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If we don't ban loud motorcycles, then the terrorists have won
By adamg on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 10:47am
The Globe reports on wrangling over a new city ordinance aimed to prevent motorcyclists from tearing through Boston late at night on modified bikes that sound even louder than usual and scare the livestock. Or as one Back Bay resident put it: "Acoustic terrorism."
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Comments
They're obnoxious, but it's not just about illegal modifications
I look forward to the strident rider vs non-rider debate. ;-)
My first (layman, non-rider) thought is that I don't know if this gets at the issue, which is that I believe stock cycles can produce excessive noise and the issue is driver behavior.
I have observed many, many motorcyclists in the city operating at completely normal RPM; any motorcycle should be able to be driven without turning every head on the block.
The real issue is riders choosing to run at high-RPM in the city. It's easy to discern which are simply trying to get somewhere and which are purposely roaring at high-rpm (again, it's not about speed) and buzzing the whole neighorhood as they pass.
(I'm thinking of the corner of Beacon and Mass Ave, for example. Cycles there are often driven as if they were still flying over the bridge nearby, or on a highway.)
It doesn't just matter whether they have modified exhausts or not; one can discern whether they could upshift and reduce revs/noise, or just not open the throttle to that extent, and that's why I'm not sure this ordinance will change that.
Us fans of modified cars
Us fans of modified cars have been the target of noise ordinances for years. It's a nice double standard being enjoyed by bikers.
I'm not against motorcycles and don't own one (not yet, anyway). However, the problem lies more with inconsiderate drivers than the products they choose to bolt on their bikes.
Why do bikers feel the need to blip the throttle constantly when pulling away from a light or sitting in traffic?
Dunno about all of them
I know that my scooter has a tendency to under-rev at idle and when I go to take the green light if I don't pop the throttle a bit before releasing my brakes, then I'd fall over as the engine catches up to what I want it to do (move).
My scooter is also an automatic variable transmission and most motorcycles are manual. When I drove my manual transmission car around, I also found it easier to slip into first gear if the engine was revving and not at idle.
Right - it's an issue not just for motorcycles...
but for anyone who drives a vehicle that CAN produce more noise than is normal given the surroundings.
A Porsche Carrera GT or a Ferrari F430 CAN be driven smoothly and quietly in the city OR they can be used to make a loud, shrieking [and rather beautiful, IMHO :-) ] noise ...
...that will understandably annoy the hell out of residents if it happens all night long in the summer.
It's about how it's driven, and this applies to the sideways-capped 18-yr-old in the beat-up Mustang GT as well as those riding sportbikes and Harleys.
if you ever do own a
if you ever do own a motorcycle, you'll understand why you need to throttle and expend some gas when sitting at a red light for a while.
the thing about the loud exhaust, for me at least, is for safety and to be heard by other drivers. in a car you are protected all around by steel and aluminum... not so much on a motorcycle, so i like to know other drivers can hear me even if they don't see me.
I like the hearing damage I
I like the hearing damage I experience when I walk by you throttling the compensation for your phallic insufficiency.
Put a stop to the needless noise and return to us our freedom
The needless booming is ridiculous. The booming effects people on so many levels and it's usually not positive, especially if it is forced upon us. There's a place for that kind of loudness; like in the clubs or large designated areas for such noise, but to have to hear it in neighborhoods or apartment areas etc. it is absurd and should be against the law and as citizens we should be allowed to make a citizens arrest on folk who boom their speakers of which are really screaming that they are lifeless, womenless, worthless losers who want to disrespect the world in compensation for their plight due to their own laziness. What baffles me further is how often it's usually silly white men who are trying to be down with ethnic folk by playing their bass so loud when we all really know that they would be somebody's girl in the ghetto or in prison taking it up the booty and quite possibly being turned out in the process. I'm so glad I have found other people who also realize the how stupid these people are and are encouraging a stop to the wannabe gangsta generation of posers and never gonnabees. I could go on and on but I'm definately desiring and am willing to do whatever is necessary o put a stop to the needless noise and booming coming out of people's vehicles & yes that includes that of some of those loud harley davidson motorcycles and the like. What a warped way to show machismo these days. These people don't want to show how tough they are through hard work and focus but would rahter show it through laziness and loud noise. Count me in on the anti-noise, anti-boom, anti-punk wimp movement too. Lets do this thing and shut them sorry excuses for life down.
the loud pipe bullshit
the thing about the loud exhaust, for me at least, is for safety and to be heard by other drivers.
Yeah, the tired "loud pipes save lives" bullshit.
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/da...
http://www.aimag.com/forums/general-motorcycle/622...
Oh hell, just go off this: http://www.google.com/search?q=motorcycle+loud+pip...
Safety?
What exactly is the safety component in revving the motor for minutes on end when first starting the motorcycle, while donning gloves & helmet and waiting for your buddy to come out of the house, in a dead end street? Because that's what the motorcyclists in my neck of the woods have been doing.
