A dangerous myth: Loud pipes alert car drivers

**Motu** · 19th January 2006, 12:48

Anyone who releys on noisy exhausts,headlamps on,or on highbeam,fluro jackets,daytime running lamps or a rotating beacon on top of their helmet - is flirting with danger.They can be added to your awareness package,but don't make them the basis of your safety kit.

**chickenfunkstar** · 19th January 2006, 12:49

I've also got a theory that the more you look / sound like a gang member on a Harley the less likely car drivers are to fuck with you. Sort of like the more of a threat you look like to them, the less chance they'll try any funny business with you.

Coming back from Coromandel on SH2 with a friend on a 250, a lot more cars moved over for us to overtake when I was leading, compared to when he was leading. I'm sure its because the SV makes the more 'threating' sound. There's not really much else which I can think of which is different between the 2 bikes from a cagers piont of view. (SV is probably a touch bigger but not by much)

**Grahameeboy** · 19th January 2006, 12:52

Originally Posted by Motu

Anyone who releys on noisy exhausts,headlamps on,or on highbeam,fluro jackets,daytime running lamps or a rotating beacon on top of their helmet - is flirting with danger.They can be added to your awareness package,but don't make them the basis of your safety kit.

Too true...if they don't look they will not see headlights, bright vests etc and it figures that their brain will not be switched on so noise will go in and out both ears........I remember when Audi brought out the Quattro with 4wd.......drivers thought they could go around bends faster and they crashed a lot...well it sort of links

**Beemer** · 19th January 2006, 12:52

I always wondered about that myth too - sure, the pedestrians can hear you (and they show their appreciation by raising one finger!) but considering car drivers don't seem to hear sirens and trains, I doubted that loud pipes would make much difference.

**Grahameeboy** · 19th January 2006, 12:56

Originally Posted by chickenfunkstar

I've also got a theory that the more you look / sound like a gang member on a Harley the less likely car drivers are to fuck with you. Sort of like the more of a threat you look like to them, the less chance they'll try any funny business with you.

Coming back from Coromandel on SH2 with a friend on a 250, a lot more cars moved over for us to overtake when I was leading, compared to when he was leading. I'm sure its because the SV makes the more 'threating' sound. There's not really much else which I can think of which is different between the 2 bikes from a cagers piont of view. (SV is probably a touch bigger but not by much)

I pulled over for you on the way up...........but it could be that your bike is yellow also.....my bike is red and I find cars pull over plus I have 2 headlights like yours too.....blimey it could be many things or just that the cager was nice

**sAsLEX** · 19th January 2006, 12:56

Originally Posted by Beemer

I always wondered about that myth too - sure, the pedestrians can hear you

dont count on that i think it was vifferman firestormer or whatever his handle is now, you all know the on with the descriptive language, that had a pedestrian move in front of his loud bike

**Big Dave** · 19th January 2006, 13:00

Originally Posted by Motu

Anyone who releys on noisy exhausts,headlamps on,or on highbeam,fluro jackets,daytime running lamps or a rotating beacon on top of their helmet - is flirting with danger.They can be added to your awareness package,but don't make them the basis of your safety kit.

I'm with you - I don't think any of your list make hardly any difference at all.
I ride like I'm invisible and every bastard is going to hit me anyway - regardless of how much geeky shit I don't have on.....Mr Orange Fly pants and jersey.

I also know I have far, far fewer 'incidents' looking and sounding like a 'bikee' on the thunderbird than I do as the 'adventurer/motorcyclist' on the chook chaser.

Black leather, a snarl and some loud pipes get you more room in traffic than any flouro vest.

**chickenfunkstar** · 19th January 2006, 13:04

Originally Posted by Grahameeboy

I pulled over for you on the way up...........but it could be that your bike is yellow also.....my bike is red and I find cars pull over plus I have 2 headlights like yours too.....blimey it could be many things or just that the cager was nice

Yeah, thats true. It's probably a variety of reasons. I'd be surprised if it had nothing at all to do with noise though. We probably passed 100 of so cars from Coro to the motorway, so it was more of a rule in general rather than 1 nice cager.

Are you keeping the stock pipes on your SV? It'd sound awesome with some a/m cans.

**Grahameeboy** · 19th January 2006, 13:07

Originally Posted by chickenfunkstar

Yeah, thats true. It's probably a variety of reasons. I'd be surprised if it had nothing at all to do with noise though. We probably passed 100 of so cars from Coro to the motorway, so it was more of a rule in general rather than 1 nice cager.

Are you keeping the stock pipes on your SV? It'd sound awesome with some a/m cans.

Nah.....cannot really afford it and I have never been an exhaust junkie.....yeah I now must be the odd one eh.....reckon you would be right though...

**DMNTD:Me** · 19th January 2006, 13:08

I had R3 Yoshi's on my TL and is did make a difference...They DID hear me BUT only because I used the gas to make sure they did,ie: button off a bit when approaching their blind spot. My GSX with a single Yoshi makes a higher pitched sound and seems to be heard better when given a blip'n and can be heard from further off. Maybe something to do with 12000 rev's though
Certainly isn't full proof but surely any help is good.
Have noticed riding Duc-Gurl's TL with standard pipes on that there isn't the same presence...therefore I'm even more wary.
Trust no one....stay alive

**WRT** · 19th January 2006, 13:49

Well, sod the lot of ya, but I noticed a difference when I got the cans put on the Aprilia. Before, there were people pulling into my lane, freaking out when I "suddenly" appeared next to them, and so on. After, its like the parting of the red sea . . . every bugger knows I'm there before I actually arrive, and most make an effort to move out of my way. And I like it like that.

I also like the healthy boost in hp too . . .

The place where they have the biggest effect is when you are in heavy, slow moving traffic, and thats the time when I like to have the biggest "visibility" on the road. If I am in any doubt as to whether someone knows I am there or not, I give it a blast on the gas with the clutch in, and that gets their attention. Well, its either that, or the serenading coming from the cacophony of car alarms that have suddenly gone off in the immediate vicinty.

Which brings me to another point, if you are in traffic in a car and a big twin comes lanesplitting up past you, with aftermarket pipes the chances are that you will "feel" the pressure waves before you hear the bike itself. Have had that happen a couple of times while sitting in traffic on the mway. Admittedly this only happens if you dont have the radio blasting at full bore.

**Damon** · 19th January 2006, 13:52

A friend of mine complains he cant here his zx7 over my bike when he's in front of me let alone behind (packing is for homo's!), and i dont know about at 120kms but when i'm lane splitting through the city and give the gas a good blip cars go diving for cover all over the place, so yeah my loud exhaust makes a difference.

**Motu** · 19th January 2006, 13:58

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I'm with you - I don't think any of your list make hardly any difference at all.
I ride like I'm invisible and every bastard is going to hit me anyway - regardless of how much geeky shit I don't have on.....Mr Orange Fly pants and jersey.

I also know I have far, far fewer 'incidents' looking and sounding like a 'bikee' on the thunderbird than I do as the 'adventurer/motorcyclist' on the chook chaser.

Black leather, a snarl and some loud pipes get you more room in traffic than any flouro vest.

You haven't seen my orange gloves yet - tell the Hippy not to overstock on orange KTM clothing,then when I'm brousing the end of season sales I won't have to take what everyone else won't touch.I've come to terms with the fact that no colour makes me look good,and if I'm going to look stupid,let's make it real stupid.

But a younger me would ride in black leather and black open face with pony tail and beard flowing in the breeze on a chrome and black bike with very noisy exhausts - cars would stop in the middle of roundabouts to let me through.I think that biker image has MORE effect on car drivers than anything else you do to make yourself noticed.