General Cycling Discussion - Harleys, Why so LOUD?

:mad:
I don't mean to flame anyone here, but I think motor cycles, specifically, Harley Davidsons, especially those riding in the city, have got to be the biggest menace to the peace out there. Why do they have to be so loud? Motor cycle riders have a certain amount in common with bicyclist, such as a love of the freedom of the open road, or trail, and a love of the outdoors (?). I know plenty of decent people that ride these things, and don't have any static toward the riders specifically. HDs are so popular these days that it seems to be a faux pas to even bring up the issue. I can't wait till winter time when I can ride my bike without the noisyness of other two wheelers. I am wondering what how you, the cycling community, feel about the noise issue.

I love the sound! It doesn’t really bother me when one or two or the whole pack passes by. I don't see bikes being without any sound. If they were to go death, they would be just a different version of DH bikes but with motors.

The noise is sometimes unbearable espically when a whole group of them decide to ride by your house:rolleyes:

I'm sure they could make them run quieter. It's just an attention grabber. "Hey look at me. I'm riding a big motorbike."

It's THAT SOUND which makes it a Harley!
Yep, it bugs the heck out of me!
But I heard from this person who just acquired a brand new Harley after a year's wait that the bikes come shipped from HD with 'legal' quiet muflers and it is the bike owners who install these loud popping aftermarket exhaust pipes.

Yes, I've heard that too. I like the sound of a nice sounding engine, but only to a point. The stock sound isn't too bad, but the popping needs to go! :O

Originally posted by MediaCreations
I'm sure they could make them run quieter. It's just an attention grabber. "Hey look at me. I'm riding a big motorbike."

Yep, that's all it is. We get quite a few cars that are hyped up in the same way around here. I think I may have mentioned this previously: the Internet isn't the only thing people use for trolling purposes. What I want to know is, who's going to pay for their hearing aids when they all go deaf in later life?

This is similar to the phenomenon going on right now (especially in California) with attaching whistles to the exhaust pipes of cars... highly annoying. As if the farting coffee-can exhaust tips weren't bad enough...

It's funny (not ha-ha funny) the amount of stuff people get away with when it comes to their automobile or motorcycle. Aircraft operations are governed by noise abatement rules such that many airports close down at specific times of night yet anyone can go blasting through that same area on a Harley equipped with noise-enhancing tailpipes or a whistler attached to their exhaust.

Having grown up around and riding motorcycles, I can tell you there is something mystical about the sound of a big Harley. It is not something you can put your finger on. Moreover it is the feel of that huge engine and all that power under your butt that makes the sound sweeter.

Now that don't ride anymore, the sound sure became irritating, especially when 10 or more go whipping by.

Hi,
as someone who has owned motorcycles.....I find Harleys as mystical as an old, busted fridge. Back when I was riding, half the bikes you saw busted on the side of the road were Harleys. But this was the Seventies when everyone was buying Honda, and only about 10% of the bikes on the road were Harley.
They eventually improved the reliability while jumping the cost from overpriced to obscene.
If there is one consolation, modifying the exhaust will reduce back pressure. This usally means exhaust will leave the combustion chamber earlier and hotter than the designer intended, which in an efficient engine would ruin it. Still should
damage it, eventually, even on an antique design (it was borrowed originally from a tractor).

I would guess over the years I have piled on about half a million miles on motorcycles. The exhaust note of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is unique. I owned one for about four years.
I'll say this. At least, when your out on a country road, you can hear them coming. Machines such as the Honda Goldwing are very quiet and the oppiste is true.
The big problem with Harley's today is that they have become a status symbol for the YUMAK crowd.(Young upwardly mobile ass kissers). They buy a 1340 cc motorcycle and drive it with NO PREVIOUS RIDING EXPERIENCE!!! This is very, very dangerous to the rider themselves and for whomever they kill when they go down.
Keep the loud pipes so that everyone else can steer clear of these people.

Jim

I like the harley sound. At least other motorists can hear them coming.

I think we got future customers ... my gf's an audiologist. ;)

I do not mind the sound of Harley's, what I do mind though is peole who buy fottball helmet cars then put 1500 watt amps in it with 4 15" woofers and drive by with the bass turned all the way up.

the sound it makes doesn't bother me, infact, when they ride alongside me, I tend to get really agitated, and I increase my speed to keep up with them I just love it......

