What is it with Harley riders?

[Rockbadchild]

I'm not a trucker and am ignorant in the subject, so I ask to be educated. How is it that a location can ban the use of the compression brake? Is it, as a brake, a safety feature? How do you tell the driver to not use his extra braking abilities?

I hear things like this, and I think, would it be better to be annoyed by noise or to have a truck strike the house at the bottom of a hill in a quiet zone?

Every time I've heard of these policies being initiated it's always put forth by some ******* low-level politician or local businessman with an inflated sense of self-importance. They're tired of having their comfort interrupted and have the clout to get these signs and policies put in. They're probably just creating quiet zones in-between trips shuttering local shooting ranges, and purchasing beachfront property in other states, closing those beaches previously open to the public.

Is that last one a little specific? Well there are 3 cases of previously public beaches being shut down by out-of-state members of the female anatomy in Maine at this moment.

purely noise control, within city limit no jig brake... Jig brake doesn't work as good as service brake (brake pedal) but it is way cheaper (every axel on the truck and trailer has its brakes)... so instead of using the service brake the whole way to stop they used the jig brake 3/4 of the way then the service brake the last bit... in case of emergency one would use the service brake even if they are allowed to use their jig brake.

 

[WinterDeere]

I'm not a trucker and am ignorant in the subject, so I ask to be educated. How is it that a location can ban the use of the compression brake? Is it, as a brake, a safety feature? How do you tell the driver to not use his extra braking abilities?

Many towns with busy roads running thru residential areas have brake retarder prohibitions, that's nothing new. I believe their usage is more related to economy (saving brake wear) than safety.

 

[the old grind]

Owner-operators have exhaust options just like we bike riders. Jake brakes are at their worst where/when they like to be heard, y'know so we'll know they're coming. If your exhaust is generally louder than most your jake will be too.

But don't take my word for it, ask a trucker like I did. (None here? ok. )

 

[tacticalturnip]

Thank you, I've been enlightened.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Owner-operators have exhaust options just like we bike riders. Jake brakes are at their worst where/when they like to be heard, y'know so we'll know they're coming. If your exhaust is generally louder than most your jake will be too.

But don't take my word for it, ask a trucker like I did. (None here? ok. )

It never clicked that a modified exhaust would result in a louder exhaust brake; you'd think it would have, but nope.

Thanks for connecting the dots for me.

 

[BravoXray]

It never clicked that a modified exhaust would result in a louder exhaust brake; you'd think it would have, but nope.

Thanks for connecting the dots for me.

Yes, straight pipes on a truck with a Jake brake will be louder, generally louder than the exhaust when under power.

The exception to the exhaust brake noise rule is the Blue Ox exhaust brake, which is an air operated gate valve the is attached to the outlet of the turbo. When operated, the gate closes and the exhaust is only allowed to exit through a small hole, about 1/2" in diameter it I remember correctly. When the Blue Ox is activated, only a hissing noise is heard, no popping noise like a Jake brake. I don't know if they are still in use, I installed a couple on a friends trucks back in the 80s.

Also, while on the subject, Jake brakes were originally designed to allow trucks to descend long grades without using their service brakes. They really got popular out west in the mountainous territory. Most I've seen had a switch that would allow you to use 2, 4, or all 6 cylinders if full retarding wasn't necessary. With all 6 cylinders enabled, they can provide around 300 hp of retarding power on most engines.

I bought my first truck, a basket case Peterbilt 352ST in 1972, and after 1976 had at least three trucks until I sold them in 2018. Wasn't sad to see them go either.

 

[CalG]

Just a note on Trucks and brakes... Off topic , but......

On a recent motor trip out west, we were coming down out of the high country in S. Colorado.
On one particularly long and steep grade, we passed a rig pulled to the side. In passing, I noted that both front tires were burnt off, with attendant damage to the cab. Hot brakes were my first thought.

Jake brakes have an important role.

Truckers motto, "Use the same gear while descending a grade as you would going UP!"

 

[Tomtint]

Yes, straight pipes on a truck with a Jake brake will be louder, generally louder than the exhaust when under power.

The exception to the exhaust brake noise rule is the Blue Ox exhaust brake, which is an air operated gate valve the is attached to the outlet of the turbo. When operated, the gate closes and the exhaust is only allowed to exit through a small hole, about 1/2" in diameter it I remember correctly. When the Blue Ox is activated, only a hissing noise is heard, no popping noise like a Jake brake. I don't know if they are still in use, I installed a couple on a friends trucks back in the 80s.

Also, while on the subject, Jake brakes were originally designed to allow trucks to descend long grades without using their service brakes. They really got popular out west in the mountainous territory. Most I've seen had a switch that would allow you to use 2, 4, or all 6 cylinders if full retarding wasn't necessary. With all 6 cylinders enabled, they can provide around 300 hp of retarding power on most engines.

I bought my first truck, a basket case Peterbilt 352ST in 1972, and after 1976 had at least three trucks until I sold them in 2018. Wasn't sad to see them go either.

I have a F450 crew cab..Last month had 20K behind it traveling to upstate NY. Some long and steep downhills ..My truck has the engine brake and it is simply awesome for controlling the truck trailer combo. It makes it so that the only time you need to use the actual truck or trailer brakes is if you need to actually stop.

