Why do people ride those big bikes with ridiculously loud noise?

[Tigger&Belle]

I have the tshirt and tattoo..... guess I have the weight though, since a coworker called me fat last night.


oh...and bite me

Where?

Well, and except for the fact that the sound is washed BEHIND the bike. Both by the direction the pipes send the sound, and by the wind. If the bike were going in reverse at driving speed, the sound would wash in front of the bike. FACT: forward motion throws sound behind you.

I'm sure it's noisier in back, but it can also be heard in front and next to the bike....I'm assuming part of the reason for the loud pipes is so it can have a chance to be heard in front of the bike.

 

[Mermaid02]

That would be amazing...if my hearing was damaged from the first time I ever rode.

And if my hearing is so damaged..... how would I be able to hear my husband talk?
I can still hear my cell phone when I'm on the back of the bike.

I am pretty sure my hearing is the same as when we first started riding.

I didn't mean to imply you are deaf, but if using a chainsaw occasionally can harm my dh's ears I would assume riding on a loud motorcycle can do the same.

I have the tshirt and tattoo..... guess I have the weight though, since a coworker called me fat last night.


oh...and bite me

Your coworker called you fat? What a jerk.

 

[LUVMYTINK]

If most of the folks with loud pipes were worried about safety, they'd wear a helmet!...but no...does not look cool...would cover up the do-rag...

It's all about the image...can't ride unless you're wearing worn out jeans, a black t-shirt, and do-rag...tattoos and big woman on back are optional.

I've often told folks that I would get a motorcycle, but I can't afford the t-shirts...



I'm done.

You are kidding right?!

No kidding.

I better go tell my DH he's doing it all wrong .....well except he does have the tatoos & the do-rag, but that's ALWAYS covered with a helmet.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Geeez, and here all of my riding buddies were so proud I ditched the princess slippers for real riding boots.
I still don't wear the faded jeans, black t shirts or have a tatoo.
Actually they describe my attire as pirate, princess and bling
I am doing this all wrong
Failed as a biker babe

 

[binny]

I dont ride anymore but I used to ( I know youre all shocked!). I used to ride with my brother and my old boyfriend all the time.
Lets see
Tatoos? Nope
Harley T's? Nope
Do-rag? Nope


Church going pastors daughter who always wore a helmet and proper clothes? Yep!

Dang I must have gotten kicked out of the club and just didnt realize it!


and not a fan of the bikes with the purposely loud pipes but dont think its worse than having to listen to rap or whatever other crap the person in the car next to me thinks I need to hear!

 

[kelly1218]

I didn't mean to imply you are deaf, but if using a chainsaw occasionally can harm my dh's ears I would assume riding on a loud motorcycle can do the same.



Your coworker called you fat? What a jerk.

yeah...but that's a whole other blog.

 

[crz4mm2]

I HATE loud pipes. DH would love to have some other kind of pipes on our bike (and no, I don't wear a do-rag. I wear a HELMET) but I keep resisting that.

He doesn't necessarily want the LOUD ones, but wants some that "rumble"

I do wear riding boots, jeans and a T-SHIRT most of the time
I HOPE people don't think I am "big".... (oh and I wear a bra too, in case someone was wondering!)

 

[kelly1218]

I HATE loud pipes. DH would love to have some other kind of pipes on our bike (and no, I don't wear a do-rag. I wear a HELMET) but I keep resisting that.

He doesn't necessarily want the LOUD ones, but wants some that "rumble"

I do wear riding boots, jeans and a T-SHIRT most of the time
I HOPE people don't think I am "big".... (oh and I wear a bra too, in case someone was wondering!)

I've been known to slide my cell phone there if I'm waiting to hear from my kids...otherwise it's in the saddlebag.

 

[kilee]

I think there is a difference between loud pipes and the type you can feel rumble through you when a bike passes.

My husband has a 2008 Harley and it's no louder than a car. It does bug me a little. I'd like for it to be a little louder. I do believe in the saying "loud pipes save lives". I just don't think they have to be to the extreme.

