geekhack
geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: microsoft windows on Thu, 26 June 2014, 14:18:02
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Do loud motorcycles bother you at all? Or are you one who perfers to ride on a loud motorcycle? Do you think municipalities passing decibel regulations for vehicles is a violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution? Dish the dirt here.
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if you have a problem with loud motorcycles, i'm glad to hear your new vagina is growing perfectly.
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absolutely no care in the world
(http://www.clker.com/cliparts/a/b/1/0/1260065522493659183deaf-symbol.svg.hi.png)
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A loud bike is great to ride. Unless stupid loud with aftermarket exhausts that do nothing but release the kraken of decibels.
That said, revving the bike at 2am is an ******* thing to do. Completely unnecessary.
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How about revving the bike at 6am? That's what I like to do every weekend for fun. :)
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How about revving the bike at 6am? That's what I like to do every weekend for fun. :)
depending on how close you are to my house you may be confronted by an angry deaf man
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How about revving the bike at 6am? That's what I like to do every weekend for fun. :)
depending on how close you are to my house you may be confronted by an angry deaf man
But if the man is deaf, would he truly be bothered by the loud bike?
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How about revving the bike at 6am? That's what I like to do every weekend for fun. :)
depending on how close you are to my house you may be confronted by an angry deaf man
But if the man is deaf, would he truly be bothered by the loud bike?
yes, I can feel the idling/rumbling of it. If it wakes me up we may have issues ..... now if it's a loud car I may ask for a ride :P
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How about revving the bike at 6am? That's what I like to do every weekend for fun. :)
depending on how close you are to my house you may be confronted by an angry deaf man
But if the man is deaf, would he truly be bothered by the loud bike?
yes, I can feel the idling/rumbling of it. If it wakes me up we may have issues ..... now if it's a loud car I may ask for a ride :P
Oh I like loud cars too. But I rev those before I rev my loud bikes at 6.
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Love Harley's; choppers, Indians. But not the import bikes.
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Love Harley's; choppers, Indians. But not the import bikes.
GTFO!
(http://www.boostbysmith.com/Matt/images/scarryjerry.jpg)
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Love Harley's; choppers, Indians. But not the import bikes.
Same, my buds got into baggers, I'm too much of a puss, you can do everything right and still lose on the road. One of my friends went under an 18 wheeler on his Harley and died, left 2 daughters behind.
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Love Harley's; choppers, Indians. But not the import bikes.
By imports you mean not built in the USA? Because all Harley parts are manufactured in Japan now.
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As someone who used to live on a country lane I hate bikes that are loud for no ****ing reason. Holy ****... it's not so much the noise from one bike, its the fact that they tend to ride in convoys of 10-15... used to piss me off so much becasue all of a sudden 15 middle aged fat blokes would be driving past the house on ****ty little bikes they have made to be as loud as possible, for no reason.
That said, I do dislike bikers who try and ride the roads like a MotoGP driver on roads they clearly have no idea how to ride/drive. I've nearly killed and decapitated several blokes who think its a good idea to cut blind corners at 40-50mph on roads that are bearly wide enough for two cars normally... so maybe it's just me.. lol
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I do like the sound of a nice aftermarket exhaust on a non metric V-twin, or V-8, and feel that the saying "loud pipes save lives" is true. But if you. One ripping up and down my street at ubsurd hours and wake up my wife or daughter (son could have slept through the SF earthquake) there will be issues. You can ask the guy that lives down the street from me. He woke my daughter up at 2am on morning when she had 3 teeth coming in at the same time.
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I have no preference to metric or non-metric v-twins, but making them loud for just the sake of noise is just ridiculous. I love a good sounding bike. It could even have straight pipes as long as it was tuned well.
The problem I have (as stated before) is the rudeness of some of the people that ride these loud bikes. My ex-neighbor used to get drunk on weekday nights and do rev-limiter burnouts in the parking lot of our apartment with his straight piped FXST. It sounded horrible as that was his only mod. It would sputter and pop and just didn't sound healthy, but he thought it was badass. I have the same issue with guys on crotch rockets, there is no need for it to cause ears to bleed to make good power.
