"Loud Pipes Save Lives"

[Wolf]

The only times I hear bikes when I'm in a cage is as they pass me, seldom as they are coming up behind.

I've noted that too - and that was before we got a car with a functioning stereo. Even loud bikes were not audible until they went thundering past (and then they were LOUD).

And then there's the "give a fuck" factor:

As a biker (Spankme's poll notwithstanding), if I heard a bike I would look out for it specifically (rather than just keeping a lookout for bikes in general) but I cannot rely on others to be so bike-savvy.

Yeah, people hear sirens and have a look - because the siren is high pitched (stands out amongst the background noise) and it triggers the "Large fast object that is not inclined to stop for idiots" synapses and people are keen to get out of the way.

Engines, even loud ones, are the same pitch as the rest of the traffic and most people are not suitably worried about the noise of an approaching car or truck, let alone a motorcycle, to go out of their way to look.

I do not trust people to be able to hear even really loud vehicles from within their cars, and I do not expect that they would care much if they did.

Responding to the sound of a motorcycle would mean having to respond to the sounds of all engines and actually look when an engine is heard - this would mean removing their heads from their arses and that's just too much to hope for...

A loud vehicle might serve as a "warning" out in rural areas owing to the lack of background noise but there are still so many "reasons" why the other person might fail to hear, it or not give a damn anyway, that I would prefer to keep my own wits about me and assume that other people are oblivious to my presence.

I usually ride with my lights on (dipped) during the day and I haven't noticed that people notice me more than on the occasions when I've forgotten to turn them on.

Short of driving a large red truck with flashing lights and high-pitched sirens, there's not a lot you can do to make yourself more "noticeable" - and even then, people have failed to get out of the way of fire engines, ambulances and police cars.

[Biff]

On the sound/direction/sirens issue it's actually the higher frequency noises that are directional. Low frequency 'base' sounds are non directional, and as such it's very difficult to identify their source. Hence the reason hoons can place bass tubes etc in the back of their cars and home cinema system woofers can be placed pretty much anywhere in a room.

In conclusion, we all need exhausts that whistle like a canary as oppossed to low frequency zorsts if we want drivers to know where were coming from, and the police to know where we've gone.

[Ixion]

I wonder if one could arrange a selection of pipes of different lengths so as to function as a pipe organ.

Then one's zorst could play music as one rode . That would attract attention

This is an intriguing thought. I think I will research it some more.

Does anyone know anything about pipe organs ?

[Biff]

organs ?

Tee hee hee, you said "organ".


I'll get my coat. I'm obviously in the wrong place.

[sAsLEX]

In conclusion, we all need exhausts that whistle like a canary as oppossed to low frequency zorsts if we want drivers to know where were coming from, and the police to know where we've gone.

nah just a set of decent air horns to deafen those that step in front of us!

[Oscar]

I usually ride with my lights on (dipped) during the day and I haven't noticed that people notice me more than on the occasions when I've forgotten to turn them on.

Short of driving a large red truck with flashing lights and high-pitched sirens, there's not a lot you can do to make yourself more "noticeable" - and even then, people have failed to get out of the way of fire engines, ambulances and police cars.

This is true.
When I owned a F650Dakar a coupla years ago, I noticed that some people seemed to pull over when I turned up behind them. After a while I realised it was the black & white colour scheme - when viewed in a mirror it looked distinctly cop-like...

[speights_bud]

Can't say ive head a motorcycle approaching from behind when in a cage. But blimmin heck do i know when its next to me!
loud pipes, not a safety feature but love 'em anyway

[Wolf]

This is true.
When I owned a F650Dakar a coupla years ago, I noticed that some people seemed to pull over when I turned up behind them. After a while I realised it was the black & white colour scheme - when viewed in a mirror it looked distinctly cop-like...

That's it - black and white colour schemes are our key to survival.

Admittedly they'd be more effective on a Beemer or a faired Honda CB750 than on a FA50, but it's worth a go.

Heard of an ex-Cop bike with "TERRIFIC" painted on the side - apparently that used to get a lot of cagers suddenly behaving courteously. My brother's ex cop bike used to get quite a response even though it had nothing but the size and white paintwork.

We should all get ex-police-issue BMWs to intimidate the cagers and make Blackbirds look small...

[Oscar]

That's it - black and white colour schemes are our key to survival.

Admittedly they'd be more effective on a Beemer or a faired Honda CB750 than on a FA50, but it's worth a go.

Heard of an ex-Cop bike with "TERRIFIC" painted on the side - apparently that used to get a lot of cagers suddenly behaving courteously. My brother's ex cop bike used to get quite a response even though it had nothing but the size and white paintwork.

We should all get ex-police-issue BMWs to intimidate the cagers and make Blackbirds look small...

I'm just pleased I kept my temper this time.
Last time this issue was raised, I may have been somewhat outspoken...
I discovered what "bad rep." was....

Mind you I was arguing with a gentleman who actually believed that revving up his two stroke 150 would stop him being run over by a Landcruiser cutting into his lane...

[Wolf]

Mind you I was arguing with a gentleman who actually believed that revving up his two stroke 150 would stop him being run over by a Landcruiser cutting into his lane...

I generally found quickly applying the brakes on my two-stroke 125 stopped me from being run over by cars cutting into my lane.


Also acquainted me with "fishtailing", too...

Come to think of it, once when I was on the infamous TS125, I was in front of one guy - in plain view in broad daylight and aiming an extremely loud pipe straight at him - and he still bloody-near took some of the knobs off my front tyre. That was a definite "don't give a fuck" situation.