Loud Pipes Save Lives?

[dubojr1]

Originally Posted by Alex

I can, and just did. You pass thousands and thousands of cars a year. Some might hear you coming, some might not. Some might swerve towards a noise. Some might swerve away. Most will be affected in no way whatsoever. CHP motor officers complain that people don't hear their sirens.

Believing that a louder pipe is going to have any measurable safety benefit on whether that particular car you're worried about right in front or right next of you is going to do something silly, is simply false. You need to ride 100% of the time as if the other driver is deaf/dumb/blind/uncoordinated, has no idea you're there no matter what clues you give off, and quite possibly might have homicidal tendencies.

You'll realize this sooner, or you'll realize this later.

+1000

Originally Posted by adri99an

I just purchased 2 more "pipes"

One in case the big one hits..... and one to keep under my pillow in case of an intruder.

What to do if the intruder is deaf? Not sure that loud pipe will save you!!!

[Jinx250]

Originally Posted by Alex

If people just stated they like the way the pipes look, sound, and in some cases perform, there would be much less eye-rolling. Playing them off as a safety improvement (in any manner whatsoever) is just silly.

This!

I like the way a Muzzy sounds, looks, and the performance increase (both direct HP increase and HP to weight ratio). If the myth that loud pipes save lives one days proves to be true, then I got that as well.

Originally Posted by headshrink

It may just be a local thing but we have other noise limits on the books here too... I think if your radio can be heard 20-something feet away, you can be cited. I'm not sure if that is limited to sound systems or not, this was to combat all the thumping.... that was impacting our "quality of life."

That's my point - the states have to enact laws at their level because the exhaust noise regulations are not "laws" by definition.

[adri99an]

Originally Posted by dubojr1

+1000



What to do if the intruder is deaf? Not sure that loud pipe will save you!!!

It will when I hit em over the head!
Posted via Mobile Device

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by adri99an

I just purchased 2 more "pipes"

One in case the big one hits..... and one to keep under my pillow in case of an intruder.

lol... you smoke too many herbs.

[Sixringz]

My motorcycle instructor at the MSF class had on a construction worker yellow shirt. The real bright yellow/green kind and on the back it said "LOUD SHIRTS SAVE LIVES" I thought it was pretty funny. I couldn't find the shirt online tho.

[adri99an]

Originally Posted by alex.s

lol... you smoke too many herbs.

the closest I get to smokin the herb is listening to Sublime.

[n4mwd]

I guess the other loud pipe thread got merged with this one.

The answer is yes, but there is no way to prove it. The loud pipes on a bike announce your presence. They let cagers know that you are in the vicinity so that they might actually look before they change lanes or pull in front of you.

I've read justifications against loud pipes that say that the exhaust points rearward so cars in front of you can't hear it. That's total BS written by someone who has never seen a Harley with loud pipes. You can be totally deaf and still hear a Harley with loud pipes due to the percussion.

So while I think the answer is "yes they save lives" I don't think the advantage it gives you is worth going deaf for.

[rockNroll]

Quiet pipes save lives. Discuss.

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by rockNroll

Quiet pipes save lives. Discuss.

Quiet pipes definitely save your hearing.

Then again, a cop yelled at me not long ago because my Ninjette was too quiet. He said I was in his blind spot and he couldn't hear me. I was well behind him in another lane and was in no danger of getting run over. He was just looking for something to fuss about I think.

[headshrink]

Interesting..... we have a blame-shifter then. Yes, all drivers need to be mindful of being in others' blind spots, but all drivers are also responsible to check their own blind spots.
So if he ran you over what would he say? Oh wait, I know... "I didn't see him!"
He yell at you at a stop light? I couldn't see pulling you over for being too quiet... good thing you weren't driving a Prius, you may have gone to jail! LOL

[Live2ride]

You should have heard the 07 zx6r I went to look at today. The seller has a 2 bro's full exhaust and that thing was almost as loud at idle as my ninjette is at redline.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

The answer is yes, but there is no way to prove it. The loud pipes on a bike announce your presence. They let cagers know that you are in the vicinity so that they might actually look before they change lanes or pull in front of you.

I've read justifications against loud pipes that say that the exhaust points rearward so cars in front of you can't hear it. That's total BS written by someone who has never seen a Harley with loud pipes. You can be totally deaf and still hear a Harley with loud pipes due to the percussion. .

The thing that's completely ignored here is relative speed, and that's critical.

I've been passed in my cage by sportbike riders with loud pipes going 30+ mph faster than me... more, sometimes. By the time I hear, become aware of what I'm hearing, and look, they've caught up and passed me.

Despite having a howling exhaust, had I been in the process of changing lanes I could very easily have taken them out.