I do have to say it never ceases to amaze me at the blanket statements made here though. Most of the people I know who own bikes do not wear ripped jeans and nothing but Harley shirts. As a matter of fact most have very professional jobs, have families, and live in nice neighborhoods. Where I work 2 of the doctors (1 being a female) and our CFO all ride motorcycles. They sure has heck don't fit the close-minded statement I read on here.

 

[crz4mm2]

I've been known to slide my cell phone there if I'm waiting to hear from my kids...otherwise it's in the saddlebag.

Me TOOO. At least you can "feel" it there!!! LOL

I think there is a difference between loud pipes and the type you can feel rumble through you when a bike passes.

My husband has a 2008 Harley and it's no louder than a car. It does bug me a little. I'd like for it to be a little louder. I do believe in the saying "loud pipes save lives". I just don't think they have to be to the extreme.

I do have to say it never ceases to amaze me at the blanket statements made here though. Most of the people I know who own bikes do not wear ripped jeans and nothing but Harley shirts. As a matter of fact most have very professional jobs, have families, and live in nice neighborhoods. Where I work 2 of the doctors (1 being a female) and our CFO all ride motorcycles. They sure has heck don't fit the close-minded statement I read on here.

I am a medical professional.... DH is blue collar, but both of us do not wear ripped jeans. DH is in with his Harley t-shirts though

 

[kelly1218]

I just had to bump this to say..... we went on a run yesterday. 110 miles to support our local Fallen Heroes.


Some idiot STILL went up the shoulder of the road PAST the barricade of a POLICE escorted ride....and bumped one of the bikers. (there were over 600 bikes...I'm thinking he couldn't say he didn't 'see' us...or hear us )

Thankfully...the biker only dropped his bike...wasn't hurt.... just his pride, really.

But seriously....getting to the shore was THAT important?!?!?!.he couldn't wait for us to pass before trying to cut us off



So I guess the 'loud' pipes didn't make a difference.

 

[kirstenb1]

For me, the ideal would be for the biker to be able to flip a switch, between quiet, and loud. In our quiet, rural residential neighborhood, one guy has a very loud bike. I wouldn't have noticed, except that as irony would have it, he'd goose his bike everytime I tried to take our younger dd for a walk in her stroller to calm her down, when she was younger. Seriously, I wish there was a "highway" mode, vs a residential neighborhood one.

While I'm at it, we don't have bikes, so I don't know the first thing about them. But dh and I both drive manual transmissions. In theory, I can easily put my car in neutral, and coast into the neighborhood (all downhills). Can bikes do the same? Or would they still be loud?

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

Actually, it's so they don't get killed.


You may not be able to easily see a motorcycle while you're driving but if they're loud you can certainly hear them.


I can empathize- my neighbor has a very loud Harley and sometimes it wakes me up, but I'd rather deal with it than have him flattened by a car

if anything, it's more distracting to me. i almost ALWAYS jump when i hear one, so i don't think it's "so they don't get killed"

a lot of bikes don't even come with those loud motors, people put them on there.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The purpose for the loud pipes is so other motorists can hear them especially since not everyone looks out for motorcycles.

Hey, I look out for motorcycles. I have to. Everywhere I go, I see signs and bumper stickers telling me "Motorcycles are everywhere". Like goofy4tink, though, I can't for the life of me figure out why "everywhere" includes on the dotted white line between ACTUAL traveling lanes; in the breakdown lane at the speed limit; zigzagging around and between passenger vehicles; in the striped-off center turning-only lane; up on the roofs of cars when they can't get through traffic jams any other way ... hey, for that matter, can somebody please tell me why two couples on bikes were PARKED in a handicapped space recently, just talking?

The problem is the cars not seeing the bikes--therefore the drivers of the CARS not obeying the same rules that apply to the motorcycles.