 

[Jstpssng]

I’m late to the party as usual, but there are two problems with jakes. First is the idjits who put straight pipes on, the second is the idjits who use the jake because they like hearing the engine rather than to control their sped the way it was intended. Those are the guys you hear coming down a hill and every time it starts to quiet down they hit the throttle again.

I said that there are two problems yet if you look closely I only identified one… the idjit behind the wheel.

 

[goeduck]

Personally, I would rather hear a Harley any day than another of these 4-cylinder little cars gunning it with a loud muffler. I always have thought that 4-cylinder engines sound like they are straining. Not to say that there isn't a place for 4 cyl. cars, just not with a loud muffler.

 

[mrmikey]

I would rather hear a Harley any day than another of these 4-cylinder little cars gunning it with a loud muffler.

To me they're both annoying but out of the two of them, the fart cans are the worst.

 

[WinterDeere]

Personally, I would rather hear a Harley any day than another of these 4-cylinder little cars gunning it with a loud muffler.

Agreed. But I'd rather hear neither. We all know the only pleasant loud engine noise is a 400 cubic inch Hemi, anything else is just annoying.

Honestly, as a fan of loud muscle cars, I guess it all has its place. But some of the Harley's in particular are just ear-splitting loud. We have a pedestrian-heavy town near us, a historic shopping district (New Hope, PA) which has for years been a place where doctors and lawyers like to play "motorcycle dress-up" and gather in their many restaurants and bars on weekends. Some of the bikes are so loud that you see people having to cover their ears, and even little kids cry when they go by. It's really just inconsiderate of other people.

 

[Tomtint]

Agreed. But I'd rather hear neither. We all know the only pleasant loud engine noise is a 400 cubic inch Hemi, anything else is just annoying.

Honestly, as a fan of loud muscle cars, I guess it all has its place. But some of the Harley's in particular are just ear-splitting loud. We have a pedestrian-heavy town near us, a historic shopping district (New Hope, PA) which has for years been a place where doctors and lawyers like to play "motorcycle dress-up" and gather in their many restaurants and bars on weekends. Some of the bikes are so loud that you see people having to cover their ears, and even little kids cry when they go by. It's really just inconsiderate of other people.

Is it New Hope PA ..Or No Hope PA.... asking for friend...

 

[WinterDeere]

Is it New Hope PA ..Or No Hope PA.... asking for friend...

Sometimes I wonder. I grew up there. Neat old town though, my family has been there since the 1690's.

It's an old ferry crossing, dating back to the late 1600's. It had been known as Well's Ferry, and then later Coryell's Ferry, prior to the town nearly burning to the ground in 1790. One of the prominent families in town built a new mill operation in the wake of that fire, and called it "The New Hope Mills". Eventually the mill became so dominant in town finance and life that the town just adopted the name of the mill. Poor Coryell and his ferry were replaced by a very long covered bridge, about that time, and there are many good stories about that bridge being swept down the river in a storm with at least one passenger riding it like a ship.

 

[Jstpssng]

Personally, I would rather hear a Harley any day than another of these 4-cylinder little cars gunning it with a loud muffler. I always have thought that 4-cylinder engines sound like they are straining. Not to say that there isn't a place for 4 cyl. cars, just not with a loud muffler.

About 20 years ago when I was working for myself I was on my way home after being away for 3 weeks or so. It was late at night, I was 10 hours and 45 minutes into an 11 hour drive when I came up behind one of those tin cans with a megaphone going slow on a lonely stretch of road. I’d pulled out around him when all of a sudden I heard a chainsaw-WTF? Who’s cutting wood at 9 at night? Then I realized the kid had stepped on the gas, trying to keep me from passing.

Nice try kid, get 4 more cylinders and you MIGHT stand a chance. Despite my current grievances with GM when I stepped on the gas that old Sierra went like an aped grape, and the sweet spot was around 75.

 

[WinterDeere]

Nice try kid, get 4 more cylinders and you MIGHT stand a chance.

I was in my late 20's with a heavily-worked 429 cid Mustang with a manual valve body C6 and 9" rear with 4.11:1 gear on street slicks, when all the younger guys started getting those annoying 4-bangers with glass packs. They would constantly want to race, which was really stupid, as they'd be four car lengths behind me in the less than two seconds it took to spool out my first gear to where I'd be grabbing second near 6200 RPM. You're just not going to beat 7 liters with 2 liters, in similar weight vehicles, without absolutely heroic levels of spending and technology.

 

[BravoXray]

 

[Jstpssng]

View attachment 820760

It WAS drag racing, until somebody came up with the concept of bracket racing.

 

[goeduck]

68 Firebird 400 ci was my chick car. Never had a Harley, but wish I did. However, a Firebird has a better backseat.

 

[Tomtint]

Sometimes I wonder. I grew up there. Neat old town though, my family has been there since the 1690's.

It's an old ferry crossing, dating back to the late 1600's. It had been known as Well's Ferry, and then later Coryell's Ferry, prior to the town nearly burning to the ground in 1790. One of the prominent families in town built a new mill operation in the wake of that fire, and called it "The New Hope Mills". Eventually the mill became so dominant in town finance and life that the town just adopted the name of the mill. Poor Coryell and his ferry were replaced by a very long covered bridge, about that time, and there are many good stories about that bridge being swept down the river in a storm with at least one passenger riding it like a ship.

I have ridden through PA several times on my bike. From north to south.. the roads tend to get better about 80% of the way through PA.. Boston to there is just horrendous. ..Same thing pulling a camper.