I am not here to piss anyone off, just sharing information and a view not commonly heard on motorcycle forums. Most motorcyclists that agree with me on this issue fall silent when it comes to this.... for reasons that are clear. We don't want to be subjected to or be the object of the rage that often follows on such a heated topic.

I know this is a Goldwing forum........and most don't.... but this started out on a thread about altering the exhaust on a Goldwing so hear this out.....

There are two things that give motorcyclist bad images. Loud pipes and aggressive stupid moves in traffic. I see some of these same things combined. Like going through 4 gears in 300 yards of pavement........just to hear the motor rev up and then back off to hear the back pressure. The only person impressed with that maneuver is the idiot at the handlebars. Yea, people are looking....... to see who that stupid a** is.

As motorcyclist, we are responsible for our own behaviors which reflect on the entire motorcycle population.

To those who change out their stock pipes for modified ones: Keep your stock pipes as there will come a time that those will be required on licensed motorcycles. There is movement to make motorcyclist conform to the very same environmental standards that automobiles are. This is being brought about by voters who are bothered by the excessive noise created by altered exhaust.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets noise emissions standards for motorcycle exhaust systems. The standard for street-legal exhaust noise emissions is 80 dB(a). All motorcycles are required to display an EPA stamp on the chassis and exhaust system. The EPA recognized that the intricacies of accurate field-testing are beyond the scope of law enforcement agencies. The EPA label match-up is designed as a regulatory measure for states and municipalities to control motorcycle noise.

Riders can legally buy and install aftermarket exhaust systems, however it is required to meet EPA noise emissions. Most aftermarket exhaust systems are not street-legal and intended for off-road or professional track use only.

The California Air Resources Board estimates that a motorcycle whose catalytic converter has been removed emits up to ten times the amount of smog forming pollutants. This is just one of many common modifications to emissions equipment, often intended to make the bike louder, that reduces air quality and increases noise pollution.

Affected residents dealing with the problem of motorcycle noise are actively lobbying their elected officials for better legislation and enforcement. Additionally, there is increasing motorcycle restrictions on public lands, private roads and gated communities.

Traditional rider destinations in cities such as Daytona, Myrtle Beach, Laconia have held public hearings aimed at banning annual motorcycle events. Some affected residents abandon their own homes during motorcycle rallies because of the deafening noise and traffic.

In 2007, the City of Denver passed EPA stamp enforcement.

In 2008 and 2009, the New York City Council proposed legislation that would allow police officers to visually inspect parked motorcycles for the required EPA stamp.

In 2008, the City of Myrtle Beach passed EPA stamp enforcement and banned most motorcycle rallies. Affected residents claimed the noise, traffic congestion and unruly behavior was a serious problem. According to the Mayor of Myrtle Beach, John Rhodes, motorcycle rallies also drove away visitors. In early 2009, after intense lobbying by local businesses that cater to motorcycle tourism, the Myrtle Beach City Council repealed the legislation.

In 2009, the Boston City Council passed EPA stamp enforcement that imposes a $300 fine on riders caught with illegal exhaust pipes.

In 2009, Arvada, Colorado passed EPA stamp enforcement.

In 2009, Portland, Maine proposed EPA stamp enforcement. In 2010, the Maine State Legislature is considering EPA stamp enforcement.

In 2009, Green Bay, Wisconsin passed EPA stamp enforcement. Additionally, citizens can submit complaints of loud vehicles online that police officers can enforce if the vehicle is found to be in violation.

In 2010, California passed SB 435 that aims to increase enforcement of current anti-tampering and noise-level statutes for motorcycles. It would require that motorcycles maintain their federally required emissions equipment (on both original, and aftermarket exhaust systems), including a readily visible EPA stamp certifying compliance. These regulations gives law enforcement the ability to cite violations under the CA Vehicle Code, using a readily visible and unalterable stamp, already required by Federal regulation.

This is spear headed by people who have had enough excessive noise from boom boxes to loud motorcyclists. They are starting to push legislation through.

