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#1 |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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Could a louder pipe potentially save my life?
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. ![]() |
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#2 |
Do you like gladiator movies?
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: SoCal
Posts: 20,842
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<-- commuting in Los Angeles traffic for many, many years. IMO no.
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#3 |
Working away
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Marion IA
Posts: 9,834
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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.
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#4 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: N-W Florida
Posts: 787
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Quote:
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.
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blue 2003 FZ1, Ivan stage 1 jet kit, double bubble Puig blue windshield, 55W HID headlights |
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#5 | |
Just enjoy the machine....
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Buford, GA
Posts: 4,910
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Quote:
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-'03 FZ1- "Xena"- Custom Orange/Red paint- FuzzyOne mirror mod- SW Motech QR racks- Givi E460 top- E21 side cases- SS brake lines - Scorpion slip-on- R6 shock- Throttlemeisters- Sargent seat- R1 shift arm- Custom sprocket cover- Cheap ass battery- Extended passenger pegs - Gauge of Eternal Coolness - Valtermoto Rearsets - HIDs - |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Central PA
Posts: 2,802
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Nope. Just a shirt "those guys" like to wear.
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#7 |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2014
Location: 979 TX
Posts: 775
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#9 |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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So three of you are saying exhaust volume don't mean squat haha.
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Hall County Ga.
Posts: 594
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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. |
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#11 | |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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Quote:
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. Last edited by Blake0116; 05-18-2017 at 01:43 PM. Reason: cuz i wanted to! |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2014
Location: 979 TX
Posts: 775
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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.
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#13 | |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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#14 |
Now where did that come from?
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Milpitas, CA
Posts: 5,031
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I most cases I can't hear loud bikes until they are right next to my car. That's a bit late for safety.
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Loosenut A.K.A. Mike YouTube channel - Loosenut FZ1 2007 Yamaha FZ1 2005 GasGas EC300 (with plate), 2004 GasGas Pampera 280 (hers) |
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#15 |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Merced, CA
Posts: 3,805
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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...
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CMSP/MTC and Total Control IRC and ARC instructor and MSF Ridercoach 2014 FZ-09: Traxxion Dynamics AT20 fork cartridges, Penske rear shock, R1/R6 MC, SSL lines, custom tail, raised Sargeant seat, T-rex frame sliders and case protectors, ThrottleMeister handlebar end weights, G2 Throttle tamer, ECU reflashed by Ivan, custom tank protectors, new mirrors with turnsignals built-in, ErMax 25cm flyscreen and ErMax radiator shrouds. http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=130119 Last edited by motomania; 05-18-2017 at 03:35 PM. Reason: corrected some typos... |
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#17 | |
Lets Ride
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 48
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 186
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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.
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: wyoming, mi
Posts: 364
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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.
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Central PA
Posts: 2,802
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Always liked this shirt
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