Having said that, I don't always own street bikes, but when I do, they sound like this:
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I think they are annoying when they pull up next to me so loud I have to roll up the window to hear my wife talking. I'm sure I wouldn't care if I was the one riding it though.
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Loud pipes suck in the culdesac but I genuinely believe they save lives on the road.
Drivers tend not to watch for motorcycles so the extra element of sound is helpful in some cases.
As far as a violation of rights, I think its fair to place loud pipes in category with other noise offenses such as loud music.
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Every time I see someone on a Harley I think of the Southpark Episode.
Brubb brubb brubbbb BRUBBBB
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s13e12-the-f-word
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Hate loud bikes gunning past my house between midnight and 7AM.
Love loud MX blues clicking and clacking in my office during work hours.
Come at me bro.
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Hate loud bikes gunning past my house between midnight and 7AM.
Love loud MX blues clicking and clacking in my office during work hours.
Come at me bro.
here here
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Hate loud bikes gunning past my house between midnight and 7AM.
Love loud MX blues clicking and clacking in my office during work hours.
Come at me bro.
here here
Hey Hey. I dunno about motorcycles, I just ride my bicycle. But I fart really loud whenever I can. Makes me go faster. Some people have complained.
Here's my '57 Wasp:
(http://biskey7.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/image5b85d2807cbe0.png)
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
I'd buy that argument except that the people who say that: either don't wear helmets, or wear ones that don't cover their face, have no headlight on, don't wear high visibility gear, wear tear-away pants and vests, etc....
Before you can justify being loud as a safety concern, you should at least pretend to take safety seriously.
Just my $0.02 from my few years of riding. If you want to be safe, get a full face helmet, high visibility jacket/vest/helmet, always have a headlight/highbeam on, ride properly, and if possible, get a bike with ABS. :thumb:
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A guy just rolled past my house on a super loud bike with a super loud stereo system to go along with it. Lol. If your ride sounds like it's in my living room it's too damn loud.
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I thought bikes had to be loud so that cars don't run into them...
I can't see any other reason for it... the noise is significantly more annoying to the rider than anyone else that can roll up their windows..
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
They'll save lives until an angry passer-by sticks a broomstick in their spokes.
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
They'll save lives until an angry passer-by sticks a broomstick in their spokes.
wouldn't this be just as dangerous for the person using the broom?
those spokes on a m-bike have alot more energy and are more rigid, and the bike is moving as well which could fall and go under the car of the broom handling guy.. and cause that car to flip or swerve
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
That's total and utter bull****, visibility and observing the traffic saves lives. Loud pipes save lives is just a bull**** anecdote to justify having loud pipes when in fact they're mostly for vanitys sake.
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
That's total and utter bull****, visibility and observing the traffic saves lives. Loud pipes save lives is just a bull**** anecdote to justify having loud pipes when in fact they're mostly for vanitys sake.
You don't ride do you?
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why didn't /thread happen after the first "loud pipes save lives"?
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
That's total and utter bull****, visibility and observing the traffic saves lives. Loud pipes save lives is just a bull**** anecdote to justify having loud pipes when in fact they're mostly for vanitys sake.
You don't ride do you?
I do. I don't mind loud exhausts but saying it's for safety is stupid. I've got a full racing exhaust on my bike so you can literally feel the sound on your skin.
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
That's total and utter bull****, visibility and observing the traffic saves lives. Loud pipes save lives is just a bull**** anecdote to justify having loud pipes when in fact they're mostly for vanitys sake.
You don't ride do you?
I do. I don't mind loud exhausts but saying it's for safety is stupid. I've got a full racing exhaust on my bike so you can literally feel the sound on your skin.
Interesting. I've gotten plenty of surprised looks from drivers being none the wiser until they've heard me up close.
You're right -- Stating that loud pipes are for safety IS stupid. The noise level is simply a side effect of the pipes that offers other drivers an alternate sense to be alerted.
