Exhaust Sound Laws in progress....

Bunk

I know this will probably P... Off some but here goes.

The idea that loud pipes have any safety affect is mostly nonsense.

1. Cars are so quiet on the inside that it is difficult to hear anything from the outside.

2. Add music to point 1 and it is even less likely a driver will hear loud pipes.

2a. If the windows are down on a cager it seems that the driver has a very loud stereo and is wanting everyone else to hear him and is not likely to hear pipes no matter how loud.

3. Loud pipes are not very loud unless they are in front of you and pulling away. It seems that we would want drivers to hear us when we are approaching them from the rear. This is why I love having a bike that can consistantly stay in front of HD with loud pipes.

IMHO - Loud pipes don't save lives, good ride and safety skills do.


steve

Steve, I would disagree with you on this one. Not pissed off, just disagreement.

On many occasions the first indication that a motorcycle is in my vicinity is the exhaust noise. Especially as they come up into my blind spot in my truck, I can hear, and in some cases, feel the exhaust pulses.

Any, and I mean ANY, advance warning that a m/c is near me is a safety improvement.

Not all cars are soundproof.
Not all cagers drive with the radio up loud.
Not all cagers with windows down have the radio thump'n (you are right on with the description of the wannabees trying to show off their sound system).

If we assume the above, then even horns are useless (well, may be true about the stock Triumph horn).

Anecdotal Evidence

I imagine we can all throw out anecdotal evidence supporting either opinion. *I* don't believe loud pipes are good for much other than what they've managed to accomplish; pissing off every non-motorcyle enthusiast, and a lot of enthusiasts, around them. But, it's like anything else. It's not the pipes. It's the few morons that can't control themselves.

- Idiot that HAS to rap on the throttle 2 or 3 times while sitting at every light
- Idiot that HAS to rap on the throttle in residential neighborhoods
- Idiot that HAS to etc....

The list goes on and on. Frankly, I don't see a need for a law because there's already a disturbing the peace law in every community, city and state in the land; just enforce the **** thing. And, that goes for loud pipes (motorcycles, cars, trucks, etc...), loud stereos, etc...

This kind of knee-jerk crap is more about publicity than substance. It's like Colorado passing the law that forbids continually driving in the left hand lane. They didn't need to pass a law specific to that. It's already covered. Florida is TERRIBLE for this exact same thing. There's always some ******* driving 5 mph under the speed limit and in the left hand lane. Do we need to pass a law? Hell no. There are signs everywhere that say "Slower traffic keep right". That means get your ass back in the right lane when someone is going faster than you. Is it not the law to obey ALL traffic signs? If we're not required to obey that sign, then I guess we don't need to obey speed limit signs, no passing signs, or no parking signs either, right? And, they can't give me a ticket until they pass a specific law for each, correct?

Bottom line, it's selective enforcement of laws. Like I said, disturbing the peace covers the ground discussed; just enforce the SOB.

Edit: Another good example of knee-jerk legislation. I do NOT have to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle in Florida (and many other states), but EVERY state in the land requires I wear a seatbelt when driving a car. What the hell kind of sense does that make?

tdragger said:

Speaking of selective enforcement, I wonder if LEOs are going to cite their own. The loudest bike BY FAR in our neighborhood is the Secret Service Escort bike. Since he has to work odd hours, it's not unusual for him to wake up the neighborhood at 3am. You can tell that he is trying to keep it quiet but it can't be done.

I assume the reasoning why a Secret Service bike is loud is to let others know that he's coming thereby adding a layer of protection for the VIP being escorted. Then why is it a double standard for Joe Schmoe to have loud pipes?

Click to expand...

That must be an occupational hazard living close to DC. In Detroit, the Secret Service operatives are lucky to have a motor pool car that runs.

Too bad this affects those who pay the taxes to operate on the roads and not those **** kids running their ATVs up and down our main street in the neigborhood with the exhaust intentionaly removed. I was told by the police that there is nothing they can do since the little bastards always run. The cops are not allowed to chase them because they could crash and hurt themselvs, this would open them up for lawsuits from the parents. So we just have to listen to the noise and try to avoid hitting them while they go back and forth at speeds over 70mph ALL DAY LONG. It's just another example of how screwed up the law has become in the attempt to "protect" children.
The poor single mom up the road was nearly arrested the other day when her 10yr old called the police because she wouldn't let him play nintendo. He accused her of beating him to the cops in an effort to get her taken away so he could play his game while she was gone. Sick ****. Thanks alot Dr Spock.

RocketDaryl - you are 100% correct. It is the idiot that never rides more than 10 miles at a time on his open pipe bar hopper that insists on revving at every stop light. They are going to ruin it for everyone else.

ou gotta wonder when bikes will come with some type of seatbelt or harness. Honda has an airbag on the Goldwing so why not. It's a logical progression od something illogical on a motorcycle.

HellFire said:

Too bad this affects those who pay the taxes to operate on the roads and not those **** kids running their ATVs up and down our main street in the neigborhood with the exhaust intentionaly removed. I was told by the police that there is nothing they can do since the little bastards always run. The cops are not allowed to chase them because they could crash and hurt themselvs, this would open them up for lawsuits from the parents. So we just have to listen to the noise and try to avoid hitting them while they go back and forth at speeds over 70mph ALL DAY LONG. It's just another example of how screwed up the law has become in the attempt to "protect" children.

Click to expand...

This reminds me of when I was a kid. I lived in a private development with ~25 mi. of private road and another 10-15 mi. of private trails. But this wasn't enough. A group of about 20 of us went out on the back roads behind the development and ran into the local sheriff. Well, kids being kids, we went in 20 different directions. There were twin brothers on 2 Hodaka 100s. The bigger of the 2 thought it would be best to go thru the woods. He wasn't 30 yards off the road and he misjudged the distance between 2 trees, at about 65mph. Four busted fingers on each hand later, the sheriffs (there were 2 in the car) caught him. They then handcuffed his hands behind his back and thru him in their car (forcing him to sit on his hands).
They took him to his home, to let the parents know what he had done and that they were "takin' him in". When the father (about 6'5" and 350lbs.) saw his sons broken hands and that the sheriff had made him sit on them, he punched the sheriff and knocked him out cold. The sheriffs partner, who had watched from the safety of the car, called for back up and arrested the father.
The judge thru out the fathers case and gave the boy 2 mos. probation. The sheriff got a busted nose and two black eyes. I don't remember if there was any other disiplinary action taken.

Hi,

Just bought my 2006 R3 on Long Island, NY, and imported back to the Great White North, in Montreal. In the importing process one of the things they want to check at the federal inspection ('cause there's also a provincial inspection to pass) is that the bike passes the EPA 80 dBa standard. They do this by looking for permanent markings somewhere on the exhaust. Can't seem to find them. Can someone tell me where these are ?

Thx

xian

Pig9r said:

RocketDaryl - you are 100% correct. It is the idiot that never rides more than 10 miles at a time on his open pipe bar hopper that insists on revving at every stop light. They are going to ruin it for everyone else.

Click to expand...

Totally agree, was out for a bike night last Monday, a fella with straight pipes lit up his rear tire out in front of the local coffee shop. My ears are still ringing. The only think he accomplished was pi$$ing people off.

Just wait for it, as inspections become more predominant, if you have removed your catalytic converter to modify your pipes, you've changed your emission standards of your machine. It's just a matter of time where you could be facing a fine.