Loud pipes save lives ??

[properperson]

 

Not according to Motor Cycle News "Visor Down" ...

 

"You might think making a loud noise alerts vehicles in front to your presence, but it doesn’t. The racket from your race pipe mostly travels backwards, so the only people you’re likely to awaken are the ones you’ve already gone past. And they’re not the dead-eyed morons whose attention you wish to draw. Besides, these days, drivers are safely entombed behind a thick layer of toughened glass so chances are they wouldn’t hear your open 4 into 1 even if you parked against their door and pinned it.

 

And, hard though it is to believe, not everyone wants to hear a race-tuned 998cc DOHC 8v inline four breathing through a titanium 4-2-1 system. I know, mad, isn’t it? Still, people are weird. Some of them buy houses next to race-tracks, then complain about the noise. Can you imagine the titanic levels of narcissistic self-absorption required to lack that degree of empathy? I think, technically, that makes them psychopaths.

 

Anyway, I digress. Loud pipes really, really piss punters off. Sometimes they need it – we can’t be too civilised. But sometimes you can’t help thinking, just button it off, please" ...

[ktm jeff]

Excessve noise has closed down more bike tracks / enduro courses than even the venomus Ramblers assiciation.  And it just annoys road users whose tolerance for bikes  then turns to dislike.  Maybe its a sexual thing.

[KMartinHandyman]

Loud pipes didn't help the motorbike when the pick up truck t-boned the rider in front of our place today but the violent crunch got our attention and my wife said from afar "motorbike have a problem!"
I convinced her to call 1669 immediately as the rider was surely not getting up from this one and it appeared everyone was just going to look and talk. About 25 minutes later a rescue came from the hospital 2km away.
If your going to have a medical emergency call ahead of time.

[manarak]

loud pipes are a major annoyance for residents and make the rider look like a proper dick, especially when said pipe is on a relatively small engine (<500cc), then the rider is more likely a prick.

[In the jungle]

I think there should be a subjective approval list for loud pipes.

 

The list of bikes approved for loud pipes includes the following:

 

Ducati V twins

Honda V4s with gear drive cams and 360 degree cranks

Triumph triples

Laverda triples

Honda CBX

Kawasaki two stroke triples

 

The list of bikes for which loud bikes are banned includes:

 

Harley Davidson

Any Thai manufactured bike of 150cc or below*

 

*If that bike is a 2 stroke the bike shall be crushed and the rider subject to the death penalty.

 

Naturally I will approve the list. 

 

 

[canthai55]

They have saved my A** - more than once. 

 

And the poster who would ban 2-strokes has never heard them on the pipe and almost pulling the bars from your hands. Think TZ750.

 

As they say - "If it's too Loud, you're too Old"  - and I am 60+

[Peterw42]

I have never really understood the whole loud pipes thing. If pipes make that much difference to performance, why arnt the manufacturers fitting them at the factory (legal ones). The argument that people hear you and it saves lives, is rubbish, and thats what you have a horn for. 

 

[ClutchClark]

Loud pipes get peoples attention....but I hate them when they are really loud on a Hog.

 

Factory doesn't install factory loud pipes due to regulations on decibals and spark arresters, etc...thats why those factory cans weigh about 20#. 

 

Plus dealers rely on after-market farkles for income. 

[canthai55]

I have a mental image of people who P*ss and Moan over loud pipes. They drive with their car seats fully forward, both hands with a death grip on the wheel, chin resting on the rim. A motorcycle comes by, thank God for Depends, I was so busy driving 40kph on the highway ... How Dare he startle me !  Maybe give it a rest - the world is a noisy place. Get Over It.

[DualSportBiker]

I am undecided. When in my noisy Land Rover I can still hear loud bikes behind me, so I am not convinced that they are not audible where needed. It is clear that the loudest place to be is behind them, however in narrow or crowded streets sounds reflects forward. I have certainly heard bikes behind me on many occasions here...

 

My pipes are stock and not terribly loud. I chose to be bright instead, and all 4000 lumens go forward at the mirrors of those holding me up...

Lisa Thomas of the Simon and Lisa Thomas 2ridetheworld team swears by loud pipes. She has ridden 600,000 km over 12 continuous years in 80 countries. As she is both sensible, and smart as well as more experienced than most, I give her opinion considerable weight.

[biker Bob]

 

Loud pipes save lives ??

Of course they do.

[georgy]

Safety by loud pipes? Ridiculous, its just a lousy excuse.
The noisy only gives you the impression of more power, finally its just another kind of d..k extension.

If safety is so much the concern, why I see so many of these "bikers" riding in slippers and shorts, scoopy helmet and -of course- muscle shirt?

Go on tour and you will see how few bikes you see outside of town. Most are used only to impress some girls in front of a coffeeshop or mall within the city.
Have a look to the buy-sell section how few kms most bikes have on the odometer. So?

 

Edited October 5, 2016 by georgy

[Gweiloman]

Like DSB, I'm also undecided. Riding in Bangkok, I can hear when a loud bike is coming close and being aware of it could be argued as a good thing, both for myself and the rider. Using the horn is an option but then again, it can be construed as being rude too.

