[scooter]

You've seen this slogan everywhere from T shirts to patches to baseball caps here and there.

Any truth to it?

DO those loud pipe help save lives? Or do they just piss off people like you wouldn't believe???


Cite any examples or factual statistical information you may have to support your point of view. Opinions are nice, but try to give more please.

scoot

[Big Ben]

Scooter,
You like watching the fur fly, huh?
This is another one of those topics that gets people pretty riled up.

I've seen this debate thrashed out in several places, and I've never seen anyone bring out real facts to prove things either way (although people like to bring up the Hurt report as if it proves something.)

Personally, I think both sides are right. It's silly to deny that louder pipes contribute to safety, and it's also a little silly to pretend that you have a loud exhaust because you care about safety.

Lots of accidents happen because the car didn't notice the bike until it was too late, so it's just common sense that anything that makes it more likely for the car to notice you makes you safer. Whether that is enough to justify annoying people with noise is another one of those issues people have to decide for themselves.

I'm running a V&H ProPipe, and while I sometimes with it were a little quieter, there have been several times when I think it helped me avoid accidents and I was thankful for its volume. Cars changing lanes without checking their blindspots and such. But I'm not going to pretend I put it on for safety reasons. I use it because it gives me great performance, and looks and sounds great. The minimal safety benefits are just a happy side effect.

Disclaimer for those with reading comprehension problems: The above opinion is that of Big Ben alone, and no obligation to agree with him is included or implied.

[chucktx]

i think that if loud pipes gets the attention of a cager.....no matter what his disposition......he knows your there. a cager with an attitude would probably still be peeod with you blowing your horn....just my take....
chuck

[SPORSTERBOY]

I Run My Drags Not For Safty Defenitly Not For The Performance. I Just Like To Be Loud. Theres No Other Feeling When Your Taking Off And You Hear That Thunder Crack'en Under You. I Even Like 4 Wheelers That Are Loud. To Me Louder The Better. It's All About Personal Preference. I Remember I Said That Once On This Fourm (loud Pipes Save Lives) Not No More! Gee Did That Stir Up Some Feathers! So I'll Just Stick To The Personal Preference.

[scooter]

You like watching the fur fly, huh?

You may be right on that one!!

Personally, I run 'em for the same reason...I like the way they sound. I know that sometimes a person will hear you before they see you, and like it was said, that's a HAPPY side effect.

Get some bright lights, too, they really work well.

In fact, I know one guy that has his '06 E-Glide lit up so bright you would have to be legally blind, well, dead for that matter, NOT to see it!!!

scoot....fur flyin', loud pipe lovin' SOB!!!

[FLHTbiker]

Out were we live in the country there are lots of side roads and there has been more than one occasion where approaching one of these semi hidden roads a car starts to pull out but before they could see me they stopped part way out because they heard me. I'll keep my loud pipes thank you. Besides liking their sound I just feel more comfortable knowing that they can usually here me. Now, you get these younger ones with their loud stereos they can't hear nothing, except for their loud stereo.
Talk about how ignorant some drivers are. I was driving home one winter evening and I saw a car ahead of me stopped in the road. As I approached a guy was waving me to stop. He had just hit a dear and the animal was still alive but its back was broken. He said he saw it as he rounded the corner coming down the hill. I asked him that is a good 1/4 of a mile away did you not slow down. His answer was he thought it would either move out of his way or would not jump out in front of him.
So with that type of a mind set in many cage drivers we as motorcyclist must be a jump ahead of them and use every means possible to help us keep the rubber side down.

[scooter]

That's what I tell my ol' lady all the time about why I'm beat after riding around town when I have to, cage or otherwise. I spend so much time driving for everyone else that is on the phone, putting on makeup, reading the paper, eating, drinking, arguing, stretching, changing clothes, and pretty much doing everything possible (yup...that, too) behind the wheel except DRIVE, that I am just wore out from being on 100% alert, with the 6th sense radar goin'.

It stresses me out pretty good at times.

scoot

[Sleepy]

..I remember a bunch of years ago, exchanging letters with Greg Harrison of the AMA over this. Harleys are easy to hot rod... just move more air thru the motor. I've had noisy pipes..T-Header, Pro Pipe....bought 'em for performance and tried to be somewhat civilized riding in urban areas..some folks don't feel the same way. I have a bit of an issue with some guy yanking the loud handle on an open piped harley, making noise for noise sake. It's probably true that people hear a loud bike come up on them..in fact, some folks got surprised by the bike..so while they may be aware of the bike...and it may be true that the noise may keep some drivers from moving around... possibly preventing an incident, from my point of view, I'd much rather rely on my fast hands, fast feet, good reaction, good planning than a noisy pipe to keep me safe.

[FLHTbiker]

Some pipes are to loud and some riders do abuse it. I know my SE pipes have gotten louder over the years (they were on my 99 RK first) but I don't think they are obnoxious or overly loud. I'll take what ever advantage I can get to keep the rubber down, including riding skills, pipes, visual and any other means.
You come around a hidden corner where you can't see or the cage pulling out can't see or hear anything coming towrds them, well any advantage I can get the better my chances are. Besides stock pipes restrict the bikes abilitys (power) to much.

[Old Fart on 87FLH]

If I could jump in here, I was riding on a particularly winding road a few days ago. It has a lot of blind curves, it's on the side of a mountain overlooking Puget sound here in WA state. I was in the middle of an "s" curve when this cager pulled right out in the middle of the road.I ride an flhtc and had the passing lamps all lit up,so I was easy to see,...I thought... didn't have much time to slow, so I just rev'ed it up as I approached, and this guy stopped right in the oncoming lane,and waited for me to go by. Had to be the pipes I'm thinking...Heck, I've been lookin' to change out these Supertrapps to something a little noiser, hell, it is a Harley after all!

