Not too long ago, Potsdam Village Police issued a couple tickets for obnoxiously loud motorcycles. Kudos to them for trying to do something about the annual summer sound pollution we must endure because some immature biker likes his "hog" loud.
I believe the ticket was for a "modified" exhaust, which just enforces the point that the owners of these cycles have to tinker with the exhaust pipes to get them to be that loud.
Let me get this straight: you spend $12,000 to $15,000 on a motorcycles and then spend more money so either you or some mechanic can tear apart the exhaust to make it louder.
Oh, that makes perfect sense.
We keep hearing warnings to "watch out for motorcycles" because it summer time.
Well how about the owners of these machines grow up and look out for our hearing and the peacefulness of our communities?
I've said for years that if my car exhaust was that loud I'd get a ticket. It high time for all police agencies to follow Potsdam's lead in dealing with this seasonal menace. How about we check the decibel levels of motorcycles at one of these "highway safety checkpoints" we see all the time? If your bike is over 100 decibels when you rev the engine, you should get a ticket.
And that's another thing, if you have to "rev" you bike while you are stopped at a traffic light to keep it from stalling, get a tune up!! You obviously have a problem with your engine.
Then again, if you rev it just because you like the sound and the feeling between your legs, then you've got a bigger problem.
PS - Hats off to those owners of big bikes who keep the exhaust intact. I love seeing someone go by on big Harley, Honda or Yamaha and all we hear is a gentle purr. That's the way it ought to be. Thank You Very Much!
The problem Joe is that our local, state, and federal police officers and agents have these bikes with the modified exhaust and they like it that way as well. I know this for a fact as I have been on many charity rides with these fellow men and woman, so that is why your not going to see a clamp down on the loud exhaust tickets.
ReplyDeleteI agree, think about what it does to the childrens ears.
ReplyDeleteBikers spend money, now we have become a Seasonal Menace ? did you ever consider that many folks who drive "CAGES" (cars and trucks , Joe ) dont often "SEE" motorcycles perhaps loud pipes might allow "caged" drivers to "HEAR" us YOUR north country mentality is shining joe "get a life"
ReplyDeleteThere are new EPA laws too regarding motorcycles. Even on American Chopper they add baffles to their custom exhausts. On the biker side of riding a Harley Davidson, there is nothing like the rumble of the V twin under you. Most automobile drivers don't see bikes with 1 headlight so in some cases the noise can help prevent accidents. It's been an American tradition for over 50 years. Try living in Daytona Beach the first week of march. There are 200K+ loud powerful machines. I personally would rather listen to the rumble of a Harley than listen to the thump thump of super Bass in some of these kids car stereos.
ReplyDeleteTell me why they need to be so loud? Give me one good reason other than the ridiculous position that I will hear you in case I don't see you.
ReplyDeleteJoe
Give you one good reason other than the good reason that you just said was ridiculous?
ReplyDeleteSmaller government , not bigger. Stay out of my tailpipe!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously Joe, I think there are much more important issues here in Massena then some loud motorcycles. Also those same loud bikes your complaining about spend tens of thousands of dollars in our community every year, with charity rides, gas stations, hotels, resturants, local repair shops, and so on...So don't bite the hand that feeds ya Joe.
ReplyDeleteGladly. Keep your tailpipe out of my ears!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree MORE!! Just this morning at 5:46AM a motorcycle went by and woke my 11 month old son up. He finally fell back asleep at 7:00 to have ANOTHER loud biker go by at 7:36AM and he was awake for the day. I can't tell you how many times this has happened in the day while he naps. There are times these bikes SHAKE MY WINDOWS. Another time my son CRIED over the loudness. It scared him AND me!! I don't see a point in having it so loud. It would be nice if the cops would do something about this.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with the mentality that motorcycles have to be "heard" by their loud exhausts. It is an excuse to have a bike that is as loud as possible, and unfortunately there isn't going to be a change unless laws for the noise are enforced. As a passenger of a motorcycle with my boyfriend, we've had several close calls with cars and trucks on the road/parking lots nearly hitting us. We are very aware of these situations and as such ride in full gear (full face helmet, jacket, pants, boots)- even on the hottest days of summer, have an extra set of LED lights on the front end, and a louder than normal horn. There are definitely better ways to make yourself visible than a loud exhaust, and as a motorcyclist, you shouldn't have the thought that says "I own the road" or that someone "owes you" the right of being on the road. Ride safe and smart, wear the right protection, and raise awareness in a more appropriate mannter. If you can't, then don't give the rest of us who can, and enjoy riding a bad reputation!
ReplyDeleteJoe, purchase the decibel meters for our local PD. I am sure they will enforce the law then. Without the device the court will simply dismiss the ticket
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ReplyDeleteMost drivers only see cars, not motorcycles even with headlight on during the day. By the time they see them, they get stupid and hit the brakes and the bike broadsides a car. Go to daytona the first week of march, there are over a half million loud bikes and it will be one of the best experiences of your life, even if your not a biker. Harley and loud pipes are an American tradition. I will agree those who "horse" them through 5 or 6 gears in a block are a little obnoxious. It's not the bikes, it's the operators.
