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By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com
Are motorcycles cleaner and “greener” than cars? The gang at “Mythbusters” try and answer this question on the season premiere of the Discovery Channel series at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Adam and Jamie will drive and ride vehicles from various decades. The guess here is that bikes are “dirtier,” pollute more because they lack the emission controls of cars, but are still better than cages because of better gas mileage. So here’s a question: Car makers have made great strides in improving mpg. Why haven’t bike manufacturers?
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Heard recently from Jim Tabor of Willows Motorsports that he’d received a Victory Cross Roads that had been a factory demo, meaning it had some miles on it. Hmm, I thought. I then saw Jim on Sunday morning when he rode into Kent with some friends aboard the Victory. I suggested that as how the bike had already some road time that maybe I should borrow it for a few days and write a review. Well, Jim emailed yesterday with an invitation to pick it up late Saturday afternoon. This should be fun.
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Finally, two unrelated incidents over the past two days reminded me of just how offensive and unnecessary loud exhaust pipes are.
On Sunday afternoon, I covered the ordination of a minister at the Harwinton Congregational Church. It was a warm day and the windows were open. Throughout the service, the roar of passing motorcycles drown out the proceedings inside. There were times when the choir could barely be heard over the din coming from the road.
Then, a few minutes ago, while walking the dog in the pre-sunrise darkness, a passenger jet flew low overhead. I looked up at it flashing lights and noticed that while I was looking to the right to see it, the noise from its engines came from the left – well behind its position at the that point. That’s the science of sound; it documents the past, not the present.
Just a reminder that loud pipes do more to offend than to protect. Loud pipes are not cool – just obnoxious.
“That’s the science of sound; it documents the past, not the present.
Just a reminder that loud pipes do more to offend than to protect. Loud pipes are not cool – just obnoxious.”
I think too many of the “Loud pipes save lives” contingent simply don’t get how sound travels at speed. It’s only going to work at low speeds with buildings to bounce off. At highway speeds there is almost no chance that a car ahead of you will hear anything.
I’ll admit though, I’m getting pipes. A slight increase in sound over stock V Star exhaust, just enough to mask that Yamaha whine. Not taking the baffles out though. My neighbors have a new infant and I’m trying to keep the noise down in general.
Love the blog, BTW.