Hey, motorcyclists... you're too loud!

Hey, motorcyclists... you're too loud!

Topic Author: Sarah

Posted: 12:11 PM May 15, 2009

Replies Posted: 40 comments

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Why is it that it is against the law to have cars with straight pipes, but the motorcyclists get away with have extremely load pipes?  I thought the law applied to them too?  Or does everyone have to loss their hearing just for some Harly-Davidson dude to pretend that he looks cool?

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Posted by: Anonymous You got me on that one Bill! That was a zinger:)

Posted by: Bill Location: Wausau
Anonymous, you sound like a 10 year old !!!

Posted by: Anonymous There are jake brake signs posted in many communities for semi-trucks(disturbing the peace). Loud exhaust on motorcycles are in the same category as jake brakes when it comes down to it BUT jake brakes actually have a purpose!!If all cars sounded like most Harleys you Harley riders(or any loud motorcycle) would get a clue.Go live under the flight path at Ohare.The only reason you enjoy loud is to show-off. To who? 10 year olds? Most people would rather give you the finger than the thumbs up as you go by .

Posted by: Anonymous blah blah blah

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Weston
Keith, nice thought on report this issue; however, I did this and was dismissed by law enforcement. NO report was filed as it appears they are part of the problem. Yes there are good and bad motorcyclist and this post is only referencing the bad and obnoxious. If you are one or know one...heed or pass the information along. If you don't, this doesn't apply to you or your friends.

Posted by: Keith Location: Earth
Brian needs to report this as disturbing the peace. If this is truly occurring as often as he says the police should have no problem issuing a citation. As I said before I own a Harley and it is possible to be to loud. It is also possible not to be. Most Harley owners try not to be obnoxious in towns and residential areas. We can all find labels for just about everyone and most any actions. I believe that it is the minority that cause this. At least I hope it is otherwise we are a pretty pitiful lot.

Posted by: Anonymous " Chicago " !!?? Are you kidding me ? You are worried about a motorcycle in that drug riddled, murder infested city? Your priorities are screwed up like everyone else who lives in that dump.

Posted by: Brian Location: Chicago
I live with my wife and young child not on a major avenue, but a few houses down from one on a side street. It so happens that about every half and hour or so (except during the winter) a *really* loud motorcycle shoots by. It's become quite a problem. The motorcycles' exhaust pipes make noises louder than fireworks or the train (which is only 200 yards away). Often it's as loud as a shotgun blast. Imagine if someone, every half an hour or so, discharged a shot gun below your living room window. I'm certainly not worried about our hearing. Rather, it's a quality of life issue: for us, and everyone else in proximity to Archer Avenue who wants to sleep at night, a motorcycle is incredibly invasive. Truly noise pollution. I'm not talking about your average sensible motorcycle; it's the truly loud ones that wake us up. We don't notice the average motorcycle, since they make noise no louder than the other trucks shuttling by. No loud motorcycles after 10pm!

Posted by: Anonymous Thanks Keith you nailed it! stop judging people by what they ride. LIKE I SAID BEFORE GET OVER IT! Oh and look again they are not ALL "overweight, filthy, scraggly and disgusting" and what happened to "inner beauty"? do you know that person to judge? I teach my kids not to do what you are and you are adults.

Posted by: Keith Location: EARTH
Hey Saraj..you can be the first idiot to start. I drive a Harley because it is fun. I had other brands too, but decided to buy American. It is the Harley clubs that raise money for M.D., Breast Cancer and so on. It is the Harley clubs that raise money for Disabled vets and Childrens' Hosp. And I don't drive mine for attention. I drive it for sheer pleasure. And when I am in town I drive it so as to not be loud and obnoxious as do most Harley enthusiast. People like you want the world to meet your expectations. Well some advice..Don't expect anything or you just set yourself up for disappointment. May everyone show each other some respect and peace to you all.

Posted by: Anonymous But they happen to be the worst and the most disgusting. next time, look around. how many on those harley riders are overweight, look filthy, scraggly beards...the list goes on...

Posted by: Anonymous If Brad had a Harley he wouldn't be discussing this !! The point is-- there are just as many loud cars ( if not more ) and rude car drivers as there is bad cycle drivers. To make everything sound like it is the "HARLEY REBELS" is out of line and just plain ignorant !!!!

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wausau
no one cares what brad drives. that's not the disscussion.

Posted by: Saraj sadly, everyone seems to be able accuse everyone else, but the truth is, we all need to clean up our act. one idiot at a time. unfortunately for the harley rebels, its their turn. no one is exempt. where i live, bike rallies are frequent, almost every week. that is a consistant noise. enough to hurt my ears when they are two miles away. and angie, it typically runs more around 5 hundred bikes and more. and i agree with jake. it's just for attention and an image. and sadly, its sick. when did common courtesy go down the drain? its illegal for cars to have straight pipes, cars with mufflers falling off get pulled over, but harleys that are louder than a concert are allowed to roam free. and they have no regard of other drivers. ive been cut off often by cyclists that dont even look. it's time to clean up the act. most of you bikers don't know the disgusting effect you have on others. you are not above the sound ordinances.

Posted by: Anonymous What do you ride Brad, Bridgestone???

Posted by: Anonymous Location: wausau
Thanks Keith!! Its not the vehicle that makes it unsafe, its the idiot operating it!

Posted by: Brad Location: south of Point
I ride cycles. Most of the loud Harleys sound like crap. Hard to equate their blat to the rev. of a 1967 427 Corvette or the throaty Mustang Cobra.

Posted by: Keith Location: EARTH
Hey Mary, nobody said you need to be responsible for bikes. Anyone on the road needs to be responsible period. This wasn't even the issue. If people in general would not be so self centered with their heads up their @#$ and showed a little courtesy to one an other, the roads would be safe for everyone. And loud pipes on cars or trucks or bikes don't have to be offensive if the vehicle is being driven properly especially in town.

Posted by: Bill Location: Wausau
Sounds like cyclists are getting alot of advice from people who text message, talk on the cell phone, eat, drink, play with the radio, don't wear seatbelts, and have pets on their lap while they drive. I think today's drivers need to clean up their act before giving advice to motorcyclists.

Posted by: Mary Location: Stfd
Why is it so important for vehicles to take responsibility for a motorcyclist safety. Most of the cyclist I encounter don't seem to have a lot of regard for their own safety based on the way they drive (cutting vehicles off), the type of motorcycles they drive (monkeybars...not safe), the non-courtesy they give their fellow motorists and the protective gear they don't wear...why worry about being heard??? It all about attention and annoyance??

Posted by: Keith Location: EARTH
I play in a band that people come and listen to on many occasions. I also served in the military and had numerous explosions go off around me as well as gunfire. My ears are shot so if I didn't have a Harley I probably wouldn't know if it was running or not. Do I need a handicap sticker to ride in your neighborhood? Get a life. Harleys and muscle cars have been around longer than you.

Posted by: becky Location: wausau
Zik: I'm so glad you drove your non polluting electric car to the lake from Illinios and had your non polluting bon fire and your non polluting outhouse and your electric non polluting boat thanks for paying taxes it gives me a nice road to ride my bike on!! GIVE ME A BREAK and since when do you own the "cottage country" remember you only pay taxes. Love ya PAL THANKS!!

Posted by: Bill Location: USA
Zik, It must be the same cottage country people that cut their lawns at all hours of the day with their damn loud lawn mowers and have no consideration for anyone else ! Get over it and stay on your own side of the lake !!!

Posted by: zik Location: Ontario
This is my pet peeve. I live in cottage country on the shores of Lake Huron and it amazes me that bikers love to cruse in beautiful and peaceful places only to pollute it with their damn unnecessary noise. It should be illegal and enforced. I can only draw the conclusion that they are little people that are in need of drawing attention to themselves are are probably as obnoxious as their stupid loud bikes.

Posted by: Anonymous Jake, Take a good long look at yourself in the mirror before you go to bed tonight, you will see a pretty pathetic sight. Now that's a joke !

Posted by: Jake Location: Weston
OK lets start with the first and most obvious thing here… LOUD pipes ARE NOT FOR A SAFETY REASON!!! Ok it out of the way. And lets not hear that load of bull again please. They are a way for a bunch of fat hairy … so called rebels to draw attention to themselves. And if were just suppose to get OVER IT, then how come when I pull up to a bike with pipes and play my music loud do I get the finger. I’ll answer that … I draw MORE attention to myself and not to that Disgusting biker. And I’m not even a rocket scientist. This is an attitude issue and that’s it. And that’s fine be a rebel … and stick your head behind those pipes and see how fun it is. Take your ear plugs out. And Honestly how is someone walking suppose to know a bike is coming. Biker's rights are a joke.

Posted by: Pete Location: mfld
well drivers can't see us may as well hear us

Posted by: SuperYooper Location: Weston
To say that the loud pipes are annoying is common sense. They shouldnt be so loud for the simple fact that they are disturbing the peace. Much the same as a loud stereo system with the bass thumping down the road. Or the junkers with the mufflers falling off, or the big trucks with glass-packs. Its not going to make you go deaf unless you consistantly exposed to said noise. To make that type of assertion is just pompous. Bottom line: Your pipes are annoying everyone but you.

Posted by: John Location: Plover
Angie thanks for the laugh....sounds like a Jeff Foxworthy readneck joke that don't make no sense to anyone with commonsense. For those who don't, I guess you might relate.

Posted by: Angie Location: central WI
Get smart you silly people. Two hundred motorcycles zooming past you as you are walking is NOT going to make you lose any hearing. Good grief people...do I need to wear sunscreen in my house for fear of UV rays coming into my lowE kitchen windows?? whatever.....

Posted by: Anonymous Unfortunately, the damn bike rallies drive right past my house with the hundreds of bikes. Long exposure does happen and it isn't my fault.

Posted by: Anonymous2 I agree that many places and events have loud and excessive noises and I avoid them or wear earplugs to protect my hearing (in time those will be addressed); however, on public roadways I should not have to avoid or wear earplugs because straight pipes are ILLEGAL!! As we eliminate excessive noise on trucks, cars, snowmobiles and ATV's the motorcycle should not be exempt. The law is the law and it is obviously there because noise IS a problem. It is not all motorcycle noise that is a problem it is the loud POP POP and the constant revving of the engine that some cyclist do to make excessive noise. Seems like the few ruin it for the many. Blame them. I am not to old but young enough to realize I don't want the handicap of hearing hearing aids before I turn 40.

Posted by: Colin Heinz Location: marion wi
Your hearing can only be compromised by a long period of time associated with the noise of an exaust. If you actually think you are going deaf from motorcycles... Get out of the middle of the bike rally cause thats the only place its going to happen. I play guitar for a jazz band wich the audience mostly consist of the older generations complaining, maybe we should outlaw the devils music too because I have to wear earplugs to perform so it is obvioulsy too loud for people. And lets put a ban on movie theaters too, its pretty loud in there. I then think we should no longer celebrate our contries proudest moment.. 4th of July, those fireworks are definitly louder than a bike. If its too loud, your too old...GET OVER IT!

Posted by: Anonymous I think the point here is that why do trucks and cars get pulled over for loud exhausts and motorcycles get a pass. They don't come from the factory with straight pipes just like my pickup doesn't come with glasspacks. If you're going to enforce one, then enforce all or none.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Weston
I too walk along roads and wearing ear plugs could endanger my life because I may not hear someone approaching me or a vehicle veering in my direction (yes this has happened… intentionally). I need to have all my senses while walking and no selfish individual should rob me of those. I also enjoy on my walks hearing nature and ear plugs would really affect that. Obviously if the rider is wearing earplugs either for wind or pipe noise, they are aware of the hazard and damage they are causing. Walking outdoors is a cheap way to stay healthy and no self centered person should prevent me from using public roads for this purpose. GET OVER THE PIPES AND GET A LIFE!! Note: they are illegal. This is not whining: it's commonsense which is apparently is lacking in this day and age.

Posted by: anonymous Location: Port Edwards
Soooooo many people own Harley Davidsons or motorcycles and half of them wear ear plugs. So you people that are walking and dont like the noise then you can wear ear plugs tooooo it is not going to hurt you at all to wear ear plugs. thier are some trucks out thier that are really loud are you going to complain about that too!!!!! get over it.

Posted by: Howard Location: Park Falls
First, it takes more than just an occasional encounter with a motorcycle with loud pipes to make someone loose their hearing. Are you around bikes 24/7? I don't really think so; so get over it and quit complaining. What about the people who drive their vehicles and talk on their cell phones or text while they drive? I think that's alot more dangerous, and just downright stupid. I'll tell you what, you get funding for your hearing aid, which you dont need. You just want to complain. If I survive after getting hit by some dumba$$ that's talking on their cellphone or texting, I'll get funding for that.

Posted by: Sara Personally, i don't want to lose my hearing when 200 motorcyclists drive past me while I'm walking. The law should apply to everyone and I don't see why motorcyclists think they are above the law and why the police ignore them. The law was created for certain reasons. And if I require hearing aids when I get older, I will make damn sure that I get taxpayers paying for them. $3000 is not coming out of my pocket for something I didn't do. I sure won't get over it and I'm positive taxpayers don't want to pay for hearing aids. Why can't you just follow the law?

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wausau
With the price of hearing aids ($3000 ), I'm not GETTING OVER IT... Fine the idiots and fund hearing aids for the people including children they rob of their hearing. Yes, other thing contribute to hearing loss, but that does not make it right to ride with illegal straight pipes! Rider safety is a poor and questionable reason to steal a person's hearing.

Posted by: Anonymous GET OVER IT!!