| Author | Message | ||
     Doerman |
Excerpt from the article: "The noise pollution caused by illegally modified motorcycle exhaust systems is a major quality of life issue across the state," That is true. As Crusty said, we've brought it on ourselves by overdoing it. HD with the fishtail pipes produces a loud and really unpleasant sound. Nobody has the right to blow out somebody else's eardrum. | ||
| Odie |
Xl1200r- do you still have your Xb? I have some inserts available now that quiet the pipe down a fair amount. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Odie- I don't, but I commend you on having that option available. I also know that Kevin has quiet inserts for the XB pipes, and last I knew something was in the works for the 1125 pipe. The only thing I'm resting on now is that none of my neighbors (most with young families or older couples) have said anything to me about the noise. I know my 1125 is loud, but I don't rev it just for the hell of it - I'm conscience of the noise it makes. The S3, I usually just like to cruise on it, so that's the same kind of deal. And in reality, I know it's not that loud - Doerman even said when we met that he liked it because it sounded good but wasn't real loud. I'm probably going to modify the stock 1125 can this winter and sell the Drummer. | ||
| 86129squids |
My $.02... I've got a '77 Shovel, an '82 BMW R65, and my '05 CityX. The Shovel has straight pipes, likely to shoot flames if I rev it a bit- LOUD, obviously, but proper for that particular bike. I can ride it and stay off the gas, keeping it no louder than your average lawnmower. The Beemer is stock, quiet as you'd expect an old Airhead to be, no problem at all. Proper. The Buell is stock as well, won't bother anyone- I've ridden an identical bike that was fitted with a Drummer, decided real quick that I didn't like it. Just not for me, wasn't "right" for the bike. It all boils down to "the indian", not "the arrow"- what YOU do with YOUR bike determines what others think. My straight piped Shovel IS loud, but only if I gas it hard- I try not to when I'm in residential areas. On a similar note, locally there are several punk kids who's daddy paid to outfit their ricer cars with air shifters- they shift twice as often around town, just to get/see reactions. LOOKATME/LOOKATME!!! On a totally different note- anyone know how much $$$ and trouble it is to outfit a real train horn to a vehicle? GOD I'd love to have a train horn on my truck- got a Stebel on the Buell, like it a LOT! I'd love to really shock some of these cel phone/texting idiots into sensibility... | ||
| Xl1200r |
It all boils down to "the indian", not "the arrow"- what YOU do with YOUR bike determines what others think. My straight piped Shovel IS loud, but only if I gas it hard- I try not to when I'm in residential areas. I'm sorry, but that's BS. I had straight pipes on my '64 XLCH for a little while, and that thing shook the ground standing next to it at an idle. My dealer REFUSED to inspect it, and the hole-in-the-wall shop in town known for inspecting anything wouldn't do it without baffles. At a certain point, loud is just loud, regardless of how you ride it. I found I preferred it with the baffles in. | ||
| Nobuell |
Laws like California's are a reaction to a perceived problem. I am amazed that it has taken so long. Last week end, I was at the Indy bike night that was part of the GP. There were thousands of bikes there. Great time. However, there were bikes (HDs and ricers) that literally had my ears hurting as they passed. It is a combination of load pipes and riding style. To me, it was embarrassing that I am considered to be part of the folks with obnoxious bikes. We are all the same to non bikers. The problem we as bikers have is non bikers do not care about us. They only know there is obnoxious noise. Allowable decibel levels are not a consideration. As mentioned in a previous post, we have done it to our selves. And by ourselves, I mean the 200 mile a year guys that are all sound and style (HD or other) and think it is cool to be as obnoxious to others as they can be. I know many riders with after market pipes that use consideration when around non bikers. All most of them are not the 200 mile a year crowd. The sad thing is, the other states will eventually follow California's lead. | ||
| Odie |
No one will ride beside me when I ride my '83 WideGlide (shovel) with drag pipes on it. Can't blame them either- very loud. | ||
| Imonabuss |
