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Mods: avoided posting this in the automotive/motorcycle section for less biased answers.
I was reading up on how people disliked loud motorcycles... but I have yet to hear complaints about sportbikes being too loud. Do you just not notice them or they sound more appealing... or something else?
(chemical blonde here) Not sure who you found is disliking noise and under what circumstances, but.... IMO, sportbikes may not be as loud at lower RPMs, ie cruising through neighborhoods, where a 'hog' is or can be, kind of loud at low RPM, or with little acceleration, or even just cruising. And I think their noise carries farther. In the summertime when a 'hog' is going through a neighborhood late at night, some make, I think, more noise than necessary - and that may irk the neighbors.
OTOH, husband rides a hog and prefers some noise (though his is not what I'd call VERY loud) because he believes it helps alert other drivers of his presence while driving, and he doesn't tend to 'hang' with traffic, so the noise would be largely passing by. Seems like sportbikes are only really noisy when accelerating, and I think their noise doesn't carry as far either. And, maybe they are 'gone' quicker too.
OTOH, husband rides a hog and prefers some noise (though his is not what I'd call VERY loud) because he believes it helps alert other drivers of his presence while driving, and he doesn't tend to 'hang' with traffic, so the noise would be largely passing by. Seems like sportbikes are only really noisy when accelerating, and I think their noise doesn't carry as far either. And, maybe they are 'gone' quicker too.
I beleive this is true, and I support it. While at times I'm sitting in my apartment on the thrid floor on the corner, sometimes I want to run out and punch the Harley owner in the effing head for gunning the throttle for no damned reason, I would want the same thing on my bike if I had one.
It's just such a harsher sound. Every note CHOPS thru the air. I don't care when they're just passing by, that's note is fine. It's when they're being "cool" that it gets on my nerves.
Regardless of which type of noise the machine is making, it has always irritated me greatly that you can be ticketed for having a loud muffler on your car but those damn bikes can be as obnoxiously loud as possible.
Regardless of which type of noise the machine is making, it has always irritated me greatly that you can be ticketed for having a loud muffler on your car but those damn bikes can be as obnoxiously loud as possible.
Most cars can see other cars though.
I personally hate the sound that hogs make, but I think it is vitally important for them to be loud. I ride a sportbike and I know how many driver do not pay attention. However, when I'm in my car I try to look out for bikers and keep my distance just in case something happens.
EDIT: Yet, there has been at least one time that a loud bike notified me of its' presence. I was merging and didn't see the bike, but I heard it and that prevented an accident.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Originally Posted by CrossCountryTrip
Mods: avoided posting this in the automotive/motorcycle section for less biased answers.
I was reading up on how people disliked loud motorcycles... but I have yet to hear complaints about sportbikes being too loud. Do you just not notice them or they sound more appealing... or something else?
As noted, Harleys are a different kind of ''loud'', and tend to be in the lower and deeper frequencies, not unlike those annoying car stereos with the thrumming, pulsing ''boom''. And yeah, ''loud pipes save lives'', but so does being an alert driver... which is kinda hard to do when you're more worried about ''looking cool''!
For the record, I am a motorcycle rider myself. I love bikes and have ridden for years, both as a commuter and on long-distance trips.
But I think what the Harley people have done to our national parks is a disgrace. Their incessant noise and pack behavior have made it almost intolerable for other visitors, especially kids and the elderly to enjoy the peace and quiet which our park system was supposed to foster. Perhaps most important, many animal species are beginning to experience stess-related problems and disrupted migration patterns owing to the disorienting effects of H-D packs and their noise. The same thing is true, to a lesser extent, of the dirt-bike riders who tear around the deserts and remote areas with their baffles removed or with other modifications to make their machines louder.
And please don't give me the old "loud pipes save lives" crapola. Even a fool knows that the source of sound is not directionally discernible in traffic, especially when automobile drivers have their windows rolled up, or are listening to the radio or talking on cellphones like the fools many of THEM are.
To me, it's a simple matter of cowardice. The same oafs who would never dare to confront another man face-to-face have no problem making a racket with their "Hog" for no other reason than to intimidate and annoy other people. Many of these riders also dress up in make-believe motorcycle gang "colors", hoping to be mistaken for Hells Angels or other gang members -- while in actuality, many are living milquetoast lives with only their fantasies to live for. And there is nothng wrong with fantasizing -- until it intrudes upon the well-bring of others and the tranquillity of nature. Then it stops being a harmless matter of childish play-acting and become a public menace.
As a motorcycle rider, I resent the image that many Harley riders create with their noise, their behavior, and their moronic attitude. They make the rest of the populace think that all motorcyclists are as stupid, ill-mannered and childish as they are.
And please don't give me the old "loud pipes save lives" crapola. Even a fool knows that the source of sound is not directionally discernible in traffic, especially when automobile drivers have their windows rolled up, or are listening to the radio or talking on cellphones like the fools many of THEM are.
I disagree with this part. I've had a few close calls with the quieter motorcycles. I absolutely loathe the sound hogs make and we could probably make a decent argument that they should not as loud, but the noise they emit is helpful.
I you have to rely on other drivers to hear you (as opposed to see you), what does that tell you about the safety of your chosen form of transportation?
Can't imagine too many yacht/sailboat owners enjoy that! Could you argue loud = safety here also since they travel at high speeds? Could this be even more annoying than a bike or two in the city when you are on a lake, holiday weekend with 50 of these cruising around?
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