Could a louder pipe potentially save my life?

[Blake0116]

I just recently acquired my second 1st gen FZ1. So far I have been enjoying the heck out of it and I planned to leave everything mostly stock.

Yesterday I rode the bike down to my local Walmart to pick up a couple of things. I pulled my bike into the parking lot and parked in one of the motorcycle specific spots.

A guy pulls his compact car in several spaces away from me. As he gets out of his vehicle and I'm removing my helmet he engages in conversation with me and this is what was said -

"Hey man that's a really nice bike but you've gotta change out that exhaust, it's way too quiet. I was driving next to you and I couldn't even hear your bike unless i turned my radio all the way down." I then proceeded to tell him "Oh really?" He says "Yeah man, that quiet exhaust could get you killed out here man, people don't pay attention for shit around here." I then said "Well, I'm not a big fan of obnoxiously loud exhaust systems. I hate it when some of these guys just cut their exhaust and run a straight pipe it's loud enough to make your ears bleed." He then says "Oh yeah those guys are just assholes, you don't need to do anything ridiculous like that just get something that actually makes some noise while you're riding."

I asked the guy if he was a rider himself he replied "No, just trying to look out for somebody who obviously enjoys riding his bike but wants to do it safely."

I assume he said this because I was wearing my helmet, jacket, gloves, and long pants. Which it is actually getting pretty rare to see people even wearing a helmet around here anymore.

With that being said, what is you guys opinion? Was the guy being nice but a bit over the top about how *quiet* the bike was or is it really too quiet?

I live really close to Tampa, FL. Motorcyclists get killed all of the time over here, so I am giving this some serious analysis to find out if I should get an aftermarket slip-on that allows her to purr a bit more.

Sorry for the long post if you even made it this far lol.

[gotfz1]

<-- commuting in Los Angeles traffic for many, many years. IMO no.

[bradd]

Based on the number of people in traffic that didn't pull over on my trip home yesterday for an ambulance with siren on and honking its air horn I am of the opinion that more noise will not get the average dumbass drivers attention.

[didier9]

Originally Posted by bradd

Based on the number of people in traffic that didn't pull over on my trip home yesterday for an ambulance with siren on and honking its air horn I am of the opinion that more noise will not get the average dumbass drivers attention.

I have observed, but maybe it's just me, that it's very hard to tell what direction the noise is coming from, and being a rider I am probably more interested in knowing which direction it comes from than the average cater.
Beside most of the noise goes toward people behind me, and I am not nearly as concerned about those than those in front of me or coming from a side road.

I think bright lights arranged in a way that makes the bike look wider than it is associated with bright clothing probably are more effective than noise.

[iluvmyfz1]

Originally Posted by didier9

I have observed, but maybe it's just me, that it's very hard to tell what direction the noise is coming from, and being a rider I am probably more interested in knowing which direction it comes from than the average cater.
Beside most of the noise goes toward people behind me, and I am not nearly as concerned about those than those in front of me or coming from a side road.

I think bright lights arranged in a way that makes the bike look wider than it is associated with bright clothing probably are more effective than noise.

I'll mention my idea again, holographic projector for the bike so you appear from all anglesa as a blaze orange 9 yard dump truck. Technology, where are ya?

[fermic37]

Nope. Just a shirt "those guys" like to wear.

[Blake0116]

Originally Posted by fermic37

Nope. Just a shirt "those guys" like to wear.

So loud exhaust = squid?

[ZX-Dominance]

Originally Posted by Blake0116

So loud exhaust = squid?

"those" = harley riders (whoops)

[Blake0116]

So three of you are saying exhaust volume don't mean squat haha.

[_Will_]

Use to ride in Tampa traffic all the time, originally with a stock exhaust on my FZR600 and then a D&D that would make my apartment feel like it had reverb if I ran it pointed at a the door. I never saw a difference in the way I was treated and most people aren't great with sound anyway and freely damage their hearing without concern.


Maybe it's a FL thing, I once had an elderly woman walk up to me at the CVS at the corner of Fowler and 56th and told me real men wear helmets before patting my Shoei and walking off.

[Blake0116]

Originally Posted by _Will_

Use to ride in Tampa traffic all the time, originally with a stock exhaust on my FZR600 and then a D&D that would make my apartment feel like it had reverb if I ran it pointed at a the door. I never saw a difference in the way I was treated and most people aren't great with sound anyway and freely damage their hearing without concern.


Maybe it's a FL thing, I once had an elderly woman walk up to me at the CVS at the corner of Fowler and 56th and told me real men wear helmets before patting my Shoei and walking off.

Now that is hilarious!

And I am definitely not looking to alert the local media every time I fire the bike up. I am also currently living in an apartment complex, so I will probably steer clear of the D&D if I do decide to change the can. The consensus seems to be that the D&D is too loud for most.

[ZX-Dominance]

No.

But a Nautilus Airhorn or the like can and will.

Ive had SO MANY wonderful experiences watching cagers swerve away from me, after they started that typical "I'm-changing-into-your-lane-without-looking" maneuver and got hit with what sounds like a train 4feet from their window.

Tapping it for a quick "hey buddy dont you pull out of that parking lot" works well too.


aaaaaaaand it's really good for shaming and trolling/enraging anyone that decides to roll their window down and give you a piece of their mind. Nothing shuts people up like having every car in 1/4 mile radius looking at them as the anonymous motorcyclist wailing the horn points to them to let everyone know why the horn is on.

[Blake0116]

Originally Posted by ZX-Dominance

No.

But a Nautilus Airhorn or the like can and will.

Ive had SO MANY wonderful experiences watching cagers swerve away from me, after they started that typical "I'm-changing-into-your-lane-without-looking" maneuver and got hit with what sounds like a train 4feet from their window.

Tapping it for a quick "hey buddy dont you pull out of that parking lot" works well too.


aaaaaaaand it's really good for shaming and trolling/enraging anyone that decides to roll their window down and give you a piece of their mind. Nothing shuts people up like having every car in 1/4 mile radius looking at them as the anonymous motorcyclist wailing the horn points to them to let everyone know why the horn is on.

Hmmm. I like this idea. The stock FZ horn is weak.

[loosenut]

I most cases I can't hear loud bikes until they are right next to my car. That's a bit late for safety.

[Blake0116]

Originally Posted by loosenut

I most cases I can't hear loud bikes until they are right next to my car. That's a bit late for safety.

Fair enough.

[motomania]

Think about this for a second (or two):

1) How many people notice or even care about car alarms
2) How many people pay any attention to all the lights and sirens of police, fire trucks and ambulances?
3) Notice the complex mix of sounds and pitches in sirens
4) Notice how the outlet of the sires are directed forward and up high

There is a TON of science built into making sirens the best possible way to get driver's attention.

And yet, the vast majority of drivers STILL don't hear them OR give them the right of way OR, in general, respond to them in the correct way.

Why on earth would you, even possibly for 1/2 a second, think your motorcycle exhaust, which is aimed low and behind you, would even remotely get a useful response from the, at best, ambivalent drivers out there?

You can't be that dull in thinking as you can type...

[Blake0116]

Originally Posted by motomania

Think about this for a second (or two):

1) How many people notice care about car alarms
2) How many people pay any attention to all the lights and sirens of police, fire trucks and ambulances?
3) Notice the complex mix of sounds and pitches in sirens
4) Notice how the outlet of the sires are directed forward and up high

There is a TON of science built into making sirens the best possible way to get driver's attention.

And yet, the vast majority of drivers STILL don't hear them, give them the right of way, in general respond to them in the correct way.

Why on earth you you even possibly for 1/2 a second, think your motorcycle exhaust, which is aimed low and behind you, would even remotely get a useful response from the at best ambivalent drivers out there?

You can't be that dull in thinking as you can type...

You are right! Thanks for clearing that up bud!

[aeg]

After observing a driver crossing path of the big red fire truck with lights and sirens blasting at full volume (on two separate occurrences) I conclude that the only life saving device is inside your helmet. The best part is one can constantly improve its performance.

[dschult2]

Loud pipes aren't safer. The only people that will really hear you are the ones most likely to not hit you, meaning the people behind you.

[fermic37]

Always liked this shirt