5 ms·

I was under the impression that motorcycles were made to be artificially loud, as just like the existence of the engine, the bike being loud is a major selling

I was under the impression that motorcycles were made to be artificially loud, as just like the existence of the engine, the bike being loud is a major selling point. Is this true? The problem is that they are so fast. So if you call in a seriously scary and illegal noise at night the culprit could be a state over before anyone arrives. So it's obviously a non starter and nobody calls the police. But then there is a cultural of it being normal and so the problem never goes away and only gets worse. Motorcycles are your right to ride if you have a license. Scaring the living daylights out of people every day is not.

jacquesm 9y ago
Nor is waking up whole neighborhoods for your own gratification.
Gracana 9y ago
Stock exhausts are not terribly loud, though it's hard to make something that's automobile-level quiet in a motorcycle sized package. I wouldn't be opposed to a noise restriction, provided it was implemented reasonably.
- 0xcde4c3db 9y ago
  Exactly. One could argue that bikers are disproportionately responsible for this problem, but they're far from having a monopoly. There's no shortage of people with a "tuned" Civic/Impreza/Neon or cheapskate businesses operating shitty old trucks, at least in my area.
  - matte_black 9y ago
    Loud pipes save lives. A life is worth more than having motorcycles pass you by without disrupting your peace and quiet.
    - hfdgiutdryg 9y ago
      Hi-viz clothing and a headlight modulator are far more effective.
    - civilitty 9y ago
      If your life was really worth all that much to you, you wouldn't be riding a motorcycle. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
      - matte_black 9y ago
        This is a very anti-motorcycling point of view. The fact is, motorcycles are unsafe mostly because of drivers who just don’t give a shit and feel entitled to the whole road.
        civilitty 9y ago
        Yours is a very anti-social point of view. Motorcycles are unsafe by design. You want high acceleration, great gas mileage, and awesome maneuverability? Well then, you don't get the same protection that a car gets. It's basic physics. The fact is, the vast majority of people choose to drive 2+ ton metal enclosures (with much larger total cost of ownership, mind you) and you choose to drive something that actively puts you in danger. That choice is entirely on you as are all of the consequences because, let's face it: no one but a few psychopaths want to be responsible for someone's death. Your argument that drivers don't give a shit rings absolutely hollow. As for entitlement, if a horse buggy or low speed moped gets on the freeway and gets obliterated because they can't function like the cars that the roads were designed for, do you blame the cars or the person who decided to get on the freeway in an entirely inadequate vehicle? I'm all for motorcycles on the road and I'm all for designing safety systems (that don't make life worse for everyone else) into them and other cars on the road to reduce accidents and fatalities. You, a minuscule minority, however, do NOT get to noise pollute our environments far beyond what is reasonable in a dense urban/suburban society just for your own enjoyment. The vast majority of drivers have long ago voted with their wallets and ballot boxes that the quiet, safety, and size of cars is what we want.
        9y ago
oldcynic 9y ago
Not at all true, unless you add an illegal straight through or race pipe. Or remove the baffles. Motorcycles are comparatively loud, especially big V twins, because a) a surprising percentage is intake noise - there's a huge intake pulse from a 1200cc V b) the engine is open rather than behind a closed bonnet with noise absorption c) they tend to rev much higher than equivalent car engines (not Harleys) Passing the legislated noise tests (specified engine revs etc), bikes are often quieter than a car. With some bikes now too quiet for comfort around pedestrians in town. Harleys somehow are always obnoxiously loud - My guess is probably mostly from intake pulses given current EU noise regs.
- mcguire 9y ago
  I don't know about the EU, but straight pipes are somewhat common in the US, and de-baffled exhausts are almost ubiquitous.
Clubber 9y ago
>I was under the impression that motorcycles were made to be artificially loud, as just like the existence of the engine, the bike being loud is a major selling point. Is this true? They don't come from the factory that way (regulation), but people add aftermarket parts to make them that way. It costs a good amount too; $2500 installed depending on what you get.
- hfdgiutdryg 9y ago
  They don't come from the factory that way (regulation) They effectively did for a very long time. Harley has a performance parts division, complete with a thick catalog of custom exhausts, cams, intakes, and most importantly an EFI "tuner" box. Harley dealers were more than happy to install whatever you wanted, and even kept a stock of already modified bikes ready for sale. They were fined $12 million for this awhile back. 2012, I think.

jacquesm 9y ago

Nor is waking up whole neighborhoods for your own gratification.

