Why I hate V-Twin open pipes

[raydog]

I'm as much a motorcyclist as anybody, I love everything about the sport...ALMOST.
Yesterday I was a bicyclist, I did a century (100 miles) out a Nevada country road. I was passed by various types of vehicles and noticed something I had never realized (kinda from the view of a non biker situation).
OPEN PIPED HARLEY's ARE OBNOXIOUS from the side of the road! Even big rigs were less of a disturbance going by at 70mph. Try it some time, ride a bicycle along a 2 lane country road and pay attention to exhaust sounds, even high rpm sportbikes don't come close to the "artillary firing" sound of a Harley, even when the Harley's are cruising along a 45 mph. Just pretend you are a citizen that knows nothing about motorcycles when you hear the "streets of thunder" lumber by, especially in a "sounds of nature" environment. I now have a deeper understanding of "noise pollution".
Sad that when you muffle them, you loose 30% of their power!

OK, that's my little rant, I'm done. Doyle

[HillbillyTom]

Try living for 10 years right next to a 4 lane highway, with a bar 100 yards up the street. None of them can leave the bar without pinning the POSs for all they're worth, through at least 4 gears.
I've forgot more about obnoxious straight pipe Hardleys than most will ever know.

[m_ridgeway]

open piped anything is obnoxious. esp when the operator is.

[Takeuon]

I could not agree w/ you more Doyle. It's an "ear sore" for the entire sport of motorcycling. A real annoyance.
I will say though....we should not forget there are some squids out there on sportbikes that have cut down their mufflers or are running shortys and do little to help improve our position in non-riders eyes as well.

A recent write-up in Cycle World stated that "noise pollution" is the number 1 concern for the future of motorcycling

[m_ridgeway]

I could not agree w/ you more Doyle. It's an "ear sore" for the entire sport of motorcycling. A real annoyance.
I will say though....we should not forget there are some squids out there on sportbikes that have cut down their mufflers or are running shortys and do little to help improve our position in non-riders eyes as well.

A recent write-up in Cycle World stated that "noise pollution" is the number 1 concern for the future of motorcycling

even the ones without the cut downs and shorties that pin it every stop light. theres a group of guys up here i can wait till my bike gets up here. tool on a green 12r with a green mohawk always in 1st and never under 10k.

[racerV]

The noise my Harley makes even irritates me I guess I am showing my age....

[Sannosuke]

But loud pipes save lives, don't cha know!

Up here it's the 8% obnoxious and the other 2% are uninformed that have that ideology...

I'm as much a motorcyclist as anybody, I love everything about the sport...ALMOST.
Yesterday I was a bicyclist, I did a century (100 miles) out a Nevada country road. I was passed by various types of vehicles and noticed something I had never realized (kinda from the view of a non biker situation).
OPEN PIPED HARLEY's ARE OBNOXIOUS from the side of the road! Even big rigs were less of a disturbance going by at 70mph. Try it some time, ride a bicycle along a 2 lane country road and pay attention to exhaust sounds, even high rpm sportbikes don't come close to the "artillary firing" sound of a Harley, even when the Harley's are cruising along a 45 mph. Just pretend you are a citizen that knows nothing about motorcycles when you hear the "streets of thunder" lumber by, especially in a "sounds of nature" environment. I now have a deeper understanding of "noise pollution".
Sad that when you muffle them, you loose 30% of their power!

OK, that's my little rant, I'm done. Doyle

[Spkrdctr]

I live about 200 yards from a highway. I hear both bikes. Harleys and ricers. All night the guys with the sports bikes have to run it through the gears with loud pipes on them. I'm just far enough away that it doesn't really bother me, I don't mine the sounds. BUT, if you were closer or didn't like motor sounds, it would be very, very annoying. Expecially someone with little children. I have a 1340cc near race motor from Suzuki with two brothers slip ons, the sound reducer and it is not nearly as loud as the average 600 winding through the gears with a slip on. I don't mind the noise but many do.

[flynlow]

open piped anything is obnoxious. esp when the operator is.

+1! It's often the operator that chooses the pipes and definitely the one that chooses to make them roar.

But as with any stock exhaust thats quite and power robbing, after-markets for HD are all on the louder side. There really aren't any that unleash some power while just adding a bit more sound.

Sportbike offerings in comparison are plentiful in the sound category and all within a few HP of each other.

[raydog]

Wow, I can't believe how much instant agreement I'm getting on this issue (from "died in the wool" motorcyclists too!). Thanks, it reduces my "day after" sound headache somewhat. Doyle

[Justyntym]

I love a deep throaty powerfull sound in a motor/exhaust. Not load...just
give me something healthy. (Love my HMF high rise)

Hate the "BLAT" sound that makes your ears bleed...

I also hate the little rice cars that put the "fart" can on and make a ton
of noise like their going like a bat outa hell and their only doing 15mph...

[smac]

They sound to me like a bee in a bucket

[dolilind]

like they said in south park..... FAGS!!

[dragonbusa]

Wow, I can't believe how much instant agreement I'm getting on this issue (from "died in the wool" motorcyclists too!). Thanks, it reduces my "day after" sound headache somewhat. Doyle

opps call me what ya like,My VTX has Vance & Hines big shots with short baff"s and the busa has yosh with no muffler at all, sounds like the dogs from hell when you get on it. I love it

[denon970]

But loud pipes save lives, don't cha know!

best t-shirt ever

[Sannosuke]

Love it!

best t-shirt ever

[raydog]

opps call me what ya like,My VTX has Vance & Hines big shots with short baff"s and the busa has yosh with no muffler at all, sounds like the dogs from hell when you get on it. I love it

Yeah, I used to love my Kawasaki H-2 two stroke triple with unsilenced expansion chambers (in the 70's) but I never had to live my life just behind it on the street either (uncorked it at the drags only).
This post is simply about the motorcycle owner "loving the sound" versus the public relations damage(and discomfort) it may create with the public. We all have to choose, I just believe we all must compromise some things in our lives in order to coexist with other equally deserving co-habitants of this planet.
I also believe that what we do is on a sliding scale.....depending on how dense the population is around us at the time (ex sport shooting in a canyon is OK, sport shooting on Main St. is not). Raydog

[BUSANAS]

Add me to that list, I am so glad I nor my friends dont think that is "cool"

[GSXcite]

I'm tired of my wifes loud motorcycle.

[slngshott]

I like my loud pipes. Its amazing when you see some one go to pull out only to nail the brakes because they heard you and never saw you as most people say "I never saw him". Both bikes are far from stock quiet. Even if Im not seen at least Im heard.