FOR EXAMPLE.... CALIFORNIA:

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
-----
BILL NUMBER: SB 435 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 407
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 30, 2010
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 18, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 9, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 22, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 15, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 10, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 11, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 28, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 13, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Senator Pavley
(Coauthor: Senator Lowenthal)
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
An act to add Section 27202.1 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 435, Pavley. Vehicles: pollution control devices.
(1) Existing federal regulations require a motorcycle manufactured
on and after January 1, 1983, and exhaust emission systems for those
motorcycles, to meet specified noise emissions standards and require
that a label be affixed onto the motorcycle or exhaust emission
system indicating that the motorcycle or exhaust emission system
meets the noise emissions standards.
This bill would make it a crime for a person to park, use, or
operate a motorcycle, registered in the state, that is manufactured
on and after January 1, 2013, or a motorcycle, registered in the
state, with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is manufactured
on or after January 1, 2013, that does not have the above label, and
would make a violation of this provision punishable by a specified
fine, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by creating a
new crime. The bill would require the person to whom a notice to
appear is issued, or against whom a complaint is filed, for the above
violation, to provide proof of correction. The bill would authorize
a court to dismiss the penalty imposed for a first violation if the
person produces proof of correction to the satisfaction of the court.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Page 1
SECTION 1. Section 27202.1 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
27202.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label pursuant to
Subparts D (commencing with Section 205.150) and E (commencing with
Section 205.164) of Part 205 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. A violation of this section shall be considered a
mechanical violation and a peace officer shall not stop a motorcycle
solely on a suspicion of a violation of this section. A peace officer
shall cite a violation of this section as a secondary infraction.
(b) A violation of this section is punishable as follows:
(1) For a first conviction, by a fine of not less than fifty
dollars ($50), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).
(2) For a second or subsequent conviction, by a fine of not less
than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than two hundred fifty
dollars ($250).
(c) (1) The notice to appear issued or complaint filed for a
violation of this section shall require that the person to whom the
notice to appear is issued, or against whom the complaint is filed,
produce proof of correction pursuant to Section 40150.
(2) Upon producing proof of correction to the satisfaction of the
court, the court may dismiss the penalty imposed pursuant to
subdivision (b) for a first violation of this section.
(d) (1) This section is applicable to a person operating a
motorcycle that is manufactured on or after January 1, 2013, or a
motorcycle with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is
manufactured on or after January 1, 2013.
(2) Penalties imposed pursuant to this section are in addition to
penalties imposed pursuant to any other applicable laws or
regulations.
(3) This section does not supersede, negate, or otherwise alter
any other applicable laws or regulations.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

I don't know how many times my wife and I have been stopped at some scenic view point in the last 20 years, in Yellow Stone, Glacier, The Bear Tooth, Blue Ridge Parkway, enjoying one of those special moment together.Then along comes a, Thundering, bellowing, belching, back firring bike maybe even a herd of them, and the moment is gone. You can stay there all day and the special feeling is gone and it isn't coming back. That really TICKS me off.

Last summer one day I was coming out of the local Grocery store behind a young Mother and her little boy (about 3 years old). My wing was parked next to her mini van. When I walked up the wing the boy started to cry, put his hands over his ears and was sobbing No Mommy, No Mommy. The look on her told me she was really angry. I ask her what was wrong and she started in on me about, You Dam Bikers and your loud pipes Scaring her son. I just reach over and started the wing. The look on her face was priceless even the boy stopped crying. She told me how hard it was for her to take the boy anywhere because it seemed they alway came across a loud bike and it scared her little boy.

No I'm not a big fan of Loud Pipes.

From the Northwest Corner
Ron

Ron, you couldn't have put it better. It gets even better when the same people in the same group are yelling at each other because they cannot hear above the exhaust sound level. I ride my Wing so that I may have a nice conversation with the purdy lady in the back.

I understand the want for a louder exhaust system, but it is taken to the extreme all too often. Personally I like the quiet of the GoldWing.

I like to hear my music coming from my speaker's and it's turned down..
W/a helmet on no ear speaker's.Just the factory one's.
Ohh it's a wonderful feeling.I ride now and then w/a few louder bike's.
Drive's me crazy..

