I am more aware when in the cage hearing an exhaust, but i'm a careful driver bike or car and always checking mirrors and before changing lanes always head turn even if sure nothing is around me. wish could say the same for most other drivers/riders. some sportbike exhausts that are loud in my opinion sound good but many SS types just sound like a loud angry wasp which is annoying. then again many cruisers with loud exhausts sound like crap too though a good sounding one i love listening to. my last cruiser (vtx1300c) i put cobra lowboy staggereds on and took out baffles and was loud when i wanted it to be and fairly sedate in residential nieghborhoods. This bike i'd like a LITTLE more sound but not a straight pipe loud that along with horn (which i find if needed it's too late to hit, ie: i'm emergency manuevering) will be enough. any help we can get on the road to be seen OR heard is an improvement on our chances of continueing to ride safely, the most important is OUR anticipation that other drivers and riders are going to do something stupid.
do "loud pipes save lives"?
- Thread starter redwing-2001
- Start date
I agree, doesn't save lives which your skills come in to play but it does get you noticed.
I don't think our pipes can be as loud as a Harley's and if it is then it sounds great. Now when I'm in a car I notice the sounds of the riced out civic around somewhere.
Also, from what I hear, usually in an accident with a motorcycle it's either "I didn't see him..." or "I didn't hear him".
So in general the people who put loud pipes on their bikes kind of messed up how a bike's noise is supposed to be.
I don't think our pipes can be as loud as a Harley's and if it is then it sounds great. Now when I'm in a car I notice the sounds of the riced out civic around somewhere.
Also, from what I hear, usually in an accident with a motorcycle it's either "I didn't see him..." or "I didn't hear him".
So in general the people who put loud pipes on their bikes kind of messed up how a bike's noise is supposed to be.
Sorry, this made me laugh. If your riding something on the street that can go 767 MPH, you got so many other issues to worry about!
Sorry, this made me laugh. If your riding something on the street that can go 767 MPH, you got so many other issues to worry about!
Yeah like how are you going back to the future.
Loud Pipes?
What ever you think of loud motorcycles, the Oakland CA motor cops think loud pipes are a safety issue. It cost the citizens of Oakland 16 or 17 thousand bucks a couple of years back to change out the stock mufflers for louder, safer ones. So who am I to argue with all those motor cops and city fathers. They MUST know what they are doing.
What ever you think of loud motorcycles, the Oakland CA motor cops think loud pipes are a safety issue. It cost the citizens of Oakland 16 or 17 thousand bucks a couple of years back to change out the stock mufflers for louder, safer ones. So who am I to argue with all those motor cops and city fathers. They MUST know what they are doing.
As for me and my personal experience I know for a fact they do save lives. It is night and day better with a loud pipe and the safety factor is exponentially better!
I never ride in anyone's blind spot even with a loud pipe. If I don't see their face in their mirror then I either slow or pass them. Sometimes I will just pass them so they see me and then slow to near the speed limit, just so they know I'm there.
I know in previous experience and currently on my FZ6R when my bike is quiet I have about 1-2 people a week try to merge into me. With a loud pipe it only happens 1-2 times a YEAR!
I'm sure it is different for others, but for me I ride 90% of the time in traffic.
I never ride in anyone's blind spot even with a loud pipe. If I don't see their face in their mirror then I either slow or pass them. Sometimes I will just pass them so they see me and then slow to near the speed limit, just so they know I'm there.
I know in previous experience and currently on my FZ6R when my bike is quiet I have about 1-2 people a week try to merge into me. With a loud pipe it only happens 1-2 times a YEAR!
I'm sure it is different for others, but for me I ride 90% of the time in traffic.
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I think the Back to the Future Car only had to achieve 83 mph...
At 767 mph I'd be worrying about brakes
88 mph actually...
But he'd be back in 1749...
redwing-2001
New Member
expect that to happen when you ride in a blind spot. Doesn't matter whether you are in a car or riding a motorcycle... stay out of blind spots.
redwing-2001
New Member
Follow up question especially for those that have anecdotal evidence that loud pipes saved them from a cager cutting them off:
Was it the loud pipes or experience riding that motorcycle in the traffice patterns you regularly ride that prevented the mishap. In other words, did you get better at predicting.
We need a formal, scientific study.
One of the biggest problems I see with loud pipes is that they are not "music" to most ears. The non-motorcycle-riding public really find it obnoxious. And they could vote us out of existance. Already in some jurisdictions there are ordinances against installing non-OEM exausts.