Unfortunately the noise of loud bikes, cars and stereos is here to stay :( I wish the yahoos that demonstrate the capabilities of such devices between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. would get tickets and fines that directly correlate to the decibel level of their toys.

No one has mentioned one of the real reasons those bikes are so loud: So people in cars know they're there! As we all know, bikes, (bicycles and motorcycles), tend to be "invisible" to auto drivers. Lights help, but "cagers" sometimes miss those, too. Some drivers "target fixate" on lights, but will steer clear of loud noises. So motorcyclists use what they have, (their exhaust note), to alert cars around them to their presence, since they don't have the luxury of special lanes for them. That way when a car does hit them they have to say, "oh I didn't see OR hear him, your honor". Yeah right.

Motorcycists have a saying: Loud pipes save lives. Although I really don't like all that noise spoiling my serenity, I tend to agree with them.

I've never heard the "loup pipes save lives" theory. That sounds like another bad argument from another special interest group to justify themselves. From personal experience in my own automobile, that makes absolutely no sense. I'm not sure if I even hear motercycles when I'm in my car, especially when I'm in a situation where I might hit one, such as at an intersection. That would be like me in my pu truck saying, "keeping my horn on constantly saves lives". :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Beats Walking
No one has mentioned one of the real reasons those bikes are so loud: So people in cars know they're there!
Motorcycists have a saying: Loud pipes save lives.

Ummmm........then why is it that owners of Yamahas, Kawasakis, BMWs, Hondas, etc., don't run open exhausts like Harley owners do....

It's THAT SOUND which makes it a Harley!


Ahh yes...

and then there's the sound of a well-tuned Ducati 996, or 999 with a carbon fiber ferracci exhaust... which sounds like a chevy 350 w/ a lumpy cam & glasspacks. Then you wonder "why am I riding this harley?" as the guy on the Ducati blows past you... leaving his heaven-sent big-twin sound right into your eardrums.

:D

Originally posted by BigHit-Maniac
Ahh yes...

and then there's the sound of a well-tuned Ducati 996, or 999 with a carbon fiber ferracci exhaust... which sounds like a chevy 350 w/ a lumpy cam & glasspacks. Then you wonder "why am I riding this harley?" as the guy on the Ducati blows past you... leaving his heaven-sent big-twin sound right into your eardrums.

:D

You ride a harley because its a harley. It really isn't a question that needs to be asked. I want to ride a hog. Nothing else holds the mystique and legend. The noise a harley makes is it's noise and belongs there. If someone muffles the sound and feel they may as well have bought a honda. Harley is not about the performance, its the love ;) :D

I'm not really a motorcycle guy myself but I seem to be more impressed by Triumphs and Indians more than Harleys. One of my friends (and avid cyclist) serves on the BoD for Panzer Motorcycles. They also seem to make nice bikes.

you should hear my Corvette

Originally posted by miamijim
you should hear my Corvette

4 barrel?...I used to own a transam way back with a 4barrel carb and man when that thing opened up it sounded like someone had gasoline just pouring in the engine. I hate cars in general (I don't drive anymore) but loud fast cars are all I liked ... :)

I agree that sound makes the Harley a Harley. As for loud stereo's with all that base I don't understand, all they care about it is the decibals they can get out of those speakers, I can understand listeing to music loudly I enjoy blasting my stereo and listeing to Metallica sometimes, but it is not distorted and I have very good speakers to play it through in my home stereo.

There is a law against level of noise coming from a car, if they have those big 15" subs with 1500 watts etc.. the police can give them a ticket. I can't remember how the law is exactly stated but if the police officer can here the stereo a certain distance from the car it is against the law.

maelstrom try this link. Thats not my car but I have the same exhaust.

http://www.thx2.net/exhaust/BorlaStingerXRrev.mpeg

My vette is an '03 model therefore it has a 350 cubic inch fuel injected engine.

Man do I love vettes. I miss owning a sports car and getting to that kind of speed. :)

I thought you knew a HD is nothing but a CHROMIUM PLATED PENIS EXTENSION. The sound is just an added benefit to those that feel so inadequate.

Originally posted by MediaCreations
I'm sure they could make them run quieter. It's just an attention grabber. "Hey look at me. I'm riding a big motorbike."


I've not visited Australia yet, are there a lot of Harleys there?

I'm not a huge fan of Harleys, but they are an American icon of sorts. Very few motorcycles can match the chrome on a Harley… they are beautiful machines. However they tend to be unnecessarily loud. . Am I wrong, did Harley successfully patent it's unique exhaust note?