I fear for our future electric motorcyclists =]
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Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
(note: i'm a cager by nature and can't afford the bike life, but have relatives who do ride, so i understand and approve)
Edit: however, i am not condoning "abuse of power" and deliberately being loud for no reason at inappropriate times. Some people are just expletives. But this isn't a bike-centric thing. ^^
That's total and utter bull****, visibility and observing the traffic saves lives. Loud pipes save lives is just a bull**** anecdote to justify having loud pipes when in fact they're mostly for vanitys sake.
You don't ride do you?
I do. I don't mind loud exhausts but saying it's for safety is stupid. I've got a full racing exhaust on my bike so you can literally feel the sound on your skin.
Interesting. I've gotten plenty of surprised looks from drivers being none the wiser until they've heard me up close.
You're right -- Stating that loud pipes are for safety IS stupid. The noise level is simply a side effect of the pipes that offers other drivers an alternate sense to be alerted.
I fear for our future electric motorcyclists =]
Yeah it's a nice plus but I cringe every time somebody is telling me how they're gonna get this new exhaust as a safety measure when they're ****ing riding squid, without a helmet, worn out tires or whatever.
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In FL, there is no helmet law -- not required. My favorite thing to see are these idiots with the helmet strapped to the bike instead of on their head -- I don't understand it
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In FL, there is no helmet law -- not required. My favorite thing to see are these idiots with the helmet strapped to the bike instead of on their head -- I don't understand it
that's the message
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In FL, there is no helmet law -- not required. My favorite thing to see are these idiots with the helmet strapped to the bike instead of on their head -- I don't understand it
Those people just don't have much in the way of brains to protect in their heads with helmets, so they choose not to utilize them.
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Even if riding without a helmet was legal I wouldn't, it's a matter of comfort. If I go riding twisties my whole visor gets so full of insects one can barely see thru. I've had small stones, bees and even birds hit my helmet, couldn't really imagine riding without a one (then there's the matter of freezing your face off too)
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what about dirt bikes?
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I hope those punks get run over.
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What I was saying is I love the sound of a loud Harley but not a loud import bike.
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What I was saying is I love the sound of a loud Harley but not a loud import bike.
It's all a matter of taste (and perhaps background).
I'm the opposite... The only way a bike can remotely justify being loud is if it's seriously fast. Straight-piped Harleys make a ton of noise accelerating at the pace of a city bus.
Sportbikes are also a smooth sound by comparison, and tend to only be loud when the are at wide open throttle and higher revs.
None of my bikes have had aftermarket exhausts because I have always had neighbours and often rode at night.
Back to my original point though... Don't bring up noise as a safety measure until you have: high visibility gear, full face helmet, running light/high beam on, pants that aren't tear-away and don't have spikes, and a jacket that offers some protection. HV gear made riding much, much safer for me. Oh, and get a bike with ABS if you can.
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Don't get me wrong I love all types of bikes. Just for loud pipes I prefer a nice deep muscle tone. But cars on the other hand I love a turbo or supercharged small cylinder engine. (Or a big block muscle) either.
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i liek bieks taht go woo-woo
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i liek bieks taht go woo-woo
I have no words for this.
(http://replygif.net/i/114.gif)
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I find loud diesel trucks far more obnoxious. They don't even sound good...
Or when they adjust their air:fuel and do dumb stuff;
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I hate loud bikes. I hate loud trucks with huge tires. I hate rice racers with fart cans. I think crotch rockets are pretty cool though, but I'd never ride one myself.
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Just stick to the legal requirements for all vehicle exhausts and everything should be fine.
I hate when someone redesigns their exhaust system on their Harley or Indian so that it sounds loud for nothing other than to irritate people. Trust me, the natural exhaust on those bikes from the factory is plenty loud as is :thumb: .
Besides most here on Geekhack have never rode nor heard a real Harley in use. If they did, then they'll know what true perfection is when it comes to these wondrous works of art.
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Besides most here on Geekhack have never rode nor heard a real Harley in use. If they did, then they'll know what true perfection is when it comes to these wondrous works of art.
I've heard and rode a few Harleys in my life. My uncle is a former "Hell's Angel" apparently. The sound just doesn't really do it for me.
