Loud exhaust saves lives. Really?

[Krazyjohnny]

Wow! What a quick response. As I mentioned I like a nice throaty note. Thank you everyone on your opinions to this modification issue.

Just as a clarification, I am not a fan of the Cruiser sect that enjoys the straight pipe thing. To me it takes away from the ride. What do I know though. I ride with a helmet, gloves, and a Hi-viz yellow jacket at a minimum no matter the temp here in the DFW area too.

I figure if I want to see a bunch of "pirates" I will watch "Pirates of the Carribean" and get some entertainment value out of it.

My understanding of smaller engine exhaust is that there has to be some sort of tuning to make it effective. Too open and not enough back pressure is detrimental to power output. Something to do with eliminating turbulence and optimizing flow characteristics.

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

BTW, if anyone is interested in one of the t-shirts Erci posted, PJ's Parts sells them. I keep meaning to pick one up!

Imagine T-Shirt, PJ's Parts

 

[windsor]

I generally try to avoid being in people's blind spots and if I am I become hyper vigilant with a thumb ready on the horn.

I try and avoid the blind spot as well. I know its a dangerous place to be, but sometimes it cannot be helped. Horn is good. Horn + pipes = better.

 

[Bates121]

My experience has been that at slow speeds (1 to about 20 mph) when lane sharing people in front will hear me and move over. This almost never happened with the stock exhaust. At speed I would never rely on my exhaust to get me noticed that is what the horn and defensive riding are for. Now I am not delusional enough to think that will save my life but it is one more layer of things that get you noticed, and anything that makes you more noticeable on the rode is a good thing.

 

[Kenward]

I've had the same experiences with it that most people have. While you can do everything in your power to make sure you're seen, and to avoid situations where you might get into a sticky situation, there's no way to completely avoid moving into someone's blind spot at some point or another. So for that moment when I'm right next to the car they will hear me. We've all had people try to take your lane while you're right next to them because they didn't look. Now, I almost never have that happen unless that person is extraordinarily unobservant. I actually see people turn their heads to see where the noise is coming from now, so I believe it works and have tossed the idea of silencer tips for my 2Bros.

Of course, there's no replacement for proper riding techniques and awareness, but I'll take any help I can get!

 

[The Dude]

 

[Bates121]

Office Space what a great movie

 

[granda080]

Loud bikes get you tickets in Beavercreek. Beavercreek noise ordinance in effect

That story ran last year. Not a problem for me, but interesting none the less. I think being an aware rider saves lives. Loud exhaust to me does the same thing as my horn does. I have a friend who will rev his bike when he feels a cage is going to do something dumb. I use the horn. They both work every time...until they don't.

 

[Lucifer Caitiff]

haha i have an air horn now, two in fact, but when i first got it i went alittle rev crazy with the LV

you have TWO air horns? what's that sound like?

I have a stebel nautilus and I LOVE it...when it works :\ I think I have to actually solder the connections to the horn itself, the vibrations make it so sometimes i have it, sometimes I dont. annoying.

 

[novaks47]

Keep in mind too, while considering loud pipes, how much will YOU get annoyed by them? Sure, they sound great when someone blows by you with those sweet cans(no not those cans, exhaust cans), but imagine riding, and hearing that ALL the time! And usually the bulk of what the rider hears is the bass. Droning, hollow, fatiguing bass. Some people are just fine with, and actually like it. I HATED it. I wanted the Two Brothers exhaust that came on my used FZ gone like you wouldn't believe. Now I've got some older Scorps, with the inserts, and it's heavenly. Loud when I'm at 8K RPM and above, and just a touch louder than stock below those revs. They look great, and sound great, without giving me a headache. Just something to keep in mind! If you know someone with loud pipes, see if you can cruise around on their bike a little, even if it's in a parking lot, and see if you're ok with it or not.

 

[bike10]

I've been riding So Cal (OC & LA) traffic for the better part of 29 years. I usually ride 3-5 days a week. I am living proof that loud exhausts work. I also have proven that I am safer at freeway speed between two cars than in a lane by myself where people either tailgate me or change lanes on me. I also found that staying traffic speed is more dangerous than going faster than traffic. Of course I watch for head movement, watch people in their mirrors and track all cars around me so that I know where I can swerve if needed. Only two big crashes in all that time. First, I was a passenger when rear tire went flat and came off the rim at 60 MPH, Second, rookie rider (triumph) in lane to my rite hit all back brake to stop, bike threw him off in front of me and due to his bike to my right, him directly in front of me and center divider to my left, I hit the wall to not run him over (hit wall at 40 MPH), he was lightly scuffed, my bike was toast and I only broke my left foot and left ribs, and my helmet. I have seen people in their mirrors look over or back just from my exhaust volume. I have seen people ready to pull out from a side street stop, cuz they could hear me, just not see me. This does not work for Car drivers who drive with ear buds or their cell phone glued to their ear, but these people dont pull over for emergency vehicles either.

 

[davidmacknh]

Can I make stock pipes louder without spending money?

 

[shamrocker]

Can I make stock pipes louder without spending money?

Well, only if you own a drill... Seriously, though, you can drill out the baffles pretty easily for free or de-baffle the exhaust for less money than an aftermarket exhaust. I think it's worth it just to buy the new exhaust and do it right.

 

[Dave.TX]

Resurrecting the dead horse!

I had a lady go to make a lane change, then looked and saw me so quickly back in her lane. We made eye contact as she looked in her side mirror then came over anyway. I was catching up to her in 30mph traffic. Nothing saves you more than being vigilant and making snap decisions/maneuvers. The loud LV exhaust I had droned on and on to where I couldn't stand it after a half day of riding. Went back to stock and enjoyed riding more.

 

[Pope Mobile]

I was thinking about this as I was driving to work yesterday morning. I was on the interstate going about 65 and listening to comedy on my ipod. I noticed a single headlight steadily coming up behind me.
As he passed me, I noticed his Screamin' Eagle pipes, but didn't hear them until he was right next to me. Between the road noise, wind noise and my ipod playing, I wouldn't have known he was there until he was right next to my car (had I not been paying attention to the traffic around me).
Anyone who assumes that cars know they are there because of their pipes is stupid. Why can't people just come out and say they like their bike to be loud?

 

[Nelly]

I know there is a large contingent in the motorcycling community that stands by the "loud pipes save lives approach." Let me first say I really enjoy a nice throaty exhaust note on anything from Granny's Lincoln to the latest and greatest motorized anything. It is just a deep down visceral thing that gives the machine character. I am currently shopping for new exhasut for my FZ.

Putting on flame suit now.

Has anyone really done a study on loud exhaust saving a life? Just from a casual observer most pipes fire to the rear direction of the vehicle. My own experience has been that I typically do not hear the loud vehicle until they are beside me or past me. Seems like a forward firing horn would be a more effective device. Seems like a loud exhaust would make you, the rider, less aware of what was going on around you because you have impaired one of you senses.

If you like a loud exhaust then just say you like it and not try and hide behind some seemingly ridiculous safety statement.

I agree with every word your saying, particularly that you don't really hear the bike until it's right upon you.
Nelly

 

[iSteve]

Just to add to Pope Mobile observations, most riders with loud pipes also wear earplugs. So loud pipe plus wind noise and earplugs means the rider can't hear anything either.

I found myself behind a group of H-Ds last weekend. I have no idea how anyone could ride for any length of time without getting a headache. And why do guys with loud pipes keep revving their engines at stop lights.

 

[ChevyFazer]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think the saying should be changed to "loud pipes CAN save lives"

 

[mave2911]

I'm a big advocate of the 'loud pipes save lives. I've lost count of how many times pedestrians have stepped off the curb right in front of my Fizzer, since I haven't got pipes yet, compared to my TDM900 with StainTune pipes.

Even if only one in ten cagers hear your pipes, that's still 10% less chance of them NOT noticing you.

For someone to see you, they need to be looking at you - for them to hear you, you just need to be making noise.

Now that I've said that, however, I am in no hurry to get aftermarket pipes on my Fizzer, as a) I live in a residential neighborhood and leave for work at 0400 (warming my bike up before I leave would most likely not make me popular!), and b) I ride over an hour to work every day, and then over an hour home, and do like that I can still hear when I get there.

BUT, have developed a quick-fire horn thumb.
.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Just to add to Pope Mobile observations, most riders with loud pipes also wear earplugs. So loud pipe plus wind noise and earplugs means the rider can't hear anything either.

I found myself behind a group of H-Ds last weekend. I have no idea how anyone could ride for any length of time without getting a headache. And why do guys with loud pipes keep revving their engines at stop lights.

Hmm... The Ducati's come with loud pipes. I wonder how they pass noise laws to be honest.

In my experience there are two basic reasons people rev their bikes at stop lights. The normal one, and the one I agree with, is because they're riding a carbureted bike, and the engine isn't fully warmed up yet. There's this weird period where you can't fully choke it yet, but no choke will cause the bike to sit a 5k RPMs. Neither is ideal, and finding the balance point with the choke can be a pain, so they'll just blip the throttle a few times to try and bump up the idle, or find the point they can hold a decent idle with the throttle. Or just guys that have gotten used to it and do it out of habit, even though they ride fuel injected bikes now. But these are just small blips, 500-1500RPM jumps tops.

Also, YOU try getting a twin to cruise below 15mph. Just sayin', feathering the clutch with blips is about the only real way to go that slow on L and V twins. Clutch all the way out will rattle your teeth and probably damage something in the engine.

The other guy is just the douche bag that likes the sound of his pipes and doesn't care how many "sissy soccer moms" they piss off. Sometimes they're just hoping someone will say something. :spank: I swear, if we have to start doing random stops to check our exhaust noise, I'm gonna find one of these guys and... do... something. Prolly involving my boot, his nuts, and lots of running on my part.


Personally, I don't see the point. Exhaust is a directional sound, as some have mentioned so not very helpful. A pedestrian could probably hear it, but I don't count on cars hearing it. Slip-ons only don't usually merit gains that can actually be noticed outside of a dyno. Gains are usually 5hp and 1 lb-ft of torque or so. Without getting into a debate about hp vs. torque vs. weight reduction vs. aftermarket stickers in regards to performance, the biggest performance boost is probably in the aftermarket stickers. As even weight reduction is only noticeable to guys that can hold their lap times to within a half second or so. That is unless it's dramatic. Like the 80lbs lighter on my new bike.

That being said, I do love the sound of the aftermarket exhausts. I'm just not $800 to $1000 in love with the sound. Or even $400 really. Now if I were to suddenly come into loads of money, with nothing to spend it on...