Do loud pipes save lives?
This has been debated for years,
and finally there has been some actual research done to test the theory.
First, lets look at both sides of the argument.
Supporters usually use anecdotal evidence.
They share their stories about how their loud exhaust forced
a driver to notice them and thus prevented an accident.
Critics say it's bullshit.
Riders who simply like loud pipes are just attention whores looking for justification.
They say learning to ride defensively and wearing high visibility gear will make more difference.
Over the years, there have been riders in the middle who are genuinely interested
in objective evidence but there has been so little research done.
In the 1980s, the appropriately named Hurt report said that two thirds of accidents
were the driver's fault, and usually a car turning into the path of the motorbike.
So the car is usually in front and doesn't hear the motorbike
because the exhaust pipe is directing noise to the rear.
The report also found bikes with loud modified
exhausts were actually more likely to be in accidents.
But the reason wasn't explained.
Another factor is that cars have much better soundprooofing nowadays.
The vast majority of cars have air conditioning and climate control, so the windows stay up. And
sound systems in cars are louder than they used to be and much more common.
These factors created serious problems for emergency vehicles
as drivers frequently don't even hear the very loud forward-facing sirens.
And finally, there is multi tasking.
Drivers are often on their phones while driving nowadays.
It's no wonder that even a very loud motorbike doesn't get noticed either.
So what does the latest research say?
The Politehnica University of Bucharest conducted tests.
Their conclusions?
It's a myth.
Even loud bikes aren't heard.
Or the driver can't tell where the noise is coming from.
Or they hear it too late to take appropriate action.
Pause to read, or use the link to read the full research article.
Aftermarket exhaust manufacturers and some Harley riders
are often the strongest advocates for loud pipes.
But it's interesting to see even some of these guys are changing their minds.
Boris is both.
But he says it's all a myth.
And you are far better off learning to ride better.
But of course we humans are lazy.
It is easier to buy a loud exhaust instead of put the money into a riding course.
It's just commonsense.
Some far more effective solutions?
Develop your riding skills.
Ride defensively. Treat every driver as a complete idiot.
Be seen, not heard. Make yourself visible.
Stop wearing all black gear.
Get some driving lights on your bike.
Slap some reflective tape on your bike.
Wear good protective gear.
Get a bike with ABS.
Have your thumb hovering over that horn.
Perhaps a better argument is loud pipes annoy lives.
I have an idiot in my street who has ripped out the exhaust internals on his Kawasaki Ninja 300.
He blasts the neighbourhood at 4am every morning as he heads off to work.
He has replaced the dickhead who was doing the same thing
with straight-through pipes on his Harley last year at 4.30am.
And when I started editing this, there was a moron hitting the rev limiter on his sports bike
all over our suburb for 10 minutes, spinning the rear wheel on the wet roads while it's raining.
Incredible.
What do you guys think?
Is it a myth?
Do you have a story about the time your loud exhaust possibly prevented an accident?
Lets hear it.