Amen. Saw what was left of a young lady 40+ years ago on the old two lane between La Cresta and El Cajon. She was a passenger on a metric. They passed us westbound. Flip flops, halter, shorts and a helmet. They weny down a ways ahead and all I remember was thinking, I never knew bones could stick out in so many places. Never want to see it again.

 

I love everyone's input on this, and I never ever said or would say what you should wear. When I leave Canada and get to the Maine border my helmet comes off, I love riding without it and don't want to be judged, my choice. i also love my somewhat loud pipes.
My point is why use the Safety angle all the time to justify them
MAN Up

You (we) have loud pipes because you (we) freakin LOVE them and don't give a rat's A** if they have any safety value or not.

 

For those who spout "No they don't save lives" I'm curious, how did you come to realize this? Or, is it just ESP?

You can have quiet pipes, neon LED lit bikes and clothing, add 1000 lights to your scoot, the list goes on and on. However, if you really want the ultimate bike safety preaching, then follow this "Don't ride a MC". Tadaaaaa

 

I don't need to justify my choices to anyone and don't feel the need to change someone els's point of view on this or most other subjects.

 

I really don't care if people change their exhaust, wear whatever, and do whatever unless it is too me. My opinion is that loud pipes might save lives, dumb asses die every day along with smart people--flip flops will not save feet,---- and fat women don't look good in spandex. Easy to tell it is winter.

 

By virtue of the fact that said loud pipes keep clueless cagers from running over me because "I didn't see him", and the fact that the only times I've ever come close to going down (with the exception of one time, which I didn't go down anyway) were because of them not seeing me but then HEARING me at the last second, the other super-silly protection gear like "bike bumpers" and "bike roll-cages" becomes unnecessary.

 

We call them squids for a reason

 

Just like everyone else on here, I think people get loud pipes because they sound cool, and I agree, they are much better than stock pipes that are quiter than a civic. As far as the T-shirt and flip flops, I'm guilty of the t-shirt and occassionally not wearing a helmet (would probably violate that one more often if I wasn't in Georgia with a helmet law) But the way I see it, in the end to each his own. I don't care how someone rides, it's their life and choice. Isn't that what riding is all about anyway, freedom?

 

Like I said before, it all contributes. Loud pipes do save lives, but not as much as some claim and more than others. It all comes back full circle to the idea, if you want them just for the sound, OK... be honest. To think that loud pipes is the only required safety measure to survive riding, I don't think so. I won't preach. I'm pretty sure just about everyone here cuts a safety corner or two, be it a helmet issue, armor issue, leather issue, loud pipes issue or even riding style, each person has to decide for themself what it takes to stay safe and alive. We're each responsible for what we do and how we do it. I like to tell people whenever there's two or more opinions or stories on something, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle...

 

I wear Crocs, wouldn't want to snag a toe-nail on my shifter.