Loud pipes save lives

[Mr. G]

today I posted a video on this topic. I am wondering what your thoughts are on this.

 

[HippoDrone]

Cars are very insulated from sound and then factor in the stereo being on at a loud volume I don't think they make much difference in reality until a bike is right on the vehicle and then it's too late unless the car driver has already seen the bike so the noise would not have been relevant.

 

[Mr. G]

Cars are very insulated from sound and then factor in the stereo being on at a loud volume I don't think they make much difference in reality until a bike is right on the vehicle and then it's too late unless the car driver has already seen the bike so the noise would not have been relevant.

Agreed, however, I am getting some use out of them in small parking lots with slot of vehicles when coming around corners.

 

[Meifesto]

Sounds blast backwards most of the time.

And i have had cagers that didn't hear me revbombing.
So i don't trust on the sound of my bike (and it is loud...) nor on anticipating cagers.
I ride the same on my loud ass bike as i ride on an electric bike

 

[HRMV]

Loud pipes only really make a difference in the summer when windows are open on cars.
The only other time I can think loud pipes make a difference is with pedestrians maybe crossing just off a junction or round a corner.

 

[Mr. G]

Sounds blast backwards most of the time.

And i have had cagers that didn't hear me revbombing.
So i don't trust on the sound of my bike (and it is loud...) nor on anticipating cagers.
I ride the same on my loud ass bike as i ride on an electric bike

Cagers! Nice!

 

[scooterwuf]

I've found that they tend to add to the negative feelings and animosity towards riders. The loud sounds may create more confusion than clarity as it's hard to sense the direction it's coming from. This may cause a driver to look around them in a worrisome fashion which takes their eyes and senses from the road and adding to the complications of riding in group traffic and causing them to be distracted.

Bikes with load pipes may also be marked by those who live around them as 'that guy' if they start up in the late night or early morning hours. It may be more of a nuisance than aid to a rider.

- Wolf

 

[Mr. G]

I've found that they tend to add to the negative feelings and animosity towards riders. The loud sounds may create more confusion than clarity as it's hard to sense the direction it's coming from. This may cause a driver to look around them in a worrisome fashion which takes their eyes and senses from the road and adding to the complications of riding in group traffic and causing them to be distracted.

Bikes with load pipes may also be marked by those who live around them as 'that guy' if they start up in the late night or early morning hours. It may be more of a nuisance than aid to a rider.

- Wolf

Well said

 

[FloridaMan]

Haven't seen your video yet, but in my opinion loud pipes are much safer. Whatever you can do to raise awareness should increase your safety. Even if with loud pipes only 50% of cars can hear you that is still better than 0%. Is it pointless to put on a hi-vis vest since if you are in a blind spot they won't be able to see you anyways? The pipe on my bike is louder than my horn, so unless I want to get a louder horn I just rev bomb. Should emergency vehicles not use sirens because some people might not hear them anyways and some that do hear them will start panic looking all around? I find loud pipes to be extremely effective in parking lots. I try to always be noisy when in a parking lot or at a gas station. And while they arn't as effective at highway speeds I still find them effective. Are there cons to loud pipes such as annoying your neighbors? Yes. Should you rely on sound to protect you? No. Would it be beneficial to add noise to the list of things you do to be safe? I think so.

 

[FloridaMan]

Just watched your video. I can understand the whole panicking thing. I feel like where I live we just have so many loud pipe trucks and bikes that people are more used to it.
And yeah, the most important thing is that the women like loud pipes.
Maybe the saying should be changed to Loud Pipes Create Lives.

 

[HRMV]

Just watched your video. I can understand the whole panicking thing. I feel like where I live we just have so many loud pipe trucks and bikes that people are more used to it.
And yeah, the most important thing is that the women like loud pipes.
Maybe the saying should be changed to Loud Pipes Create Lives.

Definitely a t-shirt I would wear if it had this slogan and a decent clipart, obviously there would need to be one for the women riders too (suppose the sentiment is the same, maybe just need different picture).

 

[HRMV]

Like others I agree that rev bombing or lets be honest what it is... excessive revving, can cause panic, worry etc by some drivers, which could cause them to momentarily lose concentration on the road and maybe turn nothing into something However that being said we as bikers, whether with louder, quieter or stock pipes, should all still be maintaining safe distances, reaction gaps and our own good observations so we do get tied up in such situations.

Yes, filtering is close quarter stuff and does not permit you the same reaction gaps, however it should be getting done at considerate speeds.

My bikes have had aftermarket exhausts fitted that not only increase the noise but also drastically change the tone of the note from the exhaust but I am yet to have any complaints about it.

Ultimately I suppose it comes down to think about what you are doing, how you are riding and is that burst of revs actually required or are you sliding into THAT category of biker that none of us like.

