Loud pipes DO NOT save lives

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ballisticexchris

Guest
Loud obnoxious exhaust only scares and ultimately pisses people off.
It’s totally unnecessary.
Riders don't put on loud pipes in an effort to save their life. That's just the best reason they can come up with. Are they trying to save their life when they bust through a subdivision leaving for work at 5:30am waking everyone up and jarring windows? No. Are they trying to save their life when sitting stopped at a red light blipping the throttle? No. They put on loud pipes so people will notice them and look at them. "Hey look at me, I have a motorcycle".

I was riding through White Sulphur Springs WV on a quiet Goldwing a few years back. I had always wanted to stop at the Greenbriar and look the place over. I was turned around at the gate "no motorcycles allowed". I had a friend that rode out to San Francisco and I told him to make sure and ride through Seventeen Mile Drive. No way, "motorcycles not allowed.

Loud pipes have did more harm and turned more people against motorcycles than anything else I can think of.

Where you live..not much traffic. Ride in daily traffic here in DFW, Texas or any other major city....then I promise you, you would think different. Especially in this age of cell phones..
Hi there, all my dark joking aside, I agree 100% with SJC and OldRider. I do live, ride, and drive in major cities daily (LA, Orange County, San Diego) and no I don't think different. Instead of using loud pipes, how about using defensive riding skills and keep your eyes moving. Sadly even then, we all take a chance when we swing a leg over a bike or get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Loud pipes are not going to make you any safer. They are just going to make you a target.

Loud pipes were for the days when I was a dumb teenager and looking for attention. Now I'm a dumb adult but smart enough to not wanting to draw attention to myself with stupid loud exhaust noise.

Want proof of how serious I am? Here you go:

1128101236.jpg
My 300 blew just above 84db at a local District 37 Desert race back in the early 2000's. A KTM 200 with stock exhaust was the only other one that was quieter. I used foam in between skid plate and motor and made sure every nut/bolt was tight. As an added bonus I passed many racers in slow technical sections without them even hearing me. I'm very serious about quiet exhausts!!

I do have the aftermarket Yoshimura on my ST but it's pretty darn quiet with the insert. I only got it because it takes the weight off the bike up high. My Beta currently has a Leo Vince muffler with quiet insert and foam between skid plate and motor. The air box is stock and I repack the muffler at first signs of getting noisier.

Another trick to keeping quiet is run a gear or two high when cruising around town. The Super Tenere lugs pretty good with plenty of torque at the twist of the throttle.
 

klingklang

Active Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
Messages
136
Location
Quebec, Canada
I have a "loud pipe". An Arrow. The only reason is that I wanted something smaller and closer to the bike. I did my aluminum case and I wanted them closer and symmetrical. The baffle is always on and it has been repacked with Acousta-fil. I still find it a bit over my confort. I'll try some mods to the baffle next summer. I feel bad and shy every time I get home late in my neighborhood . And I am not that loud. Can't understand how you can be pleased and happy to such noise. Maybe some people are such nothing in life, that the way they found to get some attention. It is not only bikes, you've got also those reversed cap, $2000 cars with $4000 wheel set with a very inviting "put a grapefuit in" exhaust.

CRASSSSHHH. -Sorry, I did not hear you!
A loud pipe to another loud pipe
 

squarebore

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Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
887
Location
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Wow, so many people who don't like to offend people by riding with loud pipes but happy to smash their personal opinions on this forum. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them wrong. I love the feel and sound of a loud bike. It is part of the whole experience. I know many of you disagree, but show some respect and allow me my opinion. I disagree with many things that many of you do but I can disagree respectfully.

Enjoy your ride anyway you want, you only have one life then it's all over. So enjoy it and stop bitching.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 

509rider

New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
15
Location
NC Washington State
[Wow, so many people who don't like to offend people by riding with loud pipes but happy to smash their personal opinions on this forum. ]

Hello squarebore, I ranted above about the sound, not as a personal slight to any of my two wheel family but more because the title of the thread was provocative for those of us who like it quite. You ride a motorcycle (I hope) so please do not be thin skinned about this subject. If I let others dictate my relationship to motorcycles then I wouldn't ride. Keep in mind all the haters above own 1200cc bikes? If we really cared all that much we would be on some weak ass electric little scooters (I have a couple of week souce scoots and love them). Its fun to hear others opinions and you have to know that those "haters" that don't like loud pipes are in the minority, just ride around and listen. I belive secretly most of us love the sound of a well tuned machine ripping it up but are over setting off peoples car alarms and scaring people like our own families and neighbors. In short please take no offence if your friends feel like ranting and talking some shit. Lets ride!
 

Buelligan

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Albuquerque
Well Hell, I'm gonna throw my two cents in!
When I was young, I ran straight pipes on my Hardleys, and I also took the baffles out of the Kerker on my CB750.
Thought it was all cool at the tender age of 25. As the years went by, my mechanical knowledge increased, as well as my ability to "tune" my vehicles.
What sounded so cool in my twenties, started to sound like shit in my 30's. Not so much because it was loud, but because it wasn't "tuned". That soon fueled my dislike for LOUD pipes. That, and the fact that they DO NOT save lives. I've been riding about 55 years now, on everything on two wheels, sometimes 3 wheels, and have noticed one main common denominator in all these years.
What has saved my life more often than anything else, has been skill...
The fact that I ride off road often, has increased my surviveability ten fold, in my opinion.
But riders can believe in anything they want, When someone cuts me off, and i pull in my clutch, drop it a gear, lock up the rear brake to start my slide, then rev up the engine to match my revs to the expected spin of the tire when I release the clutch, to properly launch me up onto the side walk and into someones front yard, as opposed to just "laying it down" and hoping for the best. I'm happy, because once again, out of the 50 or MORE close calls I've had in the last 10 years alone, I've averted disaster with skill. I know my number will come up eventually, but for now, I've skated by.
That being said, I do have LOUD horns mounted on my bike, as well as brighter lights, (for night time) and...
I've installed a "slightly" louder exhaust. NOT because i believe loud pipes save lives, but I can appreciate the increase in performance more flow can provide. And a consequence of that performance, is usually a slightly louder exhaust. My Akropovic was not loud or obnoxious on my Tenere, and my Arrow is not loud or obnoxious on my 1290SAR.
So have I properly alienated myself from everyone, and properly pissed them all off?
I don't like loud/Obnoxious pipes
I don't believe in tons of lights on in the daylight, to help others see me, because they wi8ll fixate on them and drive into you...
and I don't believe in those day glow "see me know" riding outfits. Same thing, they will fixate on you, and drive into you...
I simply believe MY skill, and ability to see through others actions, will continute to save me from other drivers/riders stupidity.
If I've offended you, I'm sorry, it was not my intention, but then again, I'm sure there is a safe place everyone can go to be away from people that offend them.
Mine just happens to be far away from populated areas, on the back of a motorcycle...
;):eek::)
 

OldRider

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Jun 7, 2013
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2,111
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Western Kentucky
The second the sound of loud pipes hits someone else's ear, you just lost any right you might have thought you had to have loud pipes. If loud pipes are for your listening pleasure, why don't you take your bike and pipes way out in the desert where no one else has to hear you and get your rocks off? Plus those loud pipes some of you folks worship are sold for off road use only and are against Federal law. So why don't you just do your neighbors, sleeping babies, wildlife, old people, third shift workers, etc a favor and become a law abiding citizen and throw those loud pipes in the trash where they belong. Just my opinion.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
The second the sound of loud pipes hits someone else's ear, you just lost any right you might have thought you had to have loud pipes. If loud pipes are for your listening pleasure, why don't you take your bike and pipes way out in the desert where no one else has to hear you and get your rocks off? Plus those loud pipes some of you folks worship are sold for off road use only and are against Federal law. So why don't you just do your neighbors, sleeping babies, wildlife, old people, third shift workers, etc a favor and become a law abiding citizen and throw those loud pipes in the trash where they belong. Just my opinion.
What's strange about the desert is when a racing event is taking place the BLM is super serious about sound abatement. And even spark arresters are required!!

