Noisey pipes?

Question

Who really believes that NOISEY PIPES are anything but a black eye for motorcycles of all kinds?

Nurse GOOD HEAD, is that you?

Answer 1

My town (and a couple of apartment complexes and home owners associations I've been subjected to) all feel that motorcycles with loud pipes are a black eye. The living situations chose to BAN, completely, motorcycles being parked in their areas. YES, you read that correctly.. loud pipes have ended up with the LOSE OF THE PRIVLIDGE to ride a bike at ALL.

The town I live in currently passed a noise ordinance a couple years back after the yearly Sturgis pilgramige (we're on the way), so now ALL motorcyclists are targeted by the cops... including myself, with a totaly stock exhaust system.

So, there are LOTS of people who think noisy pipes are a negative issue. And those are the Majority of people in the world, who DON'T ride and don't care about the loss of rights to those who do.

Riders with loud pipes wouldn't NEED loud pipes to "save their lives" (BTW, that's been proven absolutly wrong again and again) if they would bother to pay attention while riding.... but instead of paying attention, they're just going to continue screwing it up for everyone else.

So to you with loud pipes, thanks a lot for doing your best to take away MY privlidge to ride. asholes.

Answer 2

What a good question Scott. I am a former crotch-rocket pilot, former Harley rider and long time motocross racer. I always had pipes on my street bikes..more for performance gains than a statement of my badazzness. I never subscribed to the loud pipes save lives theory..riding smart and paying attention to all the morons in cars saves lives although you could have a neon billboard flashing with a brass band playing and you will still be nearly killed by some slugged out broad gabbing incessantly on a cell phone with some ridiculous ring tone about how stressed out her kids make her. Most of the loud pipe issues are because of our own stupid behavior in the wrong places..we piss people off and we keep doing it and now we are being summarily banned from certain places as mentioned by another rider and it sucks but it is to be expected. We are now facing the same issues on the Motocross track as well. The recent onslaught of 4-strokes has raised noise levels considerably and many tracks are being threatened by neighboring communities because of the racket. Recently the AMA has imposed sound restrictions at a max of 96 decibles..a good step. Most of the big off-road exhaust manufacturers have developed "quiet" pipes that do not negatively effect performance and I'm sure more and more of this technology can quiet us down on the street without turning our bikes into slugs.

Answer 3

I think most people who buy aftermarket exhaust do so for performance or for looks,both maybe.
I think very few go out of their way to be really loud,but often high performance pipes are louder,I know mine are. So what's the B FD? at very worst you hear a --Vrooom- for a second as I ride by, it's not like I'm sitting in your driveway at dinner time redlining the engine.
Also most motorcycle fatalities are caused by cagers who were "unaware of the motorcycle" I believe anything that makes drivers more aware of me is a good thing.

Answer 4

Pipes that increase HP are going to be at least a little louder. Most of those running straight pipes on Harleys are RUBS who are so clueless they don't realize they are losing tourque and midrange HP where its needed most. Big twins need some back pressure to perform best. A good 2 into 1 system like Supertrapp or Thunderheader will work best on a street (mostly stock) motor and they have a good, louder than stock, sound.

Answer 5

Ah yes...the old "loud pipes saves lives" people come out for questions like this. The fact is loud pipes don't save lives but do annoy people. These people complain to the powers that be and these people vote. So the powers that be pass laws and regulations to keep the complainers/voters happy. There is a fine line between a sweet sounding exhaust and just plain noise. Most bikers that change pipes go for the noise as opposed to the "sweet". Personally I'd like to see some decibel levels established and cops carry sound meters with them occasionally so they can ticket these loud bikes. I don't enjoy my Sunday's disrupted by some immature biker with loud pipes using them to compensate for what Mother Nature didn't give them. FYI...I've been riding for over 30 years and I have owned more bikes in my lifetime than most people and currently have 3 licensed bikes in my garage as I write this.

Answer 6

I don't think it is a black eye for all motorcyclist of all kind. I personally like a healthy sounding bike but I use a little common sense I don't hammer it down when riding through a residential area or try to rattle everyones windows at a stop light nor do I make sure all my neighbors are awake when I leave for work in the mornings.

Answer 7

Well louder pipes draws attention. You can't always see a motorcycle very good but if the motorcycle has loud pipes you can hear it. Loud pipes saves lives. Yes. I am a nurse, I have seen to many victims in accidents that could have been prevented, and I have lost family members, too. I own two Harleys with loud pipes Screaming Eagles not straight pipes.

Answer 8

I don't believe it actually gives any black eye.I do not believe it has ever saved a life.I like loud pipes but I live way out in the middle of nowhere so I can honestly say I don't wake people up with them either.When I'm in town I always take it easy so I don't bother them during the 3 seconds it takes to pass them.

Answer 9

Loud pipes? Providing a major black eye for the entire motorcycling community is what they do best.

Save lives? That would be VERY difficult to prove. Most of the noise is beside or behind the bike when it is moving, and virtually everyone today has air conditioning in their cars and trucks, plus they have loud music. If the driver of the other vehicle is unaware of the bike by sight, then with the other things occupying his/her attention the bike will not be noticed until it is beside their vehicle, and then all the bike noise is likely to do is annoy the other driver.

The people who are invariably affected are pedestrians who represent zero danger or concern to the bike, but are invariably assaulted by the noise, and dislike the insults to their ears.

I use stock pipes only, and have a steadfast rule on loud pipes: I refuse to ride with anyone who thinks so little of other people.

Answer 10

People don't really respect loud pipes, but they do draw attention, which is a good thing because motorists rarely see quiet bikes.

Can't tell you how many stories I've heard of bike crashes because the car driver "never saw" the biker.