HD finally admits that Loud Pipes cost...

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SouthernCruizer

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Harley-Davidson Tries To Quiet Motorcycle Noise - Loud Pipes' Cost

By Art Friedman

In a message entitled "Something We Never Want to Lose" on his company's website, Harley-Davidson Motor Company President and CEO Jim McCaslin tackles the issue of motorcycle noise and the increasing backlash motorcycling is experiencing as the result of loud pipes. Citing a four-fold increase in negative media coverage during the last decade, bans on motorcycles in some communities, attempts to curtail major motorcycle events, anti-tamper legislation, and other limitations of freedom for motorcyclists as the result of complaints about loud pipes, McCaslin says, "We all, every Hog lovin' one of us, must do everything we can to protect our sport and keep it as strong as it is today."

In other words, it's time to pipe down.

This is the second stage of Harley-Davidson's campaign against loud exhaust pipes. Its initial effort last year was directed at and through dealers, with posters and literature that attempted to educate dealers and riders about the negative consequences of loud pipes. Harley-Davidson spokesman Paul James also told Motorcycle Cruiser that during the next few months Harley will cease shipments to dealers of racing exhaust systems that can be fitted to street models. We could no longer find any racing exhaust systems listed on the company's accessory website. However, Harley-Davidson still offers dozens of accessory exhaust systems that are street-legal (and therefore acceptably quiet), including for use in California.

Industry concern over the problem of loud exhaust pipes is nothing new. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has long warned riders that attitudes shaped by complaints about loud pipes frequently compromise the AMA's efforts to battle anti-motorcycling legislation and regulation. That same concern was echoed by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation a few years ago when it adopted the AMA's stance against loud pipes. The Motorcycle Industry Council has conducted anti-noise campaigns for over 30 years.

These days, the loud motorcycle you hear roaring past is likely to be a modified Harley-Davidson. This is somewhat ironic because Harley was among the first motorcycle makers to tackle exhaust noise a century ago. In the early days of internal-combustion vehicles, many vehicles were annoyingly loud as delivered, but the threat of anti-motor-vehicle legislation soon had automakers fitting mufflers to their vehicles. As McCaslin's message points out, quieting motorcycle exhaust pipes posed greater difficulties because there is no room for a bulky muffler on a bike. However, Harley engineered an effective silencer, and the resulting bike became known as The Silent Gray fellow. Its relative quiet contributed to its reputation as an elegant, advanced machine and helped distinguish Harley-Davidson Motor Company from dozens of rival American motorcycle makers.

Changing to an aftermarket exhaust system has become almost a knee-jerk reaction for many cruiser buyers. However, unless labeled as meeting federal and state standards, all of these exhaust systems are illegal and virtually all are illegally loud. There are exceptions, such as systems offered by Harley that meet requirements for all 50 states or all states except California. Exhaust pipes are changed for a variety of reasons. One is the search for performance improvements, although, as McCaslin and the AMA point out, not all deliver--and some increase power in a portion of the power band while reducing it in others. Some motorcycle owners change exhaust pipes to personalize the appearance. And many who modify their bikes' exhaust systems simply want the noise, often for vanity's sake. Some motorcyclists profess to believe that "loud pipes save lives," although research tends to contradict that popular axiom. (Few of those who say they want exhaust noise for safety's sake use other means--such as brightly colored apparel--which have been proven effective.)

Harley-Davidson's current stance actually puts it on the cutting edge of corporate responsibility regarding exhaust-noise. It is the only company that has both taken an anti-noise stance and offers street-legal accessory exhaust systems as an alternative to loud aftermarket pipes. Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki have never offered nor endorsed accessory systems for their cruisers. Both Victory and Yamaha offer exhaust systems that are not illegally loud as "racing" modifications, though no effort is made to qualify customers by asking for racing credentials. You have to find and click on footnote notices on their sites to learn that that the systems are not legal for the street, and the disclaimer page on Yamaha's site was not working when we visited. Neither company offers legal accessory exhausts. We also asked Yamaha if it had any plans to follow Harley-Davidson's lead on this issue, but we had received no reply to our email a few days later.

As the leader in the cruiser market, Harley's public stance on loud exhaust pipes may finally signal a turning point for an issue that continues to put motorcyclists in a very bad light and prompts increasing calls for restrictions on motorcycles and motorcyclists. Though some riders will try to contend that their noise doesn't really bother anybody, that they have some sort of right to annoy everyone they ride past, or that their noise protects them, such arguments have to sound increasingly hollow when the biggest cruiser-motorcycle maker points out that they are actually risking all motorcyclists' freedoms and asks them to "think about the consequences our actions have on others, before others take action against us."

