kmcrawford111

I can't be the only one getting extremely irritated by loud motorcycles. These monstrosities are loud enough to destroy hearing in no time flat. Can someone please explain to me just why some of the "hogs" are so obnoxiously loud? Haven't we had enough of this ****? In an age of of technological "advances", it's unfortunate that we still have a sect of people who think it's cool (and tough!) to make loud noises with a gasoline engine. This is the kind of experience that makes it seem to me perfectly reasonable to conclude there's no hope for the future.

A few weeks ago I was in the transition phase of my partial commute - getting out of my truck and onto the bike - and I could hear one. I thought it was close. I wish I were so lucky. It still had a ways to go on the highway and was coming into the plant with me. That thing was loud enough to wake the dead. As it passed through the gate I found myself wondering if the security guard had suffered permanent hearing loss. I was fortunate to still be off the road a little in the parking lot. It was completely ridiculous. It's bad enough that I work in a steel mill - now it looks like I'll have to invest in hearing protection off the job as well.

I think there should be noise laws for motorcycles (and cars as well): your vehicle can't be loud enough to cause hearing damage. It makes perfect sense, seeing how our (US) culture is now by and large completely dependent on motor vehicles. All day every day is about vehicles whizzing by, so it's only appropriate that the things aren't so loud as to destroy one of the five senses. I like to be able to hear what's going on, especially on a bicycle. Apparently loud gasoline engines are a "freedom" that takes precedence over social decency.

I confess a hope that the oil crunch will bring an end to this. It will be interesting to see how "free" the bikers will be then.