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Really my objection is to the loud noise. If Harley Davidson makes a silent electric one, I'll rescind my call to ban them.

gerbilly 8y ago
If Harley Davidson made an electric bike, then people would start buying aftermarket noise makers that play the Harley sound at 140dB.
- larrywright 8y ago
  I think you're right. The sound seems to be part of the appeal, for whatever reason.
- ecshafer 8y ago
  Harley Davidson does make an electric bike, and it's also incredibly loud.
- ryandrake 8y ago
  Cars are already piping fake engine noises through their speaker systems [1], so this idea isn’t that far away. 1: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15117726/faking-it-engine-sound-enhancement-explained-tech-dept/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15117726/faking-it-en...
reificator 8y ago
So I can't have my fuel-saving super-efficient quiet vehicle because you're upset with the people who buy a Harley specifically to be loud? Banning motorcycles will not fix loud noises. They'll just buy loud trucks and cars and/or "upgrade" them to be loud. I watch for other motorcycles because motorcyclists wave at each other as they pass. Around here (Colorado) it's maybe 1/20 motorcycles that are louder than a car under normal conditions. Probably 1/12 or so that are louder than a car when they're driving like an asshole. I honestly encounter loud cars more often than motorcycles, usually when some idiot thinks I pulled up to the light on my motorcycle to race them in their civic. (When I'm just on my way to or from the damn grocery store) Though if you're looking for the loudest thing on the road, I'll grant that it's usually some 60 year old dude on a Harley.
kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
Stock Harleys aren't that loud. What you hear is after market open pipes that are poorly regulated in most states and rarely ticketed in those that do regulate them.
mmaurizi 8y ago
It's coming out this year https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-vehicles/livewire.html https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-veh...

gerbilly 8y ago

If Harley Davidson made an electric bike, then people would start buying aftermarket noise makers that play the Harley sound at 140dB.

larrywright 8y ago
I think you're right. The sound seems to be part of the appeal, for whatever reason.
ecshafer 8y ago
Harley Davidson does make an electric bike, and it's also incredibly loud.
ryandrake 8y ago
Cars are already piping fake engine noises through their speaker systems [1], so this idea isn’t that far away. 1: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15117726/faking-it-engine-sound-enhancement-explained-tech-dept/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15117726/faking-it-en...

reificator 8y ago

So I can't have my fuel-saving super-efficient quiet vehicle because you're upset with the people who buy a Harley specifically to be loud? Banning motorcycles will not fix loud noises. They'll just buy loud trucks and cars and/or "upgrade" them to be loud. I watch for other motorcycles because motorcyclists wave at each other as they pass. Around here (Colorado) it's maybe 1/20 motorcycles that are louder than a car under normal conditions. Probably 1/12 or so that are louder than a car when they're driving like an asshole. I honestly encounter loud cars more often than motorcycles, usually when some idiot thinks I pulled up to the light on my motorcycle to race them in their civic. (When I'm just on my way to or from the damn grocery store) Though if you're looking for the loudest thing on the road, I'll grant that it's usually some 60 year old dude on a Harley.

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago

Stock Harleys aren't that loud. What you hear is after market open pipes that are poorly regulated in most states and rarely ticketed in those that do regulate them.

mmaurizi 8y ago

It's coming out this year https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-vehicles/livewire.html https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-veh...