I'm a new rider, and like most riders, I've got my head on a swivel, keeping an eye out for other drivers. I purchased a dashcam, to document all the close calls I've had.
Now, this is where I'd like to ask how many distracted driving tickets have been given out this summer. That is the biggest menace on the roads currently.
When I'm decelerating, my exhaust pops, I can check my mirror and easily 10% of the time, after the first couple pops, I can see the driver behind me lift their head up, leading me to believe that this exhaust has without a doubt saved my life by now.
I would like to ask, how many deaths each year are attributed to loud motorcycle exhaust? Then I would ask how many people who had their head buried in their phone, were only alerted to a motorcycle, because it was a little louder?
I don't have 4000 lbs of steel to protect me, I can only get other drivers' attention and remind them I'm vulnerable. With the amount of distracted driving I see out there, that is what we need to be focussing on, that is what is killing people, not a bit of noise.
On that note, how many of the complainants of this loud noise claim loud exhaust is only a vanity project? And how many of them own a gas lawn mower? I work shift, and all my neighbours cut their grass with loud gas mowers, I don't complain. But if you think nice neat grass is anything but a vanity project you're wrong. They drone on for hours circling the yard, while my bike exhaust may be loud, it's got a purpose (to alert drivers) and it's gone in a few seconds.
Lawns don't need grass, there are many alternatives that don't need cutting, they also don't need gas mowers, or they could put the proper exhaust on them.
I myself have a robotic electric mower that is silent and mows my grass at night. I feel I've offset any noise my motorcycle makes.
I know mowers aren't going anywhere, but how many lives have a loud obnoxious mower saved?
You are targetting the wrong thing with loud motorcycles. Get everyone's head out of their phones and back to paying attention to the road, and I'll quiet my bike back down.
Erik Ross
