Loud Pipes Save Lives. Huh?
Seriously now, loud pipes on a motorcycle might save a life or two, or more. But how many people, when they bought their bike, said to the salesperson, "I'm really concerned about motorcycle safety. Other than my protective gear, I heard that if I put the loudest exhaust system on my bike it will offer me a bit more protection since people will hear me better."
Come on, we all know why we want that big-assed HOG to sound the way it does! Because it sounds better than the stock pipes!!! Although I would say that if you do a Stage I upgrade you'll get bigger pipes so that would be another reason but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that only did it for safety.
Look, when I bought my bike the salesman asked what kind of pipes I wanted. I told him I wanted something that sounded loud but didn't want to go overboard. So I got the Vance and Hines Staggered Longshots because they looked and sounded cool. Frankly, I wish they were louder.
The problem of course is that people in cars get seriously annoyed at the sound of these pipes. I do agree that they're loud but they are also abused. Throttle jockeys sitting at a red light blipping constantly, someone cruising up a residential street, winding it out for maximum effect. This is what has caused the backlash against loud pipes. We can argue all we want but the reality is that many communities are already clamping down on pipes over a certain decibal.
What bothers me more of course is someone sitting at a light in their 5000 lb SUV, or worse, their beat up, 20 year old Nissan, with a $5000 stero system bumping the bass to the point where my eardrums are trashed. How in God's name can that be allowed yet motorcycle's are being targeted.
I love my pipes, I'm as guilty as the next person of showing off their sound sometimes. And I'm all for the government leaving me the hell alone. But we do not live in a vaccuum. Our actions affect others. Just like with the helmet laws, laws can easily be written restricting our enjoyment. Let's at least be honest about why we like loud pipes and realize this.
Come on, we all know why we want that big-assed HOG to sound the way it does! Because it sounds better than the stock pipes!!! Although I would say that if you do a Stage I upgrade you'll get bigger pipes so that would be another reason but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that only did it for safety.
Look, when I bought my bike the salesman asked what kind of pipes I wanted. I told him I wanted something that sounded loud but didn't want to go overboard. So I got the Vance and Hines Staggered Longshots because they looked and sounded cool. Frankly, I wish they were louder.
The problem of course is that people in cars get seriously annoyed at the sound of these pipes. I do agree that they're loud but they are also abused. Throttle jockeys sitting at a red light blipping constantly, someone cruising up a residential street, winding it out for maximum effect. This is what has caused the backlash against loud pipes. We can argue all we want but the reality is that many communities are already clamping down on pipes over a certain decibal.
What bothers me more of course is someone sitting at a light in their 5000 lb SUV, or worse, their beat up, 20 year old Nissan, with a $5000 stero system bumping the bass to the point where my eardrums are trashed. How in God's name can that be allowed yet motorcycle's are being targeted.
I love my pipes, I'm as guilty as the next person of showing off their sound sometimes. And I'm all for the government leaving me the hell alone. But we do not live in a vaccuum. Our actions affect others. Just like with the helmet laws, laws can easily be written restricting our enjoyment. Let's at least be honest about why we like loud pipes and realize this.
posted by Mike at 3:42 PM PERMALINK
21 Comments:
Loud Pipes do save LIVES IN SO CAL!!!!
Don't know about the rest of you but in southern cal we white line and it's legal. The CHP does it and so do the rest of us with loud pipes it's good to know they can hear you coming. For the drivers that are polite enough to move a bit its awesome and they can hear you. For the ones that cant hear or don't care the just move over and block you. If those pipes were quite you would not be heard and i know i drive from e. los angeles to valencia daily and i hear the pipes and move for THOSE LOUD PIPES!!!!!!!
RIDE SAFE
as you say...
What bothers me more of course is someone sitting at a light in their 5000 lb SUV, or worse, their beat up, 20 year old Nissan, with a $5000 stero system bumping the bass to the point where my eardrums are trashed.
