its much harder to hear motorcycles on the highway, especially with your windows up. On backroads, stop and go traffic, etc, etc. it is much easier to hear motorcycles when they have loud pipes.

on the highway, near pointless...

in all other traffic situations.... may be the difference between life and paralysis.

I am with you there on being Quite.
I would not mind if mine made no sound at all. I like the sneak approach.

Depends on your definition of "others".  Since over half my daily riding is rural country roads, the volume over stock is great for clearing the ever present varmint on and along the roadsides.  I usually see their hind ends as they're scurrying into the brush as opposed to a last second split for safety that I experienced with the stock can.  Mine's medium loud.  On a scale of 1-10 with stock being 1 and straight open pipe being 10, mine's about a 6-7.  It's also a nice quality motorcycle sound, not the angry lawnmower noise that results from poorly designed and executed exhaust mods.  And the idea that sound doesn't project forward?  Hogwash.  You can tell when things up ahead react to the sound before you get there.  Why waste money on those "deaf child" signs then if they can't hear you coming anyways.  Besides varmint, stray dogs, cats, people riding their bikes, people just over the hill checking their mail at the roadside mailbox, road crews just around the corner directing traffic, etc.  Come to think of it, I hear motorcycles all the time.  I know I hear them a heck of a lot more often than I don't.  When I hear one, I look around to see what kind of bike it is and whether I know the rider or not.  I figure for everyone I didn't hear, there where another 15 that I did.  

It certainly makes me and a lot of "others" safer.  If a scooter exhaust works for you then go for it.  

I must agree with DJ.  My area is also mostly country roads and my louder muffler has scattered roadside animals before I get to them.  I can see them running away.  I also see people turning their heads towards my noise, as I approach.

I agree with Jerry. When I had my Harley my wife always said she could hear me coming miles away. Besides I really, really like the sound of loud pipes. Always throws me back in time.

To the death, the blind and the stupid (cue theme song) doesn't matter how loud your pipes are, how bright your lights are or how nasty you look, for them you must drive defensibly.

But if a loud pipe helps only one person who honestly doesn't want to run me over, it is worth having.

If bright lights and uncool reflectors helps only one person who honestly doesn't want to run me over, it is worth having.

If being nasty helps only one person who honestly doesn't want to run me over, it is worth being.  

my SE is for the idiot behind me who's eating a burger, switching cd's, lighitng a cigarette and talking on the phone at the same time while trying to switch lanes. If i can disrupt his cell phone conversation then good. He might stare daggers at me for the next 10 miles but in doing so he knows exactly where the hell i am. mission accomplished.