I find them annoying too, but the safety advantage while riding on highways is clear. The safety of the rider is, in my opinion, of more importance than any mil

I find them annoying too, but the safety advantage while riding on highways is clear. The safety of the rider is, in my opinion, of more importance than any mild annoyance a loud bike might cause. That said, I suspect, like you, that safety was not the reason a lot of riders picked a loud bike.