Those Harleys and the obnoxious noise they make - a rant

[cantdrv55]

I live on a corner lot so there's more traffic and noise but that's the price I had to pay for a nice view. Anyway, I have at least three neighbors up a ways who own Harleys and I swear they ride up and down several times just to piss me off.

I know my SC is loud but it doesn't make near the racket a hog makes. I'm thinking about lodging a formal complaint with the town about it but I'm worried that they'll cite my SC as well. I'm between a rock and hard place on this but I feel I should do something. They're driving me up a wall!

By the way, my neighbors dress in slacks, shirt and tie on the weekdays but look like bad boys on the weekends. Their first stop before leaving town is at the Starbucks or Jamba Juice. I guess I'm really no different.

[dd74]

You have my sympathies. I wish there was such a thing as a quiet Harley.

[JavaBrewer]

I live down the road from a guy with a noisy SC and he's driving me insane...

True story, last week pulling into Starbucks I notice two CHP BMWs sharing a space. After getting my coffee I walk over to the two and strike up a bike conversation by asking how they like their BMWs. The older of the two said he really missed the HD and said the BMW was unreliable and poorly made...humm... Before leaving I asked if they ever ticket loud bikes with aftermarket pipes and the older cop says "Not if it's a Harley"

[Mule]

Pet peeve of mine. When I first got my 928, I was on I-75 going to Knoxville. A hog rider I had passed, decided he wanted to ride just far enough in front of me to let me "enjoy" the noise. I drove off 2X. When I settled back to 80 or so, he would come back. I crept up. He still stayed in front. I watched him get his brains beat out at about 105 for a while, then dropped to 3rd & ran off. He finally left me alone.

[cantdrv55]

I had a conversation with a Harley rider once. He said the reason the bikes are so loud is for self preservation. If they can't be seen, maybe they can be heard. I thought he was making that up.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by dmoolenaar

I live down the road from a guy with a noisy SC and he's driving me insane...

True story, last week pulling into Starbucks I notice two CHP BMWs sharing a space. After getting my coffee I walk over to the two and strike up a bike conversation by asking how they like their BMWs. The older of the two said he really missed the HD and said the BMW was unreliable and poorly made...humm... Before leaving I asked if they ever ticket loud bikes with aftermarket pipes and the older cop says "Not if it's a Harley"

Knoxville PD told me a different tale. Loved their BMW's.

[legion]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I had a conversation with a Harley rider once. He said the reason the bikes are so loud is for self preservation. If they can't be seen, maybe they can be heard. I thought he was making that up.

Yep. There is a saying in the biker community: "Loud pipes save lives."

The idea is that he may be irritating you, but you know he is there--you won't cut him off or try to merge into him.

As for Mule's story, he was riding in that position to stay out of your blind spot and to make sure you could see him. And once again, he may have been irritating you but you knew he was there.

And yes, most cops will not ticket Harley owners. It is well known here in town that you will only be ticketed for a loud bike if you ride something Japanese...

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I had a conversation with a Harley rider once. He said the reason the bikes are so loud is for self preservation. If they can't be seen, maybe they can be heard. I thought he was making that up.

I have a decal that says

Loud Pipes Save Lives

I wish there was such a thing as a quiet Harley.

There is, a broken one
You know how to tell when your HD needs oil????








No oil spots under it

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Mule

Knoxville PD told me a different tale. Loved their BMW's.

Same with Burbank, CA PD. Said the Harleys were unreliable and handled like pigs compared to the BMWs. Faster than Harleys too.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

You know how to tell when your HD needs oil????








No oil spots under it

That's also the mantra of 2.7 911 owners.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by legion

Yep. There is a saying in the biker community: "Loud pipes save lives."

The idea is that he may be irritating you, but you know he is there--you won't cut him off or try to merge into him.

As for Mule's story, he was riding in that position to stay out of your blind spot and to make sure you could see him. And once again, he may have been irritating you but you knew he was there.

And yes, most cops will not ticket Harley owners. It is well known here in town that you will only be ticketed for a loud bike if you ride something Japanese...

Loud Japanese bikes are more irritating, IMO.

[JavaBrewer]

Waiting for BSiple to weigh in...again...

Loud pipes don't save lives. HD, sport bike, SC, whatever the source, they flat out piss people off. I never lane split following an obnoxious bike cause I'm worried some cage will take out their frustration on me. Many threads in OT about this very subject.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by dd74

That's also the mantra of 2.7 911 owners.

You guys stole it from the Land Rover owners When you're Rover stops dripping oil it means its out of oil.

[crustychief]

Those are not oil drops under your bike. It is sweat from all that horsepower. I ride a Harley and I also get annoyed with the people that run with no baffles or " straight pipes" especially in a group ride. Maybe they think you like the noise because of the car noise? I know it is kind of like a "call of the wild" around here when you hear someones loud bike, buggy, car, truck being worked on and revved . Everyone walks toward the sound with a beer or two.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by legion

Yep. There is a saying in the biker community: "Loud pipes save lives."

The idea is that he may be irritating you, but you know he is there--you won't cut him off or try to merge into him.

As for Mule's story, he was riding in that position to stay out of your blind spot and to make sure you could see him. And once again, he may have been irritating you but you knew he was there.

And yes, most cops will not ticket Harley owners. It is well known here in town that you will only be ticketed for a loud bike if you ride something Japanese...

He was riding in that position be cause he was a complete & utter jerk. I had passed him & was well away when he decided he wanted to be in front. 3 times he ran me down to be in front, not a lot, just a little bit. I did enjoy watching the wind beat the hell out of him in that stupid seating position though.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I actually believe in the "loud pipes save lives" thing myself although that said, I don't go out of my way to be obnoxious about it on my bike (not a Harley, but loud with a D&D race can). If I'm going through a residential area or whatever, I stay off throttle and at least try to be considerate. On the freeway or open roads, I don't care. You gotta' be seen/heard in order to live.

The only Harley guys that really annoy me are the ones that feel the need to crack it WOT when taking off from every single stop sign in a residential area (like mine). Not necessary.

[billyboy]

I asked my daughter, the cop, why they never ticket Harleys for loud noise. She said it is because, since they don't carry sound measuring devices, it would most likely get thrown out. They do stop real biker guys like Hells Angels for the any vehicle code violation to see what else will turn up.

[MatthewBrum]

In my small city in CT (just outside hartford) there are a ton of loud HD's. They get away with the loud pipes because most of the cops have HD's. When an HD goes down my street I don't like it and I really dont like the fact that if I romp on my 71 Chevelles SS with a 454 with open headers I get pulled over. It seems like the HD guys can seem to get away with it. From reading above, at least I'm not the only one who notices this. What ever, I quess you just have to move to the country for peace and quiet.

[ramonesfreak]

wow racer. nice pan head

i had a harley with straight pipes and i have a sportbike with aftermarket D&D race can that is way louder that my harley was. sounds like a formula 1 car and would drive you insane

but, i use the sound as a horn. intersections, cars pulling out of driveways...i blip the throttle a bit and it gets the teens on their cell phones to notice me quite often and

when i get pissed at someone who cut me off on the expressway, ill let em get ahead a bit and then i drop it down to 2nd or 3rd and scream by them at 90 and it gives them a heart attack or stroke if their window is down. oh god i love doing that to A-holes in cars

and , i love the sound

[MatthewBrum]

By the way, I don't beleive that loud pipes save lives. If your scared to ride your bike with quiet pipes than stay in the driveway. With all the loud music that these punks play when driving I don't think they will hear an HD. And I think the people playing the loud music are more likely to hit a motorcycle driver. Ok I'm done being an old man.