign of small brains

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: Dubb
it's exactly a small pee pee type of thing. I hate those bikes. especially when you're in traffic next to one and can't carry on a conversation with the passenger in your car because they're so loud.

I've always wanted a device that would make small engines die. it'd be so useful. farty motorcycles, snowmobiles, jetskis...all the anoying little gnat machines.

Actually, it's a life saving thing. With those loud bikes, you're move aware that they are indeed present and less likely to hit a biker.

unfortunately, those are the ones who deserve to be hit.

the flashing hi-beams works just as well and it doesn't wake up everybody in a 10 mile radius when you ride at night.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: Dubb
it's exactly a small pee pee type of thing. I hate those bikes. especially when you're in traffic next to one and can't carry on a conversation with the passenger in your car because they're so loud.

I've always wanted a device that would make small engines die. it'd be so useful. farty motorcycles, snowmobiles, jetskis...all the anoying little gnat machines.

Actually, it's a life saving thing. With those loud bikes, you're move aware that they are indeed present and less likely to hit a biker.

unfortunately, those are the ones who deserve to be hit.

the flashing hi-beams works just as well and it doesn't wake up everybody in a 10 mile radius when you ride at night.

Oh cry about it on the Internet you sissy..oh wait you are:laugh:

 

[Thraxen]

I guess if safety is the issue then bicyclists should all have loud sirens.... maybe pedestrians too. Wouldn't that be fun.

 

[KK]

if it is about safety then why do the point all the noise behind them? Are the afraid someone is going to mow them over from behind?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
I guess if safety is the issue then bicyclists should all have loud sirens.... maybe pedestrians too. Wouldn't that be fun.

You ever think they have loud pipes just to annoy wankers like you?

Anyway there are laws against excessively loud pipes the limits just may not be to your liking. Personally I don't mind them.

 

[ForumMaster]

while the noise helps to keep the biker safe, i hate ppl who cut their tailpipe just to make more noise. HD motorcycles, for example, make too much noise. my grampa's BMW is much quiter but ppl still notice it without getting deaf for 5 minutes cause of it.

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: MotionMan
Do motorcycles have to be so loud (You know, those "Hells Angels" type machines)?

Or is it another small pee-pee thing?

MotionMan

Yes, another small pee-pee thing.

and yes I own a motorcycle, and not its not loud.


besides, with modern cars your not going to hear it with the windows up and stereo going unless its beside you at a light or immediately in front of you. (idiots riding them know so little about the mechanics of sound)

 

[BoberFett]

*sniffle* *cry* *whine*

My pipes are loud and that's the way I like them. If you don't like it, too bad. I don't like the way some of you are such nancy boys, but you don't see me bitching.

 

[CrimsonChaos]

Of course, there's a lot of generalizing going on here. So, to follow suit...

Saying people drive loud motorcycles for safety reasons is pretty ridiculous. How many times do you see a biker sitting a light "revving" their bike? I guess this is for safety too? Or how many times is the engine that loud because they're driving entirely too fast for the zone they are in?

And I suppose people playing extremely loud music in their cars is also for their safety? "Well you noticed them, didn't you?" Great theory there, until you consider it's difficult to hear ACTUAL warning signals (i.e. police, ambulances, fire trucks) over nonsense like motorcycles and loud music.

OP, people saying you're a pansy for not "just dealing" with the noise have security issues. Don't let those who need to qualify their "manhood" by riding loud bikes or playing loud music dissuade you from your argument.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: CrimsonChaos
Of course, there's a lot of generalizing going on here. So, to follow suit...

Saying people drive loud motorcycles for safety reasons is pretty ridiculous. How many times do you see a biker sitting a light "revving" their bike? I guess this is for safety too? Or how many times is the engine that loud because they're driving entirely too fast for the zone they are in?

And I suppose people playing extremely loud music in their cars is also for their safety? "Well you noticed them, didn't you?" Great theory there, until you consider it's difficult to hear ACTUAL warning signals (i.e. police, ambulances, fire trucks) over nonsense like motorcycles and loud music.

