So limiting emissions also suppresses too much energy in the exhaust?

 

Can someone please explain to me where people have lost sight of one thing... The government works for us, we don't work for them!!! Obama also seems to not get this either. When people stop complaining and start standing up, only then will things change.

 

I would imagine that the limiting emmisions would in turn reduce the amount of fuel into the inlet and then into the cylinder? I don't think that the noise issue is about making horse power though? If it flows too good it sucks some of the fuel charge out of the engine and reduces power but, having some back pressure keeps that fuel charge in there where it can make the most noise and hence power.

A "sleeper" is much more fun to me than a machine that makes a lot of racket and then maybe tips it's hand? Noise doesn't mean fast on the street it just means noise.

Society may not put up with it forever and they can continue to shut down areas to motorcycles.
Baggs

 

I've never cared much for exhaust systems with predominantly firecracker explosion sounds (straight pipes). I much prefer a deep throaty rumble.

 

I agree Nirvana. my son has a set of Reinharts on his and it sounds good. I rode that Street Glide from our home to Billings for a service interval and the pipe swap and then back home. Of course it rained on me most of the 250 miles home, and between the wind and rain coming over the short little wind shield and the sound of the pipes, that great stereo was useless. I've had mine on the slab and at 80 with stock exhaust I can hear the juke box just fine. Need to plug in the ipod and see how it does.

Baggs

 

then don't ride next to them...simple fix.

84 dbs... stock bikes won't pass that rediculously low level...unless it's an electric scooter.

whatever the local city busses run at is what they should look at for a reasonable level. the bikes pass just as quickly as a bus...you hear them then they're gone...that sounds fair to me.

 

I'm not sure where you made the giant logical jump to that conclusion from what I said.

First, you need to remember that the EPA has seperate standards for both emissions AND noise. They can be related, but for the most part the EPA is doing their best to strangle motor cycle companies from both ends...forcing engines to run on the bleeding edge of detonation for emissions standards, and forcing crazy restrictive exhaust setups for the dB standards.

My point is that the current harley engine design has to retain certain rather old engine characteristics in order to retain the "harley effect" on how the engine sounds and performs. This gives HD a unique challenge that the Japanese manufacturers don't even try to meet, which is why for the same displacement and engine layout (the Yamaha Warrior is a good example), they make a lot more power in stock form. Rather than chase after an engine aesthetic, they focus on power, reliability, and add modern design touches that meet EPA standards...but the downside is that they really don't sound very good at all, both at idle and at WOT.

However, I had a warrior and while it sounds pretty good, it doesn't sound nearly as awesome as even the 883 engine in my Iron.

Japan has done a great job with their metric cruisers, but the engines sound like cheap toys compared to most Harleys. I should know, I owned for many years, what I consider to be the most badass metric power cruiser on the market.

 

i like quiet pipes. the engine is music to my ears not the exhaust. i can also hear if anything sounds unusual. i would never tell someone else what is best for them. how the hell would i know anyway?

when i pulled into my driveway with my new bike i saw my neighbors eyes widen. they are foster parents and have sick children living there all the time. i love my neighbors and plan on keeping my relationship with them in good standing. we help each other out a lot and depend on that trust to lead happy lives. i think it would be very disrespectful of me to have a loud bike so i plan on keeping the stock exhaust in place. this is how i roll...what works for me might not work for you, hence i am not against loud pipes at all and would NEVER support legislation against them.

i have a neighbor in back of me that has a softail and he runs straight pipes as well as all his friends who visit his house. they like doing burn outs at 2 am sometimes, but for the most part you wouldn't even know he was there. i have no problem with him and get a long with him. i do not hang out with him at all. keep in mind i am single and have no kids who live with me. my neighbors despise him because he wakes them and their entire household up quite a bit. i am not home often and could sleep through a 747 crashing into my back porch. they are not the kind of people to call the cops (just like me). my neighbor and i went down a few weeks ago and spoke to him about the noise and he was very nice about it and apologized to my neighbor and promised him in the coming weeks it would improve. it is amazing what humans can accomplish by simply talking to each other rather than getting the damn police involved in things and i'm sure the police would rather it be that way also.

food for thought...

 

woops

 

For those of you worried about legislation restricting loud pipes I have a question. Do you really believe that the asshats trying to pass these laws will stop after my loud pipes are changed to stock? It's not going to happen. They want you off your bike and they will keep chipping away at motorcycles until they are banned.