Loud pipes on motorcycles

[BE Mike]

I am an avid rider (currently bikeless ) and as far as I am concerned the louder the pipes the bigger the jerk. And then sitting there revving the engine just to make noise to say "look at me" the bigger a jerk I think they are.

Yeah, I've been on a motorcycle for 28 years now, heard all the arguments, am still a member of The Denizens of Doom, and I still think people with loud pipes are jerks.

I agree. They are just too self-absorbed and apparently can't get the attention they crave through positive achievements.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

......Samson 'StreetSweepers'..............b'FORE they start'd put'n baffles in'em...........NObody rides in my 5 O'clock position fer very long......at ALL.....

 

[BRbaseball34]

Loud pipes are for the birds. Bikes with a deep rich tone are my preference

 

[BE Mike]

We're here on vacation and our neighbor clearly has them. He also has a job that he leaves for around 7am. These structures are anything but sound proof. He fired it up and the dogs start in. He leaves, the dogs continue.

Loud pipes... What says INGO? I say no point to them. If you want to warn others of your presence, point the exhaust forward where most accidents come from.

Take the muffler off your riding lawnmower and start mowing the grass at an hour that will disturb your neighbor (that might be any time of day). If he complains, just tell him that it is safer (all the critters hear you coming) and you just like the way it sounds. BTW, buy one of those headsets that dampen the outside sound, but plays music or radio stations. Of course, this time of the year you could just run a straight pipe on a snow blower.

 

[scootn103]

Take the muffler off your riding lawnmower and start mowing the grass at an hour that will disturb your neighbor (that might be any time of day). If he complains, just tell him that it is safer (all the critters hear you coming) and you just like the way it sounds. BTW, buy one of those headsets that dampen the outside sound, but plays music or radio stations. Of course, this time of the year you could just run a straight pipe on a snow blower.

Neighbors on either side do this with mufflers on there mowers , but start at 6 A.M or earlier.

 

[PRasko]

As long as I have to hear them fking gang bangers blast their rap music, I'm leaving my pipes on my bike.

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

 

[spec4]

How many who believe in loud pipes for safety don't wear helmets?

 

[scootn103]

How many who believe in loud pipes for safety don't wear helmets?

I dont believe safety is much of a concern to the people who TEXT n drive. Loud pipes , loud stereos , loud high performance cars , helmets won't save your life when people can't put there phone down.

 

[schafe]

In the mid eighties, I was on a 45mph state highway behind some large farm implement. (Proving that I was in Indiana) with an impatient Harley rider tailgating and jockeying around like a "Mario" behind me. He was so irritated by our slow pace, and the lack of passing opportunities, when the time came, he full throttled his shorty straight pipes around me. As the full tilt Harley got alongside my open window (no AC in my truck), the acoustic output was so loud and harsh, my arms reacted to steer away from the sound,without my conscious input, sending me down a shallow ravine. Fortunately many folks who witnessed this event stuck around to help me, while Harley Guy loudly zoomed off in righteous indignation. Make of this what you will.

 

[HoughMade]

I dont believe safety is much of a concern to the people who TEXT n drive. Loud pipes , loud stereos , loud high performance cars , helmets won't save your life when people can't put there phone down.

Well actually, it might.

 

[fuddus99]

My Bonneville has an Arrow 2 in 2 exhaust with the baffles. It's not too loud, but the bike runs rich and it backfires when I let off the throttle... so there's my happy medium from not always being loud.

 

[HoughMade]

Usually that's lean, not rich....but hey, you're there and I'm not.

 

[fuddus99]

Hmmm, yeah, not sure actually. I have a power commander on it with a tune specific to that setup. Just assumed it's rich sense my buddy noticed fireballs coming from the pipes... Figured that's excess fuel burning out. Do I have the wrong terminology?

 

[churchmouse]

Usually that's lean, not rich....but hey, you're there and I'm not.

So many hang low back pressure pipes on a carbureted bike and do nothing to the jetting/timing. It is louder so it must be faster.....

 

[churchmouse]

Hmmm, yeah, not sure actually. I have a power commander on it with a tune specific to that setup. Just assumed it's rich sense my buddy noticed fireballs coming from the pipes... Figured that's excess fuel burning out. Do I have the wrong terminology?

If you are burning in the pipes it could be rich.

 

[HoughMade]

Sure, it could be rich, but backfiring and even fire out the back can be caused by a too lean condition which has the primary effect of overheating the exhaust port and valve such that the mixture is more easily ignited after it leaves the cylinder by those things, than in the cylinder by the spark plug (I have seriously oversimplified because I am time constrained).

If it were me, I'd tune it the old fashioned way, lean it out a notch (my expertise is old CV carbs, not FI) and see if it gets better or worse, the richen it a notch from the starting point to see if it is better or worse. I don't know about FI, but careful adjustment of idle mixture screws on a CV carb can make up for a lot. If it's getting better (whichever way you go) but still not quite right, that's when you start changing jets.

...but again, I assume your bike is FI, but you can adjust mixture with the Power Commander, can't you?

 

[fuddus99]

Ah cool, thanks for the explanation. It's definitely something I'll tinker with or take to the shop once it's warmer. It's a FI '09 model, so not a whole lot I can do other than try different tunes with the PC.

 

[churchmouse]

Sure, it could be rich, but backfiring and even fire out the back can be caused by a too lean condition which has the primary effect of overheating the exhaust port and valve such that the mixture is more easily ignited after it leaves the cylinder by those things, than in the cylinder by the spark plug (I have seriously oversimplified because I am time constrained).

If it were me, I'd tune it the old fashioned way, lean it out a notch (my expertise is old CV carbs, not FI) and see if it gets better or worse, the richen it a notch from the starting point to see if it is better or worse. I don't know about FI, but careful adjustment of idle mixture screws on a CV carb can make up for a lot. If it's getting better (whichever way you go) but still not quite right, that's when you start changing jets.

...but again, I assume your bike is FI

Another sign of lean condition is the chrome on the exhaust pipes discoloring at the the engine and a bit down the pipe. Very hot right there as you mentioned. FI will compensate a bit.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

My bird was definitely rich; you could smell the gas when I shut it off. There was plenty to burn off with a backfire. I used to say it leaked everything but gas and it used that so fast it may as well have leaked. An honorary HD Thunderbird! It don't leak, it's just markin' its territory.