A (too) loud exhaust rant

[arcticXS]

Yesterday, I did something I never thought I'd do. Halfway between town and my place is a kiosk selling burgers, ice cream, sandwiches etc. This is a fairly popular stop for all sorts of motorcyclists, and has a couple of tables outside. So I stopped there for a sandwich/ baguette on my way to town, riding my Honda NC.
Just as I had parked, four more bikes arrived, one KTM 350 motard, one I cannot remember, and two LOUD Bastards, one Gixxer and one Kawasaki Z750 or 900. The Gixxer had a 4-1 with a tiny, empty megaphone. The Kawa had 4-2 with two empty "Moto GP" style ("lobsterback") megaphones. Both ear-splittingly harsh and loud. And I just told them: "Boys, that's just too loud" And took a peek down their megaphones and shook my head.
And the NC is the first bike I ever had that kept the stock exhaust...Both my Ducatis quickly got straight through glasspack slip- ons, my RD got expansion chambers, the XS has had both genuine Norton peashooters and MikesXS/ Heiden "Commando" mufflers. So I do appreciate a fuller exhaust note, but those two bikes yesterday sounded horrible! Nothing like a classic Yoshimura, Kerker, Vance&Hines, Termignoni etc system .
I may upset a few forum members here, but wtf is wrong with people who run straight pipes or open meggas on the street? This apparently happens with any type bike, from Gixxer to full dresser Harleys.....WHY?

 

[Downeaster]

Right there with ya! Here in East Overshoe, it applies to trucks as well. The intersection 25 yards from my kitchen window goes to a busy harbor and young lobstermen pull away from that stop sign with their foot on the floor. A couple of them literally rattle my windows.

 

[Adamc]

Totally agree with you. At the Triumph dealership we get bikes turn up with open pipes that are offensively loud. The rider comes in a states "My bike is not running right" We take a look and advise them to replace the drain pipe with the original exhaust. Naturally they get offended and fuck off! Following week they return with the original pipe and all is running well! Triumph spent millions ££££ sorting these modern machines; it only takes a few hundred £££ to bugger them up.

Taffy has a custom pipe with little amount of baffle. It's 'Nicely loud' but not offensive, like a bike from the good old days....
.... Oh it is a bike from the good old days.

 

[grouchie77]

I debated running drag pipes on Bonnie my Speed Twin 900.

But I am lazy and found it simpler and much quicker to just remove the stock megaphones (which are essentially [in my opinion] useless straight-thru perforated tubes anyways) and bolt in some little tips I'd made.

The catalytic converter does a good job keeping her quiet AND keeping in essential back-pressure. I've noticed she is not overly loud, not much louder than stock. She runs no different, no flat spots, no hesitation off the line, none of that.

Slightly related, but around my neck of the cornfields we have a plethroa of morons with loud steroes who feel the need to blast their bass driving around.

But I agree, there is a point at which a bike can be obnoxious. To the point like, "you're not cool dude, you're actually embarrassing yourself and you look like a douche."

 

[jetmechmarty]

Having a loud exhaust is one thing. If you hammer it as you pass a church on Sunday morning, you are truly an asshole! Most of the public doesn’t want to listen to your noise while enjoying a coffee at sidewalk cafe. If you’re the kind of person who is insensitive to that, we aren’t likely to be friends.

 

[atom4488]

Sounds like we are all on the same page here... not so many open pipes on the superbikes around here, but the Harleys with the straight pipes are abundant and abundantly obnoxious. I don't get the Harley sound at all.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I don't get the Harley sound at all.

It’s all good in the right setting. Disturbing the peace is not the right setting.
I once rented a loud Harley on Maui. It was truly embarrassing. I couldn’t ride it where people gathered. This POS even idled loud.

 

[AUTOMAN]

Most peeps think loud = power.

Most peeps have zero clue.

Some peeps think the noise keeps you safer in traffic.

i.e. fastest 883HD I have seen was from a lad that worked for me in airflow development.
We were all gearheads and wanna go fast.

That thing peeped at idle and squeeked making the 1/4 mile run.
God damn that thing scooted!

Chrysler folks know their shit where it counts.

 

[Downeaster]

Slightly related, but around my neck of the cornfields we have a plethroa of morons with loud steroes who feel the need to blast their bass driving around.

Don't even get me started...

The numbers of that particular sort of asshat have dwindled since the Navy Base (and it's plethora of kids with $2000 stereos in $200 cars) closed, but I still get one now and then.

There's one moron on a bagger with a really loud stereo. I think both saddlebags must be plumb full of speaker...

 

[arcticXS]

Don't even get me started...

The numbers of that particular sort of asshat have dwindled since the Navy Base (and it's plethora of kids with $2000 stereos in $200 cars) closed, but I still get one now and then.

There's one moron on a bagger with a really loud stereo. I think both saddlebags must be plumb full of speaker...

Maybe his stereo needs to be REALLY loud, so he can hear it over his "drag" (more like drain-) pipes?