Answer to OP...hell no! Loud pipes on the street are a major contributor to the general dislike for motorcycles. And I hate riding with people who have them on. Racetrack, that's a different story. It is part of the entertainment I pay to see. Street? Put a freakin' muffler on! The quieter the better! Listening to some POS H-D farting by, out of tune and moving at a snail's pace is like going to a guitar store and listening to some moron "shredding" with a Schecter through a Crate cranked to 10. | ||
| Blackm2 |
I am 44, and I like loud. I don't buy the line that it is a quality of life issue, hogwash. The only place where it is a quality of life issue are the rural areas where bikers like to ride. The freeway out here is more dangerous than a racetrack and 80% of the drivers aren't paying attention, so if my loud pipes let my existence known to them just a little while they are eating, putting on make-up, texting, or talking on the phone, then they are doing the job. Bottom line is it is so this bankrupt state can get more money somehow, that is what it always boils down to. Plus, they just sound cool.  But...to each his own. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I am 44, and I like loud. I don't buy the line that it is a quality of life issue, hogwash. Is it still not a quality of life issue when I live in an urban area and the sound of a straight pipe harley bouncing off all of the buildings either keeps me from being able to watch my TV, have a conversation on the phone or in person, or wakes me up at night? Bikers may prefer to ride in rural areas, but to assume that there and the highway are the only places they ride is ridiculous. (Message edited by xl1200r on September 02, 2010) | ||
| 86129squids |
OK, I'm a lawbreaker. My point is, each machine is appreciated by the sound it makes. Loud isn't always right, and I guess some of the bluehairs down the street might not like me. I try to do my best my my neighbor,but mebbe some of my neighbors are just douches. "HTFU". What is the loud noise DOING? Keeping idiots from running me over? +1 Letting my shovel "breathe", AND shoot flames? +1 I can ride it quietly if need be. | ||
| Court |
I'm a "quiet guy" partially as a matter of respect for others. I often leave early in the morning to go ride.. I value my neighbors over noise. Try riding through NYC with a loud pipe and you'll get a rude surprise. They drag them onto the flatbed on their sides. | ||
| 86129squids |
Wow- glad I'm in TN, with more space. I'm in agreement with being within civil limits, and I understand the argument. Let's talk about leafblowers. I rake. | ||
| 86129squids |
Howyadoin, Court? Thanks again. Love ya man. I love talking about politics and religion. And loud pipes. And douche canoes. Makes the world go 'round. Coming to Suches in October? | ||
| Blackm2 |
Mark, I don't assume that at all. I'm well aware where riders are. I don't live in New York City either. So what your saying is that you have riders, on a continuous basis riding by with loud pipes, or stuck at a light revving their engines outside your window(in which case they are total douches)? However if it was an occasional thing, then I'd say suck it up. My entire point is, it is not about quality of life, it is about money. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I don't live in NYC either. This was at an apartment I used to have in Cohoes, NY - a SMALL city, if you could even call it that. No, they did't ride by with loud pipes continuously. But on a nice summer day, you'd easily get a dozen or more in an hour - I LIKE bikes, cars and loud engines, but even for me it was annoying. But the bottom line is they are illegal based on any number of laws already on the books, including sound ordinances that apply to everything (not just bikes). And because they're illegal, I shouldn't have to put up with it for one second. Period. And if it's okay for this one guy to do it, then it's okay for anyone to do it, meaning it could get to a point of being continuous. Robbing a liquor store is against the law, but I suppose if I only rob this one store every once in a while, it's okay, right? | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I have a race header on my S2 with a modified V&H. It's got a bark to it when you get on it hard but not too bad. Nothing like a Force or D&D. A race muffler is a bit deeper but not any louder. I had a Supertrapp on the M2 when it last ran. It will have a race header with race can when it's back together. That said, I kind of dig riding the STOCK Uly. It's kind of neat having it be so quiet. Very deceptive..When you whack the throttle it moves out quickly without all the fanfare. I've ridden with HD guys that asked how it can be so quick in stealth mode! I guess the older I am and the crappier my ears get, the more I appreciate a bit of quiet. Not too quiet or the tinitus takes over. Too may race cars, bikes, rock and roll roadie stuff has caught up. There was an interesting article in some of the papers a couple of weeks back regarding hearing loss in young folk. The study showed that an alarming percentage of 25 year olds now have the hearing of a 50-60 YO of a few years back. Think about that when you decide to ride without ear plugs. Just remember, whenever you leave a loud environment and your ears ring, you have done PERMANENT damage. It all adds up over the years. Trust me... Brad | ||