[Texas Road Glide]

the joys of living in TEXAS!!!!! I dont know about the other states.........but there are no restrictions on noise level that a car or bike has to meet.........with that said.......1/2 mile from the house.........Daddy's home!!!!!! the dogs barking.....kids scramblin to hide stuff before i pull in the driveway......and those mega phones.........really make things loud!!!!!!! Screw those dam neighbors...........tell them to get there own bike..........<<<<<has had a few complaints over the pipes.........hmmmmmmm i wonder why........surely that was'nt me craking the throttle........as i drove by there house.........naaaaaaaaaaa that was some guy name scooter.............ROTFL

[scooter]

HEY!!!

I resemble that remark!!

Maybe I'll get some loud ones some day, so far the SE slip ons have been sufficient, with a little "tweaking", of course..

Y'all be GOOD!

I am about to head out tomorrow, early a.m.

So, wish me luck, and God Speed, and all the other traveling blessings you can think of or utter, Lord knows I can sure use, and I sure will appreciate 'em....

scoot

[FLHTbiker]

Ride safe, be safe and watch out for those young girls on cell phones, doing their face, trying to dance in their seat while listening to their music.

Has anyone given you the Bell to hang on your bike?

[hotroadking]

Don't know how you could prove this either way unless you can check every accident and every "possible" accident and determine if the pipes helped or didn't.

I know of cases where I've seen cages trying to move into my lane but once they hear the pipes they move back, I doubt they saw me, I mean they never do when they hit someone right?

Only thing is there are pipes that are loud then there are loud riders with loud pipes.

[SK]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

Besides stock pipes restrict the bikes abilitys (power) to much.

I don't know..my stock pipes on my FJR1300 still allow me accelleration like I've never felt before. I can get around a bigrig in a heartbeat. I used to think the loudness of my Baron's pipes on my RS was really cool. If I hadn't gotten a new bike to tour the countryside with, I'd have gone back to stock pipes because I just flatout get tired of the noise on extremely long days. I also don't upset my neighbors when I pull outa the house at 6am.

I'm flying up to Sacramento (1-way) for 4th of July weekend and riding the RS back. Gonna be strange riding it almost 600 miles (over 2 days..gonna stay in Yosemite for 2 nights) back to Las Vegas. Definitely gonna need my earplugs.

[chucktx]

flht..........yup he's got the bell!!!
chuck

[CD]

Originally Posted by SK

I don't know..my stock pipes on my FJR1300 still allow me accelleration like I've never felt before. I can get around a bigrig in a heartbeat. I used to think the loudness of my Baron's pipes on my RS was really cool. If I hadn't gotten a new bike to tour the countryside with, I'd have gone back to stock pipes because I just flatout get tired of the noise on extremely long days. I also don't upset my neighbors when I pull outa the house at 6am.

I'm flying up to Sacramento (1-way) for 4th of July weekend and riding the RS back. Gonna be strange riding it almost 600 miles (over 2 days..gonna stay in Yosemite for 2 nights) back to Las Vegas. Definitely gonna need my earplugs.

SK,
That RS has drag pipes and it is loud.....too loud for me to ride behind you for long .....Something about 4 pipes screaming at you like a buzz saw singing the 5k song.

I think I could probably hear it over an F4 Phantom.....

[Sleepy]

Only thing is there are pipes that are loud then there are loud riders with loud pipes.
Hotroadking nails it here. My fave pipe is the Thunderheader..had one on the hot rod Dyna. In the right setting I still love the sound of a Thunderheader. I've had a few Harleys and have run performance pipes on 'em..the one that seemed to fit the bill for noise and performance was the pro pipe.
I've got a bit of an issue with guys snapping the throttle at a light to hear the pipes bark. but I can hear the bike come up behind me on the highway when I'm in a car..but I've seen him looooooooong before that.

[FLHTbiker]

Had it happen to me again Tuesday evening. On my way to our HOG chapter meeting going around a blind corner a guy driving a flat bed had turned sideways in the road to back into a driveway. As I came around the corner at about 50 MPH there he was, but he already was waiting for me with a hand out the window letting me know that he was waiting. Why, he heard me coming. I'll still stick to pipes where they can hear me.

I went over to a shop called Wingman Enterprises and looked at my friends Wing that crashed last Friday on I-205 in Portland. Man that was ugly. The whole front of the bike was pushed clear into the frame and the whole front fairing was broken into 3 pieces. The plastic all over the bike was either broken or scratched. No doubt the frame is bent. All that damage from rear ending a car at 30-35 MPH.
Loud pipes would not have helped him in this case but giving yourself a little bit of MORE room between you and the car in front of you really would. In this case we found out that the young girl driving in front of them had a cell phone call and put her brakes on to find her phone, and Richard and his wife decided to become one with her car.

[AFBombBldr]

I think I could probably hear it over an F4 Phantom.....

Now that is loud! Those things were my backup alarm clock at Clark AB.

Lived in Las Vegas for 4 yrs and loud was where it's at. But the way people drive there (half of 'em loaded!), it was a good thing to have.

This is my 1st riding season in NC, but I've not heard many Hogs with obnoxiously loud pipes around here.

I think my Cycle Shacks are plenty loud enuff, they announce the presence of a Hog and don't drown everything else out, including the neighbors. But as has been said, it's more about riding sensibly and like you're invisible to all those nuts talking on the cell phone while eating donuts and applying mascara. Just crack the throttle while passing, maybe the phone will fall into the hot coffee in their lap!

Joe