Does it Matter if Loud Pipes Save Lives?
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- Опубликовано: 7 ноя 2016
- RyanF9 would love to know your thought on this particuliar subject. Do loud pipes save lives?Do you ride with loud pipes? Why or why not?RyanF9 seems to have a few good points on the subject. Lets see what he has to say on his latest MotoVlog.
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If it wasn't for the loud pipes I would never have seen that bike during my afternoon couch nap.
And the next day you're tired while driving and hit a motorcyclist...
@@daverts No such luck :(
😂😂😂
I could barely hear him over his loud pipes
hahahah little baby gets woken up by a wee bit of noise
You put your gloves on BEFORE the helmet?! You monster
Freak of nature :D
WeKnowYou12 I do that too
Ryu Vincent , I practice putting rubber with my gloves in, the wife is not impress.....
My helmet is the last thing that goes on. I do it sitting on the bike waiting for the garage door to open.
I always bring my helmet just in case I have to do a number 2 while on the road.......
My dad designed this road as his graduate final in UNB Fredericton in the early ‘60s. He said the exercise was to maximize local fill into the bridge bases such that they would have to haul as little material as possible in its construction. He passed away 2020-0202 but not before he had a chance to drive the road with his wife and all of his kids in the car. No small feat for an engineering professor with 5 kids!
Very cool fact. You definitely have to ride that road!
I’m from SJ. Super random to see another New Brunswicker in the comments lol
great story, sounds like a great man. happy he got to drive the road himself. rip
Thanks for sharing. That's totally freaking awesome!
Another great accomplishment by a new brunswicker
As someone who works on an ambulance I can tell you that with bright flashing LED lights and dual tone sirens, plenty of people don't hear or see me until I am right behind them and even sometimes they still don't move for a minute lol
In what country do you live? Also, do you have punishments for people disobeying such signals or not? (Sorry if that sounds agressive, I've looked over my question a few times but I really don't know how to tone it down, so please don't take it as an insult :) )
@@RevCode None taken at all my friend. There are fines for people who fail to yield to emergency vehicles but they would have to be caught in the act by a peace officer or state trooper. I live and work in the U.S. Texas to be exact.
@@ttuckerTNT02 If they are being really bad about it like cutting in front of you and using the gap in the cars made by your sirens to get ahead and seriously slowing you down, could you report and send dash cam footage in with the plate? I'm sure ambulances have dashcams now days, right?
@@snoozbuttin6038 lol you would be surprised. I work at 2 different services and both do not have dashcams. We could report the vehicle over the radio but it is next to impossible for law enforcement to catch up and find them most of the time
@@ttuckerTNT02 after some of the dash videos I've seen on ambulances they be better of without the cameras an just mount bull bars on your vehicles
I raced motocross for several years in the early 1970s. Intensely loud, ear shattering 2 stroke engines. They didn’t make me any safer but I sure as hell got tinnitus.
I had a thing for drag/street two strokers for awhile myself.
Heard that noise, man.
plus all the lead poisoning you got
Race bike? Relevance?
I used to race a TZ750. Those 4 expansion chambers still ring in my ears😵💫
I find it strange that I almost never see a biker with loud pipes wearing high visibility jackets and helmets. In fact, I can’t recall ever seeing that. After all, if “loud pipes save lives” is the justification for loud pipes, would it not make sense to be seen as well?
Good observation. They hide behind the excuse of safety. Its all about sound, attention, image. Like you said a bright jacket will do far more. This is coming from a guy with a straight pipe gsxr but I try to be quite at certain hours or areas.
@@willspeakman2461 Spot on, and that's the problem... it's basically a dishonest argument that kinda insults everyone's intelligence. Like c'mon, 'ya think we don't know the _real_ reason that any brand built on 'image' wants to go, "hey, look at me going vroom-vroom"?! Heck, HD even tried to _patent_ their sound!
I always did, looked like a walking highlighter driving a neon green bike with chrome, and yet nobody would see you until you had loud pipes... I've even seen this at the extreme scale (felt like my ears were going to bleed, my exhaust fell off on the road), and even non-drivers a quarter mile away all stopped and turned staring. I had the same with a motorized bike where everyone just felt like running you off the road because your both a bicycle (so hated by all), and a motorcycle (seemed to add hatred), but when my exhaust was also falling off that one or when I swapped to a go-cart exhaust (made it sound nice deep and loud roar instead of the "pew-ting-pew" of the baby it was), people immediately gave me a good safe bubble instead of being punching distance. It was night and day, firsthand experience with everything being equal (and sound level even changing during the same ride, you couldn't ask for a better test example).
I enjoy my electric bike, but people just step out in front of you jaywalking (its not safe for them either), compared to my weedwhacker engine screaming at 12k RPM (same speed) also ironically with a 15 year old rusted muffler falling off and spitting flames down the road people wouldn't get in front of you then. Same speeds, same mass, same sized object, it was even more drastic. I do love the silence and hearing only the wind rush by or the birds flying or the sound of planes (aerospace engineer), but electric motorcycle would be suicide, and my fire spitting rotary car has sure kept people from cutting me off (I'll purposely downshift more than needed to make it scream to alert people because apparently the human body is incapable of turning their head 10 degrees to look over at their mirror).
@@jakegarrett8109 I think you've got bigger problems if every vehicle you drive seems to have their mufflers falling off...
But in all seriousness, I very much agree with the OP, but you do make an interesting point; the loud noise actively makes people want to move away from you. I mean it's literally explosions that they're hearing and even feeling.
The question is how valuable is it that everyone is either trying to get away from you, or wishing they could drown you and your bike for being so obnoxious.
I'd argue defensive driving eliminates the need to always be seen or heard, and it benefits the public/community too, being quieter and all. But I do understand the value of sitting in traffic, or wherever, and knowing that everyone around you who could possibly hurt you knows exactly where you are!
@@ghost500e Anyone who depends on ‘others’ for their safety is just another accident waiting to happen.
I’ve been riding about 15 years. The number of times I’ve felt loud pipes saved my life, 0. The number of time paying attention to the vehicles around me saved my life, too many times to count.
But how do you know they didn't, there's no way to measure accidents that don't happen.
I wear I viz green helmet someone in a moto store shopping for a new helmet asked if it's safer, I've no way to know the answer I'm still alive so maybe. But if a combination of wearing high viz and loud pipes makes riding only 2% safer I'll take it.
If your not riding as if your invisible then you are going to get whacked.
@@ra.v.l4038 Till you go deaf, Not to say I don't disagree but there is a such thing as too loud (Think Harley rider loud)
You are right, the noise from loud pipes is behind you, what you need is attention and some bright LED lights on you bike, and people can see the lights in their mirrors and anyone in front of you can see them.
@@chrissmith2114 not to discredit you, but it's plenty audible from behind, especially Harleys (Because you can hear them with even your windows up), but yeah LED's, bright paint and high vis are still the better option, especially for your ears.
Compare the editing and production on this to what he does now. The kid is so on his game.
Compare the first wheel ever made to wheels now
I give at *least* half the credit to his new cameraman, he doesn't have the credit in the description in his old videos, so I'm assuming he's the one helped with the production quality
@@Pusfilth Wow, wheels today are better than the first wheels made!
The production values on his videos are the best on RUclips. They're like mini documentaries.
i donno. i like his highly edited videos too but, just riding and talking with minimal editing is awesome in its own way.
