What is it with Harley riders?

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Matching engine rpm to the speed of the tranny also allows you to shift without using the clutch, thereby saving your throwout bearing

 

[MossRoad]

Matching engine rpm to the speed of the tranny also allows you to shift without using the clutch, thereby saving your throwout bearing

Can't find 'em? Grind 'em!
or
I'll take a pound of ground chuck!
or
Know any other tunes on that thing?

 

[buickanddeere]

While I dislike the noise. Loud pipes save lives. Too many four wheel drives DO NOT see motorcycles.

 

[nwltruck]

While I dislike the noise. Loud pipes save lives. Too many four wheel drives DO NOT see motorcycles.

This is why I choose not to ride anymore. It has gotten to the point that four wheelers don't see me in a 70' long 80,000# Peterbilt.

 

[TomSeller]

I guess I don't even notice it anymore, kind of like someone blipping a chainsaw.

 

[HarryN]

Enjoyed all the comments......... now go ride'm if ya got'em..... and watch out for the other guy!!

 

[Scooby074]

Southpark has it covered.

 

[Egon]

Can't figure out what all the fuss is about. Them Harley's don't run long enough to get anywhere!:thumbsup:

Course the noise when fixing might get to some.

 

[MossRoad]

While I dislike the noise. Loud pipes save lives. Too many four wheel drives DO NOT see motorcycles.

There's been study after study that say that loud pipes do nothing to save lives.... the most cited reason is that most dangers to motorcyclists comes from the front where the sound is not heard before it is too late.

 

[Clint S]

I've rode Harley's for 30 years or so. I like them, even if they are slower as some posters mention; I did not particularly want a fast bike. Over the years, I have changed out the exhaust a couple of times. Went to a more open header for a while; found that it was not only loud, but open pipes only accentuate top end while losing lower end power. Waste unless you are on a track(found same with Suzuki GS550 I had at one time too).

I give the throttle a little blip when down shifting. A little, just to match gears. Do similar in car.

Been helping with my 101 year old Grandmother a lot lately. She bought her house in 1964, on a country lane. It is now a major thoroughfare. All hours of the day and night, bikes(not limited to Harley's) rev at the stop sign next door. Why do people have to rev their motor next to the 101 year old woman's house? When I ride, I play it cool thru your neighborhood.

Having ridden with a bunch of people over the years, I think it is a little of a few things
- Attention/Look at Me
- Mis-tuned bike
- Loud Pipes save lives theory

I have seen a lot of bikes(inlin-4 imports too...) that stunk when you were riding with the; mismatched cams/carbs/jets/exhaust. Being by them was nautious(sp) with fumes. They had to rev them to keep them running.

Re loud pipes save lives, I dont believe it. The exhaust is directed away from you; most people dont hear you until they are right next to you(Too Late). I've run up on deer even, with my old really loud pipe. Didn't hear me till I almost ran over them/almost crash.

I went back to stock header and a mild pipe. Bike runs better, gets better mileage and is all around nicer to ride.

Oh, I definitely detest loud boomer stereos more than loud bikes/cars...

Here is a guy who said it all. It's not about it being your right to be loud, or lets give anyone/thing else a ticket that is loud just because I am too loud.

 

[MossRoad]

Can't figure out what all the fuss is about. Them Harley's don't run long enough to get anywhere!:thumbsup:

Course the noise when fixing might get to some.

Hardly Ableson, perhaps? :laughing:

 

[bullbreaker]

This thread reminded me of Easy Rider magazine back 39 years ago when I used to view it at age 14.
Remember you can't have loud pipes without big twin Harley "Juggs" !
Got my first stroker @ 16 I believe.

 

[ruffdog]

Sorta like a little kid banging on a pan with a wooden spoon. The more noise the better!

 

[drssg]

Southpark has it covered.

Absolutely! Even my wife, who hates South Park, busted a gut on this one.

There are some dirty words, so I won't post a link. Google "south park harley episode" if you're interested. You can get the idea after a couple minutes. Then it starts getting repetitive, but it sure explains a lot!.