An amplified sound is not what makes a harley a harley. The harley as specd by the manufacturer emits a resonable volume. Those LOUD harleys are the result of egocentric poseurs modifying the exhaust system. I am a motorcyclist too, but I have no need to inform everyone else in the area about it. If I seem angry about this, it's because I used to live by the Pacific Coast Hwy in Los Angeles, and those poseurs would motor up and down the road all the live long day. :mad:

Originally posted by mindbogger
The noise is sometimes unbearable espically when a whole group of them decide to ride by your house:rolleyes:

Yup, I live on a cruising route... right across from a stop sign on a slight hill in a semi-rural area. You can imagine the noise. I can hear those ba*tards for over a km.

The house that we were going to pay off and retire in has become a short-term investment that we'll flip when it's financially advantageous. :irritated

Originally posted by Beats Walking
No one has mentioned one of the real reasons those bikes are so loud: So people in cars know they're there!

This tired old argument always comes up in these threads :rolleyes:

1) Most of the sound of these rolling turds is directed to the rear. They're somewhat audible from the side and a minimal amount is directed forward.

2) Any modern car is soundproof enough to negate any safety effect from the minimal amount of sound that preceeds the bike. My car certainly is tight enough that I don't hear 'em coming.

3) If sound is a valid safety item then I'm gonna put the biggest chrome fart pipe on my car that I can get for $99 at the parts store. I've been rear-ended twice... I guess if my exhaust was louder that wouldn't happen

3a) In fact, since I say that rear-directed sound is ineffective... I'm going to drive from now on with the horn blaring all the time.

Originally posted by Viper
I've not visited Australia yet, are there a lot of Harleys there?


At one stage (it might still be the case) there were more Harleys here, per head of population, than anywhere else in the world.

This is a serious hot button of mine.

Q. What is the difference between a Harley and Hoover?
A. The position of the dirtbag.

May you never have a neighbor who buys one of those things. They wake or disturb you at all hours and just love to let everyone know they are coming for blocks. During my idiot Harley neighbor's pool party I took the muffler of the lawn mower and ran two tanks of gas out of it. It was in a garage aimed at his pool. Sweet revenge. They are rude bastards - everyone of them that modifies their exhaust. For some reason they thought I was rude. The best day in my life was when we moved out of that house.

The worst part is to be next to one at a stop light or sign when he decides to show you he has a gas motor that is loud. They are so loud they cause pain. If one ahead of me gets on it I'll lay on the horn as I follow them to the next intersection. It really pisses them off.

My question is why don't the cops enforce the noise ordinances? Are they afraid of the bikers?

Society is filled with people who have no problem violating the space of others and I am tired of it.

Joe town, running your mower without the muffler is hard on the exhaust valve and seat, as the muffler works as a heat sink.
Harley makes a nice bike but it is pricey for the level of tech. A Buell is much tougher. Personally, I would get a KTM Duke
I also cannot say much about moto noise my scooter is an RD400, two stroke twin and when it goes by it sounds like two of the biggest chainsaws you ever heard. On the plus side I have the only one in the county I live in and it is cooling it in the garage undergoing a repaint.

Personally, I like the Harley sound. The noise doesn't bother me at all. If anything, I'm glad that they are loud so I can hear them coming when I'm in my car. Most motorcyclists are defensive drivers, but the last thing I want to do is cut one off when they are riding in my blind spot. I think that these sport bike riders should take a tip from the Harley guys and make some noise.

However, the one thing I don't like about the Harley is the culture. Back in the day, a Harley was a bike ridden by gangstas. Now, everyone rides a Harley. Most Harley riders I know today are attempting to portray some type of bad-a$$ image that they do not fit in any way, shape, or form.

I do want to own a motorcycle in the future, but I think I may opt for a Honda or Triumph.

The thing is people in cars will SEE a pickup truck, (especially if it's lifted so their headlights shine right in your back window), so you don't need to blare your horn everywhere you go. And as people traveling on two wheels, we can all atest to how auto drivers tend to "miss" us. So any attempt to be perceived while on a bike is better than none. Hell, even in the DMV motorcyclist manual it says to "ride as if you are invisible".

That's not to say I don't believe many of these Harley guys waaaaay overdo it with their pipes. There is loud and there is LOUD.