MC Rider says: if you rely on your exhaust to make people notice you, you're doing it wrong!
True, I like to weave in my lane and be noticed. I’d rather be annoying then dead.
Best comment ever !
My bike has a stock exhaust and its really quiet but i always ride like everyone's out to get me. My riding instructor once told our class you really wanna gamble your life on the other guy noticing you?
@@ericiglesias4313 Agreed. In any little incident I look back to, I always find something I could've done better. Most drastically, I could've stayed at home, gone slower when I sensed a situation was unpredictable or simply waited it out from a distance. I try to take full responsibility for any situation I put myself into. Other road users will just do what they do, sometimes there's a point but no immediate use in blaming others. There's always a risk factor, and I frequently take a step back to avoid certain situations altogether. On the road, we're prey animals. Any contact and we might bite the grass. I'm starting a habit with my rider buddy that we take a break soon after we get on the road, we do something like a briefing on what we're working on. Improving our skills should be valued over the need to impress each other. There's big comfort in safety, and when you only lean deep in safe situations, you can allow yourself to enjoy it much more without a luring sense of worry.
Having a white helmet helps you be seen on the roads :)
BEST QUOTE I've heard in a LONG time....."Dig up the dead horse and kick the shit out of it."
A year later I agree. The whole analogy was a fresh take on the dead horse deal.
BMRTV i read this just as i heard it in the video
@@brianq7365 same!!!!!!
one comment a year
I used to ride with loud pipes in the past but not in the last 20 years. Now I just like to ride and to be able to ride wherever I want. And then it really helps that you do not annoy people with lots of noise. Here in the Netherlands roads are being closed just because of the noise. In Germany too. So I'd say that noise is the enemy of real riders that are in it for the long term.
@@Peter-ff1tpmaybe take of your tin foil hat
@@speedphreax Maybe open your mind, it's pretty obvious modern western governments want people dependent on public transport
The main source of noise is surprisingly the tires of cars. As cars get heavier, the tires get louder. Go stand next to a 30mph road and count how many engines you hear before you hear the tires coming, it might surprise you. Only in the loudest of cars is it an issue
I'm in the US, so ymmv, but my jeep has been running with half an exhaust for about a year now. Literally nobody has mentioned it outside of one neighbor. Everywhere else I drive has a speed limit of at least 25 and few or no stop signs. As long as I dont floor it nobody really notices how loud the engine is. I cant afford a new exhaust and the car isnt worth putting one on anyway, especially since there are no inspections in my area. My car is probably still quieter on the highway than a tesla, just because it weighs 2,000lbs less.
@@AnArmoredMarch Is there any reason why motorcycle exhausts need to exceed the noise of cars and can't be quieted down to match said cars?
i think defensive riding is waay more effective than loud pipes. people on the phone won't hear your bike anyway
You're right
Oh, they'll hear the loud pipes a tenth of a second before they slaughter the rider.
Loud pipes piss off most people, period. They do nothing else, and certainly nothing constructive.
@@ljprep6250 I never thought about it, but sound travels slower than light, how is one suppsed to hear you before they see you.
Badum Tss
I own a '96 Harley which came with open exhausts by default; when someone is on the phone while driving, they definitely hear me coming because they can't hear the other person on the phone no more.
@@WesSavage Well that depends, in a modern car well isolated, windows up with noise cancelling it's gonna be abit difficult. And if they've got those airpods in which do even more nois canceling, i'd assume not much of your bike will get through either.
And a video attempting to show that there is no use arguing the point gets over 400 comment of people arguing their view on the subject.
To be fair, stating that there's no point in arguing something has no bearing on whether or not it is *actually* valid to argue about it.
You think this is bad, post it to a Facebook group, and see what you get. Made that mistake ONCE with posting why DOT helmets are crap, in ludington posting a link to am article, and a video of the testing process.
Never seem so.many ATGAT nazis start picking fights with pro choice, or Education, Not Legislation, riders in.my life.
And yes, I am ENL. Ryan did a great video on the subject of DOT lids, that I would love to share there, in a way similar to smashing out a window, andnpit hing a grenade into the room, then just sit back, and watch then arnage unfold.
But that's a debate for another comment section.
Maybe because he phrased it so badly.
"Does it matter if loud pipes save lives?" The only answer to "no", would be that you rather have people die than your peace disturbed. Thats quite a contentious suggestion. He should have phrased it differently.
I think having a nice sounding pipe is more important that how loud it is.
exactly, my friend has a truck that has a loud exhaust note, as cool as it sounds when you watching him drive by, being in it for more than an hour makes your ears bleed.
I'd ride an electric if I could afford one and it had decent range. A Zero FX with 300 mile range is my ideal bike.
Yeah I like to hear my exhaust. It feels good to ride a louder-than-stock bike with a good sounding exhaust, but I don't want it to be obnoxiously loud.
loud pipes and subwoofers are the bane of quiet enjoyment anywhere
nothing more enjoyable than a clapped out civic revving down your street at 3 in the morning
I can agree with louder pipes to a degree. When someone blips the throttle and my ears physically hurt,
that is line not to be crossed. If you ride counting on loud pipes to save you you should sell the bike.
Like a V-8, there is a certain attraction to something other than stock, but it needs to be tasteful and not just plain loud. I can take my baffles out and be loud but it would sound terrible, and very douchey.
I won't ride behind an overly loud vehicle. I just blaze them and leave them in my dust.
Side Note: Ryan has really come along as a presenter in the F9 videos. Comparing this older video to something, say 2020 and it really shows. Most content are must watches.
Cheers
But it is so much easier and faster and safer to hit the horn that I moved to be louder. Than to drop a great and pull clutch in and rev the bike.
During the 'horse and buggy era' some folks would insert a megaphone into their horse's rectum. This ampliphied the sound of the exhaust, thus saving many lives.
The practice also seemed to improve performance.
And, most people liked the enhanced sound of the horse.
Now that's funny!
To be fair most performance improving exhausts tend to be louder as a side effect, it's up to the rider to ride quietly in urban areas
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣... best comment yet!!!
@@npc6817 But do they? No.
And even today, motorcyclists with excessively loud pipes are often referred to as "horse’s rectums"…………
I actually laughed at 1:34 ... checking his blinkers while riding on a long straightaway. Thought I was the only one who did that.
OMG yes I do this all the time ;-;
Me too.
I do this too. Not often enough!
> Shift into second gear.
> Cancel turn signals.
Every time!
I live in a town on a great drivers road, and loud bikes shatter the quiet all day long. The riders don't even try to ride quieter through town. They irritate 100s of people on a regular basis for a few real or imagined HPs or the belief they're safer. I've been riding for 50 years without causing or being in an accident. Riding aware makes you safe, not being an asshole.
hahaha fucking snowflakes, im now going to intentionally make as much noise as i can next time i go through a town no matter what im driving or riding just to piss off losers like you
@@fartywartymcfarthead show some respect, look how long he has been riding smh. I agree on one level, I did spend a lot of money on an exhaust that will pop and bang and spit flames, but being intentionally obnoxious will only harm the reputation of bikers and make it easier for legislators to push restrictive laws against us.
@@fartywartymcfarthead awesome bro! You show those boomers! They deserve it!
@@fartywartymcfarthead listen here boy.
