'Loud pipes save lives' and 'the louder it is the faster it is' are all phrases you’ve probably heard before, but for a lot of people – particularly the non-riding public – loud exhausts prove to be obnoxious. Which camp do you find yourself in?
I'm in the camp of yea/no!
I believe in the db limit! It hurts to hear anything over 80ish. Damage starts around there as well. But that may be my age to. Yes a free breathing exhaust can help performance.
Noise, in the concrete jungle you can hear a bike coming from a ways off. Hell you can hear one a ways off even if it's not coming. But anywhere near 40+ mph and you are over driving the noise. So in the sticks or hwy, what's the point?
Thanks for making me think Motorcycle.com! Now stop it!!
Loud pipes don't save lives. Just think about it. You are going down the road in your car with the windows rolled up, enjoying the air conditioning and the too loud radio. You decide to pull out and pass the slow driver in front of you. There is a motorcycle in your blind spot. You won't hear his loud pipes in time to warn you not to pull out. The sound of his pipes trails behind him, but to save his life, they must speed ahead of him. Loud pipes are for the thrill of the rider and they annoy those who don't appreciate them. Also, they might be exciting for short rides around town, but after a long day of riding, they still pound in your brain and exhaust you as well as your motorcycle.
There's sounding nice and then there's way to loud. I like a bike with a tasteful rumble or roar, but If I can hear you a quarter mile away it's to loud. Seems to be mostly an issue with Harleys around here, there isn't nearly as many sport bikes with obnoxious exhaust anymore...I'm guessing this has to do with the newer bikes needing to be remapped if the exhaust is messed with.
For sure. There's that beautiful rumble and growl, then there's obnoxious! On a KLR adding a pipe is nothing but extra noise as it's never going to be much faster (unless you're big bore kitting and the rest at the same time). I prefer quiet on the dual sport especially on the trails as it keeps you a little more under the radar.
The Ninja on the other hand will be getting a full Yoshi or Akro system at some point!
With D&D full stepped exhaust on my Hinkley Triumph, the decibels are a bit un nerving at times. Even so, I completed a full 3,500 mile trip through Baja and parts of Mexico with that set-up.
I live in a small town just off of an arterial road that runs right through town... Lol, I can't stand loud pipes! And that goes for noisy diesel trucks with aftermarket exhausts too. It's ok if you like a little rumble out on the highway, but the "look at me!!!" crowd that likes to walk on it in towns and residential areas just pi$$ people off. So yeah, guess I'm saying I don't really care for them
Loud bikes make us all look bad, and especially I enjoy the stealth of a stock
KLR when crossing a random plot of earth and disappearing just as quickly.
Hehehehe,
Cheeeeeeeeap with 108Db Fiamm Freeway Blasters (autozone)dual horns.
I have the Lexx on my 05 and my 08, the 08 I just purchased and it has the 'turn-down' end pipe on the Lexx, it is noticeably quieter than the end pipe that comes on the Lexx. I like the quieter version, after a 1000 mile trip on the 05 with the Lexx I was tired of the noise.
I like mildly loud except on the Goldwing. Quiet sewing machine is nice on long cross country trips.
I can sort of understand the "loud pipes saves lives" mentality but when I'm driving the car, I usually only hear them by surprise when they blow past me lane splitting 20 mph faster than the flow. Already too late for me to give them more room to hog my lane.
The argument that loud pipes cannot be heard coming up behind you doesn't hold much water. We've all heard loud vehicles approaching from behind. Two vehicles with extremely noticeable exhaust notes are Harley's and Mustang's - particularly the older 5.0's. Many,many times I have been running down the road and know exactly what is behind me before I am ever able to see the vehicle.
Obnoxious is obnoxious. I do like a machine that sounds alive, though. I know the deer are noticeably much more aware of my presence with my slightly louder muffler I have on the bike now. I see many more tails disappearing in to the woods now vs the spooked little creatures scampering back and forth in front of me in the road.
For those who believe that loud pipes save lives ... why is it that that the whisper-quiet Goldwing, ST & BMW pilots aren't the ones getting creamed by cagers? (parry, parry, score)
Loud pipes??? search South Park for "The F word" episode and you will see the loud pipe types ... Noise doesn't mean more power or faster. Typically you loose power opening up an exhaust without proper jetting/tuning and unless you run it on a dyno you can't properly tune it, you are just guessing ...
I honestly HATE the sound of Harley's. And that's one of my favorite episodes of South Park.
I'm going to base my opinion on how I feel about certain car exhausts:
A loud exhaust is ok if it suits the car, however there is a very fine line between loud and obnoxious. I personally think an exhaust should add tone or bring out certain tones in the rev range, not just to be loud.
I like quieter exhaust than any aftermarket manufacturer currently produces.
If the US EPA and other international regulatory agencies would allow the OEMs to build to about the 1982 USA noise limit of I believe 84dba fewer owners would feel the desire to open up the volume.
The current requirement is 80dba on the EPA drive by test course.
