AMA on noise

[bennelson]

The fact that there are plenty of loud motorcycles is part of the reason why I converted one to electric.



This is a photo of it on the dynometer at this summer's Harley 105th Celebration.

The motorcycle clocked in at 12 HP.

Most of the cycles that had been on the dyno were modified to be loud. A person could hear them for miles while revved up on the dynometer.

When I left the event, I just tailed a couple of Harleys for a while. No problem keeping up with them. Not bad for only 12 HP and no gasoline!


Come to think of it, I'm sure the AMA (American MEDICAL Association) must have something to say about hearing protection. They recommend wearing ear muffs while mowing the lawn, but if you do that on a motorcycle, you may miss hearing somebody's horn.

I quieter motorcycle seems safe and friendly to me. I've always liked the sound of the big and quiet Goldwings.

[MazdaMatt]

On a quiet bike, you'd hear a car in your blind spot before you accidentally moved over... You'd hear emergency vehicles coming up on you... etc.

[Formula413]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I think that just as your freedom to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose, so does your freedom to run loud pipes end at my ears.

This is a great succinct summary of the guiding principle of law.

I got my first bike this year. I have no desire to modify the exhaust. It has a nice sound to it, not too quiet or too obnoxious. Loud pipes are doing serious damage to the sport, I don't want to be part of that.

On the topic of loud exhaust, I put an aftermarket muffler on my Firebird. I did a lot of research first, listened to sound clips, read reviews etc. When it came to sound what I wanted was quality, not quantity. The muffler I went with (Magnaflow) is a little louder than the stock muffler but it's not the loudest exhaust available, or even close. One company actually makes an exhaust system for my car in which the only sound control device of any kind is a "resonator" which is just a hollow cylinder. It's very loud, and not surprisingly sounds like crap. Mine gives a nice deep rumble with no annoying rasp, very mellow at idle and cruise, has a nice roar under hard acceleration. It makes the car much more fun to drive, without being insufferable to those around it. Maybe Harley riders could find a similar happy medium. The problem is that loud pipes are so ingrained in many rider's heads as being part of the culture.

[Curly1]

Loud pipes can help cars know you are there that is true but they do not need to be obnoxiously loud. Many of the motorcycle riders are using that lame excuse to make them way too loud.
Yes, loud pipes are not good for any of us but can improve effeciency and performance.
They do need to find a happy medium.

[jamesqf]

As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as a "happy medium". The perfect motor would make no sound at all, and real cars & bikes should try to get as close to that as practical engineering & economics will allow.

[Formula413]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

The perfect motor would make no sound at all

You have driven V8 powered vehicles before, right?

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as a "happy medium". The perfect motor would make no sound at all, and real cars & bikes should try to get as close to that as practical engineering & economics will allow.

I mostly agree. Once while out walking, a Goldwing passed by and I'm not kidding, all I heard was the tire noise! That is impressive. And I like that. On the other hand, the dual exhaust on my '59 Chev (with QUIET mufflers) has a pleasing tone that will NOT offend anyone trying to enjoy their own property or space in peace and quiet, while at the same time not being utterly silent like that Goldwing.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by Curly1

America is no longer the land of the Free. Everything is against the law and they are adding more laws every day. I hate to see them adding more noise laws but with the really loud bikes out there it will start happening more often.

Curly1, I used to live in Manhattan and there was a guy who rode his Harley down 2nd Avenue every day at 6:30 am. Going to work I assume. It was like he TRIED to make as much noise as possible with the revs in each gear. I know he loved the sound of his bike bouncing off the sides of the buildings. You could hear him for miles. The sound reverberated off the buildings like jack hammers. He annoyed maybe 10,000 people a day just so he could have his straight-through Harley exhaust. I'm sure he would have given the "Land of the Free" argument too. But something can also be said for the rest of us having the right to be free from behavior like that.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Formula413

You have driven V8 powered vehicles before, right?

Not since the '70s, if you discount friends' cars & commercial trucks where I didn't really know what the engine was. Most of my cars have been 4-cylinder, either the standard inline 4 of everything from the Austin-Healey to the '88 Toyota pickup I use for hauling & rough roads now, or the Subaru flat 4. Add in a couple of rotary engined Mazdas, and the current 3-cylinder Insight.

Most of my bikes were fours, too. The one exception that I can remember offhand - a Yamaha twin - I sold after a few weeks because it was too loud.

[Formula413]

Another thing about engine noise: I definitely like to be able to hear what the engine is doing when driving a car with a manual transmission, it's easier than watching the tach for shifting and rev matching.