What if I know the back pressure of open pipes decreases my HP and the likelihood of them making it safer is questionable, and I just like the way they sound, if I wanted quite and safe I'd buy a lexus
As I've been saying for 30 plus years, If it is ever proven that loud pipes save lives. then Federal Regulators will require that all new motorcycles come factory equipped with forward facing megaphone exhausts.
so you dont understand that everything is driven by money?
@@fartywartymcfarthead Sure everything is driven by money. If motorcycle manufactures were forced to install forward facing megaphone exhausts.then motorcycle sales would plummet. And we can't have giant international corporations like Honda and Harley-Davidson loosing money, can we?
And you thought you were the smart one.....
@@fartywartymcfarthead If everything is driven by money most manufacturers would skimp on the fucking catalytic. They're expensive and sound dampening. Why bother? Oh, the environmentalist said so. Don't be an idiot.
It is proven.
I drive a van with no rear windows. I always hear a bike with loud pipes coming around next to me before they show up on my normal mirrors. And learn and behold, the would be right where I pointed my self installed mirrors on my van. that alone is the evidence you asked for.
@@roadbiker8333 no that is a typical case of confirmation bias. Proves absolutely nothing.
I think I am one of the rare harley lovers that always quiets his pipes down when getting a new bike.
But how is everyone gonna know how cool you are? I agree.. loud pipes are obnoxious af. I ride a rebel250 with stock pipes.. it's pretty quiet.
@@jseden yeah cause some exhaust sound loud and sound bad at the same time. Some actually sounds good but too loud. Some just have a nice rumble note and not too loud, some have a nice rumble and still quite quiet
Could he be the chosen one?
I love louder pipes. BUT: Louder and LOUD aren’t the same. I prefer stock pipes to the LOUD ones. Say stock + 25% but not 2x stock. And the knobs with straight unmuffled pipes make me think perhaps we outlaw all exhaust modifications. One baaaad apple. I’d give up my preferred motor music just to shut that one A-HOLE up.
God bless you. I hate Harleys because they are annoying loud , pure rudeness
I've tested this "loud pipe" theory while driving in my car. The only way it has any effect is if the driver of the car has their window open, radio off, and not on their phone. This is a small percentage of the cars. Then it is more likely to cause a startle reflex.
So they suddenly hear pipes suddenly when windows up??? Like a bomb going off or something???
When I'm in my car I can hear them with Windows up and music playing. People are just too damn stupid to pay attention to sound. When I hear it, I look around.
Loud pipes work and saved me many times! Dont matter what you think just remember car will win over bike ANYTIME!
I don't know what the hell kind of loud pipes you're talking about but I can hear a good loud pipe 1/4 Mile away inside my house. K&N short shots, TOCE anything. A good loud pipe revved out is louder than most horns
That, dear sir, is what you call an anecdote. Means practically nothing.
Loud is subjective. If you legit need ear protection when you start your bike up, that’s not cool you’re just annoying.
We may never know if noise saves lives however we do know that it’s annoying.
@@scpower ha ha. Maybe you like noise to attract girly men to your pipe.
The pile of sticks is called a beaver lodge. It's what the beavers actually live in, somewhere near the dam
Thank god you shared this with us
i thought erryone knew about the beavs
...Ive heard of an Elks Lodge.
Bundle of sticks you say? If only there was a word for that.
Dylan Pieniazek I thought Fortnine said he went to college. I knew beavers lived in a lodge when I was like, 5 or 6. I expected that would be common knowledge to someone who grew up in Satch & B.C. & appears to enjoy the outdoors.
I talked to a beaver once and it had the same accent.
If you talk to beavers, maybe you should see someone 😜
I would like to try some of what you smoked before that encounter
You kids have never seen the show angry beavers before 😏
I'm just surprised that a Canadian doesn't know what a beaver lodge is.
@@ElementofKindness Most of us know very well about beaverlodges. Ryan was probably joking about the big pile of sticks. He's definately a knowledgable and observant guy. Loud pipes save lives is kind of a "six to one - half a dozen to the other" kind of topic. I like a nice tone but not a bunch of noise (decibels) while I ride. The stock exhaust on my 2019 Kawasaki W800 Street suits me fine. I would have to raise the decibels to quite an annoying level (to myself) to be heard at all by motorists. Just don't ride in blind spots and don't zip in and out of the traffic.
I mean, the end of this discussion as been finally met.
It doesn't matter if loud pipes save lives or not. Loud pipes are annoying and obnoxious and all across Europe regulations get even stricter each year. We're literally up to a point where we have to protest against riding bans on sundays and holidays.
Let's face it. We're a minority. If the majority decides they want to outlaw our hobby because of a few loud bikes, then they will.
We're at a point where the stubborness of people saying LPSL literally destroys this hobby for everybody.
It is not even about them being obnoxious or not as there is so much noise pollution all around us yet they don’t care about them as much as they do about motorcycles.
I think it’s about enjoying a hobby that involves producing emissions.
Just look at the car community and I don’t mean every day drivers and commuters.
I mean people who really love cars and drive them for fun.
They get harassed by the police for the stupidest shit police can come up with and there are even laws in some countries that say you are not allowed to cruise a car around for fun or you get fined.
Motorcycle riders don’t even get fined for that „yet“.
Or maybe it is not even about that anymore, but the sheer hate for someone having fun and enjoying something at all.
Because even if motorcycle riding would be banned, they would find the next thing to raise their voice against.
Sadly they never do it for the important things in this world, but always for some bullshit.
Imagine watching this entire video about how both sides are correct because its a subjective argument and still saying "No my side is right."
Riding bans on Sundays and holidays?!
Jesus, what country do you live in?
@@waynekent7068 I don’t remember 100% but i think it was Swiss, Austria maybe Germany. Fun fact one of them had Ducati Multistrada for their Motorcycle police and their stock exhaust was louder then the new law allowed, basically banning their bikes 😂
@@gunnerjr3396 never mind loud pipes are illegal
I was riding on a rural road that is popular with motorcyclists, and up ahead I saw a grandmother and a your girl walking to their mailbox. As I got closer the little girl put her hands over her ears! I was riding a very quiet motorcycle.....the little girl did this in response to all the other bikes that rode by before me with their open pipes. Another time my wife and I were riding on the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina and we stopped to hike on a trail. When we were about half an hour away from the road a big V-Twin went by with open pipes, and for the next 20 minutes we could hear his bellowing as he went up the valley - only when he crossed over the ridge and started down the other side did the noise go away. There really is no reason for a motorcycle to be so loud that you can hear it for 20 minutes! We live 2 miles from a highway in a farming area, and while I can't hear the majority of the traffic - I can hear the open pipes of motorcycles, cars and trucks as they cruise by. This all just seems so wrong - manufactures keep making motorcycles quieter......and some owners just keep making them louder.
Hearing damage is cumulative, and permanent
What?
And men are more susceptible, too.
HEH? What's that ya say, sonny?
Tinnitus
That was a a beaver lodge, not a dam. They live there.
Get the dynamite Cleatus, we going beaver hunting. 🤣😂🤣
I know, for a Canadian he clearly doesn't know much about beavers.
Some guy is clearly childish fool.
That’s not what he said. He said “screw the dam, I’ll make an island instead”. All good 👍
But are they Russian?
I don't know if loud pipes actually save lives, but I do appreciate the rest of you macho fellows paying for my stealth bikes. I regularly tear through speed traps at 15mph over the posted limit, and have felt the icy-scalp sensation while looking down the barrel of a radar gun aimed directly at me at exactly the wrong time. But nearly all LEOs have become conditioned to equate speed with noise; "That nice young man must be running late for choir practice."
It's as if the rest of the gazelles have voluntarily donned belled collars to let the lion know dinner's on the way. So, thanks loud pipers. If you're ever in the San Diego area, I owe you a beer. 8D
I've ridden motorcycles for almost 20 years; I've made my living (to pay for my motorcycle riding, amongst other things) working in call centers for the last 15 years. In my line of work, my hearing is CRITICAL, and I am extremely mindful/protective of it. (I also know what challenges hearing-impaired people face, as my wife IS hearing-impaired; that's one road I DON'T want to go down.) As such, I have stock exhausts, and if I ever to replace them, I'll probably stick with something that's on the quiet side.
Do I think that loud pipes save lives? Possibly, but given that the exhaust noise is mostly BEHIND the bike, and that it's all left to anecdotal evidence, I say those instances are probably few and far between. Wearing better gear, having motorcycles in good working order, and investing the time to sharpen one's riding skills WILL save more lives than any amount of loud pipes ever possibly could.
The purpose for the loud pipes is to get noticed; not for safety; just to get people to acknowledge your pitiful existence.
i got a wr with a Yoshimura RS-4 Slip-On Exhaust witch gets about 96 decibels max , it dos help moving around in traffic and making your self be know but when you see a kid go to hold there ears as you go by you realize that it effects others besides these cars trying to kill you by not playing attentions. thats why i try my best to keep sound down when near people walking as much as i can, just try to be respectful thats all ^^ with great sound come great responsibility XD
Well aren't you just a ball of sunshine.
"great sounds come with great responsibility." despite your crappy english, that quote is good. Hahaha
I think mentioning the actual decible level is important, because whilst you can certainly hear a loud bike from further you can also be too loud. Straight piping a HD for example. That's not safer because it's so loud there's little direction to it - you know there's a bike out there but you can hear it from so far away you can't really tell if it's got to you yet or what and you'll stop looking by the time you should actually start. Plus that's just pissing everybody off.
I agree that louder pipes can save lives, but there's still a limit
1 time my left ear got numb because someone ran an open pipe and overtook me. You can use your horn, less annoying, if you press it once just to get your pressence known
Aftermarket exhausts come with db killers that will tone it down by 15-20dbs.
Sufficiently loud pipes may save lives, but like anything else there will those that push the limits and turn a good thing into a bad thing.
Example? A good two into one as loud as fuck and is pretty gr8
@@grren1782 I had a '76 Honda cb550 with the 4 into 4 pipes and the mufflers were rusted out completely, so this bike was so loud that the engine noise would drown out the road noise at 80 mph on the interstate. I would completely drown out huge Harleys most of the time. Although not intentional, it was way too loud.
Grren BS! Being heard could save lives, loud is relative, but too loud is just fkn useless and could get you hurt if you annoy the wrong person
In any case youve got a horn, dont you
@@neoskhaos On a positive note it helps police with speed radar guns hear them coming.
@@neoskhaos "if you annoy the wrong person" so some weak fat little loser is going to attack me because I have a loud bike? lol good logic dickhead
One of the stickers on my side cases says " If you think loud pipes save lives, imagine what a helmet and some proper training could do?" I love it!
Stock muffler: emergency breaking every 1-2 weeks because cars were cutting me off
Aftermarket muffler: reduced to 2-3 per year, of which most weren't emergency breaking, but just light breaking
I was forced to get a louder muffler after a car hit me coming back from work, I enjoy silence but getting a louder muffler truly decreased my close calls with death (this is at legal speeds while commuting in London), if you ride at 200 mph nothing will save you
If you were emergency braking every week, that means you were driving like a dickhead, and what actually helped you was becoming a defensive driver after your incident. Just admit you prefer the way it sounds
Good points...if you take it to its logical conclusion it's clear that a good old horn is the tool devised to create a momentary noise--not one's throttle.
When you filter through traffic, you wouldn't sit there with your horn on the entire way...
A horn is useful to alert people to your position in SOME situations. A horn is also a good way to let someone know you're annoyed or that they've done something wrong.....
A Loud Pipe allows you to be heard from further away and drivers to potentially not do whatever it is that's caused you to NEED to use your horn in the first place.
i was in an "almost crash" situation and trust me the last thing you tink about is the horn. an hour later i was like "oh shit maybe i should have used my horn"
you are too busy braking and and dodging to use your horn
Well, it's better than "loud pipes" that sound like emptying the recycling bins on steroids.
Loud pipes save fragile egos.
I have been in a parking lot three rows away from the action. A horn is beeping big time, so I look to see what's going on. Someone is backing out and the person parked behind them is laying on their horn because they can see the other car is going to back into them. That's exactly what happens. If I could hear the horn as far away as I was then the person in the other car should have heard it and I think, probably did. In their mind they didn't think that it could have been for them because they weren't doing anything wrong. I think that's the whole issue. People blowing it off because they know it can't possibly be meant for them. Whether it's horns or loud pipes I think it's pretty much all wasted effort with most people's attitudes today. I've watched a lot of car accident videos and it seems to me that the vast majority of them could be totally avoided if people would use some common courtesy and get over their egos and "ME FIRST" attitudes. The best advice I ever heard for riding cycle is to assume that no one sees (or hears) you and maneuver accordingly.
55 km/h seems excessively low for such a road.
@Bubz of Steel nope. In canada km/h is used.
yep, the turns look no sharper than any other regional highway in ontario which are usually 80 with a warning sign for turns. maybe lots of traffic and people pulling out of parks/sideroads on corners?
Might be because it's a scenic road. Meaning there could be a highway that's faster, but that road is a choice to enjoy the view.
It is a parkway, lots of campsites, animals, parks, all kinds of stuff, 55kmh is what it is, although everyone does 60-80 anyway. I live about 20 minutes away from that parkway :)
@@Chrispycrunch 50mph is slow enough to see and react to almost anything on a straight road like that, bloody we drive fast in the the UK and our roads are narrow and twisty. Country lanes are national speed limit (60mph) they're wide enough for one car, with certain spots to pull over to let on coming traffic through, you'll find that you can safely travel down these roads at 40mph and then slow down on the corners. I can't understand why anywhere with such straight roads would have such anal speed limits.
I know this is an old video, but I just rode this trail yesterday!
I didn't search a single thing up about it on youtube so it's crazy that I'm only suggested this vid this now...
Keep up the great work man; let this be proof that what you're doing is timeless.
Sky net is watching you
to be honest, from what i observed while driving in my car, loud pipes do alert you to motorcycles. But some riders do push it to the limits which can be quite annoying.
I see them before I hear them. I think I am a pretty good car driver!
@@glennduke5853 this is for the rare instances where the rider came in from a blind spot or just blazing through the traffic
Yeah, it's really helpful being able to hear them half a mile away at two in the morning
I regularly drive both a car and a motorcycle. I have never, ever, heard the tailpipe of a motorcycle until it's already passed me. This is because exhaust pipes direct the sound backwards. Once the motorcycle is ahead of me I can see it which renders the loud pipes pointless.
Only if you “see” it.
Your hearing may have some problems. If a motorcycles (from 250cc and up) are running near me when I am driving my motor, even if they use stock exhaust, I can hear them clearly. The sound does not work like the way you think. The directionak characteristics are varies among frequencies.
You only hear them when there is stuff on the side of the road to bounce the sound back. Otherwise, you’re right, you can’t hear them. Too many cars in stopped traffic in LA and you also can’t hear them until they are right next to you. This is because too many obstacles deflect the sound and prevent it from reaching you.
The best example is an overpass, long flat and no obstructions. Where every cycle or car with a loud exhaust grabs the clutch and revs the engine. Why? It’s louder there.
In sound ratings for equipment this is called the reflectivity quotient.
I agree with you but like you said it's an age old debate. I'd say people with loud pipes need to know where they are riding and be aware of the surroundings especially residential neighborhoods. You're awesome dude.
As someone who spend most time on the road in a car, I can't recall a single time in my life I noticed a motorcycle because of sound aka "loud pipes"
So from that perspective, I would focus more on other things when I do go on 2 wheels.
Loud pipes only work for multi lane roads and keeping someone from changing lanes when you are right beside them. Unfortunately those are the keast common and least dangerous situations for riders. The most dangerous action for a rider, from another motorist, is pulling out in front of the bike or turning in front of a bike. Those two, aside from rider error, are the most dangerous and harmful situations for riders and loud pipes don't stop that from happening. Loud pipes are good for one thing, being loud. That's it.
Never drive/stay in anyone’s blind spot. On a bike or in a car.
But what abort "look at me, look at me' when you are in town?
If you need to use a loud noise to temporarily draw attention to your presence then surely that's what the horn is for, right? I know bike horns aren't the loudest but maybe they should be mandated to be
Being 70mph+ with a bunch of multi-thousand pound vehicles all around. " least dangerous situations for riders" You clearly don't ride.
I believe educated, attentive riding saves more lives than loud pipes ever will.
Amen to that brother, ride smart and ride long!
And high vis. Loud pipes is all about loud pipes, that's it. I have loud pipes but I don't bullshit about them its personal choice.
The addition of more DRLs, upgrading to an airhorn and implementation of your defensive driving skills. Every one of these has saved my life more than once in numerous real world driving situations.
M. V. P. : Absolutely agree. I run a 2016 BMW R1200R Sport. Standard pipe - 125hp increasing it by 5hp by putting a loud pipe on... why?? Defensive driving 100% yes in every circumstance. Keep that bubble of calm around you by about 50 meters. I chuckled when he mentioned sports bike riders - now there’s another mentality.
Having driven fire engines for over 30 years, I have noticed sirens face forward and not backward, as an exhaust does. The only person that a loud exhaust effects is the person you have just gone past. AUS
I live, ride and drive in Jakarta, Indonesia. The environment is wildly different from the US - lots of bikes and far more densely packed. It is very difficult to spatially place a bike with loud pipes, it is even difficult to work out which bike has them on. What does work however is your horn. It is common practice here to give a quick beep when passing. It says you are passing and which side you are passing on. Btw, lane splitting here is a necessity and a right.
Emotive subject - as you say. Ryan is spot on. I do love a good exhaust sound (just like I enjoy loud Rock and Roll), each to their own. For me, it's anti-social to the majority, so I'd rather protect my pastime than see it all legislated out of existence - and when the noisy bike rips past, even I as a biker, like most other onlookers am not thinking 'wow, he's cool, what a hero, my idol' but am muttering expletives and judgments on the riders IQ.
My essential position is what really saves lives. And what I also notice, are those trained Police Riders on public roads, riding as we all should be trying to. They stand out not by noise, or bright jackets, but on Pans and RTs with almost whisper quiet exhausts, like ballet dancers smoothly, gracefully and unobtrusively making maximum progress in a sea of chaos. Most people see them, and those that don't present little hazard to life because the Officer has seen them. Their dramatically low accident statistics clearly suggest that rider ability and training far outstrips any 'loud pipes save lives' nonsense without annoying others.
Now, the immediate retort is - yes, but they use noisy sirens and lights. Sure, but only in high speed pursuit. Sirens are not the same frequencies as pipes and are often more directional, for advanced warning at distance, and they are supplemented by lights which provide a pinpoint to the otherwise difficult to identify location of the sound - 'somethings coming...in the distance...don't know where'...better be alert.
Besides, it's not just Police Officers, but good, advanced riders generally have a 'presence' without audibly announcing it.
If those advocating for loud pipes save lives really believed what they preached then they would wire up their horns to be constantly blaring whenever they ride
great point.. rode across Canada with loud pipes, dont know if they saved my life, but 8hrs a day of them gave me a lot of bad headaches. They didnt scare the bear or the mountain goats in the Rockies at all. PS the latest research is saying that 80% of biker fatalities are the riders error, so it is a moot discussion anyways
_...a mute discussion..."_ ?
The word is *_moot_*
m - o - o - t
*moot not mute lol
I had the same issue on my bike on long rides. Major headaches. Put on a new factory muffler, and no more headaches.
I have always been taught to ride like I'm invisible, what's the difference to driving like I'm inaudible as well?
You were not taught correctly and have been lucky so far if you think that being invisible on a motorcycle is a good practice. There are many ways to make yourself visible to motorists that don't involve loud pipes! Take a motorcycle driving and safety course before you kill yourself or someone else. Cheers!
@@thurney4343
You fucking idiot.
Being invisible is not a good thing, but it is a good mindset to drive like you were invisible, as in whatever you do, you won't be seen. Maybe you should read comments better before commenting yourself.
Also, I've been teaching new and experienced motorcyclists for six years so how about don't patronize me?
As a driver, when I encounter a motorcyclist with loud pipes I never notice it until the biker passes me (and I always drive with my window down, or at least cracked, I cannot stand having my windows shut when I drive even in the dead of winter). If the biker is behind me on the road, or coming toward me, I never hear the loud pipes. it is not until the biker has passed me (in either direction) when I notice the noise of the loud pipes. So the idea of loud pipes acting like a warning for other drivers on the road I feel may be a bit skewed. The noise from the pipes is behind the biker and has never caught my attention. Oddly enough, a biker changing gears has caught my ear more often than the noise from their pipes. I have never ridden motorcycles on public roads ( and only a couple times off road). But, I am looking into buying a bike (hence me watching this and many other motorcycle videos). Just wanted to toss my thoughts out into the intersphere, even though they are probably not worth much.
My previous bikes had straight pipes and I could tell that bicyclists could hear me coming which may have saved both our lives cuz I've almost hit stupid kids on bicycles twice. I sold that old bike, tho cuz going deaf!
If we spent as much time and effort on keeping riding areas open and promoting cager awareness as we did on LPSLs and repealing Helmet Laws the motorcyclist community would be far better off.
I have seen the reaction from deer and other animals that can HEAR my motorcycle coming around blind corners- by the time I get to them, they are already running away! Compared to stock silencers in which they wait there until the very last second and could bolt either direction, in front of me or away. I have seen people in cars wait an extra second at blind intersections when they HEAR me coming.
Also, there is a huge difference between a slightly louder-than-stock exhaust to catch attention and the horrendous, obnoxious noise from straight-pipe Harleys that go full throttle every chance they get.
THis! ^^
Idk man, deer are pretty stupid, when they get startled they might run away or straight in your path ... 50/50 chance :))
That's exactly my point, though. The problem with super quiet mufflers is that they wait until the last second (to see you) until they bolt. "Slight louder" exhausts scares them a half mile in advance to get them scrambling to safety, and by that time they can figure it out. As a motorcyclist, I am super defensive, and sound is one of my tools.
Copy that..WAY more deer sit and watch the quiet CB500X than do my thumper XR650L with a slip on. They are gone
Exactly!
hey found the channel from newer vids.
I don't ride motorcycles but the videos are very interesting.
good to see the channel coming a long way from these humble beginnings.
Loud pipes may save lives in heavy traffic situations, like line-splitting on the périférique of Paris, but a good stereo with heavy rock or metal will do the same and can be turned on and loud only when needed. That's what I use. :-)
Still pretty doubtful. when in my car I rarely ever hear a bike that's filtering past until it's right alongside of me and too late to do anything. It's not enough justification to be an annoying shit anyway.
@@ayrtonclark2023 Lane splitting is a popular foolish trendy behavior. Do you know you could die too, racer boys?
Smart attentive motorcycle riding saves lives. At intersection I wave my arms I don't care if I look crazy and guess what don't get hit.
If you had loud pipes you wouldn't need to waive your arms like a lunatic.
On a more serious note, I've been thinking bikes need a strobe light like a school bus to ensure we are seen.
lol
Much more effective: always ride with your low beams on and do a little slalom like manoeuvre when approaching the intersection. Also this means you have your hands at the controls if you need to brake or counter steer with all your might.
Ive found in 30 years of riding you can have big red and blue flashing lights with a fucking bid siren! and still some twat will pullout ......
I don't blame you. At big multi-lane intersections the person turning left invariably has the attention span of a pea and will pull out at a messed up time.
The only channel that pulls you into the back catalog.
that ride looks absolutely beautiful. hopefully I will be able to make my way back up to Canada for a visit sometime in the future.
One of the best vlogger. Voice for documentary narrator job. Direct, intuitive, native and suggestive person. Use a lot of facts, sources and calculations. Thumb up and let keep up with good work;-)
For cars there are variable sound mufflers available. Have you ever come across something like that for a motorcycle? It would put an end to the argument. You could open the muffler up on the motorway and keep it quiet in residential areas or on roads like the one you were traveling on.
Honda used "Snuffs" on their CL's in the mid 60's
Yes, i’ve seen and heard something like that. A company named dr Jekill and mr Hide have these available for different bikes.
www.jekillandhyde.com
In Germany they at called "klappen auspuff" its a valve in or before the muffler, here in Germany there are many rules so it's not worth but in the states just throw a "cut out" in there and make in look nice
Loud pipes save maybe some people's lives, but they acclimatize people to expect loud pipes so they no longer shoulder check.
Great point! This is probably true!
100% I just assume someone is show boating, often don't even look. The horn is what a person uses to signal to someone to pay attention or that something is wrong.
It isn’t just Harley’s. There’s plenty of sport bikes screaming at redline etc that are just as exhibitionist.
I tend to be on the fence about this. In my opinion the time loud pipes work is when you are pulling up beside a car in traffic and they don't see you or "forget" about you being there. I find this happens all the time. I have louder pipes, not obnoxious, and probably would not ride a bike that was quiet. In stop and go, or heavy traffic, louder pipes help the cage drivers know you are there.
Excellent point brought up right at the start; if your loud pipes _do_ save your life, _you'll never know!_
I miss these motovlog videos. Would love to see them return :)
Two words “confirmation bias” everyone seeks data to support their position
logical and sensible, somehow the speed dilema falls in same hole.
I used to parrot the “loud pipes save lives” line. I’ve got loud pipes. I know damn well I’m not seen any sooner. My riding skills and spacial awareness are was get me seen.
@@joelmacdonald6994 I feel the same. I just need some kind of hearing protection when I ride for more than a half hour on mine but I'm just as invisible as ever.
What an amazing place you ride in brother, I'm jealous ! Good video, great logic as always.
The problem is most of the sound from loud pipes is pushed out the back as they face that way, if you are moving forward in your car and a bike is moving forward, you are both moving away from the sound waves. It's like when you're on the bike, your pipes are louder to your passenger than they are to you. With that being said loud pipes can help you with cars coming up from behind you but they do little to nothing in any other position.
And we know that for vehicles behind you, maybe don’t wear all black and smoke tint your rear lights.
My argument against loud pipes is that its one thing that affects others in the vicinity of the bike with the loud pipes. As a rider myself, I accept the fact that I am sitting on a dangerous toy but thats the thing, for most people it is just a toy. Its not a necessity. If I choose to ride and take that risk, that should not give me the right to impede on the ears of those around me, especially in town or in a residential area.
When the neighbor fires up his HD with super loud pipes at 8am on the Sunday morning to go out riding, why should his neighbors have to have their morning ruined by that. We have decibal level laws for car exhausts for the same reason. One could argue that loud pipes on car would offer the same additional safety. Should someone in a Miata be allowed to have a lounder exhaust than the guy in a pickup simply because the guy in the Miata stands a better chance of injury in an accident because of the cars smaller size.
Just because a bike is more dangerous to ride is not an excuse to infringe on the rights of others. We choose to ride, we have accept the additional risk. Riding sensible and wearing proper gear is all thats needed to minimize the risk and those two things do not impede on the rights of the rest of the public.
There's a 120db limit on all exhausts in the UK, is that not the same in the US?
Adam N, I don't like car horns in my neighborhood either. Why have them? Why have an alarm that sounds a car horn? There should not be any horns on any vehicle, especially a train! They "impede" on my quiet time in life. See where this can go? Loud TVs save nothing, but they have a volume that a neighbor in the next apartment can hear if it is up even a little bit. No loud volumes!!! I hate crying babies especially when they are too young to feed themselves and the cry for food, they impede my quiet time...
@@ababbit7461 but car horns can be used in a specific moment you either have a loud exhaust or not
@@possiblyadickhead6653 You are correct, but the fact is, you use a car horn to get the driver's attention. It is "noise" that attracts the car driver's attention. I would rather irritate all around me to save my life than to keep quiet and only make noise when "I" see the danger that noise will help me be safe. Point in fact is OSHA making heavy equipment ALWAYS have a back up horn "blaring" when the equipment is put into reverse. The operator does not have to "honk" the horn to get the idiot's attention when the idiot is walking behind a moving piece of heavy equipment. The "back up horn" is always on when the equipment is in reverse. The time "I" don't see the danger, but the danger "hears" my pipes helps so I will have the loud pipes. Sorry, life is about survival and if you don't like loud pipes move to an area where there are no loud noises... No neighbors with weed trimmers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, chain saws, loud music, parties, diesel trucks, jake brakes, remote controlled toys, ball games, etc. The level of noise and the kind of noise is all subjective. I personally like the sound of a Harley as long as it does not have a Thunder Header pipe. See? Subjective... Noise is a fact of the modern world so we either learn to like the noise of modern life or we get the inside of our gut eaten up via anger.... I chose to "let it go" over "fighting" with the devil.... Peace brother.
@@ababbit7461 You made a bunch of strawman arguments. ;) I just want to point out that if you're ever in a situation where the "danger" can hear your pipes and react intelligently to them to keep you safe, but you can't see the danger, then you need to park your bike somewhere safe, call a cab, and go home and sober up.
As to noise, there's a difference between noise that is necessary (like the noise a crying baby makes) and noise that is not necessary (the loud TV). Noise ordnances focus on unnecessary noise. So, for example, if I turn my TV loud enough for the upstairs or downstairs neighbors to hear in their unit with the door closed, and it's between the hours of 10pm-10am, I can get a ticket because I'm breaking the law. If my baby is crying in those same hours and can be heard in either of my neighbors' units, then I will not get a ticket because neither me nor my baby are breaking the law.
The original argument about the rights of the people who have to hear your loud pipes wasn't a good argument, but your response equating all possible noises to one another in order to justify your annoying pipes was worse. :)
The reality is that it doesn't matter. In any situation where loud pipes can improve your survivability, the improvement is always really small compared to literally any other safety tactic you can employ. That means that unless you can drive 100% safely at all times, there is always a way you can make your ride safer without putting loud pipes on your bike. That means the noise is unnecessary.
Also, I agree with someone else who commented about the idiocy of saying "loud pipes save lives" and then getting on a loud-ass motorcycle without a helmet. Leave the stock pipes and put your money into a helmet. That'll save your life.
I'm really happy with my MT07 exhaust, decently quiet when driving it easy, and becomes obnoxiously loud when I rev it up / or when riding on the highway. But one thing I can tell for sure is that my loud pipe definitely helped me in some cases. I've had people almost driving into me when changing lanes basically every day when I had my stock exhaust, since the day I upgraded it never happened again.
BS! Being heard could save lives, loud is relative, but too loud is just fkn useless and could get you hurt if you annoy the wrong person
In any case youve got a horn, dont you
@@neoskhaos mt07 horn is super quiet
@@neoskhaos But you have to use a horn as a reaction, if the bike is loud someone pulling out/not being aware of you may not happen to begin with
I like a mellow drone while commuting but a nice loud hello when the cars about to pull out or slide over a lane. Time and a place for everything.
Imo "Loud pipes saves lives" is total BS. Bring it on! 😁
@Allen Galloway I call that science on that absolute horse shit if they claim it involved vehicles. I see pedestrian safety point, which is really minor anyway. Just week ago I was driving my car and listening to radio. Someone rode some straight piped custom in front of me that smell damn rich. I turned radio down and opened window slightly to notice that it actually had straight pipes. Sure it _could_ affect someone in convertible or some old junk that doesn't have any sound dampening. Any other modern vehicle, nope.
Okay, here's my 2 cent on the issue. loud pipes wont save lives from cars on the road or the motorway. you simply wont hear it by the time its necessary and you have a horn for the times it is. BUT, where they do help is in the country side where there are animal about, and in towns where you have oblivious pedestrians, especially if you're in areas where you can filter.
There was a documentary on Netflix (charged for those who care) about the electric bikes that participated in the first electric TT at the isle of man. In it they showed a clip where they went to a track for the first time to run tests. The issue they had were with birds. The birds couldn't hear the bikes (as the essentially run silent) and where flying dangerously close to the riders. This got to the extent where they were forced to install horns onto the bikes to alert the birds. The same applies to the countryside or mountainous areas that have relatively high density of wild life. a loud pipe will alert animal in the area and reduce the likely hood that you will have an unpleasant incident. when my bike was quiet, I was hit by an owl on my elbow, and my friend a dear in Germany. Had the loud pipes on, the likelihood of these would have been reduced, not completely erased, but greatly reduced.
The same applies to pedestrians. Ive had to ride through London several times, and if you plan on getting anywhere anytime soon, filtering is a must (also perfectly legal in the UK). When my bike ran quiet pipes there was a noticeable number more people who would blindly walk between cars to cross the road than when i had the aftermarket ones. while a car probably wont hear you, being inside a steel bubble and all, but a person on the side of the road certainly will, and will make them think twice before running between cars.
But all of this is irrelevant. at the end of the day, the reason someone buys a loud pipe is because they like riding their bike and just want to hear the motor sing. If you don't, that's fine. If you do, that's equally fine. its down to a matter of choice. We will respect yours if you respect ours.
Seems like with animals you should just honk at them, doesn't seem too hard. The things have trouble knowing to get out of the way of even full sized cars. As for pedestrians not paying attention to their surroundings, I do think we should really have some better education for pedestrians in general to not act like a bunch of idiots crossing the road at non-intersections and standing in the middle of active, major roads' turning lanes. I see that all the damn time in Oregon. The roads aren't built for motorcycles, and while bikers should ride defensively, I think there is something of a need for drivers and pedestrians to pay attention to the world around them.
The filtering thing does make that harder, I will admit. But, that's illegal where I live so at least here that concern doesn't work. My personal take? How about medium-loud pipes? Like, not those straight pipes Harley riders use that, when revved, are physically painful for any pedestrians nearby. I don't think it's just a personal choice when it starts being obnoxious to those around you, but I also think people who play bass-heavy music from their cars that I can hear indoors are pricks so maybe I'm extreme. "But they just pass by you and then they're gone, why do you care?" Well, if you live anywhere in the Black Hills area of South Dakota around the Sturgis Rally? It's a pretty constant problem. As in, locals leave the area during the rally because they don't want to deal with that shit level of problem. And sometimes they're idling next to me for a long time. Or in the case of my parking lot and the bass-heads, sitting there for like 5 minutes while I'm trying to work. Anyways, you can have a bike that's loud, that also doesn't sound like a bomb going off when you rev it, and still has a cool sound. That seems fair to me.
@@TheGreatYukon At least the Harley (and Japanese cruiser accessory pipes) rider's load pipes have a low pitch, it's the screaming high pitched sport bike accessory pipes I find irritating, but few people talk about those for some reason.
BS! Being heard could save lives, loud is relative, but too loud is just fkn useless and could get you hurt if you annoy the wrong person
In any case youve got a horn, dont you
My riding skills save my Life....great vid.
My bike is silent and it has never caused me a problem that a bike with ANY noise would have fixed. I feel like people look at me more in confusion and treat me like a tiny car, because it’s noiseless.
Just because you hear a motorcycle/car does NOT mean that you can see exactly where it is or how far away it is on noise alone. Even when they are close by, you have so many different kinds of pipes that there is no standard to help you locate them.
RyanF9 nailed it in this video.
And when pipes are so loud the noise is bouncing off the buildings and walls a block away you get distracted looking in every mirror, drift out of lane and side swipe the cosplay sons of anarchy douche.
I rode a whisper quiet Honda Shadow 750 spirit for many years, and one thing that REALLY stood out is just how often people would try to change lanes into me. Obviously I'm careful to try and avoid blindspots whenever possible, I stay where their mirrors can see me, I stay where they will see me if they even bother to check their mirror, but they still just don't see me at all.
And I drive a half ton truck, very infrequently people almost change lanes into me in the truck just they just don't look.
I picked up a 2018 indian scout bobber this year, it's got trask slipons, loud. as. heck.
And I gotta say, one thing I notice every time I get on the road, is that it's VERY rare that anyone tends to lane change into me. And from the other side of this, driving the truck, I don't usually HEAR loud pipes when they're 100m BEHIND me. But I sure as hell hear them when they're BESIDE me, or nearby.
People may not SEE me on the bike, but the people who need to know I'm there can now HEAR me.
That being said, I've never been hit on the Shadow. So do loud pipes save lives? To me, no. But they're definitely making me feel safer; like turn signals, or brake lights.
I do feel bad about the noise when I roll into my neighbourhood though.
From my experience, Since switching to aftermarket pipes, I have noticed that I have experienced a lot less near misses and people switching lanes into me. It could be coincidence but im certain the pipes must be contributing to it. Rev bombing is a lot more effective than most motorcycle horns since they are nothing more than a crappy little "Meep" that would go unheard if the driver is listening to music. At the end of the day let people do what they want to their bikes, if a person wants to have a quiet adventure bike, a screaming sport bike or a explosive harley, live and let live. My pipes are good as they are, i keep the baffle in to keep the idle noise down but when i open it up on the highway, it screams like a bat out of hell and every time it brings a smile to my face... and isnt that why we all ride in the first place? I don't do it for attention, because trust me.. I've ridden bikes for almost 10 years and the only people i attract is not hot girls but older men who want to talk shit about their kawa 350 they had like 50 years ago... That could be my ugly mug tho ;)
The trouble with screaming sport bikes and explosive Harleys is that other people have to live with them. Every spring through fall, nearly every time I go outdoors, I hear people on sportbikes with circuit-only pipes (sometimes no more than a set of chopped headers) redlining their bikes downtown, setting off car alarms and on the verge of actually causing physical pain to people on the sidewalk. "Live and let live" goes both ways - you have to respect others if you want to be respected.
2:42
Imagine randomly skipping to this moment
kidmosey “for now, i take it black” alrighty then
This made me laugh so much
Safety is everyone's responsibility. They teach you that in every situation, ever. I agree that it depends on where you are. Down town, I'd want loud pipes. But I'd ALSO be very weary of cars. They're nuts when I'm in a car, or walking. A bike would make me want to be way more observant of my surroundings. But in a quiet town, I'd hate myself for having them because you're bothering EVERYONE. And realistically! You'd still want to be aware of your surroundings! So, I choose to keep high vis, make my bike high vis, and drive defensively. Keep a distance, and keep an escape route as much as possible. I took a driver's ed course for my car, I'm doing it for my bike. When you're 16x more likely out of the gate to be killed vs a car, do your part to keep safe. A course, the right size bike (engine & height), the right gear. And never stop learning or practicing. As an instructor once said "Once you think you know it all, sell your bike. Because you don't know it all". There's always room to practice, always more to learn.
I spent 10 years commuting on a bike in city traffic. 3 of those years were on a TRX850 with loud pipes. The number of cars attempting to change lanes on top of me while on the TRX was zero. On the other quieter bikes it was a daily occurrence.
Yes good skills can keep you safe but it's nice to be able to relax on your ride to work instead of having to constantly react to cars trying to run you over.
There's been many times when I'm driving in my car and I hear a motorcycle before I see them, it helps to keep me aware and its really scary when a rider buzzes past you and you never heard or saw him.
Dark Helmet BS! Being heard could save lives, loud is relative, but too loud is just fkn useless and could get you hurt if you annoy the wrong person
In any case youve got a horn, dont you
Apparently you've never had a Harley with straight pipes ride by your open bedroom window at 3:00 a.m. on a warm summer night...
I love my straight pipes, I only ride during the day though, night blindness is a bitch
My Indian Chief with a stage 2 kit makes the perfect rumble. When I am splitting traffic the added volume helps ensure all the cars ahead are aware that I am approaching. Worth it.
I've been riding for 42 years, accident free. The idea that loud pipes save lives, is not true. No matter how loud your pipes are, many people who are in front of you, are not going to hear pipes that outlet to the rear. I know, because I've almost accidentally pulled out in front of someone, who's loud pipes I didn't hear, till he rolled past me. No my secret to staying safe is lighting. Super bright lights, mounted low, so they don't blind people, works really well. My 2013 Yamaha FJR1300a has a set of PIAA led driving lights, mounted just above my front wheel axle level. It works. I operate them day and night. One note with this is that you need lights that project a narrow beam. If you use something like fog lights, or off road flood lights, you're going to have the public flashing their high beams at you, all day. So pick your lights well. With my PIAA's , I can see the light, at least a quarter mile down the road. The way I have them mounted, no one's flashing high beams at me. I also don't have cars pullout in front of me, like they used to. Been doing this setup for years. I've used cheap halogen driving lights, from Walmart, on my 1986 FJ1200. Same type of setup on my other bikes. I've owned 11 motorcycles, over the years. The first bike I started doing this with was my 1982 Yamaha Seca 750. That's because someone pulled out in front of me, and I almost had to lay my bike down. Forget the loud pipes, light your bike up like a Boeing 757 landing at night. It will work.
Yes. All the people behind you, that already see you, get to hear you, too.
I like how my bike sounds, it’s a bit loud but not as much as others I’ve heard.
When starting the bike in the morning and riding past pedestrians I keep the revs very low.
As soon as I hit the highway I ride normally.
That was a beaver lodge, it's where they live, they have a hole in the bottom as a door. Very safe and secure for them.
This is an interesting topic, as someone who rides a Suzuki TU250 regularly for a city bike. The bike is crazy quiet in comparison to most of the other bikes I've owned, which can be concerning as Chicago can be a rough place full of people who brake traffic laws and don't look when they do things.
Hey Ryan, can you do a video on your camera/mic setup? Curious on how you do it. Thanks!
Will do! Should be shooting that one in a few weeks. Cheers! ~RyanF9
Love that Germany jersey!
Thank you for the safety/comfort comment. I look like a “biker”. Yeah, I make fun of the sport bike riders in sandals and shorts with the full face helmet. Yeah, there’s a safety dichotomy there, but I also ride in a half helmet with just regular jeans and on warm days my vest without even a t-shirt. I’m F-d if/when I go down. I make fun because it looks funny, nothing more. You do you, man. We all know the risks, choose how much risk you’re willing to take and just enjoy the darn ride.
I watched the whole video thinking that any minute you would switch to a Harley with straight pipes and then attempt to ride back to your starting point while trying to talk over the deafening roar,
I'd like to hang out with this guy! So chill! "Hey birdie!" 🤣
I lived next to a busy street in town for 4 years and got absolutely sick of having my windows rattled by people in t shirts and tennis shoes. There is little doubt that saving lives isn't why they rack their pipes from every stop sign. I like my bikes like I like my women, quiet 😄
So you're saying your forever single then?
@@discgolf-drunk192 You make a valid point
Maybe you do. But also maybe it is different when you are in the home stretch. Ask your kids. They arent judging as along as she is ok
People like loud pipes because they sound cool. I had a bike they had straight pipes on it for a while. It took me a minute to find replacements. While I had it, I went through Ybor City in Tampa. The main strip his old historic building made of bricks. The reverb of straight pipes going through there was absolutely incredible.
Living in the mountains where beavers are more prevelant than people,I can tell you how they work. They take a creek, and install a series of dams, to raise the water level in incriments. Where the deppest pool lies, they build the mound you saw, to live inside. The entrance can only be accessed from underwater.
I've ridden both obnoxious pipes and near silent, and honestly couldn't tell the difference in terms of how often someone almost killed me. So I basically just settled on something in between. Something with a decent sound I could enjoy, but not so loud I'd piss of the neighbors.
i have silent pipes and im still alive too... (i just do tiny honks when im in a dangerous spot just to make people aware!)
This.. This is hands down the most Canadian video there is, especially for that conclusion statement. I love it.
I ride long distances and like quiet bikes. Side note: I stumbled across the Long Sault Parkway in 2009 on my way from La Mauricie NP to the Thousand Islands NP. Absolutely lovely ride, if a bit slow.