One squid blew by me going at least 90 (I was going 60)... IN MY LANE. Practically gave me a coronary... because I was NOT aware of his presence until he was next to me. I could easily hear him rocketing off, so I know he had a pipe on the bike.

The guy cruising along at my speed annoying the hell out of me with his effing Harley is at low risk of getting hit precisely because he's traveling near my speed. How loud he is has nothing to do with it.

So no, I don't believe that loud pipes save lives. I believe that responsible riding does.

Speed does not kill by itself. Speed employed unwisely definitely does.

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by headshrink

Interesting..... we have a blame-shifter then. Yes, all drivers need to be mindful of being in others' blind spots, but all drivers are also responsible to check their own blind spots.
So if he ran you over what would he say? Oh wait, I know... "I didn't see him!"
He yell at you at a stop light? I couldn't see pulling you over for being too quiet... good thing you weren't driving a Prius, you may have gone to jail! LOL

Exactly. It was at a stop light that he was yelling at me. Then the light turned green and I smoked him. But I was careful not to go faster than the speed limit. After about a minute, he caught up to me, then matched my speed, and then passed me. I suppose I was playing with fire, but what's he supposed to do - ticket me for doing the speed limit and being too quiet?

[Lil_Green_Demon]

I want my bike to be louder. I rode with some other Ninjette owners and I had the quietest bike. Is it safer? Maybe. I ride attentively anyway. I think if they can hit me, they might do it.
I still want the 250R to be louder. It sounds like a slightly powerful lawn mower.

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by adouglas

The thing that's completely ignored here is relative speed, and that's critical.

I've been passed in my cage by sportbike riders with loud pipes going 30+ mph faster than me... more, sometimes. By the time I hear, become aware of what I'm hearing, and look, they've caught up and passed me.

Despite having a howling exhaust, had I been in the process of changing lanes I could very easily have taken them out.

If they are doing 30 over the limit, then they are definitely defeating the purpose of having loud pipes.

Of course, around here with all the old people, you have to assume that any car parked on the side of the road is going to pull out in front of you quickly and suddenly. A lot of them don't look before they pull out. When they got in their car 5 minutes ago there wasn't a sole on the road, so there can't be anybody there now.

In a perfect world, everyone would use their blinkers when they change lanes or turn. I'm wondering how many biker's lives that would save?

[rockNroll]

It's clear to me now.

[bfpower]

I think the question is better asked "Could loud pipes save lives?" In that case, yes. All other things being equal (as in, you are driving carefully and defensively), there may be a small percentage of drivers who simply missed you despite the fact they want to be attentive. These people might stop a dangerous lane change based on sound. That might be 1% of cases, but 1% is still >0%.

I run stock exhaust, BTW.

[ai4px]

I just saw this thread and answered NO in the poll.... but I gotta qualify it.

No, loud pipes won't save you from cagers who have their windows up, stereos cranking and texting with coffee between their legs. Additionally, deaf people are permitted to drive, whereas the blind are not.

Yes, loud pipes can save Unregistered from wildlife. As we get into fall, I start to worry about hitting deer. I can't say for sure, but I think that loud pipes would scare them off the road before you get there. Really, even if the noise makes a deer flinch and run even 100' before he would have w/o the pipes, that's a plus.

[Bassman]

Safety, this must be why some cagers drive around pumping 1,000,000 watt stereo out the window. I voted no. I keep my Ninja, Harley, and Goldwing pipes stock.

[Panda]

I don't know if a simple a binary response is appropriate to this question. As some other posters brought up it's conditional. In some instances loud pipes will increase a rider's "awareness footprint" and in a small percentage of those cases it may prevent an accident.

Loud pipes are certainly not a panacea and having a loud pipe s no excuse to not be aware of your surroundings and ride defensively.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by rPanda

I don't know if a simple a binary response is appropriate to this question. As some other posters brought up it's conditional. In some instances loud pipes will increase a rider's "awareness footprint" and in a small percentage of those cases it may prevent an accident.

Loud pipes are certainly not a panacea and having a loud pipe s no excuse to not be aware of your surroundings and ride defensively.

i am going to run open headers and ride with my brights on all the time so i can blast my headphones and ride unaware of the people around me.

[Kevin2109]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i am going to run open headers and ride with my brights on all the time so i can blast my headphones and ride unaware of the people around me.

Stop trying to copy me

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by Kevin2109

Stop trying to copy me

no way bro, you've got the WATCH OUT! sticker on your backpack. you could see that thing with your eyes closed and your head up your ass.

[menikmati]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i am going to run open headers and ride with my brights on all the time so i can blast my headphones and ride unaware of the people around me.

All while on the rear wheel, since visibility = safety.

Wheelies are uber safe!

[alex.s]

rolling burnouts get attention with a smoke signal. its the best way to alert the people behind you, or coming up to you at a light of your presence.

