Not a fan here. I don't think the safety aspect is relevant. Cars can hear you, but they still can't see you any better. They're as likely to swerve into your path as they are to swerve out of your way.
Besides, if you were really serious about noise as a safety feature, why not just tape your horn button down? I know why not - because it would be annoying and everybody would think you're an idiot. Some feel the same about loud pipes.
The other thing I don't really get is the cost. I don't know about in the US, but over here a full Akrapovic (or similar) pipe can run to almost £1,000. That's like 15% of the cost of the bike. You're not really getting anything in terms of usable performance for that. What a waste of money . . !
And (OK, I'm ranting now) do the 125cc riders who remove their baffles actually think it makes their bike sound like it's a 1,000cc superbike or something? It just sounds like a 125 with the baffles out.
??? But if someone moves toward your lane you would press that horn button to let them know you’re there. Just like a little rev bomb from a bike.
I’m not a fan of bikes that are just loud as hell, but that goes with everything, cars, trucks, sport bike, Cruisers,... But a nice sounding exhaust that is a couple of decibels above stock that people can hear with a quick twist to have a driver take that second look... I see nothing wrong with it.
Not a fan here. I don't think the safety aspect is relevant. Cars can hear you, but they still can't see you any better. They're as likely to swerve into your path as they are to swerve out of your way.
Besides, if you were really serious about noise as a safety feature, why not just tape your horn button down? I know why not - because it would be annoying and everybody would think you're an idiot. Some feel the same about loud pipes.
The other thing I don't really get is the cost. I don't know about in the US, but over here a full Akrapovic (or similar) pipe can run to almost £1,000. That's like 15% of the cost of the bike. You're not really getting anything in terms of usable performance for that. What a waste of money . . !
And (OK, I'm ranting now) do the 125cc riders who remove their baffles actually think it makes their bike sound like it's a 1,000cc superbike or something? It just sounds like a 125 with the baffles out.
I know what you mean about the 125 and 250cc bikes sounding aweful. You'd think they would want to be more discrete with their little bikes until they got some wheels with real power.
There are many reasons for aftermarket pipes besides the "loud pipes save lives" saying. I don't think that slogan works so well in terms of people hearing you and locating you from sound as much as it does just bring awareness to the drivers that there are motorcycles on the road and to be aware.
Biggest reason I changed my stock exhaust is for sound. The stock just doesn't justify the motor to me, I love the sound of a motor with a proper exhaust. That being said no matter what size bike there are always people out there putting on exhausts that just sound awful no matter the case. There are civics I've heard that have great sound with a proper exhaust and than there are the ricers with ebay/amazon no name garbage that sound like ball bearing rattling in a steel cup. Same goes for some of the V8s on the road and this holds true for many motorcycles as well. Had an R6 drive by the otherday and the exhaust was so loud (possible straight piped) it reminded me of the 250cc bikes with an aftermarket exhaust.
At the end of the day I think exhausts are like car stereo enthusiasts, there are those that aim for the best sound and than there are those that aim for the loudest sound. Just depends what crowd you want to be a part of.
The next time someone says, "loud pipes save lives", look at what they wear when they ride. Do they wear high-vis clothing? Do they wear all their gear all the time? If either of those is a "No", then this person is clearly dillusional. If they are willing to spend $1,500 on an exhaust and tell me it's for "safety" while not wearing all their gear or any high-vis gear, then I know their priorities are incredibly misplaced so their advice is maybe not worth taking.
If they truly cared about safety the would take that $1,500 of exhaust money and buy a high viz helmet (or high-vis helmet stickers), a high-vis jacket, high-vis pants - and they have to actually wear it each time when they ride. When I see a high-vis guy I know THAT guy truly cares about his safety more than most riders.
Honestly, the only people I've ever heard say "loud pipes save lives" are squids who wear no gear / speed / pull dangerous moves, cruiser riders who wear a tshirt / running shoes / half-helmets / fingerless gloves, and people who wear their gear but their gear is all blacked out to match their blacked out bike. I think the rider styles I just mentioned are missing the point about what "safety" truly is if they think safety starts with an exhaust.
You absolutely nailed it, Webby. Though most of the "loud pipe" guys I see are HD riders with jeans, t-shirt, and a skull cap (if not just a bandanna). They also subscribe to the idea that they "had ta layer down".