Do I understand correctly that each +1dba is twice as loud? Most 1980-1985 bikes sounded pretty reasonable to my ears.
I like them quiet.
If you're relying on being loud enough to get the attention of the distracted driver looking at their phone, drinking their starbucks, and with a couple screaming kids, while caged away in their luxury SUV, you're in for trouble. Nothing can get these idiots to pay attention.
I hear bikes from my bedroom all the time, but especially Friday and Saturday night around the time the bars close. Sucks living in the city, where I can here the obnoxiously loud harleys over a mile away. And I hear them all the time from the 12th floor of my office at work behind 1" thick glass.
There is a difference between a nice sounding exhaust, and an exhaust so loud that it's only purpose is to say: "Look at me."
I pulled up to a stop light a while back on my KLR (I've done the 2" mod to the end of it after I took off the Jardine can), and I folded my hands on my tank bag while waiting. I listened to my "pup,pup,pup,pup,pup,pup as I looked around and watched the cars go by.
Up pulls the Harley with straights on it. He nods at me, I acknowledge him, and then he starts in with the BRAAM, BRAAM, BRAAAAAAAAM! while he's sitting there.
I pulled up to a stop light a while back on my KLR (I've done the 2" mod to the end of it after I took off the Jardine can), and I folded my hands on my tank bag while waiting. I listened to my "pup,pup,pup,pup,pup,pup as I looked around and watched the cars go by.
Up pulls the Harley with straights on it. He nods at me, I acknowledge him, and then he starts in with the BRAAM, BRAAM, BRAAAAAAAAM! while he's sitting there.
I don't mine someone adding a little extra sound. When it gets annoying that's over the line IMO...
I don't mind the stock KLR.
BTW: I'm told by some Harley riders at work, yes they talk to me, the reason some guys rev the engines at stop lights is to ensure the oil pressure stays up...Could be BS, but it is a story.
BTW: I'm told by some Harley riders at work, yes they talk to me, the reason some guys rev the engines at stop lights is to ensure the oil pressure stays up...Could be BS, but it is a story.
Maybe HD riders could use some of my PDW oil mods on their engines oil flow system?
So the general public wouldn't have to listen to them.
The HD engine is a rolling element crankshaft, similar to the KLR. A rolling element crankshaft really doesn't need pressure, just a continuous flow. But the HD hydraulic valve tappets need more pressure than any portion of a KLR engine.
Could be plausible or not.
All my Harley's have remained with a stock exhaust, except my 87 Sporty, (30 yrs ago).
You never hear a cager saying I never heard him coming, it's always I never saw him.
I ride with a white helmet as they stand out, and my 14 Limited looks like a lit up Xmas tree (all stock). Not crazy on HiViz, doesn't go well with the leathers, but my rain suit is HiViz.
Necroed thread but what the heck: My KLR silencer post;
A subjective topic but to recap recent discussions;
I don't like loud but I've replaced the stock silencers on both KLR's for several reasons, namely; lighter weight (5 - 7 lbs), better tone, better looks. .....I wouldn't recommend it thinking there will be a noticeable increase in power, nor would I put much faith in manufacturer's that claim much in the way of HP increases (with no other changes).
After much research and some testing, I like the LeoVince X3 which is relatively quiet at 94db, doesn't require repacking (the only one that doesn't AFAIK, except for the ridiculously expensive Staintune out of Austrailia), looks decent and has a spark arrestor and USFS compliance. Runner up would be the Lexx with the optional trail insert; also around 94db but it does require periodic repacking. I also like the FMF Q4 but it is a bit louder (though still trail compliant) at 96db (keep in mind that the increase in decibels isn't linear).
There are a great many aftermarket silencers on the market that are far too loud IMO and you'd do best to avoid them.
I am not a fan of loud bikes at all, especially those that rev it up as they go by your open car window, not mentioning any particular riders of course ( cough.....hardly davids......cough).
My Hayabusa had M4's when i bought it, they lasted about 6 seconds before i was installing the stock cans. No need for weight savings on that bird at all.
That is my thought as well, just the weight savings on the KLR. I bought the Q4 and power bomb for it, read that it was the quietest of the aftermarket pipes as long as you keep the packing in good shape.
Well . . . I don't believe aftermarket mufflers add significant power increase across the rpm spectrum in comparison with OEM mufflers; certainly, with nominally stock engines.
As to, weight-saving, a few pounds to a 400+ pound motorcycle won't produce significant handling improvements, nor mass reduction, seems to me (a half-gallon less fuel in the tank will do the same weight reduction).
I honestly dont think anyone really believes they add more power, they just sound like it. As you mentioned they may rob power. Hoping that with the KLX jet kit i can just keep close to stock power.
Yes 6 or 7 lbs does not sound like much but it is almost a gallon of fuel and when one is on a long road trip loaded with a full complement of gear any weight saved is a plus in my book. Certainly going to carry all the fuel my 6.6 IMS tank can carry and more than likely too much gear. Lol
Just my thoughts
Arctic
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