Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Yesterday, I was standing in the parking lot of a restaurant when in roared a bunch of Harleys and big japanese cruisers with loud pipes. To me, it was music to my ears, but the local citizens were up in arms about all the racket. It appeared to me that a lynch mob was in the making. My V-Star is quiet as a mouse with it's stock pipes, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate a good set of pipes, my old yam twins have been known to blow a good note when I'm in the wind. To me, loud pipes and motorcycles go hand in hand, it's part of the whole riding thing, it makes us more visible. Back in the early days of riding the cops used to pull us over and stick a broom handle up the exhaust, if it went in, you got a ticket...no questions asked. You don't see much of that harassment these days, for the most part, the cops leave us alone. I would rather hear a good set of pipes as opposed to my neighbor's dog barking all night. We riders pay a lot of tax money for the privilege to ride. So what's all the fuss about ?? XS

I don't mind good Sounding pipes. What i dont like are those earsplitting make the earth shake open headers jobs. Same issue with tards with 5 14" subs in the back of their civic.

I can just imagine a group of riders coming in with loud pipes. To you it might sound nice, but to the people who live there, it sounds like a giant roar that annoys them. Plus, you can hear those motorcycles before you can even see them for awhile, so I can understand there point.

I enjoy the sound of good pipes as well, but if I'm at a restaurant or in a residential community, I find them loud and obnoxious. It's all about time and place. If I were having a meal with my wife or friend and trying to have a conversation, I don't want to have to yell over the sound of bikes. Same thing at home.

It's music to my ears as well, the only time that it bothers me is when I ride with one of my friends that has the screaming eagle pipes on his Harley. By the end of the day I have a painful head ache... so now I just wear ear plugs.

I like a good set of pipes too....But I more enjoy the rumbly baffled sound. Kind of like a sleeping giant or something. Not loud, not earpiercing, just rumbly and there

I like loud pipes. The open header thing is kind of annoying sometimes but I can deal with it. I live near a military air field so I hear loud jets all the time, plus I used to drag race, and play in a rock band, so I'm used to loud noises.

I personally hate the sound of a poorly muffled Harley.

It sounds like a pig in heat.

I don't mind loud pipes to a point.

When he passes me and the cages windows shake... that's bad.

If it's 3 AM and he fires up loud enough to set the dogs howling, that's bad too.

Like I said, if it's louder then stock - to a point, I'm fine with it.

i like louder than stock pipes when they sound deep and rumbly, but never really understood the "loud pipes save lives" argument.

when i am in a cage, i never hear the pipes until they are in front of me or right beside my window. not sure how that can make the bike more noticeable than a strobe headlight or a bright coloured jacket would.