My first Harley was a 99 Dyna Wide glide, I bought it used it had a set of 2to1 Vance and Hines on it. I will admit that bike was loud even with the baffles in it. one day around 6 pm
or so I went to the bank to get some cash from the ATM I got back on my bike and Just as I fired it up some sweet little lady was coming out of the bank and my bike scared the crap out of her. from that moment I had a different view on loud pipes as I felt bad that my bike caused someone that much distress and fear.

I was watching 12 professional riders on Wings doing a show once and on the other side of the parking lot someone started up a loud motorcycle, and it just showed how ironic loud pipes are. The loud motorcycle rider had to ease out of the parking lot and down the road....keeping the rpms low as to minimize the noise he was making. That one motorcycle was louder than all twelve Wings and all of the people watching the demonstration.... and all of the other vehicle traffic on a highway close by.

There's loud, and then there's rediculous noise. I have aftermarked pipes on both my bikes, but they are neither offensive in volume nor by the way I use either one. They comply with all current Dba regulations, and I personally make sure I don't do anything to raise the ire of an innocent bystander. I wish I could say the same about some of my pals that ride 'paintshakers' with open pipes. I have one associate that has the most obnoxious pipe on his Yamaha Roadstar I've ever heard. Last night on the highway (I was on the RVT) at 70 mph he was roughly a 1/8mile ahead of me and I could clearly hear the raspy bark of his bike over the wind rushing past my helmet. Another fellow was riding a homebuilt custom chopper with a 100" motor and home-made open pipes, way less noisy and actually more pleasing than the big Samson on the Yam. The other 3 bikes had factory pipes and you couldn't hear them at all. My RVT fits somewhere in the middle but then again, it is still in the hands of the rider as to how loud a given bike can be.
My Kingsnakes on the Wing provide a nice mellow growl, not a harsh roar or eardrum splitting bark (it ain't a Harley fer gawd sakes) and the RVT is no crystal shattering boomer either. I'm actually all for the noise bylaws provided they don't focus on just bikes, but include pickups (especially Cummins diesels with open stacks) and hopped up street rods as well as stupid booming headbanger stereos. The onus is still on the operator of anything capable of disturbing the peace and quiet, at least it shoud be. BTW, great post Larry

Loud pipes lose rights

OK, this is a GW site, so quiet pipes are the norm here. If this was a H-D or VTX site, there'd be more than 1 school of thought on the topic :)

For me, I like the quiet of the GW and all the more since I got it for the wife and I to ride together. However, I also own a Harley and have aftermarket pipes on it(it's the way it came; bought used). I'm not adverse to loud pipes, having had them on my 2 previous VTX's, but I did buy dampeners for my Harley's pipes such that I can listen to music at 70mph. I still get a ncie growl if I get on it, but once RPMs level out, she gets pretty quiet.

I think a proper air horn will get a cager's attention more readily than loud pipes anymore. In the past, maybe loud pipes saved lives when people rode with their windows down; now, the window are up, music is blating and they're engrossed in their cell phones, so a good horn seems better.

That said, I have a close encounter with a small herd of deer some years back and the loud pipes on my VTX likely saved me from a tragic accident. I won't go into details, but let's jsut say that I never evne saw the deer and went by what bystanders told me. But cagers are our primary danger.

The aural sensattion of hearing your bike adds to the overall riding experience for many folks. So, I can understand liking loud pips ontheir bikes, though if they ride far enough, they'll wish they didn't have 'em.

My wing is so far ahead of those loud pipes i don't hear them, well for a split secound as i fly around them. takes them all to make the world go around. You all have a nice day

It wasn't until recently that I discovered Harleys come from the factory with quiet pipes!

South park on comedy central takes a swipe at bikers with loud pipes. Google southparkepisodes Search "the F word"

Most PD motor units running Harleys have Screaming Eagle exausts on their bikes ;) An Oakland motor sgt was once quoted as saying loud pipes save lives :)

I have Cobra pipes on my wing - it's not much louder than the stocker - just a tad bit throatier under load but not bothersome to the general public :cool:

I'm pretty neutral when stating opinions about aftermarket exhausts and the noise they make. Be free live free - ride safe ;)

It wasn't until recently that I discovered Harleys come from the factory with quiet pipes!

South park on comedy central takes a swipe at bikers with loud pipes. Google southparkepisodes Search "the F word"

That was a pretty funny episode :D

It wasn't until recently that I discovered Harleys come from the factory with quiet pipes!

