Replacing stock mufflers with loud, obnoxious "open pipes," which many of the baby-boom generation must have on their new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, is both irritating and detrimental to the quality of the hobby (" Indians rap biker rally nearing butte," News, Tuesday).
Unnecessarily loud pipes, which are ultimately the concern at Bear Butte, near Sturgis, S.D., though not overly expressed in USA TODAY's article, plague cities and towns all over the United States - and many residents are sick of it. Loud pipes disturb family neighborhoods and the quality of life. They also decimate other important, sacred sites besides Bear Butte. Two other such places are the Gettysburg, Pa., battlefield and Arlington National Cemetery, where many bikers come to "show their patriotism." If this is patriotism, I'd rather fly a communist flag. Many communities are enforcing strict noise ordinances and banning motorcycle parking to keep the loud-pipe bikers out. That's a shame for those of us who really appreciate the sport of motorcycling but do it instead for the love of the hobby - not to try to act "cool" and disturb other people's peace. Perhaps Arizona entrepreneur Jay Allen can move his biker bar to his own backyard. I'm sure a fool and his money will still come. Rich Schaffer, Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
As a South Dakota native, I was outraged, appalled and ashamed after I read the article on the annual motorcycle rally taking place in Sturgis, S.D., six miles from the Indians' sacred Bear Butte.
I am an elderly white woman, and I have known all my adult life that Bear Butte is a sacred place for the local Native Americans. I have driven by it many times and always felt a special respect for the butte. It stands there alone on the vast prairie of South Dakota. It is a holy place of great comfort to the Plains Indians, much as my church is to me.
Please tell me why, with thousands of acres of prairie, the bikers are picking on one of the last places that means so much to Indians in the state?
The Native Americans are still struggling to make their way in the world of the white man, with hope that they can retain their own culture and preserve the teachings of their ancestors.
My heart goes out to them.
I am ashamed that we worry so much about the needy all over the world and do so little to help these honorable people in our own country to rise above their poor conditions - which are so much less than they deserve, and which are mostly the result of past mistreatment by Americans.
Joyce E. Luly, Franklin, N.C.
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If this is patriotism, I'd rather fly a communist flag.
Now THAT is a sweet quote.
I, like these people, find excessively loud pipes on motorcycles AND four-wheel vehicles annoying....as well as those people who positively BLARE their music. Is their any rationale behind these actions, or is it just a "look at me" sort of thing? Thoughts?
Oh how we danced and we swallowed the nights for it was all ripe for dreaming
Oh how we danced away all of the lights we've always been out of our minds
I, like these people, find excessively loud pipes on motorcycles AND four-wheel vehicles annoying....as well as those people who positively BLARE their music. Is their any rationale behind these actions, or is it just a "look at me" sort of thing? Thoughts?
I personally think it is a "look at me" sort of thing. What they should be saying is "Look at me. I'll be the one wearing a hearing aid in less than 5 years."
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Ok...I'm a biker & here is my OPINION on the subject. It doesn't matter to me whether you agree or not, just let me air out a few things.
If I remember correctly, 85db is considered normal conversational sound level. The "noisiest" aftermarket pipes I am aware of are the Double-D straights, 107db under acceleration and close to 100db cruising.
I think "loud pipes" is too-broad a topic. What's loud to me may not be loud to you. It's a matter of scale. The primary function of the pipes on motorcycles as on an automobile is to remove exhaust from the operating motor. A more efficient exhaust system creates a more efficient operating motor. One side effect to that is loudness. Loudness can also aide in the prevention of accidents as most people have a hard time seeing motorcyclists. Driving defensively can only do so much.
Let me ask: How visible do you think a 2 ft. wide bike is? LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES plain and simple. In slow, heavy traffic when relative speeds are similiar loud pipes do effectively announce your presence to those in a vehicle who are an immediate threat to you; the ones just a few feet away. Even at 40mph, I don't care to have to dodge (if i'm lucky) a car/truck doing an insta-lane-change that doesn't think i'm *here* just cause he didn't see me in that typical eyeblink in the sidemirror and can't hear me cause of my whisper-quiet-stealth-exhaust... so, Yup, I do think loud pipes are real safety addition out on the road!
Personally I DON'T have loud exhaust on my motorcycle, but it IS a freedom of choice. You really want an understanding on it ....get out in city traffic for a week on a motorcycle and see how many vehicles pull out in front of you. When people hear pipes and take a second look, they can see you coming. If people would pay attention when they drive, the loud pipes would not be a big issue on a bike. IMO, every driver should be made to pass the motorcycle driver's test whether they ride or not. That way they can see things from a rider's perspective.
Now, I understand the noise issue in the resdential neighborhoods. My opinion is that the bikers shouldn't be there in the first place & if they must ride through a neighborhood, then do so slowly, quietly & NOT rev the engine.
OK...now that I've pissed in someone's corn flakes...let me have it!
Old Spice: If your grandfather hadn't worn it...you wouldn't exist.
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You know me, Easyrider...and you know I've spent some time around bikes.
And unfortunately, you know as well as I do that loud pipes don't seem to make you any more visible to people who have not been around motorcycles. With the number of ninnies in SUVs, talking on the cell phone and changing lanes without looking out there, I don't think that it would help much if you attached a 10 foot neon sign saying "Hey, I'm here!!!"
The ordinary pipes that come with most bikes are perfectly reasonable. The ones that I hate -- on bikes AND on four-wheels -- are the ones that are so loud that I can't have a conversation on the phone in my back yard when they ride down the county road in front of my house.
Here are your cornflakes back.
Oh how we danced and we swallowed the nights for it was all ripe for dreaming
Oh how we danced away all of the lights we've always been out of our minds
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Yeah, it's a "look at me" thing! If it weren't for those inattentive drivers driving cars while tending to unruly children in the backseat, talking on their cell phones, or reading books and newspapers while driving down the highway, I wouldn't think loud pipes on motorcycles would be necessary.
Also, one can vent the exhaust on any vehicle with bigger diameter pipes and limit the noise of the exhaust at the same time. Straight pipes on any vehicle as well as those who ride down the road with the blaring "heavy bass" boom-boom music piss me off more than Harleys with loud pipes!
Just my 2 cents. Carry on my brotha! No piss in your cornflakes here!
Last edited by stickman; 08-07-2006 at 17:40 PM.
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OK, my turn on the soapbox. I do have a motorcycle with loud straight pipes. I did not put them there. They were already on it when I bought it years ago; however, if it had stock pipes, the first thing I would have probably done was to replace them. I DO like the sound of the them and you can definitely hear me coming (can't you Easyrider). I don't think it's a "look at me" thing but if you want to then that's okay too. Motorcyclists who ride their bikes any reasonable period of time are going to have close calls because of the inattentiveness of other drivers. Most will say "they didn't see the bike". If it add just a little bit of safety to the ride then they can ticket me all they want to for loud pipes. I'm not out circling someone's house in the neighborhood to cause a constant noise and am considerate when riding home not to wind it up to much if it's late. To me it's no worse then somebody's barking dog that they don't seem to be able to hear no matter how long it barks (but that's an older and different post). Just my opinion and my two cents worth.
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Well here's my 2 cents worth. We have 2 bikes and the wife has straight pipes on hers and I have performance pipes on mine. I have had people try and come over on me before and all you to do is pop the clutch and rev it up a little and it will get there attention no matter what they are doing inside the car. A harley just doesn't sound right with stock pipes and there is nothing better than listening to the sound of the pipes going down the road. It's like scootergal said earlier, I try and show a little respect if I'm in a neighborhood and come in quiet. I'm not going to ride around the block and rattle your windows like some cars do with the radio blaring.
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