Loud vs quiet exhaust?

[PrivatePilot]

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There is NO scentific or statistical studies that have stated conclusively that loud pipes save lives. So feel free to post such a study to refute what virtually everyone agrees provides riders with a false sense that they do.

Do you have a scientific or statistical study that states conclusively that being heard is useless, however? Good luck with that.

Here's a new perspective for you guys. I drive a tractor trailer for a living. I drive more K in a week than many of you drive in several months, in about 6 weeks I drive more than then the average person statistically drives a in year.

Now, look at this picture good and hard.

Now, absorb this. From the driver's seat, using a quick glance in my primary (west coast) mirrors I can see NONE of those bikes. NOT ONE.

Now, before anyone runs off and spouts forth the usual "Well you shouldn't ride there anyways", don't bother. In a perfect world you'd never be in anyones blind spot ever, but last I checked this isn't a perfect world.

So ask yourself...if you find yourself in one of those positions either as part of your daily drive, or unwillingly...would you want me to be able to hear you as a last line of defence against me accidentally squashing you into a guard rail at 100KPH? Because I'll tell you what...despite the noise in my cab and everything else going on, SOUND is a very important sense to us guys as well, secondary to sight. If I have to rely on another sense (Feel) to know you're there, well, your day has suddenly got really bad.

Here's another picture for you all to see:

Can you see the car in that photo?

There is no car?

Think again.

Now, that's an extreme example, and yes, it's a tractor trailer and not a car...but I ask you all again, if you're in the blind spot of ANY vehicle for ANY reason...would you not like to have the benefit of another sense (sound) to have the driver know you're there?

I'm not advocating obnoxious pipes, but I'm NEVER going to say that a silent bike is a good thing either. Spare me all the "loud pipes cause people to look and people drive where they look and blah blah blah" nonsense - if someone hears you they know SOMETHING is there and most people can equate the sound of a motorcycle to a motorcycle. In the end, YOUR *** is potentially saved.

 

[JoeyB]

There is NO scentific or statistical studies that have stated conclusively that loud pipes save lives. So feel free to post such a study to refute what virtually everyone agrees provides riders with a false sense that they do.

Do you have a scientific or statistical study that states conclusively that being heard is useless, however? Good luck with that.

Neither of you will find a scientific or statistical study that supports either of your arguments. But please continue with the anecdotal evidence.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Neither of you will find a scientific or statistical study that supports either of your arguments. But please continue with the anecdotal evidence.

I agree with the lack of study results on the issue.

As for anecdotal evidence, did you even see the rest of my post? Or are you one of those who when presented with evidence that is contrary to your viewpoint pretends it doesn't exist?

 

[Motorcycle Mike]

I agree with the lack of study results on the issue.

As for anecdotal evidence, did you even see the rest of my post? Or are you one of those who when presented with evidence that is contrary to your viewpoint pretends it doesn't exist?

It comes back to riding skill.

I used to drive truck and am aware of the blind spots.

I'm not going to hope that the driver can hear me over his radio, cb, gps, and loud ass engine, I'm just going to stay out of his blind spots. If I cannot completely overtake the truck I'll hang back until the reason for not being able to overtake is not there anymore. If a truck driver is tailgating me, I'll get the hell out of that situation.

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[PrivatePilot]

It comes back to riding skill.

I'm not going to hope that the driver can hear me over his radio, cb, gps, and loud *** engine, I'm just going to stay out of his blind spots.

Now, before anyone runs off and spouts forth the usual "Well you shouldn't ride there anyways", don't bother. In a perfect world you'd never be in anyones blind spot ever, but last I checked this isn't a perfect world.

Hows that perfect world you're living in? Or do you never drive on anything except city streets at city speeds?

 

[Motorcycle Mike]

Hows that perfect world you're living in? Or do you never drive on anything except city streets at city speeds?

It's called riding with a bit of foresight and awareness.

Ask any one of the guys on this forum who came on rides that I led how I ride -- and they'll tell you that I stay in the far right until I am about to pass. If I can't get completely past the vehicle I want to pass I will hang back and stay behind them until I can. I never ride beside trucks, I only ride past them.

But yeah, maybe you're right that I just stick to city riding... I guess the 48000km on my Vstrom since June 2013 and the 6000km on my DRZ since Sept 2014 were all done just circling Square One one lap at a time.

