We have all seen bumper stickers and vest patches that proudly proclaim that loud pipes save lives. Some bikers firmly believe that there is a direct correlation between the loudness of their motorcycle and their own safety. There is no denying that when we hear a motorcycle roar past us on the road, we are immensely aware of the biker’s presence. However, while some bikers feel the need to modify the exhaust system on their motorcycles in order to maximize their visibility on the road, other bikers and motorists shake their heads and call loud pipes a nuisance to society.
Complaints about thundering, eardrum-shattering motorcycles have caused some private communities across the U.S.A. to ban all kinds of motorcycles. Even some countries worldwide have taken a stance against loud pipes. Sound restriction laws, including annual inspections, were passed in Europe, Japan, and Australia. The growing animosity against loud motorcycles sparked a reaction from Harley-Davidson CEO Jim McCaslin. In 2006, he posted a message on the Harley-Davidson website titled, “Something We Never Want to Lose,” where he urged bikers to keep their motorcycles at an appropriate noise level in order to ensure that “all those riders coming behind us can enjoy the same level of freedom we do today.”
He makes a very good point. Should we risk our own safety for the freedom to ride anywhere our little hearts desire? Do loud pipes even protect bikers enough to compel them to risk not only their own freedom, but to compromise every other biker’s right to use the road? This is a controversial question that does not have a right or wrong answer. Nonbelievers in loud pipes reinforce their argument by pointing out that some motorists cannot even hear motorcycles with loud pipes because of their own actions, such as playing music inside the car, talking on their cell phones, or driving in front of the motorcycle (rather than behind it, where all the noise is directed). Nonbelievers also often compare loud motorcycles to ambulances – motorists usually notice the flashing lights before hearing the sirens – and they use that reasoning to suggest that, instead of modifying the exhaust system on their motorcycles, bikers should wear bright colors because motorists are more likely to see them before hearing them. Supporters of loud pipes remain adamant that no visibility-increasing method is as efficient as noise, with the notion that the brightest colored jacket and helmet would be rendered useless in a motorist’s blind spot, or even at nighttime. Not only do loud pipes warn people to look out for any motorcycles nearby, they also keep deer and other animals off the road.
People from both standpoints could discuss this issue forever without agreeing on which answer is right, because there is no proof to reinforce each side. Supporters may give their loud pipes credit for the fact that they are still alive and well today, but there is no definite way to pinpoint the exact reason they managed to avoid tragedy on their bikes. It could be because they’re careful riders, it could be because they rode in the right places during the right times, or it could indeed be because of their loud pipes after all. There is no way of knowing how things would have turned out had they done anything differently. The nonbelievers are usually quick to point out that bikers with loud pipes still get in accidents, but they fail to realize that the accidents could be due to many unrelated factors, such as riding too fast, slick roads, or drivers under the influence.
All in all, people cannot prove whether or not loud pipes can save lives, so this topic is only a matter of personal opinion. Even if the government eventually steps in and implements restrictions to motorcyclists’ right to use the road, the question will always remain unanswered.
Subscribe