 

 

[manarak]

10 hours ago, canthai55 said:

I have a mental image of people who P*ss and Moan over loud pipes. They drive with their car seats fully forward, both hands with a death grip on the wheel, chin resting on the rim. A motorcycle comes by, thank God for Depends, I was so busy driving 40kph on the highway ... How Dare he startle me !  Maybe give it a rest - the world is a noisy place. Get Over It.

 

What is your mental image of people who sleep in their bedroom when a prick with a loud custom pipe rolls past the room, waking everyone up, making noise like he's doing 250 Kph, but in reality he drives 40 Kph on a 110cc engine?

Edited October 5, 2016 by manarak

[canthai55]

Some one who should soundproof their bedroom.  Or wear earplugs.  Or - as said - get over it.

[Strange]

15 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I have never really understood the whole loud pipes thing. If pipes make that much difference to performance, why arnt the manufacturers fitting them at the factory (legal ones). The argument that people hear you and it saves lives, is rubbish, and thats what you have a horn for. 

 

 

1. Emissions control

 

2. Mass consumption and legal restrictions on noise

 

4. Factory Warranty

 

3. Aftermarket parts profits

 

Make 1 bike that you can sell to any region with out any change from the factory. Let the consumer modify. 

[BKKdreaming]

electric cars / bikes will kill people who can not hear them , 

 

so they better all come with a LOUD stereo :)

 

Around here the big bikes set off all the car alarms , pain in the aaass at 3 in the morning !

[DualSportBiker]

I think we need to bifurcate the user-group! 

There are plenty of generally younger lads on small and noisy bikes that are a nuisance. They ride all hours of the day, make more noise than motion, and obviously don't care about safety because they wear flip-flops and light clothing. I discount this group because I am an unashamed snob and don't consider them bikers. They are people on bikes. However, people on small bikes with the gear and the mindset are most welcome in my definition of bikers... I digress.

 

The rest of the 'market' is not easily lumped together, but I'll do just that... Most 'bikers', being people who actively take steps to be safe, visible, ride mainly for the fun of it, or also for the fun of it, make conscious decisions about safety. Pipe efficiency and therefore noise is one of the decisions made. However, loud pipes are also a choice of those who just want to be heard. How do you distinguish? You pretty much can't unless you talk to them... Most bikers I know do not ride at night, and do not red-line in every gear. At night I am disturbed by as many modified pipes on Honda Preludes as on Honda Waves.

 

What does it all mean? Who knows, but most of you complaining are doing so to the wrong people. The bikes that wake you up and make conversation impossible when they pass are not represented here and they don't care about safety. Those here with loud pipes have a valid argument that they increase driver awareness of their presence. As for horns, I've been chased by cars for using my horn 'at' them, so I don't consider that a failsafe alternative... 

 

Until you naysayers have ridden bikes with loud pipes and witnessed a car react, you cannot definitively state that the claim is ridiculous. This is very much a 'live and let live' scenario...

[BBJ]

Loud pipes in built-up traffic work.  As both car and motorcycle driver I have noticed bikes come from the rear due to their pipe.

 

I've often used a rev-bomb rather than the horn to inform I am coming through.  In my experience cars for the most part have moved to the side to let me pass.  If you're riding a scooter with a horn that's as useful as a chocolate fireguard, you can forget it for the most part.

 

More loud pipes, that's what I say.

[biker Bob]

On 10/5/2016 at 2:05 PM, georgy said:

Safety by loud pipes? Ridiculous, its just a lousy excuse.
The noisy only gives you the impression of more power, finally its just another kind of d..k extension.

If safety is so much the concern, why I see so many of these "bikers" riding in slippers and shorts, scoopy helmet and -of course- muscle shirt?

Go on tour and you will see how few bikes you see outside of town. Most are used only to impress some girls in front of a coffeeshop or mall within the city.
Have a look to the buy-sell section how few kms most bikes have on the odometer. So?

 

 

&lt;deleted&gt;

[Ace of Pop]

Being aBiker and. Motorists I realize only the Bikers opinions aren't worth anything. Because 95% of them ride like idiots,ignore the laws Motorist regard them as pests only no matter what real Bikers do.Rarely see Big Bikes doing Yob Stuff Just spotty oils like the little shits next door


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[SS1]

An aftermarket exhaust definitely makes a difference when you are riding in the city. I agree with some of the above comments though, for low cc bikes those exhausts designed to just make more noise is just retarded. On the other hand with bigger CC bikes, they can be quiet at low RPM so you can ride quietly when needed, but will make more noise of course when you are riding hard. 

 

Why do you need them in the first place? Well, nowadays the manufacturers fit most bikes with shitty exhausts to meet noise and emission regulations. An aftermarket exhaust will typically increase performance and make the engine run better. 

 

For safety on the motorway, it probably doesn't make a difference as the sound does indeed go backwards.. but in Bangkok you can definitely hear it when a a big bike comes from behind and know to watch out. I've had some near misses with too quiet big bikes - you look in your mirror and just see a small dot, then suddenly it's already there because you cannot estimate how fast these things accelerate. With some sound, you know to watch out! 

[canthai55]

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/last-word-loud-pipes-tech-matters

 

The last sentence - 

Third, if you think loud pipes save lives that's your business; I just don't happen to feel that way. But since I've got no hard evidence to support either contention you'll hear no more from me on the subject until I do.
Read more at http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/last-word-loud-pipes-tech-matters?41PCmEOIpCIoWwLF.99