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