What is it with Harley riders?

[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.