Gracana 9y ago

Stock exhausts are not terribly loud, though it's hard to make something that's automobile-level quiet in a motorcycle sized package. I wouldn't be opposed to a noise restriction, provided it was implemented reasonably.

0xcde4c3db 9y ago
Exactly. One could argue that bikers are disproportionately responsible for this problem, but they're far from having a monopoly. There's no shortage of people with a "tuned" Civic/Impreza/Neon or cheapskate businesses operating shitty old trucks, at least in my area.
- matte_black 9y ago
  Loud pipes save lives. A life is worth more than having motorcycles pass you by without disrupting your peace and quiet.
  - hfdgiutdryg 9y ago
    Hi-viz clothing and a headlight modulator are far more effective.
  - civilitty 9y ago
    If your life was really worth all that much to you, you wouldn't be riding a motorcycle. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
    - matte_black 9y ago
      This is a very anti-motorcycling point of view. The fact is, motorcycles are unsafe mostly because of drivers who just don’t give a shit and feel entitled to the whole road.
      - civilitty 9y ago
        Yours is a very anti-social point of view. Motorcycles are unsafe by design. You want high acceleration, great gas mileage, and awesome maneuverability? Well then, you don't get the same protection that a car gets. It's basic physics. The fact is, the vast majority of people choose to drive 2+ ton metal enclosures (with much larger total cost of ownership, mind you) and you choose to drive something that actively puts you in danger. That choice is entirely on you as are all of the consequences because, let's face it: no one but a few psychopaths want to be responsible for someone's death. Your argument that drivers don't give a shit rings absolutely hollow. As for entitlement, if a horse buggy or low speed moped gets on the freeway and gets obliterated because they can't function like the cars that the roads were designed for, do you blame the cars or the person who decided to get on the freeway in an entirely inadequate vehicle? I'm all for motorcycles on the road and I'm all for designing safety systems (that don't make life worse for everyone else) into them and other cars on the road to reduce accidents and fatalities. You, a minuscule minority, however, do NOT get to noise pollute our environments far beyond what is reasonable in a dense urban/suburban society just for your own enjoyment. The vast majority of drivers have long ago voted with their wallets and ballot boxes that the quiet, safety, and size of cars is what we want.
      - 9y ago

oldcynic 9y ago

Not at all true, unless you add an illegal straight through or race pipe. Or remove the baffles. Motorcycles are comparatively loud, especially big V twins, because a) a surprising percentage is intake noise - there's a huge intake pulse from a 1200cc V b) the engine is open rather than behind a closed bonnet with noise absorption c) they tend to rev much higher than equivalent car engines (not Harleys) Passing the legislated noise tests (specified engine revs etc), bikes are often quieter than a car. With some bikes now too quiet for comfort around pedestrians in town. Harleys somehow are always obnoxiously loud - My guess is probably mostly from intake pulses given current EU noise regs.

mcguire 9y ago
I don't know about the EU, but straight pipes are somewhat common in the US, and de-baffled exhausts are almost ubiquitous.

Clubber 9y ago

>I was under the impression that motorcycles were made to be artificially loud, as just like the existence of the engine, the bike being loud is a major selling point. Is this true? They don't come from the factory that way (regulation), but people add aftermarket parts to make them that way. It costs a good amount too; $2500 installed depending on what you get.

hfdgiutdryg 9y ago
They don't come from the factory that way (regulation) They effectively did for a very long time. Harley has a performance parts division, complete with a thick catalog of custom exhausts, cams, intakes, and most importantly an EFI "tuner" box. Harley dealers were more than happy to install whatever you wanted, and even kept a stock of already modified bikes ready for sale. They were fined $12 million for this awhile back. 2012, I think.