There is a serious part of me that thinks all of this is being drummed up by Harley themselves because they are restricted by the EPA therefore are losing a lot of potential Moto dollars of their customers to other companies doing true after market pipes and enhanced stage 1 upgrades. Remember slip ons from SE are not real pipes that enhance performance.

If they can they would love to have their customers use that $1200 buying more bike or their upgrade products for other non-exhaust upgrades. HD cannot do the "non EPA Compliant" exhaust although the dealers can. Even so that leaves HD corporate out int eh cold on a large part of the aftermarket dollar.

Is this possible? I live in an area with one of the highest densities of bikes there is out there and I simply do not hear a giant outrage around here. Of course I do not have to deal with as many of the more insular self absorbed citizens of the West Coast and North East.

I swear the dang lawn mowers int eh neighborhood are a bigger nusance than teh multiple HD's in the hood and trains are a bigger sound problem than any bikes at our Church on Sunday.

 

If I am forced to put my stock pipes back on, I am trading my Fatboy in for a Honda.[:@]Well, maybe not. I would call Kavorkian before doing that.

 

It's music to my ears!

 

Its the typical mountain out of a molehill we see so much these days. When it comes down to it most of the "facts" about sound relate to PROLONGED exposure like in a woork place. When a bike runs through a neighborhood, how long do you hear the sound at its loudest? Two or as many as 5 seconds? That is not going to have any ill effects, anymore than the Peterbilt, a horn, a chainsaw running next door or whatever.

 

I sometimes wonder about that too. When you talk with dealers in my area(LA, MS, AL) they will continue to put on exhaust they just won't be SE. They tampering law has been in effect since 1979. So far nobody is enforcing the laws down here. I myself will never run stock pipes. I have not for 25 years and never will. I am fixing to cut my yard soon as the dew drys. I will spend 2 hours on a lawnmower. Talk about noise. If a bike goes by the sound is gone in 5 seconds. The noise police are getiing like the smoke police, animal rights and every bunch of nuts. They want all or nothing. It's time for bikers, riders and motorcyclist every where to take a stand like the NRA has and start electing officials that will protect our freedoms.

 

so much talk on this i don't know where to begin, i have vance and hines big radius on my bike, and wouldn't have it any other way!!!

they sound and look great! i do belive in courtesy, don't go hard around your house or neighbours, or when you are late getting home, if we all take this attititude we will be ok!! at least around my part of the world.

[IMG]local://upfiles/10444/18AD6FF8F0604344B6591C99E4511258.jpg[/IMG]

 

Thos pipes sure look bad *** on your night train.

 

great read ... thanks for that

 

As a new Harley owner (love the way thats sounds) but a long time rider I have watched a very similar scenario take place in gun community. It all began in the 30s and really took root in the 60s and now every election I loose a little more freedom of what gun I can own, where I can shoot it, how much taxes are going to be raised, do I need to reg ister myself, do I need to register the gun, where can I transport it, where can't I. The list goes on and on. The real problem was the gun owners. They never understood, and many still don't that we are a minority (as are HD riders) and public perception drives the governmental policy and directly impacts our passions (riding and in my case sport shooting). By the way I am not some redneck, hillbilly who buys into concpiracy theories and worries about Big Brother. I am a well educated male who is a minister in liberal Seattle. If they gun owners would have united and fought back earlier much might be different. However, what really took place is that the rifle shooters did not care what laws were passed against the pistol shooters or shotgunners, you get the picture. The gun community was fragmented and they let the "enemy" gain a foothold and we spend tens of millions each years fighting this today. Rather than criticize one another we should unite. Simply put there are guys who's bikes are too loud -- is that there right, YES. Is it the best things to do, NO. Rather that seeing the MoCo as some enemy who sells us out, it would do well to remember it is the MoCo that produces what we love and enjoy. They are fighting for their life in many ways and seeing them as "another enemy" is only helping those who would take away our sounds and our bikes. I hate it when I hear one of the gangbanger types with the bass turned up so loud that my car vibrates 100 feet away. I wish someone would enforce the sound laws and make them turn it down so I don't have to suffer through the noise and what they call music. Yet, it is their right. I might be happier if there was some common sense and they turned down their music to a better volume that I could only feel 33 feet away. I also wish it did not have to be a civil ordinance with the threat of a fine. Just politeness for those around. I want my stock pipes re placed with something louder, but not so that they can hear me 500 yards away -- that would be imposing (IMHO). Live and let live, but don't abuse my tolerance and I won't abuse yours.

 

Enthusiasts can either change voluntarily, or have the legislators instigate change for us. I love the sound of my V&H BSS, but I have decided to run the standard baffles and leave it at that. I was thinking about the thunder baffle upgrade, but was worried about volume and being too obnoxious. I love the sound, but I recognize that not everyone will share my enthusiasm for the H-D rumble. I just hope we don't end up seeing legislation put into place, as I would hate to be fined for doing something I enjoy. The next couple of years are going to be interesting, particularly in Florida. We'll see what becomes of it all...