Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Loud pipes?

I got tired of the noise of my TORS and switched back to my stock pipes. I actually like that deep sound they make plus it is so much quieter on the bike. However, in the three or four weeks I have had the stock pipes, I have noticed people pulling into my lane as if I didn't exist. I am careful to stay out of blind spots and either hang back with enough room to allow a cage to change lanes or get by them.

Twice today drivers tried to pull into my lane. That seldom happened with the TORS. So, for safety's sake, I will go back to the TORS and ear plugs.

I am now emberassed to say one reason I changed back to stock was I was riding next to a guy in a pickup in heavy traffic and he gave me a single digit wave becuase he obviously couldn't hear over his cell phone. So much for being a good citizen.

I hate it when a HD with straight pipes rides next to me when I am in my truck-but I understand.

Dick,

I've said the following around here before, but if you'd maybe drill the first forward baffle on your stock units with a 1/2 inch drill bit, I think you'd find a nice compromise would be had between your TORs and your stock pipes. Not too loud and not to soft is what I've found the result to be after I did this very thing to my stock mufflers a few years back.

And then maybe those cagers MIGHT hear ya over their radios and cell phones, but still might not resent your presence next to them, and thus they can continue go about their daily little insulated lives without you causing any additional undue stress in it!

Thanks Dwight. You mean drill the baffle at the front of the muffler-not at the rear?

Yep! But be careful with the dill, as the forward baffle is angled at around a 45 degree slant, and it's very easy for the dill to slip down and hit the inner part of the outside casing.

This modification is actually pretty easy to do, but I mentioned the warning because my bit did slide down once but I caught it doing that right away, and repositioned the bit back where I wanted it.

If you haven't already, you might consider a louder horn. Several have tried the Stebel Nautilus (myself included), I believe it's rated at 140db.

After several sets of pipes, I went back to stock long ago. Even with those I wear ear plugs every ride (having tinnitus since my infantry days is not fun).

I won't say I troll blind spots just to use it, but when I do get a chance, I press the button much longer than necessary, just so everyone will look around (especially at the offender). Although there were times when even the Stebel didn't do anything (old guy who didn't care, lady on a cell phone who still moved into my space, etc). Pipes wouldn't have mattered. And I've gotten to like the sound of stockers with 40k miles. They age well with miles. And the horn is only loud when you want it to be.

I did upgrade the horns the first week I had it but I have been thinking about some even louder. The idea of an air horn is really attractive sometimes.

In the end, we all know that riding is the rider's responsibility to watch out for everyone else.

You can listen to Dwight. There is a seller on ebay "sleddead" that sells "Dunstall replicas" that will fit our bikes. They remind me of the good ole days. I used to put Dunstall reverse cones on all my twins. They give you a very deep note, but not loud at all - just a growl (unless you remove the baffles, then they really crack).
There are Dunstall relicas that won't fit our bikes, but sleddead assured me these will fit. Click the link to view the listing.
They are about $135 a pair.

OK, the loud pipes, do save lives and hide, because we have driver's in a cage that is either to old to drive or to busy on a cell phone and could really care less if they kill us, Men and Women on two wheels. So let them salute us and tell us we are #1 with the single digit wave, At least the rude inconsiderate, short attention, self centered drivers of cages realize we are there, therefore we live to ride another day.""!!!!!!

It's nice to have someone confirm what I've been saying. A louder pipe gets the attention of the cage beside you. Not as much in other directions, though.

I've been driving a truck (18 wheeler) for 13 years now (and riding for 20), and I can tell you for SURE that loud pipes will occasionally get you noticed, sometimes noticed at the exact momnet as to have prevented an accident, but YOUR riding technique and defensive riding skill is what will ultimately save your keester. Remember: your not just operating your vehicle, but the vehilces of everyone around you.....People are sooooo predictable when it comes to driving..

Amen! (oops) I mean, loud valves save lives too!

But bill, I have depended on my pipes to save me. I carry around a 13mm box end wrench and a 12mm socket wrench just in case my life might be in peril.. I was attacked one time by a guy with a knife. I quickly unbolted my pipe. So now I had a big stiff hollow tube versus his knife. Because I have no baffles, I yelled through my pipe at the attacker "HEY YOU, DONT YOU STICK ME WITH THAT KNIFE" If I would have had the baffles in he might not have been scared and he wouldn't have run away.

If you leave the baffles in your pipes, they are considerably heavier and (assuming that you have the upper body strength) make a far more effective bludgeon.

None o' those sissy warning shouts.

I have been noticing a lot of "younger female" drivers in my town that seem to need to have the cell phone against their heads to survive.(insert blond with headphones joke here) I witnessed one that I was behind in traffic, pull into a parking lot, get out of the car and go into a store all with her phone up to her ear and not watching traffic, even when she nearly got run over walking to the store. I intentionaly drop a gear and rev my engine beside people who are on cell phones while driving. I think it should be against the law to drive and talk on a phone.( I have a tough enough time talking to my wife in the passengers seat while I drive. At least she is in the car with me and can say stuff like "you're going too slow" or "the light is green you know")
Before cell phones were everywhere people got along just fine without constant communication with eachother. Personally I don't have that much to say that I would need to talk to someone 24/7. That is the beauty of riding. No cell phone, no radio and if your pipes are loud enough you can't hear the ol' lady on the back much either.

I say keep revving and let them keep waving. Or maybe get a sticker that says "next time wave at me with all your fingers". At least if they are waving, they know you are there.

That is why they make steel toed boots and .45 automatics.

GB please...its a self loading .45, or a semi auto .45 I know it's called .45 APC ammo...but thats ok...some nonothing might see that and think you're carrying a fully auto...the same boneheads who thinks an AR-15 is a fully automatic "assault rifle" after all isn't that whar the AR stands for

Quote:

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I know it's called .45 APC ammo

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Automatic Colt Pistol

NightRider, using anything but a hands-free cell phone here in Connecticut or New York is VERBOTEN, but apparently it's not enforced at all, since I continuously see people chatting away in bumper to bumper traffic every day of every week, even when Police are right there!!!

I recently put on light bars and they seem to really help to get me noticed more often.Also put the what are they called the euro white light bulbs in my headlight.