And yes, it really pisses me off when I see these squids revving the crap out of those Harleys when passing quiet neighborhoods on the weekends. I feel really bad for the homeowners who paid over a million dollars for homes in the hills and have to put up with these idiots. The cops have tried everything to stop it but it does no good. The RUBS (rich urban biker squids) just take the ticket with a smile and continue to annoy.

It's a bummer for sure but unfortunately it will never change. There will always be grown adults who have the mentality of an adolescent. The latest noise makers are these new Mustangs and Chargers. They just love to make noise. Most of the owners are young kids but every once in a while you see a grey haired old dude revving up the motor at a red light.

When I had my KTM300 I got teased for having that DBsilencer attached to my bike. But when riding in the mountains I could sneak up on deer. It almost sounded like a sewing machine. My Super Tenere gets started in my driveway and I idle around the corner away from homes to let it warm up in the early morning hours when I head out.
 

squarebore

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Apr 22, 2013
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887
Location
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
If it's just good fun then I'll join in too. I've watched plenty of American movies and am surprised you can hear the bikes over the sounds of all those guns going off. Haha. Shouldn't they all be silenced? Or do loud guns save lives? Please dont be offended as I certainly dont mean it to be personal.

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Sierra1

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Joined
Nov 7, 2016
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14,819
Location
Joshua TX
[QUOTE="ballisticexchris, post: 365872, member: 2801....The latest noise makers are these new Mustangs and Chargers. They just love to make noise....[/QUOTE]

Yeah, what's up with that s**t. I haven't noticed the Chargers so much, or even the Camaros, but the Mustangs....and they sound like crap. 'Cuz, you can have loud, that sounds good. The few Camaros that I've heard, that have had altered exhausts, have sounded good. But the 'Stangs....are obnoxious and raspy; don't know why. And, the Tenere? Personally, it doesn't have enough cylinders to sound good. The cost to sound ratio, just isn't there for me.
 

Xclimation

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Aug 17, 2016
Messages
651
Location
Ft. Worth, Texas
On my Tenere...don't care about loud pipes. Bike sits high and that along with high vis. clothes, easy to be seen. When I rode cruisers....Loud pipes. Cruisers sit more low. Less visible. NO ONE can debate..if it makes a louder sound. It will make one pay attention and look up. All it takes is to get one person in an SUV/minivan to pay attention and a motorcyclist life is saved. You can't debate that a louder sound won't make one take notice and pay attention and even think twice. If you think that a louder sound will just make one not check their mirrors twice or pull their face away from their phones and/or look up to find the sound..then I can't help you with your thought process.....Personally, I like to listen to music. The more quiet my bike...the better I can hear my music. The better I can hear what is going on around me. To add to this.....When I sometimes wear a 3/4 helmet...I can hear my surroundings better. I can hear vehicles around me better. My awareness is better. I once asked a motorcycle police officer why they wear half helmets. He told me because they can hear what is going on around them better. Key here: If there is a sound and something is in a blind spot...or someone is one their phone, or putting on makeup/eating, etc....It will get their attention and make them look. If getting one person to look is the result....a life or maiming or accident is saved. One can not deny this. If this saves one incident. Just one incident in your entire motorcycle lifetime....well .....a life or incident is saved. In an ideal world.....Everyone is paying 100% attention all the time, they use their turn signals.....they double check before lane changes/ turning....automobiles have no blind spots....ideal world....Look, I'm not overly passionate about the loud pipes. I obviously don't have them on my Super Tenere. I drive safely and triple check and give my best cushion of vehicles around me. Don't do stupid things, ride ATGATT with SNELL certified helmet, etc. I would LOVE to wear less gear and relax a little. But I ride often in urban traffic and have MANY close calls despite my best and many years of experience riding. And it has been getting worse to the point that I ride my motorcycle less than I'd like to.
 

Traveler

Active Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Messages
110
It was very annoying camping at Glacier National Park listening to the Harley riders go by. Forest rangers give out tickets around these parts for loud dirt bikers. Somehow it’s ok to run straight pipes in National Parks though.
Because you can't silence cool !
 
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