I would love it if police would pull people over for their loud motorcycles, check that the system hadn't been tampered with, and if not seize them and revoke the rider's motorcycle license... probably not going to happen though.
As a rider, I can't want until Harley crashes and burns. Ungodly loud and ungodly TERRIBLE sounding machines. I only wish I could afford a Ducati but at least a Duc with Termis sounds GOOD in addition to pissing everyone off. I don't know why anybody would want to ride what sounds like a flatulent cow.
And their riders' need to go wide open throttle at low revs any time they see someone within earshot they think they might be able to 'impress' just murders any desire I have to ever ride one.
I can't say for sure I won't find myself being drawn to a 'cruiser' style motorcycle at some point in life. But I can say for sure that I will never, ever want to associate myself with that particular brand.
Harley has made racebikes in the past, both flat track as well as track bikes. Although yes, they are known for their cruisers.
Agreed, though, of course many people find any loud vehicle annoying. I've seen the occasional ricer banging their R6 off the rev limiter at the gas station. The difference is, the loud sportbike is gone in the blink of an eye. The loud Harley rider feels the need to 'show off' in every 30mph pedestrian zone they can find.
The 90 degree difference between firing pulses is what makes the engine shake and sound the way it does.
This is pretty much everywhere in the US. Aside from local ordinances, there is nothing you can do about. To call people bastards for a loud bike is one thing, but have you ever heard 'loud pipes save lives'?
The sequence is, slow for a stop sign or intersection, full throttle, then heavy breaking for the next block, full throttle, mind you, modified, again. It's infuriatingly annoying.
“Loud pipes save lives” is ridiculous. If you need to be irritatingly loud to be safe then your hobby is too dangerous.
I wish soundproofing standards for buildings were much higher.
Apartment listings only ever focus on just one of the major senses, vision. They make sure the photos look good with prop furniture and just the right lighting. But the experience of actually living in a place involves all of the senses.
I would love to see an apartment listing saying "60dBA soundproofing", "99.9% odor isolation", etc. All of the senses matter.
I'm in Japan and have the same problem with kids with modified exhausts being loud in quiet neighborhoods. This is Japan, where people are NOT loud, and it's even forbidden to talk on the phone on a train or bus.
Assholes are assholes around the world.
Yes I have, and it's complete and total nonsense.
Here are a few good articles on the subject: https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/stop-saying-loud-pipes... https://canadamotoguide.com/2016/07/29/the-truth-about-loud-...
tl;dr version is that basic physics says most of that noise goes backwards, so while a driver may be more likely to notice a louder bike the majority of the increased noise is going in exactly the wrong direction to be useful.
It's a bogus claim made by people trying to justify their annoying exhaust choices.
You'll note that the people who tend to be most vocal about "loud pipes save lives" also tend to be the ones wearing little to no gear and/or riding like jerks. We're not talking about the most safety conscious people out there.
Though, I am a very considerate and conservative rider, whose default is to putter along and disturb as little as possible, especially around humans but I try to respect nature as well. Harleys... yeah, I mostly agree with you.
Then by doing it to show off at red lights etc. they are taking lives by putting loud pipes in constant legal jeopardy.
When the riders who use that phrase don’t wear helmets (and they usually don’t), it seems more than a little insincere.
In addition to carbon emissions reduction, the most immediate benefit is a godly reduction in noise pollution. In SF we have these bastards who love nothing more than to rev up their engines and make noise, on residential streets, at night. I so loathe that aspect of bikers.