So, if I blow a horn, and you're standing behind me..., you won't be able to hear it?!?

When riding in groups, I can hear my buddies exaust systems (if they are not stock) when they are riding behind me. Lots of cagers drive with the window down, so the effect is the same on awareness.

Nice try officer, I guess you don't ride much.

 

to be honest yes. but to some drivers you could be running straight pipes have the brightest clothes . and they just dont see you or you cuzz they are to busy talking on a cell phone or having there music up to loud or just planned stupid. or all of the above.

 

I suppose riding down the street reving one's engine every few seconds would work... but I prefer paying attention
I know I'm just a young punk...(57 years),
with zero experience (riding since 1973 and that's every year since)
who doesn't ride much (25-30k a year)....

I have no qualms with loud pipies, but they can ride behind me, as I don't want to listen to all that noise for 12 hours

 

That kind of talk and the name calling is totally uncalled for.

You're a newbie here and imho you made yourself look pretty ugly with your superior attitude and name calling. Some of it was refuting what I said so I take it personally.

I posted early in this thread (top) about being in heavy traffic with cars close all around. Bullies will try to intimidate a bike sometimes, and sometimes they just don't see you. When you get enough miles under your belt it will happen sooner or later.

I agree that pipes won't help with someone who makes a left turn in front of you or who runs a light or stop sign, etc.

However, sometimes in heavy, multi-lane traffic you can get stuck in someone's blind spot for a few moments. You have no choice because of the actions of other drivers.

If you're all traveling in the same direction and in close proximity, a couple of throttle blips will get the attention of those next to you. I've experienced that many times as they start rubber-necking to find where I am.

Obviously I can't convince you, so do what you want. Just don't tell me what to do in the manner and tone you've chosen because I've had enough experience to know that you don't know what you're talking about.

And btw this post isn't for my benefit. It's for those who might listen to you and lose an advantage.

JB

 

I recently removed my rush slipons and re-installed my stock Harley pipes. Now, it seems like people park in the lane next to me matching my speed everywhere that I go. I don't think that loud pipes are safer, but I know that they annoy people and that helps keep them away from me.
I use loud pipes because I like the way that they sound. But it was like getting a thousand dollar stereo upgrade when I took them off. Now I'm looking for the biggest baddest locomotive style airhorn that I can mount on my bike.

 

Thank you for calling my experience B S. Thank you for calling me MACHO. Thank you for adding to the opinion many on here have of a minority of those in the LEO profession.

If you'd really read this thread from the beginning, you'd see that all of your points are irrelevant and that most agree that pipes won't clear the road ahead. Most of us were talking about cars that are right around us, going in the same direction.

I can in fact get the attention of those folks with a couple of throttle blips. I do that at the first sign that they aren't paying attention and it works.

I don't have to run overly loud pipes either. Our Harleys all have either V&H or SE pipes with baffles.

JB

 

My $.02 is yes, absolutely. If I see people's heads turn towards me when I'm within a reasonable proximity of their cage without the use of my horn, I know I've got their attention well ahead of any potential hazard. Granted, what they do after they've realized I'm there is another thing & is what concerns my wife more than anything else, but so far it's played in my favor.

 

Hey, I'm all for the air horn idea and I've been thinking about getting them for our bikes. I'm talking about the real air horn that has a compressor with it. It will sound like an 18 wheeler. They do in fact make those for motorcycles.

That will be a lot louder than a reasonable set of aftermarket pipes and will project better in front of you. It will also be intimidating, which sometimes will come in real handy when cagers think they can bully a biker out of their way. Hey, let's let them freeze in their lane and get busy trying to find that illusive 18 wheeler that they just heard.

Let's just not kid ourselves into thinking that this is a less obnoxious (to some people) noise solution to the topic in this thread. Also I don't think people stayed away from your Rush pipes because they were annoyed. I think it increased awareness. If we want to avoid annoying, let's forget the air horn. Fwiw, I'd rather annoy someone and stay alive than to get run over.

After years of having cagers act like I don't have the same right-of-way rights that they have, I'm up for any good solution.

Those air horns are badazz. I'll be sure to mount mine on the bikes ahead of my ears.

 

I LIKE the way MY pipes sound. YES, they do alert other drivers. ALL you holier then thou,self righteous,know it all,politically correct weekend warriors seem like you DON'T know what you are talking about. Get out there and ride some more. Self-justifying yourselves for having quiet,stock pipes. (when I think you'd really rather have loud pipes but you don't want to "offend" your nieghbors). If loud pipes do nothing for safety, then why are cops in Ca. starting to put louder pipes on their bikes? I KNOW FOR A FACT that loud pipes have saved my *** on more then a few occassions. You are just ignorant if you think they don't help. MidnitEvil....You need to lighten the hell up. Drop the attitude dude. Yer wrong...and I think you know that.

 

I personally think that we should be able to carry pump action shot guns... sort of level the playing field a bit... I've been bullied by cagers on many occassions and I'll just bet you that all I would have to do is pull out the shot gun and I would gain instant respect. I'll trade in my pipes for the shotgun... fair is fair.
On second thought... a 44 Auto Mag would be more practical... that way, when they are tailgaiting you, you could pop one through the engine block.
EDIT: And a new law should be passed stating that any cager that bullies a bike is open game.
If you attack us with a 2000 lb weapon, we should be legally able to defend ourselves with due force.