Thread: Loud Pipes?

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haven't had a muffler on my truck since new just the cat and out the rear never a problem.I think it like it was said before its all in how you present it loud and crazy will get you trouble.

I agree on the loud pipe issue, it all comes down to your presentation. If your just lumpin' along following the rules of the road chances are you are not going to be pulled over for excessive noise and if you are its because the officer really wanted to get a look at your car up close Had that happen to me numerous times in the Cobra.

On the other hand if you constantly rev up the engine and back it down or make agressive starts from the stoplight or stopsign and are running open or very loud exhaust you'll probably get stopped and get a "fix-it or lose it ticket"--where I live the police can issue you a ticket to get the vehicle fixed, once complied with you take the ticket to the courthouse along with the inspection paperwork and it is then cleared--if you don't fix-it and get stopped again the police can impound the vehicle on the spot. My nephew has a'77 Chev shortbox 4x4 that he's owned since high school and is slowly fixing up. New metallic red paint, tinted windows, lift kit, monster tires and wheels, new engine with a loud straight through exhaust. He's 23 and in Nov of last year he and a friend were out and he was goofing off and got pulled over got a "fix-it" ticket and just blew it off. Last month he was pulled over again for excessive noise and they impounded his truck...$ 700 later, the tow and storage charge, plus a $200 ticket and court costs and fixing the exhaust system---not worth it.

The shorties that were on my truck had a loud echo near any building but probably wouldn't attrack attention. I'm going with some quieter flowmasters once the engine is in. We have wierd zone up here. The city of Cotati has declared war on all Harleys. They go and park near biker hang outs and give tickets to everyone for noise ordinance violations. So far I've managed to avoid Cotati police, but several friends have been sited. As for hotrodders, I haven't heard any complaints, but don't know many guys around here. In Petaluma, I have to agree with Don, it's the loud deep base speakers, playing rap @#$#@#$ that drives me nuts. I wish the cops would site them. It travels right through the walls of our old victorian house!

Mufflers, what are those?

I run series 50 Flowmasters and 3" pipe, the total length from header to tip is 4' to 5'. It's "OK" at idle but gets REALLY loud driving down the road, they don't bother me I guess, because I don't make too much a nuisance of myself. Setting car alarms off does make me smile though.

Of all my cars my AMX is the loudest with series 40 Flowmasters. I have had no problems in New Mexico but was pulled over once in CA for being to loud. My F1 Rat Rod which has straight pipe headers in a 250 6 looks like it should be loud but isn't. It has VW exhaust tips in each pipe. The Mustang, Chevelle and Challenger each has a different sound not to loud and not to quiet.

They are pretty relaxed here in NM about sound. Could be because there just isn't a lot of people here.

I used to love going through a Downtown Seattle parking garage in my Cobra setting off car alarms...parking in Seattle is really tight and even the garages are jammed in not a lot of space between parking spaces and very narrow aisles ...just rev it up a little and off would go alarms, usually Beemers, MB's, Caddy's, and Lincoln's

I keep seeing comments that "Loud Pipes Save Lives."

Mostly from the Harley gang.

Regardless, I'd like to read some examples of how loud pipes save lives.

C9x - Supposedly, on motorcycles, loud pipes save lives because if people don't see you they can at least hear you coming. Statistically, it's not true. The AMA has done studies and the conclusion was that the loudness of your pipes makes no difference. The fact is, all the noise from your pipes is behind you. By the time somebody who didn't see you hears you, they have already pulled out in front of you!

I would disagree. My bike is relatively quit, but if I crack the throttle, it barks and has saved me many potential collisions of cars making lane changes without looking in their mirrors. In California we have a splitting lanes law which is stupid and dangerous, but allows motorcyclist to split lanes in traffic(when safe, which it never is!). I have been driving my truck many times to work and been able to avoid hitting a biker coming up behind me due to the sound of his exhaust alerting me to his presence. I've been riding bikes for 30 years, and would say, the louder they are, the less likely someone will hit you for lack of knowing your there. Does that mean I enjoy the loudness of super loud pipes, NO.
The same goes with some hot rods, we all have our own level of comfort with noise.

I agree that a little noise alerts someone to your presence. There have been times when I didn't see a motorcycle in my blind spots, but knew they were somewhere around by hearing them. Same with my roadster...........there is no mistaking I am near you, even though I am lower than their door handles.

That, and I just like the noise.

Don

Hey, I'm just telling what the statistics say according to the AMA. I've been riding, off & on, for 46 years and I, too, have used a quick rap of the exhaust on my bike to let people know I was there. Actually, though, I could have done the same with the horn. Anyway, my '99 Honda Aero has a set of Hardchrome Double-D Straights on it; they're loud and I like 'em whether they're actually saving my life of not...

It's got hard bags painted to match on it now, but you can see the pipes here.

Albuquerque New Mexico no problems yet
no mufflers here, just keeps blowin my hat off

J.R. I hear yah. I just wonder how someone could survey that? I also agree a horn works, it just seems instinctual to crack the throttle, versus thumb the horn which on my bike is pathetic!

I don't think that loud pipes on a bike make a bit of difference in accident avoidance. Problem is today that so dang many people don't pay a bit of attention to what they do when they're driving. With cell phones, kids, loud stereo's, windows up and A/C or heater on most people on the road have their concentration on everything or anything other then driving a car....which is the main reason there are so many stupid, stupid accidents.... A good safety item for a bike or small type Hot Rod IMO is the flasher deal for the headlights.... Maybe it just aggravates people enough that they might actually pay a little bit of attention to their driving!!!!!!

To the majority of people driving a car is just like the rest of their lives......Take care of themselves and to heck with the rest of the world.