30 years ago before loud car stereos, and A/C were common, you MIGHT say "loud pipes save lives" but in todays steel cocoon, with the a/c churning, the stereo playing, the chatter on the cell phone , and mommmy's little darlins in the back seat... the only one who hears your "safety equipment" are the people sitting on their deck
Loud Pipes Save Lives.....BS!!!
People with loud pipes are just compensating for deficeincies in other attributes. If anything loud pipes make me want to steer my car into you because you are annoying the rest of the world. Not to mention they violate many local noise ordinances. As an officer, whenever I hear someone with loud pipes reving up at a red light, I pull them over and give them the criminal citation for noise ordinance violation. You should see the thumbs up I get from everyone else at the intersection.
that right
"Nice, a cop who not only has nothing better to do than ticket bikers for their pipes, he also wants to smash his car into them. How about identifying yourself dickwad so we can get YOUR motherfucking ass off the streets?? You are the type of cop that gives the good ones a bad name.
I wonder if you spend as much time ticketing punkass little mofos who blast their car stereos at ear-shattering decibles. Of course not, because you have a bug up your ass for bikers."
WOOT! Hoo-rah for our side! I totally agree!
I have used the stock pipes that are quieter than most vespa scooters and also the aftermarket mid-noise-range pipes - by far I have noticed that traffic notices me by the noise.
For the "cop" out there: I worked 2 years as a mechanic for years for LAPD and most of the sworn officiers here are aware of something called a "blind spot" and when I happen to be in moving traffic on the LA freeways, where not many people use those turn signal thingies, having loud pipes has already prevented a number of "creep-overs." But I guess things must be different in bum-fruck Arkansas or where ever you do your police work.
Abate and MMA
I have been riding a bike for the past year that makes no noise and find that people in cars just do not know you exist on the road. People these days feel they are in their own bubble once they step into their car. They talk on the phone, eat, listen to music, write, and even read. I know this because I am also a culprit of it.( and you know you are too, if you are honest with yourself!!) I drive around in several different cities for work and want to thank the bikers for their LOUD PIPES!!
These loud motorcycles are illegal...for a very good reason. I am about to conduct a intense campaign to get law enforcement to strictly enforce the noise ordinance where I live to get you wildly inconsiderate people off the road, or else ban motorcycles from this area altogether. Sorry to say that, I am not at all against motorcycles but enough is enough.
Loud pipes DO NOT increase safety - that has been proven. All that loud pipes accomplish is denying other citizens their rights to peace and quite.
Many of you motorcyclists are quite vocal about your “rights”, however as you ride your loud and ILLEGALLY modified motorcycles do you consider the rights of others to peace and quiet?
At least the teenagers with their loud stereo systems have the excuse of the stupidity of youth. I much prefer these highly annoying cars to these illegally modified motorcycles.
These loud motorcycles are illegal...for a very good reason. I am about to conduct a intense campaign to get law enforcement to strictly enforce the noise ordinance where I live to get you wildly inconsiderate people off the road, or else ban motorcycles from this area altogether. Sorry to say that, I am not at all against motorcycles but enough is enough.
Loud pipes DO NOT increase safety - that has been proven. All that loud pipes accomplish is denying other citizens their rights to peace and quite.
Many of you motorcyclists are quite vocal about your “rights”, however as you ride your loud and ILLEGALLY modified motorcycles do you consider the rights of others to peace and quiet?
At least the teenagers with their loud stereo systems have the excuse of the stupidity of youth. I much prefer these highly annoying cars to these illegally modified motorcycles.
You do a severe injustice to most LEO that I know. It is apparent that you get your jollies by attacking what you know you will never be. By stating you love to get the thumbs up from surrounding poeple at a light, just further enforces the fact that you need peer approval and will never feel the freedom that most of us who are in the wind experience. Keep driving your minivan, being bossed around by your wife, living in your suburb prison and sucumbing to every moron rule that is status quoe, but dont think for an instant that we will give you any respect for it. You will have to continue to get your rocks off by your abuse of the little power that you get daily behind your badge.
"As an officer, whenever I hear someone with loud pipes reving up at a red light, I pull them over and give them the criminal citation for noise ordinance violation. You should see the thumbs up I get from everyone else at the intersection."
