Why are motorcycles so much louder than cars?

In My Humble Opinion
141

OK, so you don’t “ride loud,” but per your earlier posts in this thread, you do own loud bikes with loud pipes, and your chopper has a “thunder header.” :rolleyes:

And you keep making the point that you’ve never gotten a ticket, but so what? We’ve already established that the police are generally ignoring the issue.

Finally, you’ve supposedly never even had a discussion with anyone about your bike making too much noise? Again, what is that supposed to prove? How exactly is someone supposed to “have a discussion” with you as you ride by? And besides, anyone inclined to “have a discussion” with you likely already knows what kind of reaction they are likely to get from you.

You know you are making noise, and you clearly don’t care.

Hee, hee, indeed. :rolleyes:

That said, you do have a point here. The police clearly aren’t doing anything about the issue, and based on the posts of the LEO in this thread, they aren’t inclined to do so.

So maybe we should try another tack. In my state (Connecticut), most motor vehicles that drive on the public highways are required to get biennial emissions tests. A vehicle will be turned away from testing if there are any “visibly leaking, missing or inaccessible exhaust system components,” or if a vehicle has been “tampered or altered from OEM designs (including emissions equipment tampering).” A vehicle that is turned away from testing will subsequently be fined if the issue is not corrected by the due date of the test.

Currently, motorcycles are exempted from this test. Maybe we need to work to change this. Thanks for the idea, GusNSpot! :slight_smile:

BTW, I don’t think my comments in this thread are either a sad or a fearful reaction. I don’t fear loud motorcycles. They’re just really annoying.

142

But you do fear the riders. IMO
If you did not you would get in their face, what is to fear? If they hurt you they will go to jail in Ct. Right??

Or your dislike of motorcycle noise is more noise on your part than real conviction.

“I can’t/won’t try to do anything but maybe see if I can get the government to do something from a safe position where I will never be known.”
And I had to give you the idea??? Bawahahahaha

Thunderheader exhaust is a bit pricey, they make a pretty sound without getting too loud especially if you are not trying to be an asshat.

You and Lefield6 do not have a clue about them but you roll eyes real well. My My, I guess you win.

143

Easiest thing to do is listen to them. Thunderheaders.

Also anice video of stock exhaust versus a variety of exhausts.

Maybe there are different thunderheaders but I would put the one in the video as well as the ones I’ve seen in person in the category of very loud, even at idle.

144

What are you, ten years old?

So, if I don’t physically confront everyone who annoys me, I’m “scared”? Really? Grow up. No one is scared of your biker “lifestyle”.

Jeez. Again, grow up.

Try again. I ride a lot. I have been around plenty of Harley riders. I know what a stock HD sounds like, and I know what a modified HD sounds like. The stock bike is not over the top, most modified exhaust bikes are. Vance and Hines pipes, Screaming Eagles, etc. All add sound but not much else.

But you already know all this. You’ve already said numerous times in this thread that you could not care less about the fact that most HDs (including yours, I don’t believe your bike is as subdued as you claim it is) are obnoxiously loud. You revel in it.

Just like an 10 year old who desires attention.

Here’s the thing though. If I were to pass you on a highway somewhere, I’d still give you the two fingered wave. You’re a rider and I can respect that. I’d just be glad I had my earplugs in.

145

Thanks for those links, Magiver. I think what the RevZilla guy says in your second link says it all.

I’ll add this link for comparison. This is not my personal bike, but it is an exact twin. A 1100cc bike with hard bags for touring, and a “standard” upright riding position. This link gives you a comparable exhaust note to match up to the sounds you linked to above. What is striking is that on the BMW, the exhaust note is actually not much louder, if at all, than the mechanical sounds of the motor.

This is a bike with almost the same size motor as most Harleys, (1100cc vs 1200cc), more horsepower, but far fewer decibels.

146

Thanks for that jz.

1200s are the Sportsters. The big twins are bigger, 103 cubic inches which, by my math, is just shy of 1700cc. I’m not a Harley rider nor am I very familiar with their line but I think that’s accurate.

147

There aren’t enough roll eyes in the world to respond to this post. And here I thought we were having an intelligent discussion…

148

Now this is funny.

149

First part. You are only voicing your opinion as you have no facts on me, how loud my bike is and you claim I ‘revel’ n it.

As to the second, I’m in N/W AR, dual sport heaven, I ride with them mostly on my 1977 Yamaha XT 500. There is everything from the latest & greatest BMW to the 690 Orange Koolaid to the all the way down to the Gas Gas guys.
Now I don’t know where you ride but in Eastern OK and Western AR, the dual sport crowd. and it is a big crowd, are the least bike to bike wavers I have ever seen anywhere.

One of my Cousins was the President of the BMW riders international organization or what ever they called it before he passed a few years ago.

I have been riding since the mid 1950’s all the way to date, except for military service. Been up and down the road a bit across a lot of states so I must commend you for being a dual sport rider and on a BMW yet who will wave at a loud Harley.

You represent less than 1% of the Dual Sport riders that are not antisocial. Kudos to you.
I have never seen a dual sport rider or a BMW rider stop to help a rider with a broken bike unless it is a rider they know or an same brand bike.

I hope to see you do that someday because I will take a picture & post it so I will be believed.

150

I was stuck behind one of them today: a rolling coal pickup with “Loud Pipes Save Lives” stenciled on its tailgate. A Confederate flag in the rear window would have made the trifecta, but seeing as this was in Kanukistan, no such luck.

151

I know some Quebecers who ------------- :wink:

152

Your posts in this thread clearly show that you delight in the image of being the “rebel”, the “outlaw”, who refuses to be bound by society and its rules. Rules which apparently only exist in order to stifle your freedom. Not there is any legitimate need for noise ordinances.

And somewhere along the way you’ve picked up the impression that I have a dual sport. I do not. My bike is, much like a Harley, a long distance touring bike. A 30 year old BMW K-bike.

Can’t speak for riders in Arkansas, but I’ll acknowledge almost anyone on two wheels, even scooter riders.

And, at this very moment there is a guy on a Victory ridding around with a tire plug from my repair kit in his rear tire. Assuming he hasn’t gone in to get a replacement tire yet from when I stopped to help him two weeks ago. No pictures were taken.

And yes, I still believe your bike is louder than it needs to be. In the clips that Macgiver linked to above the stick exhaust on the Harley touring bike wasn’t obnoxiously loud. But you’ve already said in this thread you’ve replaced your stock exhaust with something else. I’m on my phone so I can’t go back and search for it, but I seem to recall it was a Thunderheader? If that is accurate, then you miraculously have the only quiet Thunderheader exhaust in the world.

Anyway, you keep on being you.

153

Here we have it. The loud pipes are supposed to cause intimidation and fear. When in fact, all it really proves is your lack of consideration for others.

154

From 1993 until now, my main bike is Spot, and since I can’t buy new, (disabled on SS ) it is a home built chopper with a 1977 Shovel engine and the pipe came with the deal. Many homemade parts etc. I did not take any pipes off a bike ever. So you misread somewhere along the line.
So I am 72 now and still ride a hard tail kick only bike. A BMW, I should ever have so much money… Bawahahaha
Next time get a picture of you, the guy you helped, both bikes and a broom. If you don’t know what that is about, ride some more.

A friend got me an 1995 EVO plain Jane FXD to trade me for another chopper I built out of a pile of parts gathered over the years, it has a button and shocks & like heaven on bad roads I still would rather ride Spot.

As to being anti-social and have people afraid of me, since I was 6’1" in the 6th grade, ( 6’4" and 200+ to 340+ at different times in my life so far ) my whole life has been sorta like that. Only my fellow Texans who are 5’4" red headed Banty Roosters ever just pick a fight because I am the biggest guy in the room.

So, I never have modded a bike in my life to maker it louder. And those links on the Thunderheader pipe were on what kind of engines being operated how? I never claimed my bike was quieter than an BMW or a Goldwing but if that is your ‘Holy Grail’ it is fine with me but the general population does not seem to all be marching in your soft shoe parade.

What motorcycle did you use to get women to Dr offices through lines of violent protesters? Do you ride as a Patriot Guard? If you have any leather gear at all, have the violent PETA protesters been cowards when it comes to throwing paint on you?? & not just the women in fur coats? Yeah, they road out with a few of us with nary a drop of paint on them.
No one bitched about the noise that night either.
I just happened to not be one of the noisey ones but was feeling good about helping those ladies out wither I agreed with their beliefs or not. I am not the worst asshat in the world. he he he

I have to change a lot of light bulbs but that’s OK.

And at this late date, why should I change what works so well for me?

So I claim that I am not the rude, out only for my self and always trying to scare people and you are just piling on because you want to, not of any strong conviction, you admit you would not say these things to a bikers face, or in their front yard in person, and I am calling you on your so called knowledge of me, my bikes and mostly are just showing you are are helpless without tech because you you can’t have a choice not want a choice about this one thing we are talking about, loud motorcycles.

You sure seem to think you have the absolute correct answer as to condemning my desire to have a choice because you can’t see what freedom is all about. Responsibility, not a lack of choice.

I will keep on until the day I don’t. Bawahahahaha

155

Damn.

He is on to our Soft Shoe Parade.

Who told him? It was supposed to be a secret.

156

You got a mole in your sole… :wink:

157

Appears that way. What a heel.

158

OK, you didn’t swap out the non-factory exhaust and you’re throwing down the poverty card as a reason not to change it out. Fine. It doesn’t make the exhaust any quieter. If you like the sound then you’re among the many who use thunderheaders. But it’s still objectionably loud to a fair number of people. It has nothing to do with fear.

Well me personally I’d use a car because I’m sure it’s going to rain that day and frankly a car is better protection against violent protesters. But I am confused as to what that has to do with loud exhausts. It sounds like you’re using them to project some kind of geriatric Hell’s Angels image. Saving women from violent protestors is a noble effort But the other 99% of the time you’re generating a lot of unnecessary noise.

I don’t really understand this line of thought. This is not meant to be a pile on but you’re digging your heals in on a noisy exhaust. It’s certainly not about freedom or choices because there is very little enforcement of such ordinances.

Nobody doubts that. Maybe you’ll win the lottery and buy a new BMW. Maybe you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how annoying loud exhausts are. Unless you live in a really desolate place it’s difficult to ride with a loud exhaust and not annoy people.

159

:smiley: :smiley:

:smack: I am at a loss just now but I may pull an Arnie… :wink:

160

Because manny peoples want them that way.

Manny peoples hate the fact that the bikes were so choked down to meet EPA standards ( more common before the better fuel injection came along ) that old bikes that did not have to meet those standards ( grandfathered/antiques ) were making them look silly on the streets. So early on it was as much about power as it was noise.

The need for noise caught on and had a run-a-way and those annoyed did not do enough fast enough and were not organized enough and - and - and so lost out and are in the position they are in now.

I have been trying to give you some insight to me who is the only one I know for sure so you all will know your opponent and you are so locked in your misconceptions that you can’t see your opponent or understand how to compete with that culture.

It is not just bikes, it is cars, boats, airplanes snowmobiles, etc.

In this country you need to wipe out the whole ‘young men like this stuff’ and get them all to march as one.

The government is trying but so far…

All the high school kids who are driving around in their graduation gift cars while texting on their cell phones and their parents are at the neighbors drinking and complaining about the bike noise.

You all are fighting this so ass backwards that you can’t win without you controlling the police state.

Lots of luck with that.

So raise your kids right, no loud noise, music, ear phones of any kind while operating machinery, remove radios and stuff from all young peoples wheels and let them drive nothing but a 4 door, 5 year old Volvo and be happy with that so they will never go loud and annoy anyone.

I am 72, you will not change me but you can train your children to love your dislike of any particular noise you rant about.
That will change the world. Not fussing at me.

Bawahahhaha