This on the other hand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0_GCuim9kY), gives me an instant boner.
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Loud bikes are fine, so long as they're actually heading somewhere, in which case the sound is gone long before it wears out its welcome. No problem.
Now, loud kids with their drinking parties, and loud hipsters with their live performances of terrible indie music...these I have a problem with.
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I've heard and rode a few Harleys in my life. My uncle is a former "Hell's Angel" apparently. The sound just doesn't really do it for me.
This on the other hand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0_GCuim9kY), gives me an instant boner.
My Dad was a former 'Coffin Cheaters' and he loved his bike. Plus growing up you always heard the bike working and it kind of gets into your blood somewhat, always reminds me of good times.
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I think it's getting to be time to sharpen the question a bit....which type of loud bike do you like/dislike more strongly: Harleys or sport-bikes?
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feel that the saying "loud pipes save lives" is true.
I genuinely believe they save lives on the road.
Loud Pipes Save Lives.
Cagers don't care enough to pay attention, unless you force them with decibels.
Sorry this is a late reply after the bump from MW.
Sound waves don't work how you think they work, people ahead of you don't hear you approaching them because the sound is coming out of the back of your bike. The noise coming out of your pipes is not omnidirectional, and believing so shows a lack of understanding of motorcycle safety and how physics works. All you're doing is irritating drivers behind you and making the situation much more dangerous for yourself.
I rode a 1996 Ninja 250 back in the States (can't wait to bring it here once I get the money) and one of the great features about it was how quiet it was, letting me come home at odd hours in the night without anyone in my neighborhood knowing. All I needed to hear was the sound of the engine which is loud enough.
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
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is it really true some bike company copyrighted the noise their bikes make?
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is it really true some bike company copyrighted the noise their bikes make?
Some tried to.
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is it really true some bike company copyrighted the noise their bikes make?
Some tried to.
Keyword "tried"?
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
The driver won't hear you any better as you are approaching him. the majority of the sound (unless your exhaust system is not properly installed) will come out the back of the bike. There is a reason why they place the horn on the front of the motorcycle rather than the back.
It really doesn't matter what the other driver thinks or sees, you should never pass another driver in a situation where you have no exists or alternate approaches. You're supposed to drive defensively, not expect others to be aware of you or be in a situation where others have to be aware of you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
The driver won't hear you any better as you are approaching him. the majority of the sound (unless your exhaust system is not properly installed) will come out the back of the bike. There is a reason why they place the horn on the front of the motorcycle rather than the back.
It really doesn't matter what the other driver thinks or sees, you should never pass another driver in a situation where you have no exists or alternate approaches. You're supposed to drive defensively, not expect others to be aware of you or be in a situation where others have to be aware of you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
So a motorcycle rider should never pass a car, ever?
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
The driver won't hear you any better as you are approaching him. the majority of the sound (unless your exhaust system is not properly installed) will come out the back of the bike. There is a reason why they place the horn on the front of the motorcycle rather than the back.
It really doesn't matter what the other driver thinks or sees, you should never pass another driver in a situation where you have no exists or alternate approaches. You're supposed to drive defensively, not expect others to be aware of you or be in a situation where others have to be aware of you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
So a motorcycle rider should never pass a car, ever?
A motorcyclist should only pass a car when there is a dashed line on his/her side of the road, signifying that it is a legal passing zone.
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
The driver won't hear you any better as you are approaching him. the majority of the sound (unless your exhaust system is not properly installed) will come out the back of the bike. There is a reason why they place the horn on the front of the motorcycle rather than the back.
It really doesn't matter what the other driver thinks or sees, you should never pass another driver in a situation where you have no exists or alternate approaches. You're supposed to drive defensively, not expect others to be aware of you or be in a situation where others have to be aware of you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
So a motorcycle rider should never pass a car, ever?
You should only pass a car when you're in a situation where it doesn't matter how alert the driver is.
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I don't get how people can enjoy such loud contraptions.
They rattle my brains in the split second it takes them to go past me.
How can a person want that all the time? :confused:
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I don't get how people can enjoy such loud contraptions.
