Loud pipes save lives" proves that stupidity and irrational thought fogs many minds of the normal thinking process.

Name one bike or car that claims the noise factor as a safety feature.

Loud pipes are for people who wan't attention of the hard guy effect, and in some minor case an increase in performance.
Not that it's a bad thing....just don't try and sell us BS

 

horse_trader,
First, nobody said that any bike or car claims that noise equals safety.
Second, you are right about some wanting the hard guy effect, but they are not the majority in my opinion.
Third, in most cases there is a decrease in performance when the baffles are removed because there is no back pressure in the engine. It is only a few very large engines that will increase power, and that is only a small amount.
Fourth, In my thirty plus years of riding, I have been in many situations where I can see the driver looking right past me like I wasn't even there, or changing lanes into mine like I wasn't there, and when I crack the throttle alittle they realize I'm there and move back. I could just honk the horn each time (and it would have to be alot of times) but it doesn't get their attention as well, and it seems to aggrivate some people. I know people blowing horns bothers me.
Just because a person doesn't like something or doesn't agree with it, doesn't make it wrong, and does not give reason to be insulting. Just because somebody likes vanilla and the next person likes something else, dosen't mean it is BS. We happen to all be posting on a site where people are always fixing, or modifying their trucks for performance, appearance, or comfort. Why can't people do that with bikes? How would it be if people in cars said there go those stupid and irrational trucks again.

 

Been riding for 28 years. And just some observations....

Just like cars and trucks individuals will do what they want. (how many have we seen where the car was made louder as well glasspacks, striaghtpipes, cat removal anyone???). People who change their pipes to "louder" either want more attention, more power or both...

Having said that, back to the original question. An inline motor will generally be quieter than a v-type on a bike. And a 4 or 6 cylinder will generally be quieter than a 2 cylinder or a single.

As far as tourers (not saying bullet bikes here) Honda Goldwing and Valkyrie, most of the BMW series, Kawasaki Concouse, Yamaha Venture and FJ (sport tourer) and the bikes like that generally are quiet from the factory...and people tend to leave them that way if you are looking used. Most of the v-twins/v4 bikes can be made or are quite silent from the factory. The Intruders, v-stars, HD, Vulcans etc. all have to meet the federal noise regs when shipped. So their exhaust is quiet from the factory but people tend to change these out for the reasons mentioned above.

Changing the exhaust is one of those easy power upgrades that a lot of people do. Changing just the exhaust and jets on a HD1200 sportster, for instance, ups the HP from 67 to 75. But if that is not your style, don't do it. Go check out various bikes and get one that feels right (comfort level), looks and sounds right to YOU.

If you have not ridden much (or at all) I strongly recommend that you do NOT start out on a big bike. My wife's Suzuki GS500e will top 100mph, more than enough to get a new rider in MAJOR trouble. Take the local Motorcycle Safety Foundation course (MSF). The beginner's class provides the learning bikes as part of the fee, and if passed sucessfully many insurance companies give a better rate...even for your cars.

Ride SAFE.

Jim

 

horse_trader,
Your litmus test on open-mindedness:

You said:

“Loud pipes save lives" proves that stupidity and irrational thought fogs many minds of the normal thinking process”.

My response might be:

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, however opinions such as yours proves that stupidity and irrational thought fogs many minds of the normal thinking process.

End Test

Sound OK to you?

 

Indeed I have no motorcycle experience. My reason for wanting a bike is solely for economy. So I suppose that would be a major factor as well.

While we're on the subject, I've noticed scooters on the lineup next to motorcycles. Are they street and highway legal? As I said, I'm looking for a high economy commuting vehicle to have while keeping a truck at home.

 

I love loud bikes. Especially my my old neighbors which would get brought out nearly every morning at about 5:30 to warm-up for about 5 minutes (seemed like 30). This was especially great since that was usually about 3 hours after his son would get home blasting his subs (who would then spend 5-10 minutes, w/ everything but the subs turned down, talking on his cell-phone). Ahh, waking up to annoying sounds and rarely getting more than 3 hours straight of sleep, great times...

My truck might be a little loud, but it's not anywhere near as loud as the straight-piped Harleys. And yes, I would be (and should be) given a ticket if it was. I have many times asked neighbors if it was annoying/disturbing. I pull up to PS/cummins diesels, and have to roll-up my window to hear the radio. With some of these bikes I have to roll-up my window to save my hearing when they take-off. That's too loud. Living in a society means not always doing what suits YOU.

Is it coincidence that ALL of the straight-piped harley guys I've known have also been some of the most inconsiderate people in general? I think not.