I applaud you. Virtual thumbs up from me. Loooong overdue. Those who choose to pretend to attack you personally for enforcing the law for the majority of us are too childish to face the facts.
Hey now its not only for safety! Loud pipes get us better gas mileage! those people sitting out on their decks, they know they like it. also as proven by a site against loud pipes, more motorcycle fatalitys are from head on because exhaust doesnt point forward. Well that site just proved from thier own research that they do save lives from cars approaching from the rear. That is one more safety we have with loud pipes. maybe we need to start puttin flamethrowers on em too that could save lives!
Loud pipes do not save lives! Much study has already been done on this so give it up.
In most modern day vehicles it is quite easy to hear standard factory pipes when at an intersection. There is no need for it. I live in a small town where bikers travel through on a regular basis for the scenic drive and many but not all feel it is necessary to be so loud that they near shatter windows and rattle counter tops from a block away. That is complete BS. Its especially irritating when two bikes stop side by side at the fuel pumps and they are so loud that those people riding them have to shout to hear each other and this is at idle. While other motorists filling up have to walk a few feet away just to lower the noise level a bit.
I am not against riding motorcycles as i ride one myself from time to time with the factory exhaust. I have no problem being noticed but my bike, jacket, and helmet have reflectors which are very bright and noticeable.
As far as these so called kids with there loud car stereos, the numbers are not that high, and many who do habitually crank up there radios do get fines. A friend of mine's son just got a fine of $250 for his car stereo and i let him know what an inconsiderate idiot he was, so did many of his friends so the cops are citing for it when it is justified and they catch them in the act. I too have a after market stereo system in my car but i never turn it up so loud that i cannot hear the quiet factory exhaust of my car. For those of you who claim that the city driving requires it i am sure that a majority of your peers who live in the same area as you would disagree. If you feel that driving a motorcycle is such a risk that you have to have it so loud, then you should not ride. If you feel that you are unsafe riding your bike in a city there is much more of a traffic issue than any loud exhaust will fix, and you should talk to your local authorities about these problems. In most places they listen especially it it will help save lives. If you decide that you want to ride, then you know the risks are higher when you have very little between you and the the other drivers.
So in closing keep them as quite as they were built because there is no excuse or face the consequences of the law just like everyone else.
LOUD PIPES RUIN LIVES!!
You terrorize us "cagers" constantly with your loud flatulance. Face it, you are incredibly inconsiderate, selfish morons who find enjoyment in terrorizing peace loving, and hard working citizens. We would like to enjoy some peace and quite on our rare time away from work. Instead we cant have people over to enjoy our decks and yards. It sounds like some firing up a lawnmower in our living rooms. "LOUD PIPES RUIN LIVES" I hope one day we can ban against these peace hating terrorist and get our quality of live back. I hope all of you who install straight pipes on your Harleys rot in hell!
Well, as the OWNER of the blog I had to comment on the last poster who said we should rot in hell. I am in agreement with you on wanting to enjoy your backyard or living room without being blasted away by loud pipes. My wife and I are moving from out neighborhood of 16 years due to job changes. One thing I am not going to miss are my fellow brothers and sisters flying up my street (25 mph speed limit) at 40-50 mph with wide open throttle.
On the other hand, I will also not miss for one second, my rear neighbor who parties until 4 in the morning, my neighbor two doors down who enjoys working in his garage while his 500 watt truck stereo is "bumping" hip hop in the driveway and won't miss the people who leave their trash cans in the street 3 days after the trash has been picked up.
It's about RESPECTING your neighbor and respecting others. I wish other riders would consider people in their homes when riding up a residential street but until a law is established for every annoying thing that is considered "loud", don't start with bikers.
Sorry, but the cop is right. I live in San Diego and I'm sick of "tougher-than-thou" douche bags who drive by my place EVERY day blasting about 90 decibels of garbage with their straight pipes.
I hear people yammering about big sound systems, but you know what? They're not as loud as the stupid Harleys. And they're much less frequent.