They rattle my brains in the split second it takes them to go past me.
How can a person want that all the time? :confused:
Have you ever riden a sportbike before? It might change your perspective....
Here is one of my girls, she certainly qualifies in the "loud" category
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t31.0-8/1402269_264589217031078_758591702_o.jpg)
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The biggest place that I feel loud pipes are a safety benefit to the rider is on the highway where you are in the process of passing someone at a resonable rate of overtake. In this situation if the driver is oblivious to his surroundings then the sound will alert the driver that you are there.
I have had this happen to me on early morning drives to work with an hour drive time down the interstate.
The driver won't hear you any better as you are approaching him. the majority of the sound (unless your exhaust system is not properly installed) will come out the back of the bike. There is a reason why they place the horn on the front of the motorcycle rather than the back.
It really doesn't matter what the other driver thinks or sees, you should never pass another driver in a situation where you have no exists or alternate approaches. You're supposed to drive defensively, not expect others to be aware of you or be in a situation where others have to be aware of you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
So a motorcycle rider should never pass a car, ever?
You should only pass a car when you're in a situation where it doesn't matter how alert the driver is.
I was speaking of driving down a 4 lane divided highway. Doesn't matter, if you pass someone you will be in their blind spot at some point in time. This is where the "loud pipes" come in. Yes most of the sound is directed toward the rear of the bike but with very very few exceptions, all sound emitters emit a sound in all directions. Yes it can be at a lower volume in some directions, buy by the logic you stated earlier, you should never hear the exhaust if the bike is pointing directly at you. For roughly 4 years I drove an hour each way to work. There were many times that the sudden appearance of a quiet bike in my blind spot in my peripheral vision was much more startling than one with loud pipes where I can hear it while it is still in my rear view mirror. That said I much prefer the loud bikes to the quiet ones. On the same not I actually feel that hybrids operating in all electric mode in town and full electric cars are a bit of a danger to pedestrians and bicyclists in town especially when said cars are pulling out of tight alley ways where the driver can't see down the sidewalk/street until they are 50%+ out of said alley.
Now loud bikes can be driven in town with minimal sound by not ripping into the throttle and keeping the RPM's down. This goes for any performance internal combustion engine. The only time they get on my nerves is when they wake up my little ones (5 year old son and 18 month old daughter).
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I was speaking of driving down a 4 lane divided highway. Doesn't matter, if you pass someone you will be in their blind spot at some point in time. This is where the "loud pipes" come in. Yes most of the sound is directed toward the rear of the bike but with very very few exceptions, all sound emitters emit a sound in all directions.
You should never depend on other drivers to make your driving experience safer. Again, as I said before you should never put yourself in a situation where you pass another driver and you are dependent on how alert the driver is regardless if you're in a car or not. This is basic stuff they teach you in your MSF course. Always have an escape route, don't depend on others.
Yes it can be at a lower volume in some directions, buy by the logic you stated earlier, you should never hear the exhaust if the bike is pointing directly at you. For roughly 4 years I drove an hour each way to work. There were many times that the sudden appearance of a quiet bike in my blind spot in my peripheral vision was much more startling than one with loud pipes where I can hear it while it is still in my rear view mirror. That said I much prefer the loud bikes to the quiet ones.
Of course you will going to hear the noise, your engine's noise will change and be louder because of the pipes, and you will be slightly louder in general. That doesn't change the fact that your perceived noise is much lower than you think and the effect on other drivers in a positive way is negligible, you're also much closer to the bike itself.
There are so many elements (wind, the car's noise reduction, the sound of the car itself, music, etc) going against you that the marginal increase in sound coming out of the front of your bike is not a factor.
I don't have any issue with people who like loud bikes and cars, but I just take issue with the "loud pipes save lives" pseudoscience that people try to justify them.
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I put on music on my phone when I'm biking across town. It helps a lot when I'm passing the motorists.
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I take it you must ride a silent bike. A pedal-powered unit, perhaps?
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okay, now i officially hate loud bikes.
