Why are Harleys so loud?

Question

I see other motorcycles that go twice as fast and look 5 times as awesome and they hardly make as much noise. Not only that, but I always see Harleys broken down on the side of the road.
What is the attraction? And why do I only see men over 50 ever riding them? Are they like the midlife-crisis porche equivalent for the dirty biker?

I looked it up, and here is tha "American-Made" info on wiki:

To remain profitable Harley continues to increase the amount of overseas made parts it uses, while being careful not to harm its valuable "American Made" image.

Overseas=American made? Hmm?

Answer 1

This is a question that has been answer thousands of times here. Apparently all you Harley Hater's just don't understand so why don't you just let it go. Us Bikers don't hang out on Yahoo Answer's all day and bash Rice Burners and Crotch Rockets. We really don't give a **** what you ride, so why do you? If you don't understand the whole "HARLEY" thing that's fine. But there is no reason to bash those that do.

Answer 2

Harley Davidson is the only manufacturer I know who has a NOISE WARRANTY. From the factory, a new HD is quieter than a brand new car. I don't see them broken down, I see the riders stopping for a smoke break. Most of the people I ride with are well under 50, as am I. Here's a note for ya, most "bikers" are a lot more polite than you. They can ask a question without being insulting or rude. My turn: Do you dye your hair?(rudeness intended)

Answer 3

inventory pipes are surely very quiet. the pipes are so quiet that, while in a poker run that has motorcycles that run the vance and hines (that's sometimes the main familiar hd pipe) or any no-baffle pipe, those with the inventory pipes wont be able to hearken to their very own engine. i've got had to drag returned so some distance as 60 yards in the past i could hear the engine from being in the back of a bike that had the vance and hines long pictures....yet this bike for sure had the baffles out additionally. it became defening. yet another rider i comprehend has a sequence of human beings that have the baffles in them, and tho they are slightly louder than inventory, they don't look to be so loud that u can hear him from a one million/4 mile away. any bike....hd or no hd.....would be ear splitting if the pipes have not have been given any baffles. seems the diameter of the pipe comes into play additionally...ever observe how small of diameter drag pipes are? hd's dont have unique 'rights' as to being the loudest bike on the line. i've got heard rather a number of the metric heavy cruisers come on the verge of crumple of, or equivalent the quantity of a hd. samson, cobra, and perplexing krome pipes are rather loud.

Answer 4

Harley riders are a unique genre

They want to display their individuality, so they buy a Harley like everybody else who wants to display their individuality.

Oh, and they wear the "Harley uniform" (black on black and leather on leather) to show that they are 'different'!

Harley swung open their doors in 1911 and quickly became popular because they were quiet. YES . . . QUIET! They called it "The silent grey fellow". It soon gained the reputation for ruggedness and reliability.

Harley pulled off one shrewd move that makes me laugh to this day. When the US gov't asked the only two motorcycle manufacturers who survived the depression to each submit a 30 inch (500cc) model to compete for the contract to manufacture bikes for the war effort, the guys at Harley submitted a 45 (750cc). The Harley 45 performed so much better than the Indian submission that the displacement restriction was waived and Harley got the contract!

Harleys used to be charming. They've always had the long-stroke undersquare tandem twin splayed at a 45 degree angle. To own one was to own a piece of history, an anacronism from a bygone era. Those with affection for the marque didn't mind that it was an archaic engine design with larger than life tranny cogs, overbuilt brackets baloney and bullshiit. It is the epitome of Americana art.

It prospered through the hey days of the roaring 20s, held on by its nose hairs through the great depression, became the symbol of victory for the greatest generation following the second world war, embraced by the 60s generation in film and culture, and it remains America's point of contact with this century's heritage.

I don't really care that they're loud. I don't really care that they haven't kept pace with current trends set in Japan or Europe. And I don't care if (like hound dogs) they like riding in the back of pickups or mark their spot.

If they are in any way bad motorcycles, frankly I don't give a shiit, they're OUR bad motorcycles, and they suit me just fine.
.

Answer 5

I think that a lot of them are to loud. I like the bikes and the Harley has a lot more torque, which makes it a better cruiser than a lot of the others. True, there are a lot faster bikes out there, but the Harley will pick up a lot more women. You see a lot of Harley's that have a lot of miles on them. You dont see many Jap bikes that do (Goldwing and sone of the Yamaha Star line are the exceptions).

Answer 6

I ride a Roadstar by choice, my choice, the same choice that someone who rides a Harley made or the smart-as s on the crotch rocket did when they bought it.

If you don't like the ride, shut the hel* up, none of your damn business what they ride, There are alot more people bashing Harley's than Harley riders bashing the rockets.
Then, most HD riders I know don't care much about you, much less your ride.

Reb, what do you ride? Or you just got to open your mouth.

Answer 7

For the last time Harley's are loud because all you MFers don't see us maybe you will hear us. For all of you Harley haters here, I wish one of you had to balls to come up to me face to face and talk your ****. If you were half the man you claim to be you would. You can find me or hundreds just like me at any Harley Event Nation Wide, just walk on up and say we only ride Harley's as extension of our *****, Or talk about how they break down and leak oil. We will be glad to talk it over with you, or better yet where do all you rice burners, and crotch rockets hang out send a invite, oh that's right you MFers have now invaded our events. Most of us Bikers leave you alone when you are there, but don't push it we really don't like it that you are there. I know I just love it when one of you punk-ed out sissy boy crotch rocket riders run their mouth around me it give me something to do for a few seconds. Watch your *** I'll be looking for you!

Answer 8

From the factory, they're not. But we replace the pipes as soon as we can!

Lots of us "over 50s" can actually AFFORD a new Harley without going into debt. And many of us owned them back in the day, so why not now??

Can't say that I see a lot of them broke, though. The old AMF Harley's were pretty sad. The current ones are pretty damn reliable.

The attraction is riding something AMERICAN. Don't ride rice, RIDE AMERICAN!

Answer 9

Basically it's called the tool facter. They put those stupid pipes on there so you will think they are a bad @ss. I really like it when they rev the motor when they approach a stop light. They have know idea what they are doing.


if it has to be explained you wouldn't understand? understand what? that you are a wanna be sheep in the crowd of dirt bags.You don't even have an idea what riding is about.

Wow 5500 miles on you sporster. That the closest thing to a woman's bike i have ever seen. I put 10000 a year on a sport bike and my blackbird will do it faster longer and better than your trash will any day

Harley's suck.
Whats a noise warranty? this just proved my tool theory!
and I am sure he's got hair to dye

hey chicago tool trailer you crap to deals gap and i will shut your peter holster

Answer 10

any bike that runs straight pipes will be extremely loud. vance and hines shortshots without baffles will be almost deafeningly loud.
i have almost 5500 miles on my '05 1200 sportster, and the engine has never givin me a bit of problem. always starts, strong runner.

with the exception of the v-rod, all harley are air cooled. riceburner's are liquid cooled. big difference. harley's ride on heavy steel frames, not aluminum and fiberglass like the rice rockets.
american made, union made; a rarity anymore.

harley are for cruising; except for the buell's, or v-rod's, 98% of harley's wont match the speed of a rice rocket. on the other hand, a rider on a gold wing that knows what he's doin will eat a squid on a crotch rocket for breakfest on the dragon.
speed dont mean much...unless u go down, then it means something. i know a guy that went down at 70 mph and slid 202', and had massive road rash. god help these rice rocket jocks i see that ride hell bent for leather in only a t-shirt, shorts, and sandles. wont be much left of their skin be sure.