Loud pipes redux
 

...an old chestnut to roast by the Yule fire.

A group in Romania has tried to assess if loud pipes are beneficial to safety. Their testing may have flaws but it's good to see someone trying to quantify the issue.

https://www.rideapart.com/features/4...es-save-lives/

(tl/dr - no, they don't, based on their assumptions)

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

loud pipes dont save lives.... paying attention does.

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

you can drown noise out in any enclosed vehicle with loud enough music.

As Bibio said, paying attention is the key. And we all know very few car drivers have Driving at the top of their to do list when in the car, it's usually 3rd/4th on the list behind; listening to the music, having a conversation, thinking about shopping, then it's check mirrors or something like that

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

Bright lights save lives... loud pipes normally affect people behind and alongside bike, good lights are seen by people you are approaching. loud exhausts may warn pedestrians, but in this age of people walking and cycling with headphones on, completely unaware of their surroundings I doubt it.. all that loud pipes do is get bikers a bad name.

I was shocked that if you click the 'improve your visibility ' link in the article that 'ride in day time with high beam on' and 'fit auxiliary lights' are numbers 6 and 7 in the list, when they should be 1 and 2..

I have noticed auxiliary lights on bikes before I even saw the bike, and certainly before I heard it.

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

I always use headlight on main beam during daylight hours plus I have two superb right SMD drl lights which are much more noticeable than the stock headlight.
Having said that ... I was told many years ago buy a 'well seasoned' biker to ride like every other road user is out to get you and then ride accordingly! Something that's stuck with me for many years.
OK... so it kind of takes the edge off biking in general but good advice none the less.

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

Loud pipes save lives was never anything more than absolute throbbers riding with daft sized exhausts - justifying their expenditure and wilfully antisocial natures.

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

You think your pipe's loud? Your pipe ain't loud...


https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net...69&oe=5FFE0A39

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

Ha, thats not going to be as loud as my grandchildren!

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

+10

Also the distracted driver that pulls out wouldn't even notice Aircraft landing lights if they were fitted to the front of a Motorbike :O

Re: Loud pipes redux
 

They wouldn't hear the loud pipes either, but the certainly have more chance of seeing bright lights than seeing a bike with no lights.......


I have LED headlight bulb and two 10watt LED auxiliary spotlights, nobody has pulled out on me since I fitted them 4 years ago.

I also fitted blue LED in parallel with front direction indicators and mounted them on instrument pinnacle - I can see them in peripheral vision in sunlight ( never ride at night anyway ) the penalty for leaving an indicator on when riding is far worse on a bike than in a car, and that silly little green indicator that bike makers fit is a joke.