OP, people saying you're a pansy for not "just dealing" with the noise have security issues. Don't let those who need to qualify their "manhood" by riding loud bikes or playing loud music dissuade you from your argument.

Your argument might have some merit if those who were doing the whining about it weren't such pussies. "Oh it's too loud and it bothers me"..Waaaah!!!

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't mind them on the road while I'm driving. But when you have a jackass running his harley wannabe POS around the block at 12AM-2AM, you've crossed the line.

Boy, did I get in on this thread soooo late!

I'm a Harley rider... and you have to warm your bike up prior to taking off on it. So that loud noise your hearing in the mornings is the biker who is warming up his or her bike. Some of us, motorcycles are our only means of transpo. Geeez, get some ear stoppers and put them in your ears! :roll:

Yes, better to be seen and heard so some Cager (who isn't looking and paying attention on the road) runs us over!

Harley riders are the least of your concerns... it is the Squids who P*ss me off. Racing on the public roadways at an excess of 100 to 200 mph, wearing only shorts, shirt, tennis shoes and no helmuts! Give me a break!

 

[BoberFett]

Oh, and I to add that that it gives me great pleasure to know that I piss off girly men like the ones in this thread. The only thing better than having loud pipes is when I'm doing a regional run where there are 1000s of bikes with loud pipes. The sound of a pack of rumbling v-twins is music to my ears. Pissing off uptight tools and their shriveled up prudish women is just icing on that cake.

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Oh, and I to add that that it gives me great pleasure to know that I piss off girly men like the ones in this thread. The only thing better than having loud pipes is when I'm doing a regional run where there are 1000s of bikes with loud pipes. The sound of a pack of rumbling v-twins is music to my ears. Pissing off uptight tools and their shriveled up prudish women is just icing on that cake.

LOL... yea, I love riding my bike at my apartment complex and setting off all the alarms, watching peeps come running out to see wtf is going on with their car!

I'm right there with you Bober!

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: ValkyrieofHouston

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Oh, and I to add that that it gives me great pleasure to know that I piss off girly men like the ones in this thread. The only thing better than having loud pipes is when I'm doing a regional run where there are 1000s of bikes with loud pipes. The sound of a pack of rumbling v-twins is music to my ears. Pissing off uptight tools and their shriveled up prudish women is just icing on that cake.

LOL... yea, I love riding my bike at my apartment complex and setting off all the alarms, watching peeps come running out to see wtf is going on with their car!

I'm right there with you Bober!

You must have a small pee pee according to the OP:laugh:

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: ValkyrieofHouston

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Oh, and I to add that that it gives me great pleasure to know that I piss off girly men like the ones in this thread. The only thing better than having loud pipes is when I'm doing a regional run where there are 1000s of bikes with loud pipes. The sound of a pack of rumbling v-twins is music to my ears. Pissing off uptight tools and their shriveled up prudish women is just icing on that cake.

LOL... yea, I love riding my bike at my apartment complex and setting off all the alarms, watching peeps come running out to see wtf is going on with their car!

I'm right there with you Bober!

You must have a small pee pee according to the OP:laugh:

Ha hahahhahah!

Yea, I guess I have an imaginary pee pee complex! LOL

(or is that penis envy?)

 

[kalster]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Oh, and I to add that that it gives me great pleasure to know that I piss off girly men like the ones in this thread. The only thing better than having loud pipes is when I'm doing a regional run where there are 1000s of bikes with loud pipes. The sound of a pack of rumbling v-twins is music to my ears. Pissing off uptight tools and their shriveled up prudish women is just icing on that cake.

move right next to an airport. so even at night you will have pleasure knowing that you are so 'manly' that you can stand noise all night long. so 'macho' of you to be able to listen to other people's annoying noise and not whine like a 'pussy' :disgust:

 

[Ika]

I was on the highway the other day and nearly killed a motorcyclist because his bike was inaudible. Actually, I didn't nearly kill him, but I was surprised to see him so close.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Aflac
I was on the highway the other day and nearly killed a motorcyclist because his bike was inaudible. Actually, I didn't nearly kill him, but I was surprised to see him so close.

Yeah sometimes they are hard to see even if you are paying attention.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Aflac
I was on the highway the other day and nearly killed a motorcyclist because his bike was inaudible. Actually, I didn't nearly kill him, but I was surprised to see him so close.

Bingo!

This happens ALL THE TIME. You can have the brightest neon colors and all your lights flashing... but if the driver isn't looking at you, he will not see you.

Sound fills that void.

Folks, if you're in a car and someone comes into your lane not seeing you, it's scratch and a dent. If it happens to you on a bike, it's deadly.

This is why my bike is loud. Not open pipes, but signifigantly louder than stock. I actually SEE people looking for me when they hear me. That awareness alone makes me MUCH safer.

After 20+ years of riding both quiet bikes and loud bikes I can say without any doubt whatsoever that I am noticed, avoided and have FAR fewer close calls on a loud bike than a quiet one.

For that reason alone, I will keep my bike loud.

And no, I don't sit at lights and rev my engine.

 

[yllus]

I actually never considered that the loudness was for safety reasons.

I will say though - it is mildly annoying if you're in your house and some loud-assed Harley goes by. I'd make the same exact complaint if it was some dumbass teenager in his lowered Civic blasting ghetto rap - noise pollution is noise pollution. But at least it sounds like bikes have a legitimate rationale.

 

[torpid]

The problem with the loud = safe theory is this... the most dangerous motorcyclists are the ones who ride crotchrockets and zoom all over the place. Those things are generally pretty quiet. I have never almost killed a harley rider because they don't tend to drive like morons. For whatever reason, I find people who ride the huge harleys to be some of the safest drivers.

I have almost killed crotchrocket riders numerous times. The most common scenario is when I signal a lane change and then the crotchrocket zooms into the lane I'm about to go in without signalling and accelerates from behind. This is almost a guaranteed scenario if there is a crotch rocket behind me and an open lane to my left or right.

If they made motorcycles with a loud on/off button that would be great, so I don't hear the 200 decibel motorcycle pulling into the driveway of my apartment buliding at 3am.

 

[Jmman]

Actually, there is something to the loud pipe thing and safety. Insurance rates for Harleys are way cheaper than sport bikes, and at least part of that is the noise factor. I own a Harley and I will admit though that some guys get carried away with the straight pipes. Is it really any more annoying than the people who have a 4000 watt sound system in their car or have those "fart" pipes on their ricer though?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: torpid
The problem with the loud = safe theory is this... the most dangerous motorcyclists are the ones who ride crotchrockets and zoom all over the place. Those things are generally pretty quiet. I have never almost killed a harley rider because they don't tend to drive like morons. For whatever reason, I find people who ride the huge harleys to be some of the safest drivers.

I have almost killed crotchrocket riders numerous times. The most common scenario is when I signal a lane change and then the crotchrocket zooms into the lane I'm about to go in without signalling and accelerates from behind. This is almost a guaranteed scenario if there is a crotch rocket behind me and an open lane to my left or right.

If they made motorcycles with a loud on/off button that would be great, so I don't hear the 200 decibel motorcycle pulling into the driveway of my apartment buliding at 3am.

Actually, my last 2 crotch rockets were loud for this very reason. Now I ride a Harley.

Yes, rider responsibility goes far. But so does driver awareness. And my loud bike makes drivers much more aware of me... and that's ALL that matters to me.

BTW, I lug the engine in neighborhoods and late at night to be as quiet as possible. I added the "quiet baffles" to my V&H pipes so the idle is a bit quieter.

Running with no baffles at all is not only too loud, it makes your bike far less powerful. An engine needs backpressure.