Dear motorcyclists,

[Remster 24]

CanuckInUSA

Quote

It seems to me, the louder the bike, the younger the driver, and the smaller the bike

Sounds like you are describing the difference between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke engine. Are you aware of the differences between these two designs?

Nat isn't very technical.. You know, having been a helicopter maintenance crew and all...

Remster

[ryoder 1,384]

CanuckInUSA

Sounds like you are describing the difference between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke engine. Are you aware of the differences between these two designs?

There were lots of 2-strokes on the road when I was a kid, but I can't remember the last time I saw one.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[davelepka 4]

Quote

There were lots of 2-strokes on the road when I was a kid, but I can't remember the last time I saw one.

Most of them were 'outlawed' in the US back in the mid-80's by the EPA for emissions reasons. I think anything north of 50cc was given the axe.

As to the subject of the thread, the answer is simple, the people making all the noise just don't give two shits about anyone else.

There's not a bike on this planet that you cannot ride quietly at the speeds that neighborhood streets will allow. You can go easy on the gas and short-shift any of them, and keep the noise level to a minimum when you're not going to be doing more than 35 or 40mph, even easier when the limit is 25.

The Harleys (or any big twin) are torque monsters, and only need a hint of RPM to make enough power to move the bike down the road. The sport bikes (or any of the inline 4s) all rev to 10 or 12,000 rpms, and can easily be kept under 3 or 4k rpms and get you where you need to be. If the riders were willing to kick it up a gear or two, the bikes would stay quiet, plain and simple.

[bob.dino 0]

I think Nataly lives in SE France. There's heaps of scooters here. Driven by teenage boys, low CC, revved like fuck. Sound like an angry leafblower.

See the opening 5mins of the movie Taxi (not the US remake) for an idea.

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi dave,

Quote

As to the subject of the thread, the answer is simple, the people making all the noise just don't give two shits about anyone else.

^^^ This. The truth hurts sometimes.

JerryBaumchen

[Nataly 38]

CanuckInUSA

Quote

It seems to me, the louder the bike, the younger the driver, and the smaller the bike

Sounds like you are describing the difference between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke engine. Are you aware of the differences between these two designs?

They are old, cheap 50cc scooters deliberately modified for maximum noise (cutting the muffler, after market exhaust, or the cheaper alternative of just drilling/poking holes in the exhaust ). Driven by kids too young to legally get a proper bike and too stupid to realise they are annoying as shit and contribute to people hating bikers. They make everyone miserable because a lot of stupid rules/restrictions exist because of their dumb/wreckless riding.

And I don't believe that "loud pipes save lives"... Car drivers don't listen for bikers... If all vehicles were quiet, people would get used to it and be more careful about looking before crossing. Lots of cars are very silent. Bicycles are silent.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[JohnnyMarko 1]

Geez, Nataly just can't catch a break with these motorcycle discussions

[Nataly 38]

JohnnyMarko

Geez, Nataly just can't catch a break with these motorcycle discussions

Ja... Och jag är en biker!!!

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[turtlespeed 212]

Nataly

Driven by kids too young to legally get a proper bike and too stupid to realise they are annoying as shit.

Just like a kid that does his hair up in a spikey bright fuscia mohawk . . . or a kid that wears his jeans with the waist ban at about thigh level . . . they know what they look like and sound like . . . people really need to stop making excuses for these kids you describe. They do it to get attention.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[grandmaster95 0]

Squeak

***
Unfortunately there isn't much I can do about it. .

Ive been riding bikes for over 30 years, and i rebuild a few too.
There's a shit ton you can do about it. especially if you have a race kit in it, and you road ride it.

You choose not to do anything.

I was refering to the fact there is nothing I can do about HIS problem and the jackasses that right through HIS neighborhood.

As far as me, I don't mind my bike being loud out on the city streets. However, when I'm in the neighborhood I'm respectful and take the back way so I only have to pass 2 corner houses.

Turn to the storm and say, "Give your worst, and I shall give my best."

[airtwardo 6]

riddler

Standard excuse: "So cars can hear me."
My reply: "Bullshit. By the time they hear you, you are already past their blind spot."

Disagree -


My bike is loud but not 'screaming loud' - I can lug it in 3rd when coming down the semi-private drive we live on at 3am & it's never bothered the neighbors, yeah I asked.

However - it's plenty loud enough to 'announce my approach' @ 35-40 mph same gear, in town. I can't count the number of times I've seen people jump when I blip the throttle before going around them.

On the 4-lane boulevard that runs through town - people switch lanes like crazy trying to save 30 seconds getting home, rarely do they use signals.

I tend to drop a gear if I'm in a blind spot and they're checkin' the rear or side view getting ready to jump lanes - seen 'em swerve back into 'their lane' and check the mirrors again.

I KNOW they didn't see me ~ they HEARD me.

Almost got sideswiped by a state cop who was right along side of me...I had to cut left and accelerate, soon as the noise maker came on the cop about jumped outta his skin -he didn't see me.

Most people don't look for bikes, I'll take any little edge I can get...then again I wasn't wearin' a lid when I damn near got-boned last week by a drunk running a red light, so make that 'almost' any edge.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[BigMark 1]

Sound pollution, is pollution, goddamn people have no common courtesy these days. Can you imagine living next to some asshole with his loud exhaust leaving to work @ 4 a.m. everyday, what a fucking nightmare that would be.

[JohnnyMarko 1]

BigMark

Sound pollution, is pollution, goddamn people have no common courtesy these days. Can you imagine living next to some asshole with his loud exhaust leaving to work @ 4 a.m. everyday, what a fucking nightmare that would be.

Welcome to my neighborhood....

[Nataly 38]

airtwardo

I tend to drop a gear if I'm in a blind spot and they're checkin' the rear or side view getting ready to jump lanes - seen 'em swerve back into 'their lane' and check the mirrors again.

I lightly toot my horn to warn people I'm there, if I think it's necessary. It's not very loud and it does the trick. Otherwise I don't need to be noisy.

I admit I have on a couple of occasions revved up to show my discontent at nearly being run over on a roundabout when I had the right of way, but to be honest this is simply a show of anger/aggression and I could just as easily have honked my horn. It should be noted, however, that revving the engine of my Ninja 250 does not produce a hell of a lot of noise... In this case I chose revving as a less loud alternative to honking.

The point being that whatever you do, you don't need to be excessively loud. You especially don't need to be loud ALL THE TIME.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[CSpenceFLY 1]

JohnnyMarko

***I am a biker.
No, the sound does not do it either for me. Yet, revving it up and riding it like a demon, like explaining a first jump to some wuffo.

Cool....any reason you...scratch that...some motorcyclists choose to do it in residential areas and not on an open road? The fuck is the point of taking off and making noise when there's a stoplight/sign every block?

There are assholes in every activity.

[Pacific 0]

BigMark

Sound pollution, is pollution, goddamn people have no common courtesy these days. Can you imagine living next to some asshole with his loud exhaust leaving to work @ 4 a.m. everyday, what a fucking nightmare that would be.

Agreed. I've heard lots of fellow bikers try to justify their obnoxiously loud exhausts. The bottom line is that these guys just don't care about others and are too concerned about their egos and the pathetic biker image. I'm not sure who they're trying to fool or impress. I can't ride with loud bikes...it ruins my ride. I wear ear plugs just to fight the wind noise.