What is it with Harley riders?

[TCJatko]

Regular piston planes need all the oomph they can get, so they run tuned straight pipes.
The only quiet planes are piston engined with a turbocharger OR a Turbine engine (jet) ..
The worst noise offenders are the Radial engine jobs (usually ex military), however I enjoy the Growl! :thumbsup:

You've obviously never been around military jet aircraft on takeoff.

 

[timswi]

I'd rater listen to the blip of a Harley than the constant scream of a Crotch Rocket..Noise doesn't kill, 160mph will,as I've seen. Living in the middle of nowhere, I hear 10x more crotch rockets than Harleys...And by the way, Harley guys hate those stupid screamers. As do I..Wheelies on the interstate and weaving between cars doesn't endear me to them..Try that on a Harley, ain't gonna happen. I'll tolerate the pipes as I'm the only one in my family without a Harley--I'm not allowed per SWMBO--:grumpy:

 

[TomSeller]

When 99.5% of the vehicles on the road have more than 2 wheels, those with 2 wheels have to assume no one sees them.

Vehicles don't have the sight lines they used to which doesn't help.

 

[DK35vince]

When 99.5% of the vehicles on the road have more than 2 wheels, those with 2 wheels have to assume no one sees them.

Vehicles don't have the sight lines they used to which doesn't help.

That's true, but loud pipes do not help with that.

 

[timswi]

That's true, but loud pipes do not help with that.

Actually they kind of do..I can hear them coming, or passing.

 

[npalen]

I'm thankful and impressed that, having started this thread, it has maintained civility in spite of some good arguments from both sides.
My old boss was a Suzuki rider and said that Harley's sounded like someone farting in a five gallon bucket.:laughing:
P.S. I would ride a Harley if I had one but not with loud pipes.

 

[DK35vince]

Actually they kind of do..I can hear them coming, or passing.

Sorry.
I'm just not one of the "loud pipes saves lives" crowd. I don't believe it.
I've been riding for many years, and I like my bike quiet.

 

[timswi]

Based on my experience and family riders...Harley guys are law abiding and not a pita to anyone..In order to afford one, you have to be pretty well off as far as it goes..Not all inclusive, but a fair general statement..Crotch rockets, not so much. I've never had a problem with a Harley guy, some 18 year old on a crotch rocket..I could write a treatise based on what I see every day.

 

[Thomas]

Come right down to it its not make or model nor pipes etc.,it's operator..common sense,manners respect etc. etc.

My HD has low mellow pipes,my chopper w/124 SS bored open pipes would wake devil,but as they say there's a place and time forever thing.

 

[Bird]

Apparently some disagreement as to whether loud motorcycle exhausts are a safety factor because automobile drivers hear them coming. A lot of car and truck drivers don't even hear the siren on emergency vehicles coming behind them. If they have their radio on in the car, there's good chance they won't hear sirens or loud exhausts. If they don't have the radio on, they might or might not hear a loud motorcycle.

 

[Thomas]

You nail it on the head Bird.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Had loud car loud bike loud music when I was a kid so did most guys I knew. We knew why we liked it didn't have anything to do with road safety. Remembering that I try not to let that stuff crank me up but if it was real frequent real close that would be different.

 

[aczlan]

Vehicles don't have the sight lines they used to which doesn't help.

Sight lines on modern vehicles are horrible. 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe, 30' from the back bumper to where a dog laying on the ground would disappear from your rear view mirror.

Aaron Z

 

[jinman]

Okay, I haven't read every post in this thread, but I think Harley riders are afraid to let their machines idle for very long. They shake so much that parts start falling onto the pavement. A few blips keeps the engine revved higher with less self-destructive vibration. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[timswi]

Apparently some disagreement as to whether loud motorcycle exhausts are a safety factor because automobile drivers hear them coming. A lot of car and truck drivers don't even hear the siren on emergency vehicles coming behind them. If they have their radio on in the car, there's good chance they won't hear sirens or loud exhausts. If they don't have the radio on, they might or might not hear a loud motorcycle.

I usually have the Bose in the truck lit up pretty well but I can still hear sirens and motor cycles...Maybe because I have an affinity for hearing theses things due to the risk if I didn't. In other words, I pay very close attention to what is going on around me given I drive in Pittsburgh rush hour every day---and it ain't pretty.

 

[ovrszd]

Okay, I haven't read every post in this thread, but I think Harley riders are afraid to let their machines idle for very long. They shake so much that parts start falling onto the pavement. A few blips keeps the engine revved higher with less self-destructive vibration. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Along those lines. My friend has one. I've ridden it twice. You tend to blip the throttle because logic says it's gonna stall if you don't. Logic says there's no way that engine can idle without stalling. So about the time it settles down into it's vibration destructive idle, the operator blips the throttle because he certainly doesn't want the embarrassment of it stalling in traffic. The second time I rode it I forced myself to not do that. It never died once. So if I'm an experienced rider and understand the function of the machine I'm operating I should have figured out that it won't stall. Once I've reached that point of understanding,,,,, all blips of the throttle are strictly attention getting.

 

[k0ua]

Okay, I haven't read every post in this thread, but I think Harley riders are afraid to let their machines idle for very long. They shake so much that parts start falling onto the pavement. A few blips keeps the engine revved higher with less self-destructive vibration. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

I believe it Jim, a buddy of mine bought a HD Sportster 1200 at the same time I bought a Kawasaki KZ650. In the first week of owning his HD several things had fallen off in the street, like horn and shift lever. and the tach stopped working and many other problems in the first couple of months of ownership. I never had any problems with the Kaw, of course. And my little 650 would outrun his Harley any way he wanted to run it, despite being almost twice the displacement. But my buddy still loved his Harley. He extended the forks and let me ride it around the block, I could not wait to get off of it and give it back. My little "rice burner" was so much more comfortable, quiet, and powerful, not to mention reliable. I understand that Harleys are much much more reliable now than back when AMF owned it.

 

[timswi]

Anyway---I still loathe crotch rockets.

 

[Marveltone]

I may be wrong, but I've come to the conclusion over the years that sound is the only thing HD has. I've ridden motorcycles for over 30 years and have ridden with many people during that time. Several years ago, a friend of mine (an engineer for Polaris) showed up and said, "Let's go for a ride." He tossed a key fob at me. "Ride this." The key belonged to a new Heritage Softtail.
"Did you trade your Wing?"
"Nope, it's a test bike."
"What?"
"We're in the process of developing a new motorcycle. We want to give Harley some competition. Ride the snot out of it and tell me what you think."
"Looks expensive. What if I scratch it?"
"It's okay. It's a test bike. We want you to be hard on it."

I grabbed my wife and we rode all over the town,cruised up and down the highway, anything I could think of. I returned for my report.

"Well, what did you think?"
"I'll keep my old Honda."
"Can you be more specific?"
"It's smooth enough, but spongy. I ground the foot pegs on every corner. It rattles and shakes more than any new bike should... so much that the mirrors are completely useless. It accelerates fine up to 45mph. After that, it's gutless with a rider on the back. I really like the looks, but other than style and sound, there's nothing to pull me away from a 20+ year old Japanese cruiser that costs a fraction, gets better economy, rides better and has more power. You couldn't pay me enough to own one."
"Thanks. That's what I wanted to hear."

Now I realize everyone looks for different things when choosing a bike and lots of people love their Harleys, but I've been too spoiled by the other brands to settle for one just for the sound.

Joe

 

[timswi]

I may be wrong, but I've come to the conclusion over the years that sound is the only thing HD has. I've ridden motorcycles for over 30 years and have ridden with many people during that time. Several years ago, a friend of mine (an engineer for Polaris) showed up and said, "Let's go for a ride." He tossed a key fob at me. "Ride this." The key belonged to a new Heritage Softtail.
"Did you trade your Wing?"
"Nope, it's a test bike."
"What?"
"We're in the process of developing a new motorcycle. We want to give Harley some competition. Ride the snot out of it and tell me what you think."
"Looks expensive. What if I scratch it?"
"It's okay. It's a test bike. We want you to be hard on it."

I grabbed my wife and we rode all over the town,cruised up and down the highway, anything I could think of. I returned for my report.

"Well, what did you think?"
"I'll keep my old Honda."
"Can you be more specific?"
"It's smooth enough, but spongy. I ground the foot pegs on every corner. It rattles and shakes more than any new bike should... so much that the mirrors are completely useless. It accelerates fine up to 45mph. After that, it's gutless with a rider on the back. I really like the looks, but other than style and sound, there's nothing to pull me away from a 20+ year old Japanese cruiser that costs a fraction, gets better economy, rides better and has more power. You couldn't pay me enough to own one."
"Thanks. That's what I wanted to hear."

Now I realize everyone looks for different things when choosing a bike and lots of people love their Harleys, but I've been too spoiled by the other brands to settle for one just for the sound.

Joe

Yup know plenty of Goldwing owners and they are top notch bikes..Noise or not, mostly not.