Fun and strutting
Since moving to Boston, I haven't seen anything like the thunderous motorcycles that were commonplace in Providence in the summer. If you had the misfortune to live on one of their favorite streets, you could hear the bikes coming from 5+ minutes away, before they shook your building.
Engine warm-up
Obviously it doesn't take a half-hour or anything absurd like neutral bombing from 0-8000 rpms over and over, but warming up a bike's engine does improve its performance and longevity. Hell, warming up a car's engine does the same, it's just that most people don't know (or care) about how to start their engine. Plus the smaller the engine, the more important the warm-up in order to get good firing in the cylinders (and thus as much power as possible out of the smaller volume).
Modified cars exhausts?
My total guess about the modified car exhaust "fad" not seeming to last long was that they all failed the yearly inspection tests. The loud bikes should fail also.
motorcycles
Let's first all agree that the problem is not about mechanics, its about testosterone and sociopathy. As anyone who lives on Cape Cod's Rte. 6A can tell you, if some bikers can't blast you out of your hammock, they're just not having any fun.
Lordy...
I realize it's sometimes hard to see that situations are not just black or white. As a female rider with zero "testosterone issues" I try to be as courteous as possible. Sometimes it's necessary to be loud because some ass wants to keep you in their blindspot and you need to give them a little aural reminder that you don't want to be runover.
I'll agree that a lot of riders can be douchebags but even the non-douchey ones need to make a little noise to get our bikes around traffic like the rest of you 4 wheeled drivers do.
And as a side note, I've set off car alarms with my stock pipes running high rpms on *accident* because high rpms in traffic = engine breaking, which is a lot safer than actual breaking. It's not always to cut and dry people. Maybe we should consider putting noise ordinances on kids and drunks and mobs of students while we're slightly on topic.
My Little Ninja loves to rev
It's true, sometimes you have to rev the engine, especially when the bike is cold. Otherwise you stall in the middle of traffic and you're more than a noise menace. You're a hinderance and an unintentional target. My neighbor has a Harley and I always know when he comes home. I like to think I am more whisper-quiet though I doubt that's the case to the non-bikers around me. I always know when a scooter passes by. I'm sure the girls upstairs don't like it when I start the bike with the choke out at 7:00AM. I try to be considerate and off on the road as soon as possible, but the engine does need to warm up a bit.
Motorcycles take up less room and cause less congestion on the roads than cars do. They're not perfect, but once bitten by the bug, it's hard a hard habit to shake. This isn't a perfect world and there is room enough for all vehicles if all drivers are aware and considerate of thier surroundings.
WK
When tf has Boston ever enforced EXISTING noise laws?
Or traffic laws, for that matter?
I drive around all day for work, and literally just about every day I see/hear someone whose car stereo and/or modifications are shaking my car, within sight/earshot of a patrol car. Cops don't pull over these asshats.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
motorcycle pipes
You know this country never seize to amaze me now we have to listen to some politician tell us we cant have loud pipes on are motorcycles, since when did we start letting the politicians tell us what we can or cannot do ,the way its suppose to work is we the people elect officials then they fight for what the people want ,not the other way around, these politicians on there power trips think they can do what they want this is a joke if i want loud pipes ill get loud pipes because some politician cant sleep because of some loud pipes they get to make a new law r u kiddin me when is this country gonna wake up and put some people in office that really care and have a brain and are not just out for themselves while americans struggle and they keep cashing there fat checks and we wonder why the country is in the state it is
Isn't it possible
that the people in the government represent all of the people and a lot of those people don't ride motorcycles and don't appreciate the loud noise and wish something would be done about it because although yes the politicians do work for you you must also recognize that if there are more people who disagree with you sometimes you will have to suck it up and deal because this is a real quality of life issue that affects everyone and if they could do something about the ice cream trucks while they are at it i would appreciate that too kthxbye
Another problem
When much of the citizenry embraces illiteracy, it's no wonder that we then have trouble electing the right people.
Can I sit outside your house
Can I sit outside your house revving my bike late at night, or driving around the block with rev's so loud that you can't hear your TV?
I think bike are great, but I think the goons whose bikes can be hear from blocks away is unacceptable and unfair to those whom have to live with the noise.
because...
Were you out riding your bike when they were going over spelling in school? I would love nothing better sometimes than to stand at a traffic light and just be able to shoot out the tires of these f'ing motorcycles. F the safety crap, you are on two wheels, you take a chance. Your safety doesn't mean that every f'ing place you go, you get to annoy everyone in earshot. You don't feel safe on a quiet bike?? Don't ride a bike, period. Your bike should be as quiet as my Honda Civic, which couldn't wake up someone if they were sleeping on the side of the road. The noise from you idiots is absolutely unnecessary and outrageous. I'm sure the problem you bikers produce will never be dealt with, as the police apparently are too lazy or unwilling to deal with it. However, I hope every one of you loud, inconsiderate f#%$^$ hit a big pothole and you land headfirst into a ditch. Have a nice day....