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I was speaking of driving down a 4 lane divided highway. Doesn't matter, if you pass someone you will be in their blind spot at some point in time. This is where the "loud pipes" come in. Yes most of the sound is directed toward the rear of the bike but with very very few exceptions, all sound emitters emit a sound in all directions.
You should never depend on other drivers to make your driving experience safer. Again, as I said before you should never put yourself in a situation where you pass another driver and you are dependent on how alert the driver is regardless if you're in a car or not. This is basic stuff they teach you in your MSF course. Always have an escape route, don't depend on others.
Yes it can be at a lower volume in some directions, buy by the logic you stated earlier, you should never hear the exhaust if the bike is pointing directly at you. For roughly 4 years I drove an hour each way to work. There were many times that the sudden appearance of a quiet bike in my blind spot in my peripheral vision was much more startling than one with loud pipes where I can hear it while it is still in my rear view mirror. That said I much prefer the loud bikes to the quiet ones.
Of course you will going to hear the noise, your engine's noise will change and be louder because of the pipes, and you will be slightly louder in general. That doesn't change the fact that your perceived noise is much lower than you think and the effect on other drivers in a positive way is negligible, you're also much closer to the bike itself.
There are so many elements (wind, the car's noise reduction, the sound of the car itself, music, etc) going against you that the marginal increase in sound coming out of the front of your bike is not a factor.
I don't have any issue with people who like loud bikes and cars, but I just take issue with the "loud pipes save lives" pseudoscience that people try to justify them.
What?
You keep literally saying that a biker should never ever pass a car ever. I don't understand.
Also, it seems like you think Melvang is the bike rider in his story? I don't believe that's the case. I think he was in a car and heard the bikes approaching.
But regardless, here's my input. I love loud bikes. I don't ride and never have. But I don't like driving in my car and being surprised by a quiet bike coming into my blind spot. I can hear a loud bike approaching, despite your insistence that I can't, and I like that.
It's a shame that bikers are treated as poorly as they are. I'm thankful to be from a very bike-friendly state.
I'm curious to hear why some of you guys don't like bikes, other than just "I don't like them". Is biker culture different in other regions that they have a bad reputation? Genuinely curious.
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because when someone on a loud sport bike accelerates passing by you on a narrow street, you just want them to die.
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because when someone on a loud sport bike accelerates passing by you on a narrow street, you just want them to die.
Sport bike sounds are bone inducing, you know nothing Jon Snee
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I take it you must ride a silent bike. A pedal-powered unit, perhaps?
I get a lot of road noise at 30 mph, but it depends on my tires.
I don't mind loud bikes on the road. More power to them! I love driving my car, they seem to love riding their bike.
What I don't like is motorcyclist breaking the law, passing illegally or dangerously, being stupid, etc. Just like I don't like bicyclists breaking the law or cars breaking the law. I don't know why everyone seems to think it's okay. People die.
I don't like loud bikes when I'm trying to sleep, but I'm not as bothered by that as some people. I just think it's rude. I know I can drive my car loudly or quietly. Why can't they keep the noise down at night: presumably it's possible on a motorcycle.
But on the road, while being safe: go for it! I like the sound, and the heads-up to look at awesome motor vehicle incoming.
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I take it you must ride a silent bike. A pedal-powered unit, perhaps?
I get a lot of road noise at 30 mph, but it depends on my tires.
I don't mind loud bikes on the road. More power to them! I love driving my car, they seem to love riding their bike.
What I don't like is motorcyclist breaking the law, passing illegally or dangerously, being stupid, etc. Just like I don't like bicyclists breaking the law or cars breaking the law. I don't know why everyone seems to think it's okay. People die.
I don't like loud bikes when I'm trying to sleep, but I'm not as bothered by that as some people. I just think it's rude. I know I can drive my car loudly or quietly. Why can't they keep the noise down at night: presumably it's possible on a motorcycle.
But on the road, while being safe: go for it! I like the sound, and the heads-up to look at awesome motor vehicle incoming.
This (bold) is my biggest beef with most drivers. I don't give a crap what you're driving, if you're being incredibly unsafe I've got a problem with you. Why people always need to stereotype people is beyond me. I mean sure, it serves its purposes, but for the sake of an intelligent discussion it's silly. Let's just all agree to be safe and not kill each other, mmkay?
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You should never depend on other drivers to make your driving experience safer. Again, as I said before you should never put yourself in a situation where you pass another driver and you are dependent on how alert the driver is regardless if you're in a car or not. This is basic stuff they teach you in your MSF course. Always have an escape route, don't depend on others.
What?
You keep literally saying that a biker should never ever pass a car ever. I don't understand.
Also, it seems like you think Melvang is the bike rider in his story? I don't believe that's the case. I think he was in a car and heard the bikes approaching.
But regardless, here's my input. I love loud bikes. I don't ride and never have. But I don't like driving in my car and being surprised by a quiet bike coming into my blind spot. I can hear a loud bike approaching, despite your insistence that I can't, and I like that.
It's a shame that bikers are treated as poorly as they are. I'm thankful to be from a very bike-friendly state.
I'm curious to hear why some of you guys don't like bikes, other than just "I don't like them". Is biker culture different in other regions that they have a bad reputation? Genuinely curious.
No I don't keep saying that, you are refusing to read anything I've typed if that's what you think I've been saying. I've been saying you should never put the safety of any of your driving maneuvers in the hands of other drivers. It doesn't have anything to do with being 'bike friendly' (Texas was relatively bike friendly when I was riding there) and more to do with the inherent risks and responsibilities you take as a motorcycle rider.
You should never be in a situation where if you are passing someone and they make a mistake you cannot escape the situation. It's called being a defensive driver, which is something you learn in every basic drivers ed course, and is especially important in motorcycle safety courses.
There are no airbags, crumpling metal frames, seat belts, brake control (barring the new bikes with ABS), or any of the features that exist in cars to protect you in the case of an accident. You are responsible for all your actions and mistakes and must be constantly aware of your surrounding situation. If you are depending on the sound of your bike, which is not easily heard for many reasons, then you are driving unsafely. Period.
If you are passing someone and they decide to go into your lane because they're not aware of you, you should be able to avoid any collisions by going into another lane, slowing down, speeding up, or taking another route. You should never depend on sound as sense to alert people of your presence and to ensure your safety on the road.
Go ask any MSF course instructor if you'd like, you don't need to listen to me. Every instructor will tell you the same thing as I have been telling you. Go ask most manufacturers why they don't lobby for 'safety' features like loud bikes and instead install exhaust systems that are quiet and meet noise regulations.
Basing your safety and the safety of others on anecdotal evidence ("one time I heard a biker approach me") is not something you should be doing when talking about life-and-death situations.
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I wasn't basing my "hearing a bike approaching" on a one time incident. I am talking about every other day (weather permitting in Iowa) for 4 years. Not real sure how "biker friendly" my state is aside from me knowing that there isn't any helmet laws for the driver (underage passengers I believe are required to wear a helmet), but I prefer loud bikes purely because I understand that all internal combustion engines are nothing but a border line Rube Goldberg version of an air pump and probably 8/10 times loud pipes are better flowing and hence provide more power. Same thing in a car, I just don't usually care for the sound of "fart can" exhaust of 4 cylinders.
Also, pretty much every time you pass someone while you are on a bike (unless there is a minimum of a full unoccupied lane between you and the other motorist) you are putting your safety in their hands. Besides have you ever tried honking your horn at 65+mph on a bike? I had a friend honk is at 55 on a couple different bikes. Guess what, I couldn't hear a single one of them from my car. That is also why I prefer loud pipes. Instead of hitting the horn, pull in the clutch and pin the throttle wide open. That will get another drivers attention much quicker than the anemic horns manufacturers put on motorcycles these days.
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I live close to a busy road. There are some people in this city who have intentionally loud motorcycles. To be honest I think it is annoying. Just knowing that they do it intentionally and it is in no way necessary for their bikes to function is what annoys me. They probably think they are the coolest people ever, everyone else around them just thinks they are asshats.
