Well, in the history of our little forum here, I don't think I've chimed in on a motorcycle thread before; but I thought perhaps I might post in response to a couple comments above.
I don't ride bikes. I rode my roommate's bike around town some back in the 70's, but that's it. I also read Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance (a wonderful book) back in the 70's and have a great appreciation for the experiential difference in riding through the countryside on a bike as opposed to riding in a car. My dad rode a bike (Goldwing) and he and mom rode in every state in the US including two trips from North Carolina to Alaska (they didn't ride their bike to Hawaii, they rented a bike there).
Here's my comment. I can appreciate one's desire to have a bike that sounds pleasing to their ear. But is there not a point at which the loudness of one's bike infringes on one's respect for one's fellow humans? Here are two examples:
1 - I live in a very quiet neighborhood on a dead end street in what's called a cove, a street running along a creek with high ridges running up both sides and the end. Most of the time the only sounds I and my neighbors hear are the sounds of the natural world we live in; the wind in the trees, the creek, the birds. Every once in a while somebody will ride a really loud bike up our street and the sound is trapped in and bounces around the cove. There doesn't appear to be any point in this unless it's the rider's desire to disturb everyone else.
2 - I live close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway is a scenic road that runs through the Western North Carolina mountains. There are lots of hiking trails that have trailheads on the Parkway, and I and many others go hiking on those trails a lot. Hiking on these mountain trails is a spiritual experience, until the sound of a very loud bike, or even several very loud bikes, roaring down the parkway reverberates through the hills. For those of you who cherish the experience of prayer in your church on Sunday morning, consider the effect if while you are deep in prayer, a biker suddenly roars through the sanctuary.
So, while I do understand the joy of riding a bike, and while I do understand the appreciation of the sound of a bike, does it have to be so loud? I suppose it's similar to the desire to play music loudly; but the difference is that we play music in a venue where the other people there want to hear loud music, we don't play where it would disturb others (well that's not entirely accurate, but at least we hope that the promoter has a permit). At what point does one's personal desire to ride around on a loud bike infringe on one's care and consideration for the people they share the planet with?
This of course doesn't apply to all or even most bikes; and of course it additionally does apply to some cars that have been modified to be louder. I've never posted this before because I do not want to post anything that can be taken as being critical of my fellow forum members. And I can certainly see the selfishness of my own position, my own desire for the quiet enjoyment of nature. Perhaps there is some middle ground, some point at which we can respect the rights of others and enjoy our own preferences for quietness or loudness. I apologize if I've offended anyone with these remarks.