 

[Tomtint]

There's been study after study that say that loud pipes do nothing to save lives.... the most cited reason is that most dangers to motorcyclists comes from the front where the sound is not heard before it is too late.

Tell that to one of the thousands of people that have been hit by a day dreaming driver. Loud pipes can be heard on the hi way from several feet behind a car at speed. The save the earth bunch tend to think of it as noise pollution. I think of it as self preservation.

 

[Egon]

Tell that to one of the thousands of people that have been hit by a day dreaming driver. Loud pipes can be heard on the hi way from several feet behind a car at speed. The save the earth bunch tend to think of it as noise pollution. I think of it as self preservation.

Does that work for the "low way" ?

 

[RobertN]

Sorry, after 30 years of riding I don't believe it. Even when in a car, I have been surprised by how I do not hear loud motorcycles(Harley, Metric Cruiser, or sport bike) until they are right next to me. Even when I had the Thunderheader on my bike, that didn't really work(cammed, carbed, shaved heads early EVO).

Even on the fire engine, with forward facing horns and sirens, people don't hear us. The Engine is loud to begin with(8.9l Cummins), is red, has tons of flashing lights, loud sirens, loud airhorns.

Cagers dont hear that Engine with forward facing/sounding horns and sirens, they aint gonna hear a bike with loud pipes. I'm pretty confidant, that going Code-3, I can make more noise than a big bore EVO or Twin Cam at red line...

Tell that to one of the thousands of people that have been hit by a day dreaming driver. Loud pipes can be heard on the hi way from several feet behind a car at speed. The save the earth bunch tend to think of it as noise pollution. I think of it as self preservation.

 

[bandaidmd]

Sorry, after 30 years of riding I don't believe it. Even when in a car, I have been surprised by how I do not hear loud motorcycles(Harley, Metric Cruiser, or sport bike) until they are right next to me. Even when I had the Thunderheader on my bike, that didn't really work(cammed, carbed, shaved heads early EVO).

Even on the fire engine, with forward facing horns and sirens, people don't hear us. The Engine is loud to begin with(8.9l Cummins), is red, has tons of flashing lights, loud sirens, loud airhorns.

Cagers dont hear that Engine with forward facing/sounding horns and sirens, they aint gonna hear a bike with loud pipes. I'm pretty confidant, that going Code-3, I can make more noise than a big bore EVO or Twin Cam at red line...

Totally agree.
I can keep myself out of harms way when overtaking another car its the left turners in front that you really need to watch and there not going to hear loud pipes.
And to all the downshifters you must like wearing out that rear tire .

 

[ovrszd]

There's been study after study that say that loud pipes do nothing to save lives.... the most cited reason is that most dangers to motorcyclists comes from the front where the sound is not heard before it is too late.

If loud pipes save lives it might be for the pedestrian in front of the motorcycle that hears it and has time to get out of the way.

There's no possible way that I'll hear a motorcycle coming at me when I'm in my 4 wheeled vehicle in time to do anything about the pending crash, if there is about to be one...

 

[ovrszd]

Tell that to one of the thousands of people that have been hit by a day dreaming driver. Loud pipes can be heard on the hi way from several feet behind a car at speed. The save the earth bunch tend to think of it as noise pollution. I think of it as self preservation.

I read this several times trying to figure out what you are talking about. I think I got it.

You are saying that loud pipes will save you from the daydreaming driver on a 4 lane, who's about to move into the left lane, just as you get several feet behind him traveling at a faster speed than he, so he doesn't lane change in front of you.

Okay.... How many lives have been saved in this scenario?? So if the motorcyclist had been on a bike with stock exhaust he would have been injured or killed??

Do you consider this your first line of defense against day dreaming drivers?

So to make this more effective do you ride in whatever gear that makes the most noise?? So cruising on a 4 lane at 70 mph do you run in 3rd gear or something like that to make more noise to improve your chances of self preservation?

Or, if you have a riding buddy along do you ride side by side to increase the noise level so you would be detected at a further distance by the day dreaming driver?

I'm truly not trying to be a smart***. I'm trying real hard to understand this logic.