Harley-Davidson is not simply speaking out about the problems that illegal loud pipes cause for the entire motorcycling community. The Motor Company also offers street-legal accessory exhausts systems and exhaust components for its various motorcycle model families. An alternative to universally loud aftermarket exhausts, the Harley accessory pipes, such as the these 50-state-legal slip-ons for Dyna models, provide a legal option for riders who want to customize.

Read more: https://motorcyclecruiser.automotive.com/64615/0602-crup-harley-davidson-motorcycle-noise/index.html#ixzz1T8SZIPOZ

 
Well it's about damn time! It's good to see HD officially say NO. I hope it pays off for them AND us.

HD owners should enjoy their new Remus exhaust. They are the most Harley-ish thing I've ever spent my hard-earned dollar purchasing.

 
Agree that this is long overdue. Good on the HD President and CEO to take this position. The "writing is on the wall". The industry needs to take a strong united position on this soon..... or the general public will continue to take a stronger stand via sound by-laws, motorcycle bans etc. Self regulation is preferred to forced regulation.

WARNING>>>>PERSONAL RANT STARTS..

My own personnal opinion is that I am sick of the nuisance of loud pipes. I find beauty in all bikes but recently I have begun to simply roll my eyes when I see, then hear, a "Harley" with straight pipes (granted they are not always Harleys or cruisers but I would be a rich man betting money that most are...). Guilty friends are quick to point out that "loud pipes save lives.....". Give me a break.... :blink: ... No point in even discussing the scientific rationale for why this makes no sense.... Regardless...like the article says I see the same rider rarely subscribe to ATGATT principal, or wearing hi viz to be seen. To be "cool" and "feel badass" the same persons with loud pipes rarely wears a helmet or when mandated to do so rarely wear a helmet worth wearing... Yes, I am sterotyping and yes I am being highly judgemental but to be honest I am just personnally tired of stupid loud noise. (Real life example: Last week in the downtown of our small "tourist" town, I was talking to a buddy on the sidewalk. One "loud" bike passes and we both have to stop talking as it was impossible to communicate... shortly after, another of his buddies passes...and then another.... by the 4th bike I was ready to throw something at the riders as it was so unbearable.... and I am a life long rider......ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

END OF PERSONAL RANT.

 
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I agree with Perry on this one 100%. I live about 200 feet, as the crow flys, from the Busiest intersection in Sudbury. The trucks are bad enough, but it's those 2am straight piped ********... and their are LOT of them. Despite stepped up enforcement for the last few years locally for noise violations it seems to have made no difference at all.

 
It's a proven fact that excessive noise fatigues the body. Maybe that's why the HD riders I know can't ride for more than a couple of hours. I hate being behind one as it makes me more tired!

 
Man, I'm have a near soap box moment about this topic. I live on the only access road to a lake and my driveway is situated to be just right wrong so it is where everyone stops before pulling out onto the main road. The cruiser style bikes sit and I believe wind up the engine by repeatedly by twisting the throttle until there is enough power to make it to the next light. During the day it pisses me off that all conversation has to come to a stop until the bike pulls away. At 3:00 am I go looking for the shotgun, nobody will hear it over the pipes. To be fair, there are a couple of sport bikes and dirt bikes that aren't any better.

From a traditional high performance hot rod standpoint noise = power. You don't ever have to question that a loud bike is a fast bike and it keeps me from ever telling a Loud Pipe rider that my FJR is in fact quicker AND faster so it must be true ;)

My sister-in-law is a Louder is Better, Harley only person. I have had The Loud Pipe discussion with her many times and I can say that neither one of us have moved an inch on the issue. Beyond any doubt she won't ride on a quite bike unless absolutely necessary. I have a pretty good idea of how heart felt and sincere some of the

are about needing their noise and I'm sure this is going to physically hurt some and others simply will get towed rather than give up the noise.
 
Like some others, I'm fed up with the ****. Not Harleys, or cruisers, or choppers. Just the **** with the loud ass straight pipes.

I live 3 houses away from a 4-way stop sign in a purely residential neighborhood. It's over a 1/4 mile to the nearest main road, which is just the 35 mph road through our sleepy rural town. We can't sit out on our deck on a summer evening for more than 5 minutes without hearing some ass-hat with straight pipes goosing it, either at the stop signs or down main street.

I'm thinking that this NEW position by HD will not curtail the use of straight pipes one bit. These 1 per-centers (ha!) get big wood over the idea that the are being bad-ass outlaws. Why else would they dress up like pirates? The fact that Hardley Ableson has (finally) come out and told them they were wrong all along is not going to change their minds. It may even fortify their desire. HD is their Dad and now they can go against Dad's wishes too.