Was it the loud pipes or experience riding that motorcycle in the traffice patterns you regularly ride that prevented the mishap. In other words, did you get better at predicting.
We need a formal, scientific study.
One of the biggest problems I see with loud pipes is that they are not "music" to most ears. The non-motorcycle-riding public really find it obnoxious. And they could vote us out of existance. Already in some jurisdictions there are ordinances against installing non-OEM exausts.
@ redwing....The problem with any study is that the data can be manipulated to show whatever end result they want to see.
In reality....
Scientific or otherwise, I have a lot more cagers making room for me to split lanes now that they can hear me.
It makes it less dangerous to split lanes as I hate to hit those plastic mirror boxes with my bar ends.
I try to keep the RPM and noise down especially when driving next to a cager with their window rolled down, enjoying the fresh air and if I see a dog I'm especially careful of their sensitive ears. Just cruising, the extra noise isn't that bad and it it obvious as black and white that people now notice me. Even that "free muffler mod" did not help at all. But this Viper can is as good as gold.
In reality....
Scientific or otherwise, I have a lot more cagers making room for me to split lanes now that they can hear me.
It makes it less dangerous to split lanes as I hate to hit those plastic mirror boxes with my bar ends.
I try to keep the RPM and noise down especially when driving next to a cager with their window rolled down, enjoying the fresh air and if I see a dog I'm especially careful of their sensitive ears. Just cruising, the extra noise isn't that bad and it it obvious as black and white that people now notice me. Even that "free muffler mod" did not help at all. But this Viper can is as good as gold.
If they think loud pipes are obnoxious then what about the people who put aftermarket speakers, subs and amps in their cars driving by?
Honestly, I would rather hear a loud pipe such as a D&D fly by and analyze what type of bike it is then a Cadillac with rims blasting loud bass music.
Honestly, I would rather hear a loud pipe such as a D&D fly by and analyze what type of bike it is then a Cadillac with rims blasting loud bass music.
When I put a loud pipe on my CBR-600 I noticed immediate results and didn't merged into for quite some time. Then when I bought my FZ6R I was cut-off 3 times in the first week.
So unless my experience and skills are degrading then that is all the proof I need.
Is my CBR obnoxiously loud? Hell yea!
I can't use headphones on my bike and I'm sure my neighbors hate me. Of course they hate me for my Dodge diesel with 4" exhaust too.
I will say that I'd take a ticket for my loud exhaust any day of the week, because it is far to effective to get rid of it.
I can't use headphones on my bike and I'm sure my neighbors hate me. Of course they hate me for my Dodge diesel with 4" exhaust too.
I will say that I'd take a ticket for my loud exhaust any day of the week, because it is far to effective to get rid of it.
So you're doing it for attention. Cool. That's why I bought a yellow bike. At least you're honest about it (unless you're somehow worried about people not noticing your Dodge?).
Yesterday I was in my car, putting along in traffic, windows open and a bike with loud exhaust came lane-split past me. I didn't hear him until he was next to me. Loud wouldn't have saved his ass. As one of the referenced articles said, cars don't hear the loud exhaust until it's too late, at least in the case of lane splitting.
Same thing happened to me two days ago. Bike was loud as hell, but I didn't hear him until he was passing right at my right rear bumper. The only time I really hear loud exhaust when I'm in a cage is going through a tunnel and then I can't tell where they are coming from. I think a mildy louder than stock exhaust is good, but not obnoxiously loud...like many harley riders.
When I'm splitting traffic, if someone starts to drift over towards me, I'll pull the clutch in and rev it up as a warning that I'm there. For that reason, I wish my exhaust was a little bit louder, but not much. I like the stealthness too sometimes. This is one of those debates where both sides have valid points and neither are right or wrong. There are different scenarios in which quiet or loud exhaust would prevail over the other. So, pick the option you like and live with it. Just don't get TOO loud and be "That Guy".
Uh yea that's the idea, so I can stay alive. Not because I think my 22 year old CBR that I bought for $500 is cool.
The truck I'm not worried about. I bought it last year with a 3" straight exhaust. Now that was loud! I just put 4" stainless with a muffler and it is only loud when I get on it.
Well, I prefer to live longer so I choose the option to be "loud"! And I don't give a rat's a$$ if anyone thinks I'm "That Guy".
I'm not saying loud is the only way to go, but for me and my commute it works well. I certainly don't do it too intentionally annoy anyone, but until everyone is looking for us on the road I will continue to use a loud pipe.
Mee too......