South park on comedy central takes a swipe at bikers with loud pipes. Google southparkepisodes Search "the F word"

last year my niece and i were heading west on m-14, we slowed to make a left turn when a guy on a harley with stock pipes passed on the right. he hardly made a sound. most of my bikes have a stock exhaust system on them except the '79 750k. it had an aftermarket exhaust on it when i got it that needed replacing. i didn't want the weight of the stock system so i put a mac 4 into 1 on it. not only was it loud but it reverberated inside my helmet. while overall i liked the '79 more than my '75 but the '75 was quiet so i took it on longer rides

My custom Vulcan was LOUD. It was loud enough to trigger car alarms so I was very cautious riding in town and through neighbourhoods so as not to rankle folks, unlike some yoyos around here on their paintshakers with open pipes. I guess it would be different if they actually were fast, but usually it's just a lot of blow and no go :rolleyes:

Now here is a subject that has been kicked to death by both sides , kinda like our goverment !

A Ducati with Termi pipes and open dry clutch, V8 muscle car with duals, Ferrari V12's, RC51's and T1000's, Subaru boxer's with equal length headers, new generation Nissan GTR V6, etc. (i know i left out many more) are representative of mechanical noises I consider music to my ears, even at temporarily loud levels. The distinctive stacatto symphony of auditory sensations these motors produce are by circumstance identifiable works of art.

A Ducati with Termi pipes and open dry clutch, V8 muscle car with duals, Ferrari V12's, RC51's and T1000's, Subaru boxer's with equal length headers, new generation Nissan GTR V6, etc. (i know i left out many more) are representative of mechanical noises I consider music to my ears, even at temporarily loud levels. The distinctive stacatto symphony of auditory sensations these motors produce are by circumstance identifiable works of art.


Oh you should hear my Cobra's without the baffles.
Sounds like a GT-R :D

I agree that a finely tuned motor with a tuned exhaust sounds nice. I love the sound of a V8, dual exhaust and glass packs..... and an over sized cam..... with that throaty thump.

Don't confuse the issue here. Straight pipes on a stock motor sounds like crap and these idiots just have to blip their throttle between shifts just to hear it pop. I should not have to listen to a motorcycle rev up from two or three blocks away.

The majority of the residents of California have raised enough complaints about it that the Legislature of California has passed laws that will curtail such things. Go California. I hope that other states will also pass similar laws.

My rights begin where yours end..... and vice versa. I have a right of quiet enjoyment in my neighborhood and violators of that right should be held accountable.

The group I ride with is split half Harley/Goldwing. If I get stuck behind one of the Harleys in the group, I pass them as soon as possible. Their bikes sound like crap and I really don't care to listen to them. To each his own, I will stick with my stock Goldwing pipes.

A friend of mine bought a Harley a couple years ago and immediately put after market pipes on, to the tune of about $600. What I found comical was, he put in his ear plugs before he put on his helmet :).
Strat

A friend of mine bought a Harley a couple years ago and immediately put after market pipes on, to the tune of about $600. What I found comical was, he put in his ear plugs before he put on his helmet :).
Strat

Funny ending to it is this: The bike will sit in his garage and used once in awhile until he sells it with 2,000 miles on a 6 year old bike.

Funny ending to it is this: The bike will sit in his garage and used once in awhile until he sells it with 2,000 miles on a 6 year old bike.

You're bang on Larry.....He put 20 miles on it last season and less this year :)
Strat

Must live close to a Tim Hortons:D

You're bang on Larry.....He put 20 miles on it last season and less this year :)
Strat

Yea, he is also the one that will roll it out of the garage to start it for one of his friends.... and rev the crap out of the motor so they all can hear how loud it is..... and how bad ass it is. They all stand there and live a fantasy of a life gone by without any wind in their face. Posers.

His chaps still have the factory crease in them. The chaps that he feels funny about putting on so he doesn't wear them.

Dunno that I've ever seen creases in m/c chaps before. Definitely not mine anyway; they were too covered in bugs after an hour's ride so. Don't tell me, he wears crocs or runners too!:rolleyes: