Verslagen1, which exhaust do you have on your bike? It isn't so loud that it would scare a bunny would it?

kimchris1 wrote on 08/19/10 at 09:17:31:

I have a supertrapp.

A rich warm tone that has an acceptable volume when cruising thru residential area's and a jacob brake sound that'll cause them to drop their phone and move over.

I've never had a bunny cross the road in front of me, so they most likely know I'm coming.

Loud enough to be seen.

everyday I am not a stat is a victory for me.

Edited:

not to mention that ive personally put more smiles on peoples faces when they hear the volume and depth of sound that comes out of the tiny girl.

Ruddy wrote on 08/19/10 at 19:44:11:


I agree that rider training saves lives, but what about the car drivers who don't get that training?  Anything to make them more aware of a motorcycle HAS to be better.  IF loud pipe statistics were included in accident reports, I would bet that quiet bikes get hit more for not being seen (er um, heard)  Its only logical.  As far as our image - I'm sorry that you equate loud pipes with a bad image.  And some may agree with you, but I'm not the least bit worried about those morons.

Overly excessive loud pipes are annoying to me, and I agree the car-alarm-setting-off loud is not necessary.  But the stock muffler on my bike was way too quiet for me!  

I built and installed Diamond Jim's long shot straight pipe, and to be honest it did actually set off car alarms. Then I added my rendition of his “free flow” baffle and it is now pleasingly loud without offending the neighbors.
Noise was not my intent however. I was trying to increase the overall efficiency of the engine without spending the money for a Supertrapp. Many of you have seen from my emissions post that my bike (with the changes that I have made) won't pass...not even close! This is after going back to the original jets and enrichment circuit spring. I also replaced the plug, packed my baffle with glass wool and did a valve job.
My bike is now in the hands of a Suzuki mechanic who said that he doesn't believe the changes that I have made would account for such a high level of CO emission.
He will find the culprit and I will let you know how it preforms after it passes emissions.

Ruddy wrote on 08/19/10 at 19:44:11:


All i know is this....When I had my stock pipe I was run off the road several times by people paying no attention. Not just "close call" but actually off of the road. I had several run in with deer that couldve been bad as well. I put a Harley Screamin Eagle slashcut on and its loud. Loud enough that I know Im irritating my neighbors in the middle of night, so I try to be curteous and once Im in for the night, Im in for the night. I orginally switched just because it sounded awesome but as an even better bonus to sounding awesome since I switched I have not been run off the road or had any close calls with cagers at all, and I can watch the deer scatter a hundred yards before im anywhere near them. If Im too loud for you to continue you phone conversation while driving, by all means, back off, pass me, switch lanes, whatever you want so long as you are very aware that Im there and even better if your intent on getting away from me. I dont want to be near you when you arent concentrating on the road anyhow.

I don't buy into the loud pipe rationalizations. It's easy to say to yourself that when you're moving the sound is irritating others for only a short time, but more and more people are saying that to themselves, and more and more motorcycles are making more and more noise.

There may be a back-lash coming. Even I am irritated at night trying to sleep in my bed by god-awful loud motorcycles laboring in the distance, and I've been a motorcyclist for 45 years. Google "loud pipes are for babies". Motorcycling is a privilege, not a right, but you do know that, don't you? What's that (old) song -- "don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone..." Take your straight pipe into NYC these days and you will get a big ticket.

So you have a need to be noticed, my friend? I've got a headlight modulator on my Bandit (two headlamps: low beam always on, high beam flashing 4 times per second during daylight hours). That get's me noticed. And absolutely silent. Legal in all 50 states. Federal DOT law supercedes all state/local laws. I've had to explain that to a police officer once. I've had almost no trouble with people pulling out in front of me or cutting me off. It's amusing when oncomers start flashing their lights, but that just verifies that I'm very noticeable while relatively quiet (stock exhaust).

My daughter's Savage with its stock exhaust does not have a headlight modulator. When I ride it I believe the problems are more frequent. I would put one on it, but we don't like the riding position and will trade it soon for a standard. I will put a modulator on the next bike. I believe headlight modulators are likely more effective and certainly more acceptable than loud pipes. They should be standard equipment, just as I believe daytime running lights work and should be standard on all 4-wheelers.