 

[jc100]

I've got a Two Brothers slip on on my CBR. It's not too loud around town or on the highways (I usually keep RPMs low in town anyway) but when I go on the 400 series it's pretty loud.

The way I see it loud is good. Think of the 16 year old kid blasting music in their parents car. New driver, probably doesn't pay attention like they should. Do you think a bike horn is going to be heard by them? I'm thinking not. However when I pull the clutch in and redline my bike...they'll hear me.

Here's another example. My father was riding through town one day. A little old lady was starting to pull out in front of him (obviously didn't look before she started to drive). He has a Harley with screaming eagle pipes. He revved the engine and she slammed the brakes.

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Nothing...including your exhaust...is going to be heard by them. Use a horn if you want to get noticed. Put on a Stebel if you want to wake dead people from slumber.

 

[Baggsy]

Now I'm picturing a bike or souped up car,
drafting behind Pilot for hundreds of miles to get better gas mileage,
and him never changing lanes because he hears a loud exhaust.

Doesn't anyone's horn work anymore?
Is everyone so deaf that they can't hear a stock pipe,
but not deaf enough that they can't hear an off-road one?

 

[unL33T]

Pointless. They just annoy people and by the time anyone on the highway hears it, assuming their car isn't a luxury brand with lots of sound proofing, you're already in front of them or close enough that they'd hit you anyway.

 

[jc100]

Pointless. They just annoy people and by the time anyone on the highway hears it, assuming their car isn't a luxury brand with lots of sound proofing, you're already in front of them or close enough that they'd hit you anyway.

Stock horns are a bit feeble but Stebels are a good investment. The horn is usually the last resort for most people anyway so in the event you need to use it you might as well make it one that the braindead texter can hear above his iPhone and sound insulation. Me personally..I use the horn in a European way...ie quite a lot as there's a lot of idiots about.

 

[unL33T]

Stock horns are a bit feeble but Stebels are a good investment. The horn is usually the last resort for most people anyway so in the event you need to use it you might as well make it one that the braindead texter can hear above his iPhone and sound insulation. Me personally..I use the horn in a European way...ie quite a lot as there's a lot of idiots about.

I'm fine with loud horns. I'd believe loud horns save lives.

 

[nakkers]

Motorcycle horns do nothing .......honestly. It does make a noise. But, they do nothing to alert anyone.

A loud obnoxious exhaust however........that command attention......

Rig a train horn to a motorcycle.....that's the business right there.

 

[jc100]

Motorcycle horns do nothing .......honestly. It does make a noise. But, they do nothing to alert anyone.

A loud obnoxious exhaust however........that command attention......

Rig a train horn to a motorcycle.....that's the business right there.

Have you heard a Stebel go off? It's like a train horn. The only issue is you need a relay and dedicated wiring as the things draw more juice than most stock wiring can handle, they are also a bit bulkier and might not fit in the stock position.

 

[Drennan57]

It's called riding with a bit of foresight and awareness.

Ask any one of the guys on this forum who came on rides that I led how I ride -- and they'll tell you that I stay in the far right until I am about to pass. If I can't get completely past the vehicle I want to pass I will hang back and stay behind them until I can. I never ride beside trucks, I only ride past them.

But yeah, maybe you're right that I just stick to city riding... I guess the 48000km on my Vstrom since June 2013 and the 6000km on my DRZ since Sept 2014 were all done just circling Square One one lap at a time.

Do people actually do this? hahaha

 

[inreb]

Stebel? Sounds interesting. Will research. If congruent with Buell architecture maybe mount in conspicuous place. Not inconspicuous, in conspicuous. Mess with Buell, get horn.

 

[Joe Bass]

I almost got clipped. All I heard was a whoosh. It was too little too late.

Replace the batteries on your hearing aid.

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[inreb]

Replace the batteries on your hearing aid.

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I had a dream about you last night. But it's not what you think.

 

[Joe Bass]

Stebel? Sounds interesting. Will research. If congruent with Buell architecture maybe mount in conspicuous place. Not inconspicuous, in conspicuous. Mess with Buell, get horn.

Let me know how this goes, please. Does sound interesting as my horn is still stock and sucks.

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[Joe Bass]

I had a dream about you last night. But it's not what you think.

My loud pipes?

I'm tempted to start her up and post a video here... I'm sorry, but I love the sound of my pipes.

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[Baggsy]

My loud pipes?

I'm tempted to start her up and post a video here... I'm sorry, but I love the sound of my pipes.

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Ah, finally some truth.

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