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Loud bikes are irritating.... There's no need for a road bike to be loud, only race bikes with unregulated silencers have any reason to be loud. A well designed silencer will remain quiet while not reducing power, so power loss is not a valid reason. They don't restrict flow like a catalytic converter on a car and are designed to help provide the specific power and torque curve the bike should have.
That said, I have a relatively loud bike (Moto Guzzi 850T), but I'm using original pipes and it's quite restrained compared to many others. My bike is for me to enjoy riding, not for juvenile showing off.
About being able to notice a bike, most often when I'm driving I don't notice a bike because of its noise. I always see them first (the only time I've ever noticed a bike by its sound first is when stuck in slow moving traffic and a bike screams past between the lanes, which is a bloody stupid thing to do anyway). If you rely on the noise of your bike to attract the attention of drivers, you've got the wrong idea. Car drivers don't rely on the noise of their engines to be noticed when in traffic (at least for safety purposes).
Defensive riding is paramount when you're on a bike. If you're passing without there being a full unoccupied lane, you're not being sensible or responsible, IMHO. Treat your bike as though it's the size of a small car and remember you can't stop as fast as a car can and you'll live longer and irritate less people.
I'm not saying you can't let rip and enjoy the freedom of biking, just use some common sense and respect when doing your thing. Being in control of your own safety when riding is part of the independence of the experience for me. Always expect drivers to do the stupidest thing you can think of, then you won't be surprised when someone someday does just that and you'll be prepared to handle the situation.
Ride safe and enjoy!
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No I don't keep saying that, you are refusing to read anything I've typed if that's what you think I've been saying.
Okay, I'm really not trying to pick a fight here. I'm just trying to understand what you're saying. How could you ever do anything on the road if you were afraid of another driver being responsible? Any time I see a car on the freeway, they are at a potential to hit me. Their not hitting me depends very heavily on their actions. Now, passing specifically: if you're on a four lane freeway and passing on the left and you find yourself in someones blind spot and they don't see you and start moving over, there isn't a whole lot you can do to get out of the way. You could hit the brakes, but what if there's someone behind you riding your bumper? I'm all for defensive driving, but what you're suggesting seems to be akin to "never leave the house because you could get hurt". Am I missing something?
You should never be in a situation where if you are passing someone and they make a mistake you cannot escape the situation.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe this is possible - to never put yourself in that situation.
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No I don't keep saying that, you are refusing to read anything I've typed if that's what you think I've been saying.
Okay, I'm really not trying to pick a fight here. I'm just trying to understand what you're saying. How could you ever do anything on the road if you were afraid of another driver being responsible? Any time I see a car on the freeway, they are at a potential to hit me. Their not hitting me depends very heavily on their actions. Now, passing specifically: if you're on a four lane freeway and passing on the left and you find yourself in someones blind spot and they don't see you and start moving over, there isn't a whole lot you can do to get out of the way. You could hit the brakes, but what if there's someone behind you riding your bumper? I'm all for defensive driving, but what you're suggesting seems to be akin to "never leave the house because you could get hurt". Am I missing something?
Of course there are risks taken when you decide to ride or drive, that's a given. The problem is when you as a driver/rider start to depend or expect actions out of other drivers. Riding/Driving is one of the most dangerous things most people do in their lives so it's not something that should be taken lightly. Yes you should be constantly looking around you, watching out for other drivers and assessing what possible exits you can take in any given situation.
If you're not prepared to do so, then I would agree with never leaving the house. Maybe go use public transportation as a possible alternative, because you're putting yourself in a lot more danger than you need to be.
You should never be in a situation where if you are passing someone and they make a mistake you cannot escape the situation.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe this is possible - to never put yourself in that situation.
It is very possible. Whether or not we take the proper precautions due to being tired, being in a hurry, or any other factor is another story altogether. No one is a perfect driver. Because of that reason you should always strive to improve your driving and put yourself in a situation where you are not dependent on others for your safety, especially on the road.
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We use to make our bikes loud by placing a playing card in the spokes. Oh yeah, we'd terrorize the neighborhood.
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We use to make our bikes loud by placing a playing card in the spokes. Oh yeah, we'd terrorize the neighborhood.
:thumb:
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Now that's progress!