Why don motorcycle makers put loud pipes on new bikes as the standard?
Contrary to minority beliefs, loud pipes don’t save lives. The sound is directed to the rear, not to the front. If the bike is loud enough to be heard as a warning from the front it’s way too loud. Might as well just put an air horn on the front that turns on with the ignition. Loud pipes do cause fatigue, and hearing loss. They probably cause impotence as well (or maybe it’s just that all the guys with loud pipes are compensating for something). Now, you can get pipes that are relatively quiet but sound nice (deeper notes). Loud pipes are for kids. -Carl, riding since 1967.