Definetely need to be heard bc most cagers DO NOT SEE US. Im a tractor trailer driver by trade n see it all the time... But... There is no need to be blasting ur rev limiter pulling in n out of places where ppl are walking around. It screams newbie who just got a slip on n is IMO obnoxious. My bikes all had aftermarket exhaust, my R6 had a full D n D and stage 3 jets, might as well have hot glued a Budweiser can on instead, woulda been cheaper. But it was my first bike in 99 i didnt realize how much of a douche i was being to neighbors n john Q public... Love my MT09's Akrapovic/ baffle in... perfect sound, gets loud when u get on it, but definetely not too much...
I absolutely respect everyone’s thoughts and opinions, but......
I have a full M4 on my FZ, and I really like the sound. It is definitely loud, but I go out of my way not to start it up early in the morning and be obnoxious. Some times I am by default. I’m not an unsafe rider, I’ve been riding a long time. I don’t wear high Rez everything, and realize that decreases my safety. I do always wear my helmet, and respect others on the road around me....I just like loud pipes.
To each their own, if you’re looking for a deep louder exhaust I’d recommend the M4 full exhaust
Having ridden stock MT09 and a couple bikes with full race exhausts, and the sound just doesn't matter if people don't look close enough.
I put an Akraprovic Ti on the 09 because on performance vehicles, the exhaust note is a part of the experience to me and I feel the sound character should match the performance character. At 3 feet, the Akra with baffles is actually the same spl (84dB) at around 5-6k rpm and about 4 dB louder (79.7dB) than the stock exhaust at idle.
However, when you can't hear a person talking right next to you when a bike is idling 20ft away, it's absurd.
Having a louder exhaust and tapping on the throttle is safer than tapping on your horn. People are oblivious to horns and dont respond to them because they hear them all the time. This also depends on where you live and ride. When people hear the bike revving they look around because they dont know what the noise is or where it's coming from. Loud pipes get you heard and get people aware your around,. Full systems also boost performance. Some people take noise to a level that becomes obnoxious though that's for sure
Having a louder exhaust and tapping on the throttle is safer than tapping on your horn. People are oblivious to horns and dont respond to them because they hear them all the time. This also depends on where you live and ride. When people hear the bike revving they look around because they dont know what the noise is or where it's coming from. Loud pipes get you heard and get people aware your around,. Full systems also boost performance. Some people take noise to a level that becomes obnoxious though that's for sure
not sure what exhaust you were running that would ruin hearing unless, you like being over dramatic. I never said I needed more power or a faster bike. Never said exhausts are saving lives neither. My statement was based on fact old man, not opinion. Not sure where your riding at but down hear in the cities, people dont hear a "tap on the horn".
I feel great about them.
Only thing is,with the filth constantly lurking around ,I try not to announce my arrival. However I don't like standard exhausts on most modern bikes. So err Akra it is then.
Not a fan here. I don't think the safety aspect is relevant. Cars can hear you, but they still can't see you any better. They're as likely to swerve into your path as they are to swerve out of your way.
Besides, if you were really serious about noise as a safety feature, why not just tape your horn button down? I know why not - because it would be annoying and everybody would think you're an idiot. Some feel the same about loud pipes.
The other thing I don't really get is the cost. I don't know about in the US, but over here a full Akrapovic (or similar) pipe can run to almost £1,000. That's like 15% of the cost of the bike. You're not really getting anything in terms of usable performance for that. What a waste of money . . !
And (OK, I'm ranting now) do the 125cc riders who remove their baffles actually think it makes their bike sound like it's a 1,000cc superbike or something? It just sounds like a 125 with the baffles out.
Yup, me neither. My daughter and SIL had a neighbor that was a real a hole who loved to blast his straight piped sportster at late hours. Finally after he told everyone else in the hood to f off a couple folks I know went by at 4 something a m and gave his bike a radical deal tuning with base ball bats.
respect gets respect.
loud pipes mean more power my harly friend's tell me I have loss power in loud pipes and change power were
I wanted more power being a little loud is OK
I leave mine stock. The main reason is I like to ride fast, and noise is what gets the public dialing law enforcement. Today's bikes are so quite, you can cruise down a country road at speed and somebody walking to their mailbox won't even look up. It is the same reason I like to ride very powerful bikes like my R1. They can make speed while the engine is still just modestly working, minimizing noise and again keeping the law away.
A R6 with an obnoxious pipe doing 70 MPH is more likely to get the Sheriff called than a R1 with a stock pipe doing 90 MPH.
I think needless noise in traffic just throws drivers into anxiety and confusion where they are likely to abruptly overreact.
Financially speaking, you are way better off buying a faster bike that throwing money away on mods to try to make a slower bike faster. Not to mention potential warranty claim issues, loss of resale/trade value, and a possible reduction in reliability/longevity.
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