Let me tell you about the next-to-last bike/biker I saw... I was behind him coming out of school the other day, and while he didn't have loud pipes, he made sure he was noticed. On a two-lane local road with a good amount of traffic, he was alternating doing "S"s with popping wheelies. No, not just simple weaving to avoid hazards, slick sports, or normal wear in the roadway that your typical safe biker would - really sharp swerving back and forth, apparently 'just because'. Yeah, he was noticed. Apparently, there wasn't a police detail set up when he'd gone TO work that morning

 

[wdwmom2]

Hey, I look out for motorcycles. I have to. Everywhere I go, I see signs and bumper stickers telling me "Motorcycles are everywhere". Like goofy4tink, though, I can't for the life of me figure out why "everywhere" includes on the dotted white line between ACTUAL traveling lanes; in the breakdown lane at the speed limit; zigzagging around and between passenger vehicles; in the striped-off center turning-only lane; up on the roofs of cars when they can't get through traffic jams any other way ... hey, for that matter, can somebody please tell me why two couples on bikes were PARKED in a handicapped space recently, just talking?

Let me tell you about the next-to-last bike/biker I saw... I was behind him coming out of school the other day, and while he didn't have loud pipes, he made sure he was noticed. On a two-lane local road with a good amount of traffic, he was alternating doing "S"s with popping wheelies. No, not just simple weaving to avoid hazards, slick sports, or normal wear in the roadway that your typical safe biker would - really sharp swerving back and forth, apparently 'just because'. Yeah, he was noticed. Apparently, there wasn't a police detail set up when he'd gone TO work that morning

It is biker's who act like that, that give biker's a bad reputation. It would never cross DH's mind to even attempt anything you have mentioned.

Some people just like to be the center of attention and have the need for the "look at me" factor. As a biker, this is very embarrassing to me when I see it. I know that it is doing a disservice to all biker's reputations when it happens.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It is biker's who act like that, that give biker's a bad reputation. It would never cross DH's mind to even attempt anything you have mentioned.

And there were NO excessively loud noises exhaust noises. I didn't notice the make, but it wasn't a Harley I've seen Harley riders do wheelies. I've never seen one - never mind groups of riders - weave back and forth like this idiot, just for fun.

 

[mrodgers]

There are idiots in cars and there are idiots on motorcycles. It's just the way the world is.

 

[kelly1218]

Hey, I look out for motorcycles. I have to. Everywhere I go, I see signs and bumper stickers telling me "Motorcycles are everywhere". Like goofy4tink, though, I can't for the life of me figure out why "everywhere" includes on the dotted white line between ACTUAL traveling lanes; in the breakdown lane at the speed limit; zigzagging around and between passenger vehicles; in the striped-off center turning-only lane; up on the roofs of cars when they can't get through traffic jams any other way ... hey, for that matter, can somebody please tell me why two couples on bikes were PARKED in a handicapped space recently, just talking?

Let me tell you about the next-to-last bike/biker I saw... I was behind him coming out of school the other day, and while he didn't have loud pipes, he made sure he was noticed. On a two-lane local road with a good amount of traffic, he was alternating doing "S"s with popping wheelies. No, not just simple weaving to avoid hazards, slick sports, or normal wear in the roadway that your typical safe biker would - really sharp swerving back and forth, apparently 'just because'. Yeah, he was noticed. Apparently, there wasn't a police detail set up when he'd gone TO work that morning

They aren't bikers....they are idiots. And the give the rest of us a bad name

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

They aren't bikers....they are idiots. And the give the rest of us a bad name

They are organ donors.
My DH, a biker, always says there are reckless bikers and there are old bikers but there are never any reckless, old bikers.

 

[Lorix2]

To the OP - I can understand your dislike for the noise, it's loud I know...

We have Harley's and yes, they are loud because well, they are made that way and you can make them louder if you wish (not exactly legal) but for us it's about what we like. Driving a bike with a loud throaty roar is a thrill as is the whole riding experience.

I can tell you that the noise has probably saved us more times than I can count because we are heard and makes people more cautious of where we are. Motorcycles aren't usually seen as well as a vehicle.

It's not to impress anyone, it's a matter of personal preference. I hate the noise of garbage trucks, but it's only for a few minutes and they are gone.

Just trying to help you understand a bit more