The only thing that will change this stupidity is if they start handing out BIG tickets for loudness. Sound levels aren't rocket science. You hold a meter up and twist the throttle. If it fails - BAM - give 'em a $100 ticket. The next time it's $200. The time after that impound the bike and let 'em walk. They can get the bike back for $5 Benjies.

The laws are already in the books. We don't need new, stricter, or more of laws. Just enforce the ones we already have.

BTW - SPL meters are a whole lot cheaper than radar guns. What police department can't seem to afford to have radar guns?

 
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Yup!

Fred hit the nail on the head.....nothing will change until the penalties are enforced.

Once a couple of Police Departments find how much revenue they can raise and how much quieter it will be for their citizens....watch how quickly everyone reverts to OEM.

 
Around here I don't see the enforcement picking up, even with a new law passed last year that effectively bans almost all aftermarket exhaust in the PRC. Too many police officers are Harley riders with loud pipes.

 
non of us here ever break any laws or do any thing to up set some one else. I get a little sick of the Harley bashing. Lets see a show of hands of all the people who go the posted speed in the twisties.

 
non of us here ever break any laws or do any thing to up set some one else. I get a little sick of the Harley bashing. Lets see a show of hands of all the people who go the posted speed in the twisties.
On topic, lets see a show of hand for all the FJR rider that stop conversion on the street, in homes and disturbs patrons in businesses with their excessively loud exhaust and then exacerbates the situation by revving the engine. How many little kids cover their ears when they see an owner about to start their motorcycle? How often does the public have to pause what they are doing at the beach while the engine revving 'saves lives' gang rides by? This is about any bike rider, regardless of brand (even though there is a trend...) that overcomes the rights of citizens to some expectancy of compliance to noise laws. The laws that had to be implemented because some people made it necessary.

 
Interesting thread....noone has yet talked about how many lives have been saved by one having loud pipes....

interesting.

 
I had the displeasure of following what looked like one of the original natives of the tribe of Harley down the freeway the other day. Usually safe from most sound in the confines of my cage, I suffered greatly. Not only do many of their tribe: 1) put on the obnoxiously loud pipes, 2) blip the throttle for no known reason to man, but also 3) they cannot cruise at a constant speed.

Rather - throttle full on (maximum loudness but not much more inertia), throttle full off so that one could drift back a bit, so that throttle could go full on again. This went on for MILES. Relief in the form of a rest area saved me. It is hard for the hardley movingsons to pass up the opportunity to break the tranquility of a restful area.

Harley's can suck it hard. Even if I ride with some of their ilk on occasion.

 
Whilst loud pipes are a pain in the arse, I can't help thinking HD is looking at this issue as a marketing exercise maybe more so than the noise problem. With their new bike market shrinking, & as one of the HD executives said some time ago when asked about the aging buyer market said " The accessories side of HD will keep us afloat". Sheesh.

 
Last year I cought up to a hd street glide screaming eagle down to Yakima. His pipes were so loud that it hurt my ears following him. Funny, when I pulled along side the noise disappeared. Now, that might be able to save his life if he pointed them forward. Or if he was run over from behind. That's another can of hd bashing .

 
When strangers comment on my motorcycle it's always (no surprise to present company) 1-what kind of m/c is that? 2-nice BMW/is that a BMW?-most recently: is that a BMW or a Victory? :huh: 3-I CAN HARDLY HEAR IT RUN.

I've been pleasantly surprised to find that when riding around within a days ride (western NC, north Ga, east Tn), even in off the beaten path areas, the local cage drivers seem to appreciate the fun that we're having. Of course I'm generally riding solo or with a sport/touring type crowd. 8 times out of 10 a cager with in-state plates, holding me/us up in the twisties, will pull over to let us pass. I try to be respectful to slower traffic-don't obnoxiously tailgate, friendly thank you wave, once past ease out of sight (not blast off like I'm here to use your neighborhood as my personal playground).

I wonder if the locals extend the same courtesy to the straight pipe crowd?

Hmm-may be a pointless question. Often the slow traffic is the straight pipe crowd-and they rarely extend ANY courtesy.

 
Interesting thread....noone has yet talked about how many lives have been saved by one having loud pipes....
You know..., I think the 'pirate tribe' may be on to something -- there...? :unsure:

"Harley Davidson is a Life-style" and by promoting their shtick, they have effectively separated themselves from the citizens.

Their extremely loud, offensive, machines; outlandish costume dress; and 'in-your-face' attitudes -- keep them separated from (and maybe protected from?) the other road users.

It may be those who are more rational and try to blend-in who are at higher risk...? :unsure:

 
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