loud motorcycle question

[jpn]

I was doing a quick ride around my town yesterday on the road and a really loud motorcycle buzzed by me while I was going up hill. Some sort of tricked out Harley and the exhaust was really really loud and of course he revved while he passed me. I get to the top and he is on the side of the road and a limo is stopped in the road blocking me. girl is getting out of limo and getting on bike. I go up on the sidewalk and stop a few feet from him and yell (I had to yell because the bike was so loud) that his bike was too loud. He says, oh ill turn it up and turns his music up louder. I yell again and point at the bike and say the bike is too loud. He says so what, you a cop or something. I say it is illegal, too loud and he says it saved his life because it is so loud. I said again it is too loud and he suggested in very strong terms that I should go have sexual relations with myself. I rode away at that point.

I really can't stand these loud motorcycles, and I realize that there is not much i can do about it. I don't see the cops enforcing this and I suspect they modify it to get through inspection and then un-modify it after inspection.

I see many people on here have a moto background and may have street or road bikes now, so here is my question:

Is there anything to what he was saying about it being loud for safety reasons so that cars notice them?

I get that to some degree, but there is loud and there is really loud. this was really loud; it hurt my ear as he went by.

just curious what other perspectives there are on this.

 

[Magic]

I don't know, I'm just here to say that it's 100% pure bullshit that I used to get tickets for having fart cans on my past cars while every motorcycle on the road is 3 times as loud.

 

[ktmrider]

It's little dick syndrome , compensating with noise or a lifted truck

 

[SmooveP]

Sorry in advance to any of my Harley riding friends:

 

[Pearl]

the louder bike would be more noticeable to a car, yes. wood have a loud motorscoot if i had one.

 

[mattybfat]

It's little dick syndrome , compensating with noise or a lifted truck

You beat to this as I was reading it had the same thought but it's the same guys who are seen in these

 

[AndyJ]

In NJ, motorcycles no longer need to go for inspection. That changed the same time that the automobile inspection changed to emissions-only. The "too loud" check was frequently ignored at inspection anyway, and police rarely enforce it on a road stop.

The "loud pipes save lives" claim always results in a heated debate. There isn't any conclusive evidence showing it's true.

I ride a (quiet) motorcycle myself, and find the obnoxiously loud motorcycles to be an unnecessary annoyance.

 

[I Ride Bikes]

My moto is quiet but you can't deny that you don't notice that a loud bike is close by while driving. While I think it is mostly an excuse to have a loud bike, I'm sure it does work to some extent.

 

[ktmrider]

I was on my way home from the beach this weekend , I decided to stop off rt 539 in BBSF and enjoy the pines a bit while I burned a bit of herbs that I enjoy , after about 5 mins of peacefulness teo guys come ripping down the trail . I knew the guys but I have to say as much as I enjoy dirt bikes they are very annoying to listen to . Maybe it was my state of mind at that point .

 

[wonderturtle]

not a motorcycle guy but as a motorist I buy the "loud bikes save lives" thing - when driving you can hear a loud harley coming up behind you but commonly cant hear those little crotch rockets until they wizz pass you. as a motorist, I much prefer the loud bikes.

even when not driving, I kinda like the loud bikes. I live right off Navesink River Road and on a nice Summer day it can be like a parade of motorcycles REVING by. I kinda like when they start up on the first warm Spring day - for me, one of the signs that Spring has sprung

with that said, the motorcyclist in the OP was just being a dick. reving his bike just as he passed you on your bike = douche move. I had a guy in a sports car do that to me the other day. not cool.

 

[OddTrickStar]

Lost my brother from a hit and run while he was on his cycle. I encourage loud pipes and do believe they help alert motorists to their presence. Give motorcycles the same space and respect you would give a loaded 18 wheeler. If you ride, stay alert and be safe.

 

[Mountain Bike Mike]

I own a loud motorcycle and purposely mod'd it to be loud for a couple reasons

1. It sounds real nice
2. MORE POWER
3. The louder pipes look much nicer than the stock jammies.
4. Safety - The louder the better, people in cars notice you

As far as legality - If you take the baffle / baffling out and it's a hallow pipe, you could get hit with noise ordinance tickets after 10pm. I was warned a couple times but never ticketted. I defer to the local MTBNJ Poncherello @davidcarson48

 

[rick81721]

I was doing a quick ride around my town yesterday on the road and a really loud motorcycle buzzed by me while I was going up hill. Some sort of tricked out Harley and the exhaust was really really loud and of course he revved while he passed me. .

Probably @clarkenstein

 

[AndyJ]

My moto is quiet but you can't deny that you don't notice that a loud bike is close by while driving. While I think it is mostly an excuse to have a loud bike, I'm sure it does work to some extent.

Right, the question is whether or not it affects the behavior of other drivers. That is, after hearing the noise, how many take the next step and actually look for the motorcycle?

even when not driving, I kinda like the loud bikes. I live right off Navesink River Road and on a nice Summer day it can be like a parade of motorcycles REVING by. I kinda like when they start up on the first warm Spring day - for me, one of the signs that Spring has sprung

I'm the opposite... I live near a busy road, and find the noise annoying at times. Of course, what's music to one person's ears can be noise to another's.

 

[Blair]

Imagine how loud it must be on the bike all the time, probably hearing damage. In the end people get what they deserve so stop caring so much. Confrontations don't solve anything besides getting both people madder.

 

[walter]

If it's too loud, you're too old. Or something. I rode with this guy this weekend

That's my HD in front of his Ducati, his bike is louder than mine. What's my point? Who knows. A friend of mine got a ticket in matawan over the summer for "loud mufflers". That doesn't even make sense.

 

[extremedave]

I would have to look for the study but it was basically proven that loud pipes are worthless in the most common car vs. bike scenario which is a car pulling into the path of a moving bike and not seeing the motorcycle, as the sound waves are essentially behind you. The safest you can be on a bike is wear bright clothes, leave the lights on (mandatory these days) and wear good gear. My street bike happens to have a louder aftermarket muffler because I like it that way but I'm not going to claim any other benefit.

 

[extremedave]

Imagine how loud it must be on the bike all the time, probably hearing damage. In the end people get what they deserve so stop caring so much. Confrontations don't solve anything besides getting both people madder.

Even on the street I wear earplugs now as just the wind noise is enough to harm your hearing.

 

[Carson]

39:3-70 Loud, Defective or No Muffler

1. All motor vehicles having a combustion motor to be equipped with muffler.
2. Must prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke.

As you can see, it's kind of open to interpretation by the officer, prosecutor, and judge. Mike, if you were told "after 10pm", then that was some local ordinance that was passed by that specific town. There is nothing about certain hours in the state laws. It's either excessive or it isn't, at 10am and 10pm. I do think most officers understand a louder bike might be safer, and take that into consideration.

The bigger deal, however, is:

39:3-77 Unapproved Equipment or Devices

1. No person shall sell, offer or use any unapproved device or equipment for use on a motor vehicle.

If you alter your muffler (remove baffling) or install a non-DOT approved muffler, this statute covers it, regardless of how loud it is.

I've never written a loud bike. But if you tuck your plate so other motorists and I can't see it, I take offense to that and we'll probably have a convo if I'm not going to lunch/coffee.

Good luck and God speed.

 

[clarkenstein]

I would have to look for the study but it was basically proven that loud pipes are worthless in the most common car vs. bike scenario

i've read about it a lot too. its a rumor that is "science" in most riders eyes... or ears.

i'm a big fan of quiet bikes, i don't like the loud ones. i feel very in the minority with this but if i could have the silver ghost of bikes i would.