 

[WheelyPerd]

My Tiger has a super loud exhaust, but people dont hear it until your quite close. Granted it makes a small difference in the right scenario, with Pluto waning from Saturn.

PS: Trying to source a exhaust baffle for my overly loud exhaust, just takes time to find locally.

 

[Mr. G]

Just watched your video. I can understand the whole panicking thing. I feel like where I live we just have so many loud pipe trucks and bikes that people are more used to it.
And yeah, the most important thing is that the women like loud pipes.
Maybe the saying should be changed to Loud Pipes Create Lives.

Lmao

 

[R-Rated]

It simply is not 100% true. To be absolutely safe on a motorcycle you have to have a combination approach address all 5 (in some cases 6) senses.

Loud only addresses hearing. Of course if the listener is listening to other things then any pipe under the noise of a 20 megaton blast will not get noticed. So be sure to buy only thermonuclear detonation pipes for safety.

Sight needs to be addressed. Black and grays should be avoided as they blend with pavement. Reds can blend with bricks of buildings. Greens with shrubs. Blues with skies. Yellows and oranges with fall foliage...Best color is hot pink. So buy only hot pink riding gear. Go one step further and contrast color your bike in glittery gold so the viewer can see you in hot pink is a separate entity than the glittery gold bike. Wave your arms around too because the more movement the better.

Smells are noticeable too. Try not bathing, rolling around in cat litter boxes, pouring beer all over your hot pink leathers, and not wiping after...well you know. Don't worry, someone will notice you.

Taste needs to be addressed too so really go all in on the smell factor. Folks will wonder why they taste their own vomit and you will be safer for it!

Touch is another sense we riders overlook. Be sure to tickle that big burly trucker stopped next you at the intersection. Don't worry, you will get noticed way more than loud pipes will ever get you on their own...

But what about the 6th sense? Well if you do the above then no one will be surprised by anything that happens to you next.

Now you're ready to ride! Go get 'em tiger!

 

[HRMV]

It simply is not 100% true. To be absolutely safe on a motorcycle you have to have a combination approach address all 5 (in some cases 6) senses.

Loud only addresses hearing. Of course if the listener is listening to other things then any pipe under the noise of a 20 megaton blast will not get noticed. So be sure to buy only thermonuclear detonation pipes for safety.

Sight needs to be addressed. Black and grays should be avoided as they blend with pavement. Reds can blend with bricks of buildings. Greens with shrubs. Blues with skies. Yellows and oranges with fall foliage...Best color is hot pink. So buy only hot pink riding gear. Go one step further and contrast color your bike in glittery gold so the viewer can see you in hot pink is a separate entity than the glittery gold bike. Wave your arms around too because the more movement the better.

Smells are noticeable too. Try not bathing, rolling around in cat litter boxes, pouring beer all over your hot pink leathers, and not wiping after...well you know. Don't worry, someone will notice you.

Taste needs to be addressed too so really go all in on the smell factor. Folks will wonder why they taste their own vomit and you will be safer for it!

Touch is another sense we riders overlook. Be sure to tickle that big burly trucker stopped next you at the intersection. Don't worry, you will get noticed way more than loud pipes will ever get you on their own...

But what about the 6th sense? Well if you do the above then no one will be surprised by anything that happens to you next.

Now you're ready to ride! Go get 'em tiger!

View attachment 4551

Awesome, I think we all have some things to add to our celebration at the end of December list for next year's riding season lol

 

[lupin]

Loud pipes do save lives.
The lives of all those pedestrians that don’t walk out in front of you. Just watch any of rj’s videos and you will see what I mean.
It’s not just about saving your own life.

 

[LoneWolfer]

R-Rated - they sadly do not make hot pink anything in my size, no matter how much I wants it!

 

[LoneWolfer]

On a serious note, we take up less than 1/4 of the visual spectrum as another car on the roads and that often means that the human brain does not actually register us because it is busy doing a billion other things concerning the larger vehicles on the road. However, within short distances, louder pipes engage that other sense that we have access to of the 'cagers' around us even if that is only minimal access because of windows, music, tire/road noise. So their hearing triggers their brains to 'see' us because we tickles their ears even just slightly. Our senses work together. So practice safe riding skills, wear a hi viz vest and/or have load pipes. If even marginally these help make riders more "visible" then why not? Just because of fragile ears or a few light sleepers?

And this isn't directly related but the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering electric vehicles be required to make noise for pedestrians as a noiseless vehicle often time goes unnnoticed in traffic and a person walking may not se the electric vehicle, but their ears might hear it and wake up their brain and eyes. So, that is kind of telling on if sound is a factor in being recognized as an object on the road.

 

[R-Rated]

R-Rated - they sadly do not make hot pink anything in my size, no matter how much I wants it!

Dang. I guess you will have compensate with louder pipes...