Harley question???

[pameridan04]

Yeah, and those damn loud Deisel Pushers coming in late, or starting early in the morning. Geez... maybe we should fine them also.... Oh wait... I have a DP to.....

Bad hearing from to many gun shots does wonders.

Regards... Jim P.

[DGShaffer]

That loud pipe safety thing is BS used to justify the noise. Coming straight at you they can barely be heard unless they're throttle is opened up. It's all about "Look at me" and that's a fact! Shock value.

If loud pipes save lives, imagine what actually learning how to ride will do. I've built three harleys in my years and now prefer to ride rather than polish the chrome. My bike has ABS and can stop on a dime and 160 horsepower so it can get around things in a hurry if needed.

[JMonroe]

Most states and local communities have had noise limiting statutes on the books for decades. If my car was as loud as some bikes, I'd be pulled over, given a ticket and so many days to prove I've fixed it. Why isn't this enforced when it comes to bikes?

After 30 years in auto insurance claims I'll also offer the opinion that the claim that loud is safe is a bunch of cr--. How about the warning horn you don't hear because of your loud pipes?

An uncle of mine, an avid camper, has ridden Harley's since the 60s. When one with obnoxiously loud pipes would venture into the campground, where they had a 'permanent' site for many years, he and other biker buddies would greet the offender and suggest he leave it parked at the gate, or move on.

[Fossilhog]

Ok I have 2 Harleys that can be loud if I let them. I idle in and out of the campground but here's a story.....many years ago I had to make a trip to Florida and booked a campground near Tampa. When describing my rig I mentioned that I trailered 2 bikes. The elderly woman said "better not be Harleys" of course I denied them. Just to be safe I swapped mufflers on the one bike I was bringing back to stock quiet mode. Well it went smooth, checked in no problem. The next morning I almost came out of the bed hearing the roar of what I thought was a jet fighter. An 'airboat" docked at the pier that takes people on tours powered by a huge V-8 with velocity stackes and straight exhausts! All day the boat ran, and when it blasted off it sounded like you were at a fuel dragster race!

Noise..it's all relative.

[Fossilhog]

PS...I once left a campground a few days early in North Carolina because the groundskeepers with leaf blowers were piling up pine needles 8 hrs a day.

[JMonroe]

Hmmm. When I'd tell my mother, "...but everyone else is doing it", it rarely resulted in any slack for me.

Your point is, or should be, that inconsiderate people come in all shapes, sizes and with diverse interests. Bike enthusiasts, and I'm sensing there more than a few on this forum, can be and usually will attempt to be considerate of others, but it goes back to those few bad apples. A few words to those 'rotten' apples from their peers (fellow riders) would probably go a lot farther than some random citizen complaining (police your own).

Now, if a campground advertises that it caters to bikes, or operates an air boat, or...

[gene2]

I posted before that my pipes do project forward and all around. I have THREE BRIGHT lights on and gobs of chrome, and numerous times they are not seen. I am condiderate and keep a low throttle in residential and other quiet areas, but if not for my pipes, I would have been T-Boned many, many times. Observed by the other driver's reaction as I approach an intersection. There are many forms of annoying noise, some is just more noticeable briefly if the perp is considerate. The DP @ 11:00 PM or 6:00 AM is never brief. I don't idle endlessly at those hours in any vehicle, quiet or not.

I am sorry if I bother you but I will have some pipes on a bike. 35 years of riding experience has demonstrated the need. If drivers of other vehicles actually paid attention to their surroundings, bikes wouldn't get T-Boned so often. Past experience has demonstrated this will not happen often enough.

Again, I and most of us apologize for disturbing, but it is usually quick & brief. The other distrurbers usually aren't so quick.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by Fossilhog

Noise..it's all relative.

God - ain't it the truth!

Some of the same folks going into hysterics over the sight or sound of a Harley, treat the abominable racket from their noisy undisciplined pets and brats as though it was music to their ears...

[psaint]

Originally Posted by gene2

I posted before that my pipes do project forward and all around. I have THREE BRIGHT lights on and gobs of chrome, and numerous times they are not seen. I am condiderate and keep a low throttle in residential and other quiet areas, but if not for my pipes, I would have been T-Boned many, many times.

This only tells me that you are a very poor rider with no observational skills and are not aware of your surroundings. A good rider does not let his bike be put in such dangerous situations. I suggest a safe riding course for you. I have ridden a quiet bike for over 40 years and never came close to being T-Boned. I suppose you also believe that "laying the bike down" would be a good way to avoid an accident?
The noise is always just about immaturity and a "look at me...I'm sooo cool" attitude. The loud pipes save lives is pure BS!

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by psaint

This only tells me that you are a very poor rider with no observational skills and are not aware of your surroundings. A good rider does not let his bike be put in such dangerous situations. I suggest a safe riding course for you. I have ridden a quiet bike for over 40 years and never came close to being T-Boned. I suppose you also believe that "laying the bike down" would be a good way to avoid an accident?
The noise is always just about immaturity and a "look at me...I'm sooo cool" attitude. The loud pipes save lives is pure BS!

UNH-OHHhhhhh....

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by psaint

This only tells me that you are a very poor rider with no observational skills and are not aware of your surroundings. A good rider does not let his bike be put in such dangerous situations. I suggest a safe riding course for you. I have ridden a quiet bike for over 40 years and never came close to being T-Boned. I suppose you also believe that "laying the bike down" would be a good way to avoid an accident?
The noise is always just about immaturity and a "look at me...I'm sooo cool" attitude. The loud pipes save lives is pure BS!

That being said, all it takes is that one teenager talking on their cell phone or texting with the radio up to full blast and not paying full attention to the highway and oops your just another statistic.

Sammie

[RickO]

Originally Posted by Gary - K7GLD

UNH-OHHhhhhh....

[Fossilhog]

Originally Posted by psaint

This only tells me that you are a very poor rider with no observational skills and are not aware of your surroundings. A good rider does not let his bike be put in such dangerous situations. I suggest a safe riding course for you. I have ridden a quiet bike for over 40 years and never came close to being T-Boned. I suppose you also believe that "laying the bike down" would be a good way to avoid an accident?
The noise is always just about immaturity and a "look at me...I'm sooo cool" attitude. The loud pipes save lives is pure BS!

Was that really nesessary?

[scenic route]

As Jack Benny would've said..."WELL". That should 'date' myself and let all know I been riding for some time. Started 'Scrambling' on a Honda 305 and have spent the last 10 years aboard a Harley Heritage Springer. Did all the sanctioned MC safety courses and was always considerate of others (as to the the excessive noise concerns), tried to obey all traffic laws and always wore my 'lil brain bucket. The springer had 'custom pipes' but were not 'gutted' either. Nice throaty rumble...

With all that applied defensive driving technique and THE 'throaty rumble' under my backside, ever once stopped that nose picker, the elderly gent with dead hearing aid batteries, the 'I've had my license for two week-ends' kid rock'n to his i-pod jammed into both ears, or the multitudes shaving, applying makeup, reading BOOKS or newspapers while eating a Whopper w/fries and steering with their knee, the lady doing a wardrobe change down I-4 at 70mph or the punk that had a beef with another guy - trying to chase him down by doing well in excess of 100mph over the Melbourne Causeway...missing me by inches, ever do SQUAT. The last instance was the last straw. The new owner put strait pipes on it...hope it helps and best wishes. If it doesn't help, well, he'll go down look'n GOOD!

From my experience, I too, don't buy into the "theory". Man, I must be getting OLD...I love my JEEP! Bob