I agree with you, and I wasn't referring to ear piercing noise of modified bikes. However, as I answered in a response to one of the other commenters, sound is

I agree with you, and I wasn't referring to ear piercing noise of modified bikes. However, as I answered in a response to one of the other commenters, sound is an essential element in bringing awareness to yourself. `All my bikes are quiet, even my Buell (relatively speaking)` - From what I've found in my short research is that most bikes are in similar decibel level output (within similar engine capacity) and that they are all fairly loud. Clearly there's something to that. But I degrees, I never meant to say that you have to be extra loud to be an ass, I was merely pointing out that sound is an element of awareness, like your horn or the headlight.