How can Harley’s be so loud?
Discussion
Not just limited to HDs but also applicable to other similar bikes.
Until last week we were living in a flat on a very busy road so subject to lots of traffic noise. However the general traffic noise was drowned out completely by people riding past. So loud that every time my dog went nuts. The road is 50 kmh (and busy so generally you can’t speed even if you wanted to) so the noise being generated was at low throttle openings.
How do such bikes get through noise limitation tests?
I’ve had bikes that were loud at full throttle but were fine when bimbling through town.
Denmark seems very intolerant of speeding and a bit anti car (and pro bicycle) so surprising that such bikes/exhausts are allowed.
Until last week we were living in a flat on a very busy road so subject to lots of traffic noise. However the general traffic noise was drowned out completely by people riding past. So loud that every time my dog went nuts. The road is 50 kmh (and busy so generally you can’t speed even if you wanted to) so the noise being generated was at low throttle openings.
How do such bikes get through noise limitation tests?
I’ve had bikes that were loud at full throttle but were fine when bimbling through town.
Denmark seems very intolerant of speeding and a bit anti car (and pro bicycle) so surprising that such bikes/exhausts are allowed.
They don't get through tests. Exhaust mods are one of the first things done on new HD, and often with baffles that can be fitted for an MOT test.
The people that ride them are often middle class and also a lot of ex-plod.
It just seems to be connection between a brand and a personality defect.
The people that ride them are often middle class and also a lot of ex-plod.
It just seems to be connection between a brand and a personality defect.
HBelder said:
I don’t know the answer for Denmark, but in the UK, noise testing isn’t conducted as part of an MOT.
On cars it is. ETA and hikes
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-...
Yeah, cars must be subject to a noise test here in the UK as in sport mode, in my Abarth, the exhaust valve opens and the car burbles loudly at idle but then goes quiet until around 40 or 50mph when it goes proper Abarth again.
Older Abarths just had normal mode, quiet, and sport, loud.
Odd about Harleys though as a neighbour has a huge one and it's bloody loud yet when I speak to them they are the most law abiding person I've ever met. Even stuck rigidly to all the Covid restrictions.
So I'm guessing that the bike is standard with no mods.
Older Abarths just had normal mode, quiet, and sport, loud.
Odd about Harleys though as a neighbour has a huge one and it's bloody loud yet when I speak to them they are the most law abiding person I've ever met. Even stuck rigidly to all the Covid restrictions.
So I'm guessing that the bike is standard with no mods.
Evanivitch said:
They don't get through tests. Exhaust mods are one of the first things done on new HD, and often with baffles that can be fitted for an MOT test.
The people that ride them are often middle class and also a lot of ex-plod.
It just seems to be connection between a brand and a personality defect.
Not just Harleys. Seems the first thing a lot of people do after buying a new bike is stick a new piece of sThe people that ride them are often middle class and also a lot of ex-plod.
It just seems to be connection between a brand and a personality defect.
t, loud and antisocial caaan on the back. I am alright Jack said:
Not just Harleys. Seems the first thing a lot of people do after buying a new bike is stick a new piece of st, loud and antisocial caaan on the back.
Yeah I semi buy in to the safety aspects in some cases, and living in a 20-NSL transition I hear the worst of it, but that'soften sports bikes at WOT, not just idle. But as others have said, many Harley's are beyond anti social at all revs.t, loud and antisocial caaan on the back. WeirdNeville said:
When I lived in Oz a guy up the road had a Harley. He used to get up at 3-4am to fly out to the mines and he'd take his Harley. Woke the 1 year old up every time. I came to loathe him without ever having spoken to him.
My neighbour was the same, but I think he's fitted his baffles this year after the knitting circle voiced their concerns.I know someone who had a Harley Davidson sportster from new and with the standard exhaust it was actually very quiet, I would even go so far to say it was too quiet.
It went to a local bike shop for a service and they suggested knocking one of the "Washers" out of the exhaust to increase the soun,. It did increase the noise but not excessively. I think it's the aftermarket pipes (which are literally pipes, no silencers) that are the problem.
They traded in the Harley for Victory Vegas and they even gave away free Vance and Hines exhausts pipes with the bike when new, that was incredibly loud!
It went to a local bike shop for a service and they suggested knocking one of the "Washers" out of the exhaust to increase the soun,. It did increase the noise but not excessively. I think it's the aftermarket pipes (which are literally pipes, no silencers) that are the problem.
They traded in the Harley for Victory Vegas and they even gave away free Vance and Hines exhausts pipes with the bike when new, that was incredibly loud!
Not sure if it's a medical issue but some of them are actually painful for me to hear. It's like being violently woken up but you're already awake.
Ironically I whip my head around to see it only for them to come past extremely slowly.
Only other seriously loud one I saw were two S1000XRs (his and hers) with almost unbelieveably obnoxiously akras on.
The filth don't seem to care about the Harleys but only go after other bikes with loud exhausts.
One or two of my bikes have had aftermarket exhausts on but I changed back to OEM as one wouldn't seal and the other made me super paranoid when riding in Europe (I didn't have the OEM one for it). My strom is super quiet being Euro 5 but I'll leave it standard as I do a lot of back road and lane riding now.
Ironically I whip my head around to see it only for them to come past extremely slowly.
Only other seriously loud one I saw were two S1000XRs (his and hers) with almost unbelieveably obnoxiously akras on.
The filth don't seem to care about the Harleys but only go after other bikes with loud exhausts.
One or two of my bikes have had aftermarket exhausts on but I changed back to OEM as one wouldn't seal and the other made me super paranoid when riding in Europe (I didn't have the OEM one for it). My strom is super quiet being Euro 5 but I'll leave it standard as I do a lot of back road and lane riding now.
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