An Essay on Loud Pipes
essay-on-loud-pipes.htm
© Copyright, 2011, R. Fleischer
This hyperlink to a
video is NOT politically correct, and I offer no apologies!
It may not last too long:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/251889
Below is an edited version of a posting I
did to a LIST on Friday, April 20, 2007
It was in response to someone's posting about feelings being hurt, due to a
disparaging remark about Harley Riders.
Whilst generalities are just that, and do NOT
apply to all Harley riders (all BMW riders do not
wear fancy riding suits, have matching helmet and bike colors,
and do 50,000 miles a year).....still....I think you all might
like to know how I feel...and I feel strongly about this subject.
"It is unfortunate, but a rather large percentage of Harley riders are not
riding quiet, not even reasonably quiet, motorcycles.
The noise is causing problems for all motorcyclists in the U.S. The truth REALLY IS (and I get the
monthly sales figures for aftermarket AND Harley Screaming Eagle stuff...), that
the VAST majority of Harley purchasers modify their exhaust systems as the FIRST
thing....and the DEALERSHIPS are installing
these items. Companies promote these products like crazy.
How many companies promote loud noisy pipes for BMW? Triumph? others?
The latest California law that says that from model year 2013,
mufflers must have an official approved label, that the law is
being complied with, regarding sound levels, is just one more
thing happening to motorcyclists due to the IRresponsibility of a
few.
Are you aware that in some places owners can't even ride QUIET bikes on their
OWN property.....? For DECADES, the
beautiful 17 mile drive has been NO MOTORCYCLES. MANY
condominium projects, and many other places, can legally restrict
motorcycles. They are doing it. Nothing new about this.
Guess WHY all this came about?! It wasn't because
motorcycles are fun.
There ARE BMW riders who have noisy pipes, but they are VERY few and far
between. When I see/hear them, I make a point of asking them to go
back to quiet pipes...NOT just asking them to quiet down THEN, but to replace
the equipment with QUIET items. I HOPE you do the same, no matter
the brand.
I have owned just about every make of bike there is, including a fair number of
Harleys. I am not against Harleys. I AM against very loud pipes.
The "loud pipes save lives" group are immature folks, in MY
estimation. They install equipment to emphasize that immaturity; they have
egos that feed on "look
at ME", they dress to appear immature, and they often act immature.
They are...and have been... giving a very bad name to all bikers...or, rather,
motorcyclists.
That some use "Harley" with vast stereotype images and words, is,
perhaps unfortunate, and, yes, may hurt YOUR feelings, but truth is truth, facts
are facts. I have NO PROBLEM backing up my FACTS on what Harley buyers are
doing with their exhaust systems. It is NOT just anecdotal. I have
INDUSTRY SALES FIGURES, all across the United States. I get an insider
industry magazine every month. MUCH of the advertising in one portion of
one of that magazine; and, one other industry magazine, deals with aftermarket items that
are designed to make noise, and give certain impressions.
Recently, whilst doing some AMA magazine reading
and then internet work in laying out what the wife and I are
going to do about Rallies and so on for some of the year, I ran across an ad for what seemed like a nice ride and tour.
I navigated to the website, and as it loaded up I heard LOUD PIPES...from the
website.....as....a very noticeably HARLEY motorcycle danced across the screen.
I looked no further. I don't want to be there.
I am sure THEY don't want US, either.
My wife and I will NOT attend Daytona, we will NOT attend Sturgis, we will NOT
attend the Laughlin Run.
It has nothing to do with naked women (my blood is red....and I have plenty
of testosterone), and other parts of these gatherings/events. I love
a Party. I love naked, or partly naked women. What is
THE reason we will not attend?:::
Loud
pipes, 24 hours a day.
The last AMA event (I'm a Life Member) that I attended was an AMA tour campout,
in California. It will be my last, won't EVER be another, in
my lifetime. Why? At this FAMILY event, of perhaps 100 or 150
there, about a dozen insisted on displaying their mighty pipes....continuously.
This noise problem is going to result in VERY serious problems for
motorcyclists. It is starting to come to a head, with the U.S. going along
with many European standards and the new California Law, that is
effective in 2013. Keep in
mind what drives politicians to make laws.
In MY estimation, the only thing keeping police departments in the U.S. from
issuing huge amounts of noise violations is one simple fact: When an local
officer in most States writes a citation for anything, LITTLE of the court fine
comes back to the LOCAL police department. Thus there is no reason (unless
a LOT of complaints in one area) for the local police departments to issue
citations for things that are not financially rewarding to the department.
If asked, the excuse offered is that they are too busy 'dealing with serious
crime...'.
Eventually, however, the politicians, and the
police, will find a way to get sound measuring equipment, use it,
and start issuing mass citations, because someone will figure out
how to keep the money from the traffic tickets at the local
level. This is in addition to an Officer ADDING a noise
complaint to any traffic stop, where appropriate.
Until the Harley owners, as a group, AND OTHERS.... start disciplining themselves, Harley
owners in particular will continue to be mocked, sneered-at, and generally put-down....in
various ways.
You, if a Harley rider, may not like it, and it may creep into a LIST message
now and then, but, it is what it is, and there are reasons Harley owners are
thought of.....generally....as being anti-social and much more.
Louts
comes to mind.
No one here is deliberately trying to hurt your feelings. Stop
whining. Do something about fellow loud pipe riders.
It is for certain that there are some Harley riders who are
NOT loud pipes types. I know some, some are very old friends of mine. I
ride with them now and then. But, until folks start
disciplining themselves, and making CLEAR that certain types of annoying
anti-social behavior are NOT
ACCEPTABLE, you can expect what you see and hear about Loud Harley Riders.,,,,and,
worse yet, you can expect increasingly strict laws and enforcement from the
Public/Police, as well as restrictions on where folks can ride.
There is a reason why drivers of quiet sidecar rigs are warmly embraced,
grandmothers ask to ride in them, non-motorcycling crowds gather around them
when they park someplace. These common ordinary
non-riding people would
NEVER go up and talk to a loud piper;....no, what they will do is complain to
their Representatives...and VOTE for laws that might end up being broadly awful.
***There are other types of motorcyclists that is very bad for
biking in general: street stunt riding showoffs and those
that ride much much faster than traffic, and weave in and out of
traffic...very aggressive riders, in other words. Please
don't be one.
> > > Snowbum<<<
This essay was slightly edited and updated on June 17th, 2011
© Copyright, 2011, R. Fleischer