 

I think some people are being a bit unfair towards loud bikes. Around here there are more loud cars/trucks than bikes. And I haven't heard anyone complain here about them.

I am going to step out on a limb here and say that most people who have commented negatively to loud bikes do not have an interest in motorcycles, hence they are offended by them. So you might not realize all the advantages they have. When touring they work good at scaring away animals, for example.

Sure my bike (Suzuki 1400 Intruder) can be heard for a couple of miles, but so can a lot of trucks. Most of the piped bikes are only real loud at full throttle, not cruising speed.

Anyone who says "loud pipes save lives" is bull, try walkin a mile in my shoes and say that. I have saved my butt a couple times in town by revving it up (clutch engaged of course) to get someone's attention. Motorcycle horns don't have to be as loud as a car's, only audible within 50 metres (160ft), so they aren't very loud and fairly ineffective.

Trevor

 

I'd like to second the previous mention MSF course. It is great for seasoned or begining riders. I took it and loved some of the stuff it teaches you. (Some things you forgot if you have been riding for a while). A better way to be safe out there.

 

Quiet bikes are the way to go I have owned both kinds of bikes, I own a Goldwing. I can talk with my wife, or just listen to the radio while cruising down the road. I have been riding for 30+ years!

 

I think scooters are good, but not on a major highway. There are minimum engine size requirements on some roads, and just for safety you should have reasonable power. If you are only in the city they would probably work ok. As stated before the rider safety courses are great. Pick a bike that is comfortable to spend time on, and one that is easy to use the hand and foot controls. You only have two wheels and one head. Get good tires and a good helmet. Ride safely, and as you can see from some of the posts, try and be considerate of those around you. Keep the shiny side up.

 

Over 70,000 miles on bikes and I never needed a loud pipe. I put 60,000 on my KZ750 and it was a quite bike. I rode in all sorts of weather and traffic and never felt that I needed a loud pipe to get someone's attention.

What you might find is that sudden movement is more effective than sound when someone doesn't see you.

Loud pipes are a excuse for some IMO. If they float your boat, great! But not everyone is going to like it. If loud pipes are effective at saving your life, why do your mufflers face the rear if your worried about someone in front of you? Just cut the pipes off entirely and run short stacks. Makes sense to me.

 

I live on the north shore of MA, Rte 95 is a big interstate hwy that mostly goes down the whole side of the east coast. My old house was about a mile from this hwy. From my house at night, you could hear harleys going down Rte 114, hopping on 95, and just bombing for atleast 5 minutes....they are several several miles away and I could still hear it....i find that a little overkill.

 

I suppose that the scooter vs motorcycle decision would be affected by what my commute looked like. What would you guys say a regular max speed for a scooter would be? One regular trip I make is about 20mi in mixed city and country roads, and involves a variety of shallow and steep grades, as well as sudden starts and stops.

 

Probably the only way to make the decision is to try one out. I don't know what the engine sizes are. I am about 270# and would not go on the road with less than about a 500cc. I also don't know if you can find a used one or not.

Also as you can see, the question of loud pipes or quiet will never be solved. Everybody has their own opinions. The thing to remember is, if you buy a used bike with loud pipes, it might not be as easy as adding mufflers to quiet it down. Usually if a person changes to a performance muffler (some Harleys and some imports), or goes to straight pipes (usually Harley only or Harley clone, not imports), they rejet the carburetors. Changing the jets is not a real big deal on most bikes, but you have to know what size to change them to. If you are changing back to a stock setup, you can probably get the info from the dealer. Anything else you might have to find a dyno to do it right. You can do a trial and error, but you might take some time and go through some plugs. When you look at a used bike, question the owner about what has been done. I used to have a cycle shop, and I would bet most rice rockets and most Harley types have been altered in some way. The bigger cruisers, probably not. I never had anybody bring in a scooter, so I doubt they get changed. I don't think anybody makes performance parts for something like that. It will take a while to find what you want. Take a friend that rides with you for a second opion.

 

If a commuting quiet motorcycle is what you need...most shaft driven bikes are a good choice.
BMW makes a great touring comfortable bike....on the pricey side but worth it.
I'm sure Honda has a model to fit your needs.
I do like the Ultra Glide? HD's $$$ The low fat boy.

Trying to save $ for gas
You might want to consider a....car.
My VW TDI gets just about 600 miles on 12 gallons of gas.
(probably better than some bikes)
...included is ac, heat, radio, peace, and quiet. ;') and extra room...
cup holders for the caffine fix on the way in.