Quit acting persecuted. People are pissed at Harley riders with straight pipes because of disrespect. I'd expect considerate people who ride Hogs to start telling their brother riders to quiet down. Most often, they don't, though.
Instead, I'm told I have to hear a jet engine taking off outside my window because of your "safety." Yeah, going 60 mph in the 30 in front of my house is about safety, eh?
Just because it's dangerous to ride a bike on the freeway doesn't give you carte blanche to make as much noise as you want on the road.
And the simple truth is this: Many, if not most, loud pipes are bought to make "bad" noise, not for safety.
And "keep 'em loud, rev 'em proud" is the same as saying "I'm a douchebag who has no respect for anyone because my loud Harley is 'tough.'" Such badass outlaws you guys are! You make noise!
I personally cannot wait until noise citations against Harleys increase by 10,000 percent.
This is my first blog post anywhere. And to show some respect get off your computer you no-life panty waste and tell a rider he is a douche to their face. I understand your feelings but stop talking down to people on the internet it just proves your to scared to do anything you say.
People.....quiet is spelled just like you just read it. Q-U-I-E-T.
Quite is a totally different word.
I have been a police officer for the bulk of my adult life 10 years on the job, and I have to say that yes loud pipes may violate certain noise ordinances. however so do police, Fire, and EMS sirens. does that mean we should ban those also? no of course not anything that will give a edge against the idiots that are given driving privileges in the states is a good thing. true it will not prevent all accidents involving motorcycles. but it will prevent some. and one life saved is well worth someone Else's inconvenience. Car vs Motorcycle.... NOT Pretty!!
Fact is--they want them louder for more vibrations so the the bike can get their hog of a girl off since they can't/won't. It has nothing to do with safety and everything to do about 'Hey ya'll--look at me'
I've rode quiet bikes (with far more horsepower than a Harley poser will ever see) for 24 years now. If riding is so scary for HD posers that they need to make a lot of noise, maybe they should stick to cars. Not to mention it's hard to take someone whining about safety seriously that doesn't wear ALL of their gear ALL of the time.
...and yeah, I've said things like this to plenty of HD owners' faces. Guess what, buying a HD doesn't instantly make everyone 300lbs of muscle.
Wow such harsh words for the folks with the loud pipes. The bottom line is that NO loud pipes do not really save lives. I will say this however. Its a free country kiddies. While some people are in fact "douchebags" in the way they handle themselfs the VAST majority don't. Is me having loud pipes REALLY having that much effect on your life? No more then your screamin kid disturbing me on a airplane or during a movie. Does that make you or you kid a "douche" I think not. Dont sweat the small stuff folks your blood pressure will thank you.
These loud motorcycles are illegal...for a very good reason. I am about to conduct a intense campaign to get law enforcement to strictly enforce the noise ordinance where I live to get you wildly inconsiderate people off the road, or else ban motorcycles from this area altogether. Sorry to say that, I am not at all against motorcycles but enough is enough.
Loud pipes DO NOT increase safety - that has been proven. All that loud pipes accomplish is denying other citizens their rights to peace and quite.
Many of you motorcyclists are quite vocal about your “rights”, however as you ride your loud and ILLEGALLY modified motorcycles do you consider the rights of others to peace and quiet?
At least the teenagers with their loud stereo systems have the excuse of the stupidity of youth. I much prefer these highly annoying cars to these illegally modified motorcycles.
1:40 PM
Anonymous
I'm online getting prices for my "loud Pipes" 2nite! I am a new rider and was on my very first official ride with a friend (I was in full protective gear by the way), a soccer mom on her phone was coming over in my lane. She didn't see me or hear me with my stock pipes! My friend saw it happening and sped up and made some noise with her "loud pipes"... soccer mom than finally noticed us and went back to her lane. So loud pipes (not on my bike..yet) saved my life on my first ride! That is enough to make me ride to the dealer and get some installed. Maybe if most Car drivers would pay more attention, us on motorcycles wouldn't have to have loud pipes. Just my opinion!
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