Why I believe that loud pipes DO save lives.
There's a dividing belief in the motorcycle community over the saying "Loud Pipes Save Lives". A lot of riders, primarily on cruisers are all for loud pipes while many, both riders and non-riders, just find it annoying. I'm for loud pipes for reasons of safety and for enjoyment. First, let's talk about hybrids.
What? Srsly? Hybrids? For the last 15 years or so, hybrids have been getting more and more popular. For those who've been under a rock the last decade, a hybrid is a car consisting of both gasoline and electric motors powering the vehicle. Most hybrids have what's referred to as a stop-start system, which shuts off the internal-combustion engine while the vehicle is at a stop or for slow moving speeds. Hybrids can usually get up to 20 mph before the internal-combustion engine kicks back on.
As you can imagine, an electric motor is much, much quieter than it's internal-combustion sibling. So much so that Hybrids have been too quiet. While these vehicles can help lower noise pollution, they can create a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists who often rely on hearing traffic as well as seeing it. You can imagine what such a situation could be like for blind people trying to cross the street, worried about cars they can't hear? According to a 2009 National Highway Traffic Safety study, Hybrids were twice as likely to be involved in a pedestrian or bicycle crash than their petrol-powered pals in certain conditions such as slowing, stopping, entering or leaving a parking spot and backing up.
How do the manufacturers handle this? They give their hybrids sound effects! The 2011 Chevy Volt has a manual chirping sound that must be activated manually by the driver. The Nissan Leaf has a similar feature. The Fisker Karma actually has speakers in the bumpers that belt out a tune to sound more like an internal-combustion engine. Henry Fisker, obviously the founder of the manufacturer, described the sound as "a cross between a starship and a F1 racecar." So basically, the cars are so quiet, they're a hazard so we're working to make them louder for the sake of safety. See where I'm going with this?
We already know that one of the reasons motorcycles have a tough time on the road is because they're smaller, thus harder to see at times. If manufacturers are giving sound effects to hybrids for the sake of safety, wouldn't it make sense that smaller vehicles be a little louder?
To be frank, since I made my drag pipes on a quiet bike like the VLX, I definitely haven't had any problems with cars not noticing me. To be honest, while it is loud, I've certainly seen louder around my parts. A few months ago, I was at a stoplight behind a M109R with some V&H Big Radius pipes (or similar design) and his was so loud, I couldn't even feel my own bike; All I felt was his.
Frankly, getting a set of pipes for your motorcycle is just like getting an exhaust for your car. Be it a car or truck, most cars can be more enjoyable with some free-breathing bolt-ons. My friend Ron has a beautiful '11 Mustang GT and his Borla exhaust is one of the best parts of the car. That sound... Sweet Jesus, Mustangs sound beautiful.
Thus, I'm pro-loud pipes. It makes a fun vehicle more fun and has safety benefits as well. If you disagree then that's ok because this is the internet.
What? Srsly? Hybrids? For the last 15 years or so, hybrids have been getting more and more popular. For those who've been under a rock the last decade, a hybrid is a car consisting of both gasoline and electric motors powering the vehicle. Most hybrids have what's referred to as a stop-start system, which shuts off the internal-combustion engine while the vehicle is at a stop or for slow moving speeds. Hybrids can usually get up to 20 mph before the internal-combustion engine kicks back on.
As you can imagine, an electric motor is much, much quieter than it's internal-combustion sibling. So much so that Hybrids have been too quiet. While these vehicles can help lower noise pollution, they can create a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists who often rely on hearing traffic as well as seeing it. You can imagine what such a situation could be like for blind people trying to cross the street, worried about cars they can't hear? According to a 2009 National Highway Traffic Safety study, Hybrids were twice as likely to be involved in a pedestrian or bicycle crash than their petrol-powered pals in certain conditions such as slowing, stopping, entering or leaving a parking spot and backing up.
How do the manufacturers handle this? They give their hybrids sound effects! The 2011 Chevy Volt has a manual chirping sound that must be activated manually by the driver. The Nissan Leaf has a similar feature. The Fisker Karma actually has speakers in the bumpers that belt out a tune to sound more like an internal-combustion engine. Henry Fisker, obviously the founder of the manufacturer, described the sound as "a cross between a starship and a F1 racecar." So basically, the cars are so quiet, they're a hazard so we're working to make them louder for the sake of safety. See where I'm going with this?
We already know that one of the reasons motorcycles have a tough time on the road is because they're smaller, thus harder to see at times. If manufacturers are giving sound effects to hybrids for the sake of safety, wouldn't it make sense that smaller vehicles be a little louder?
To be frank, since I made my drag pipes on a quiet bike like the VLX, I definitely haven't had any problems with cars not noticing me. To be honest, while it is loud, I've certainly seen louder around my parts. A few months ago, I was at a stoplight behind a M109R with some V&H Big Radius pipes (or similar design) and his was so loud, I couldn't even feel my own bike; All I felt was his.
Frankly, getting a set of pipes for your motorcycle is just like getting an exhaust for your car. Be it a car or truck, most cars can be more enjoyable with some free-breathing bolt-ons. My friend Ron has a beautiful '11 Mustang GT and his Borla exhaust is one of the best parts of the car. That sound... Sweet Jesus, Mustangs sound beautiful.
Thus, I'm pro-loud pipes. It makes a fun vehicle more fun and has safety benefits as well. If you disagree then that's ok because this is the internet.
Comments
Post a Comment