ReplyDeleteJoe, I must respectfully disagree with you on one point. Loud pipes do get noticed by other drivers more quicly than quiet pipes. From a safety perspective, these loud pipes have a positive effect. The fact that you get annoyed by loud pipes reaffirms that they are noticed. You would hear an unbaffled bike from your office, but you would not be aware of a Gold Wing passing by unless you were looking out.
ReplyDeleteThere needs to be some kind of tradeoff; the safety of the biker is not the only issue at play. If I am trying to catch some sleep after a midnight shift, I don't need to be awakened every ten minutes by some kid who thinks it's cool to blip his/her throttle constantly. They can do that all they want on the highway, but not in a residential neighborhood. Doing so is rude and inconsiderate, and the vast majority of bikers won't do it. For the record, I have rode the same Harley for the past 25 years, and I wouldn't buy anything but a Harley. But I don't see anything cool about seeing how loud I can make it. Mine is loud enough to let you know it's an American-built V-Twin, but not loud enough to be irritating. And that's the way I like it.
Well I have to say Joe Gray your totally out of bounds on this,but that's my opinion. First off I liked what the one guy had to say don't bite the hand that feeds you. I'm really disturbed by your comments about bikers. And I'm sure your aware you have a few PD that ride a Harley and I know for a fact that they have loud pipes. And till you know what your talking about Joe you should not run you mouth. After market pipes that are sold for Harley's come with baffles in them, so you don't have to tinker with the exhaust as you said. And you state Hogs little discrimanation there Joe don't you think. Not just us hog riders with loud pipes. And one last thing don't forget who raises money for the charities around here, oh that's right biker trash as you might want to remember.But that's ok I like being biker trash. And you might want to be more worried about the roads in your town as a supervisor those pot holes can be dangerous to us bikers. And I am sure that there is other things that could be addressed more then this. You make me sick. P.S. I do love the sound of a American V-Twin and love to twist throttle when ever I can. If that makes me have problem oh well I am Combat Veteran and I love the sound of freedom.
ReplyDeleteI don't think, and never said, bikers are "trash", as you put it. Replacing the factory exhaust with after-market pipes would indeed be "tearing apart the exhaust" as I said. I am well aware of the thousands of dollars raised by charity rides. I also know some cops have loud bikes.
ReplyDeleteHere's the question(s) you never answered:
Why the need to be so loud?
Why do some (I think many) people have to be offended by the sound so you can "enjoy" it?
And, while I greatly appreciate your service to our country as a combat vet, why does my freedom to enjoy a peaceful community get totally disregarded by some bikers (and apparently you are one of them)?
Just a few more things to think about.
Joe I will not disagree that some of these pipes are loud. I will give you example mine is very load.I believe that more people enjoy the sound of bikes then the ones who don't. Well we gave you have the freedom to write that you don't like I have the right to disagree. But what comes down to a common courtsy early morning keep off the throttle,Question to you is when are they going to fix the god far saken roads. I left IRAQ in 2008 feel I still driving on the roads.Sorry to hear that you dont like loud pipes but if you did a survey you would be lowest on the pole,and not just you.
ReplyDeleteThe ONLY people who "enjoy the sounds of loud pipes" are fellow riders! NO ONE ELSE DOES!
ReplyDeleteLife would be pretty boring if everyone agreed with each other all the time. There is good and bad to this issue and rightfully there should be some sort of compromise so everyone is tolerant and not miffed over how loud is too loud.
ReplyDeleteCustom bikes are loud and I have learned to live with it.They do present a certain image of America as a Live free and Ride type of society.
ReplyDeleteI don't own a loud motorcycle but I do own a loud sound system and enjoy the heck out of cranking my tunes.Don't like my Van Halen or my Beastie Boys?I'll be gone by in a second.Or just crank up the George Strait or whatever it is you listen to.
I think it's high time we find a more pressing issue to discuss.
P.S.My sound system is factory.No mods.
I for one agree with loud pipes, been through a few scares on a bike, loud pipes don't get heard over a person car stereo but they can shake my windows as they go by, ripping it up is the operator not the bike. Loud pipes saves many alives and it only last a couple of months, then everyone will start on the snowmobiles. Just be happy for the summer, bikes pipes means its summer.
ReplyDeleteIt's not your "right" to annoy me, I don't have a very expensive property because I wanted to be annoyed by people who need attention.
ReplyDeleteYou need attention, that's the ONLY reason to have a loud bike.
http://www.noiseoff.org/pipes/
Read the forward, there is NO proof that louder pipers equal greater safety measures. If nothing else it distracts at best.
There is no reason to be loud, except you need attention because you YOU have no life Mr. Anonymous.
I find these loud rumbling motorcycles annoying, inconsiderate, absolutely obnoxious and as far as I can tell, they seem to only serve the ego of these equally obnoxious riders. As if a loud smelly bike impresses anyone. All people really see is some loser compensating for personal shortcomings; sorry, it's true. Oh it's for safety? **cough BS cough**. It's noise and air pollution plain and simple.
ReplyDelete