| Xl1200r |
Bluz - good info. As a musician, I've really started taking my hearing much more seriously. I now don't ever ride without ear protection, and even got special "hi-fi" ear plugs for practices and concerts. | ||
| Blackm2 |
You're likening burglary and theft to a noise ordinance that isn't even enforced in the first place,unless someone is really being an a-hole and the cop happens to hear them. Like I said, to each his own. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I did a day long group ride behind a leader with straight pipes. It started annoying, and by the end of the day I was beyond done. I'm not interested in doing it again, ever. If it is really just "because you like it", then just make an MP3 recording of it, fire up the IPod to 10, and let it rip so it doesn't bother anyone else. If that doesn't satisfy, and you need *other* people to hear your loud pipes to derive pleasure from it... then go watch that south park episode again... and choose a method of trying to force other people to give you attention that is more positive for society as a whole. | ||
| Aptbldr |
Is a Micron system loud? Dearly love sound of my XB w/Micron, but... riding a other motos having stock muffler(s) feels much more civilized. And, that rowdy hot-rod feel is a big reason I love my XB!  Everybody else's loud pipes suck.  | ||
| Stalker |
In a couple communities here in Milwaukee they had to start going after loud bikes due to the fact people dont like the kids rolling around in there 4 popper cars with the loud stereos you can hear a mile away.I personally know a kid ( my niece's boyfriend) that his parents buy him anything.He has on of them imports with th fart-can, and the $3000 car stereo. He got a ticket rolling through one of the popular parks with his stereo cranked up nice and loud. And papa hired a lawyer and used the loud motorcycle argument to get the ticket dropped. Now that community (Greenfield) is more proactive on aftermarket pipes, and I have been told the cops will compare pictures with your pipe, and can give you a ticket. I hacked my stock can years ago, didnt like the sewing machine sound and couldnt afford a can.It is pretty loud but I didnt think it was obnoxious, some people did. I now have a drummer ss, to me it has a very sweet tone to it and not to loud. Do loud bass pounding stereos save live also? | ||
| Sifo |
I just feel like a loud exhaust is going to attract attention every time you crack the throttle open. The wrong kind of attention. The last thing I need is to announce to every cop in ear shot that my front wheel is in the air. | ||
| Sifo |
The last thing I need is to announce to every cop in ear shot that my front wheel is in the air. I guess that's not really an issue for the typical HD rider though. | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>The last thing I need is to announce to every cop in ear shot that my front wheel is in the air. << My reason why I've kept my Uly quiet. One less 'strike', Officer. I scan for cameras constantly too. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
I changed my pipe, I didn't see a cat converter? Am I blind (possible) And reallt my bike puts out that much more stuff than my truck? 1% of vehicles 10% of emmisions? | ||
| Sifo |
No cat on the XB's Many bikes have a cat built in to the muffler where you don't even see it. I think the 1125s are that way. | ||
| 86129squids |
"Hearing, the ear, is the truest of the senses." Soren Kierkegaard I think he's right. | ||
| Froggy |
The emissions restrictions on motorcycles are nowhere near the levels of cars. Many motorcycles pollute more than the average car or SUV. In 2001 the cleanest motorcycle produced 0.32 grams/mile of hydrocarbons in a EPA test, while the 2001 Prius would produce 0.0024 grams/mile in the exact same test. (Not sure which bike this was). Still, there are bigger polluters out there like semis, airplanes, and cargo ships. (Message edited by froggy on September 02, 2010) | ||
| 86129squids |
I HATE leafblowers. don't live far north enough to hate snowblowers, but I hate them by principle. I've witnessed a copuple of crews of workers clearing leaves, one with rakes, one with leafblowers. One of them was more efficient. bueller? |