And I live in S. California where everyday of the year is a good day to cycle. I see/hear them all. Harleys, Kawas, Yamahas, Hondas, and Ducs. All with there own version of loud. I live near both a Marine base and a large college. On weekends I hear the bravos on their two-wheeled stallions blowing down the straight-away outside my apartment. And I can tell you Japanese bikes can be just as loud as Harleys. It's just more of a high-pitched grating whine than the stacatto firecraker burble of the American iron. Ever heard a Hayabusa go from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds? Loud. On my commute theres this guy riding a straight-piped Duc race bike of some kind. Loud as all hell, and probably not at all street legal in this state. Even the scooter punks in Little Italy make their 50cc Aprilias loud. So it's not just the "Outlaw Gangsters".

Haven't heard any loud BMW's, though.

Me? I'd just like a nice, modest MuZ Skorpion Sport. Not loud, not fast, not gaudy. Just out of the ordinary. But until then I'll stick to my little Schwinn LeTour quietly gliding down the bike path. :D

It's actually Harley Davidsons' SIGNATURE! The sound can also be attained by using glass packed muffler pipes!

Quite a few Bikers' opt to custom their rides' with these pipes to replicate the sound!

because they are so slow. (It's a compensation thing)

By contrast my VFR used to make a noise like George Jetsons spaceship. Quiet efficient and fast.

If I was going to ride a motorcycle I would want one that does things well that a motorcycle should do well. You know, handle, brake, accelerate... all the things that a Harley doesn't do very good at. Something like a Triumph Speed Triple or maybe a BMW.

In my opinion the world is too crowded to intentionally make excessive noise. I don't care that you have a Harley, the noise does not impress me. Another observation: For a group of folks who advertise their independence, they are the most comformist group you will find. Gotta wear the black uniforms. HA HA!

If you want to ride an American icon - get an Indian

If you want to go fast and listen to an exhaust note that came from God's own hand - get a Duc

well i was an avid motorcyclist for about 4-6 years... then i noticed i was always riding my bicycles and sold my motorcycles...

but... first, i have to say that although the sound of the Harley is distinctive and all i have never found it very appealing... now the Ducati i must admit...

and then there's the sound of a well-tuned Ducati 996, or 999 with a carbon fiber ferracci exhaust... which sounds like a chevy 350 w/ a lumpy cam & glasspacks. Then you wonder "why am I riding this harley?" as the guy on the Ducati blows past you... leaving his heaven-sent big-twin sound right into your eardrums.

and i have to admit that when i was in college my motocycle exhaust system rusted a hole and got loud... i decided it was "cool" and i bored bigger holes. on my next bike i wanted to buy the "loud performance exhaust" (K&N i think) that was also a performance improvement, but cost like $500, so i just bored some holes in the exhaust (note: this doesn't affect pollution as motorcycles have no catalytic converter and it just dampens noise) ---- i used to ride with the "goal" of setting of at least a few car alarms per ride (just weak the throttle as you pass parked cars)

these days i occaisonally find loud motorcycles annoying, but i find it hard to be really critical as i did the same thing 10 years ago...

although the posers who can't ride are annoying: "look how cool i am on my loud bike (that i can hardly steer our of the driveway)"

there are laws that regulate noise levels, but most are not enforced. i never once even got a warning about my loud pipes, although my loud pipes increased my chances of being ticketed by police b/c it attracted attention and draw attention to me and my bike

I ride. I deram of owning a Road King. When I ever get it the first change will be the pipes, With some amount of baffeling though. Open pipes sound bad most of the time. I've got an old Kaw KZ650 that will out "loud" most any Harley on the road. Just mine is more high pitched and annoying.

I HATE NOISY-ASS MOTORCYCLES!

Originally posted by TotalKos
I HATE NOISY-ASS MOTORCYCLES!

I just hate noisy asses. :D

(Read that however you wish ;))

Aren't Harleys all being bought by lawyers and accountants and other ham-shankers that want to pretend to be 'bad boys' these days? Where's the mystique in that?

What's wrong with a Vespa? ;)

There isnt any mystique in it.

Freakin' poser "Hardly Dangerous" riders should tone down their noisy junk. I'm not happy about their noise and wonder why they aren't ticketed for it.

I don't buy into the argument for justifying the loud pipes for reasons of safety either. They want to be safe, the freakin' posers should park their scooters and drive their minivans instead.

There isnt any mystique in it. (anymore):rolleyes: