FWIW, I got nothing against bikes/bikers--my best friend rides--and I go
out of my way to give them a break (when I see them). But, I've pulled
out in front of a couple bikes I didn't see; these bikes were coming at
me and I don't think loud pipes did/would help at all, since the noise
is largely behind them (there's some acoustic physics at play here, but
I won't pretend to understand them).
I think loud pipes as a safety feature is overstated. Just my opinion,
based on my observations.
bs
rrengineer @dslextreme.com wrote:
> Obviously, you gentlemen do not ride motorcycles, nor do you appreciate the
> fact of how a "quiet" motorcycle is quite invisible to most people in
> "cages" (cars to the 4 wheel vehicle types). I cannot tell you how many
> times I have been cut off in traffic by someone that simply does not "see"
> me when they take a left in front of me in oncoming traffic or a lane change
> in front of me. Before I changed the exhaust this happened all the time. I
> have cut the frequency of this occurance considerably by putting the louder
> pipes on my motorcycle. I have had people take a left turn while looking
> right at me, turn in front of my moving combined weight of 1000 pounds (only
> two brakes and two contact patches) because I don't register in their brain
> as a vehicle. I don't look like a car, so I must not be there. People in
> cars think that a motorcycle can stop on a dime. Little do they know. I
> have loud pipes for a better chance at survival. Of course, I like they way
> they sound too. What are you guys compensating for with your flashy sports
> cars? I don't really give a crap what you guys think of me or my
> motorcycle. I have been riding them as long as I have been driving Austin
> Healeys. (About 40 years) Even in an accident in your fifty year old car,
> you are safer than me on my exposed two wheel vehicle. I'll take any
> advantage I can get. People in glass houses...
> Mike MacLean
> 56 BN2
> 60 AN5
> 02 Heritage Springer (I'm safer in the first two, but it doesn't stop me
> from riding)
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************
Bob Spidell San Jose, CA bspidell@comcast.net
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