[Panda]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i am going to run open headers and ride with my brights on all the time so i can blast my headphones and ride unaware of the people around me.

The solution for awareness is the same solution for SR1.

Ride with your eyes closed.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by bfpower

I think the question is better asked "Could loud pipes save lives?" In that case, yes. All other things being equal (as in, you are driving carefully and defensively), there may be a small percentage of drivers who simply missed you despite the fact they want to be attentive. These people might stop a dangerous lane change based on sound. That might be 1% of cases, but 1% is still >0%.

I run stock exhaust, BTW.

Loud pipes are more likely to get you killed when the sound of your annoying douchebaggery drones out some classical music that was the only thing keeping the psychopath behind you sane and he decides to run your ass over.

Loud pipes are annoying, being annoying makes people not like you and when people don't like you, you lose rights. A great stop nearby where I live is now going to be closed until noon to discourage bikers from going up there. Why? Because they are a bunch of loud annoying assholes who just want everyone to look at them. If you run loud pipes because you think its safer you're either an idiot or a liar.

If you run loud pipes because you like the sound or you want people to be annoyed and look at you, well at least you are honest

[Aggrotech]

its common sense really...if your riding around in ur cage and you start to hear some goddamn noise coming up somewhere..what do you do? you look for it. Herpderp.

I have stock exhaust and at certain RPM's it gets loud as **** and i -ALWAYS- see the drivers around me lookin/trying to find out where the **** its coming from.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Aggrotech

its common sense really...if your riding around in ur cage and you start to hear some goddamn noise coming up somewhere..what do you do? you look for it. Herpderp.

I have stock exhaust and at certain RPM's it gets loud as **** and i -ALWAYS- see the drivers around me lookin/trying to find out where the **** its coming from.

Unless you are doing this at 10mph

[Aggrotech]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Unless you are doing this at 10mph

Now now jiggles, how often are motorcycles stuck at 10mph? :P

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by Aggrotech

Now now jiggles, how often are motorcycles stuck at 10mph? :P

Mine was two days ago when I was trying to push-start it.

[Old Lemon]

nope. but i dont like the stock exhausts because they are so quiet that i cant even hear them, and i just like to hear my own exhaust

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

nope. but i dont like the stock exhausts because they are so quiet that i cant even hear them, and i just like to hear my own exhaust

See look at that gentlemen. A man who understands that having a loud bike will not save his life. Instead he wants a loud bike for his own personal enjoyment, even if it makes him an asshole

[Old Lemon]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

See look at that gentlemen. A man who understands that having a loud bike will not save his life. Instead he wants a loud bike for his own personal enjoyment, even if it makes him an asshole

and also lets my buddies know in the twisties that if they stop hearing me, they know i had to lay er down

[n4mwd]

I was on a trip last spring in a cage and a couple of times we got passed on the freeway by bikers with loud pipes. The facts are that we didn't hear the pipes until they were practically on our rear bumper and then kept hearing them for several hundred feet after they passed.

Its very true that most of the sound is projected backwards where it isn't needed. So the evidence is that if you want to use loud pipes as a safety device, you need to point your pipes forward.

Its also true that its annoying as hell. I don't like riding with guys that have loud pipes. I can't hear the engine and it causes me to ride bad.

And its highly probable that the bikers that have those big Harleys with loud pipes are either deaf or good customers of disposable earplugs.

[Panda]

I ride in New York City and my loudish pipe lets cars know I am around when stuck in traffic and lane splitting. I don't depend just on the volume of the exhaust to ensure my safety but it's another way to make drivers aware of me.

My old pipe was obnoxiously loud and I got rid of it. My new one is quiter and provides a nice balance of sound quality and volume without being too loud.

[KELPHYN]

For the most part a loud pipe don't mean crap to cagers till you pass them. Animals, like cows,sheep,goats,deer,bears,moose,elk and cariboo, now they hear you. Then you just have to figure out what direction they're going to go. Usually it's anyway from the noise,but not always.

[folky15]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Loud pipes are more likely to get you killed......

If you run loud pipes because you think its safer you're either an idiot or a liar.

Despite the obvious fact that Jiggles is the ultimate authority on everything, I simply cannot be convinced to change my opinion that louder exhausts will make other drivers more aware of a motorcycle's presence.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by folky15

Despite the obvious fact that Jiggles is the ultimate authority on everything,

Thanks for noticing

Originally Posted by folky15

I simply cannot be convinced to change my opinion that louder exhausts will make other drivers more aware of a motorcycle's presence.

Have you ever been in a car and had a motorcycle pass you?

[Jiggles]

Man I wish I still had that video of the 250 on the freeway with a yoshi pipe. It proves 2 points at once. With the dude in front of me he was crazy loud even overpowering my music and then as I passed him all the noise was suddenly gone. Like magic, or maybe physics

Probably physics