It's still a loudness issue, ATVs will never be allowed free roam of anywhere they want. When someone complains about an ATV or Motorcycle the NUMBER 1 complain is almost ALWAYS noise. There's always going to be some residents, horse riders, hikers, etc.. around a riding area, no matter how large. These people will complain if they have loud ATV's or Motorcycles passing near them on a daily basis.

It's all about perception. Loud pipes annoy people and cast a negative light on us. It's a number one reason for closing riding areas. It serves no purpose. It's irresponsible to others. It also attracts unwanted attention & causes people that are against us to find other reasons to shut us down (trash, erosion, environmental damage, etc). While most claims of environmental damage are overly exaggerated, it's most certainly one of the weapons used against all offroaders.

Purposely going out and finding the loudest pipe is nothing short of type of stupidity that will eventually destroy our sport.

Personally if it were just me, I could care less about loud pipes. It doesn't bother me if someone cruises by my house or even rides for an extended period nearby with loud pipes. I like to hear people out enjoying themselves and it's good to see and hear people doing so. Unfortunatly 90% or more of the general public doesn't feel this way. Hence I have to take a stand against it to protect my freedoms & interests against those who endanger them by acting irresponsibly. I also have to set an example myself. That's why I have a fairly heavily modified bike with a modified stock pipe that is still quite reasonably quiet.

In my eyes, in this day and age of closing areas and intolerance, a person with an obnoxiously loud pipe or no silencer at all is no different that someone that leaves their trash on public or private land. The end result of either activity is the same. Personal observation notes that many times the same person participates in both activities amazingly enough (guess it's the attitude).

 

who knows why they are paranoid? Everyone has there opinions of loud. I think e-series is loud, that is compared to stock. I plan to get the r-series for my 400ex. you stick with a pipe manufacture or slightly modify your exhaust and you are probably with in legal limits. Now even with in legel limits you will still anoy the neighbors if all you do is ride around your yard hammering the gas till 10 at night. That gets people in trouble. All i have to say is you can make it as loud as you want it, and if your smart about it you will never get in trouble or have problems. Thats the point be smart. You can have loud and be fine.

 

I'm glad to see that most of the people in here have respect for our right to ride and are fighting to try and keep it. And to the kids in here who are cutting on there pipes and taking out baffles, you will be writing in here one day asking why your bike is smoking and using oil because you have burnt up your valves just something to think about


89TRX250R w/ too much to list

 

Gabe for once I'm going to have to agree with you.

2000 SCRAMBLER 400 2X4

SCRAMDADDY400

 

My 400 has a modified engine, and in order to make all the parts work correctly you need more flow from your exhaust. Most mass production aftermarket pipes are some what quiet, but they don't produce the amount of horsepower you would get from a full race pipe from a racing company. Yeah, they are really loud, but people want the most power they can get from there fourstroke. Unless there is a quiet pipe that flows well on a moded engine, then I am getting a TC race pipe, which is loud and puts out the power. I don't purposely have a loud pipe, I just want to be the fastest bike up the mountain.

 

Personally, I love a loud sounding bike. When you think of loud , you think of powerful. Why on earth would you want to make your quad quieter.I love turning heads when driving by. I dont care what people think. When driving my snowmobiles, I love it when pulling into a packed lodge and having the loudest machine there. With quads, the Rancher isnt really loud, but hey, its a work quad, so i dont tinker with the exhaust. Now, my motocross bike, is loud and I love it. What I'm saying is that I love having a loud mahine, maybe its a macho thing, but its cool

 

Gotta admit when I was a pup I liked loud also, gathered a few tickets for "excessive motor noise" back then, but with age comes wisdom hopefully. Quad users are a very visable group, and don't wish to sound well like, as has been said, paranoid, but the suckers ARE out to get us! Please think about that, and lets work together.

98 450-s
13700 mi
stock
Blackwaters

00 Kodiak
stock

 

My 400 has a modified engine as well. In fact, since I modified it, it has yet to take home less than 1st place in it's class & has 2 overalls to it's credit. That was thru an absolutely stock pipe. Now my pipe has some minor mods to improve flow, but I didn't increase the noise level appreciably.

Pipes on 4 strokes will make a difference, but not what most think, especially on a stock bike, which is what most of them are installed on.

Personally I've found it to be great fun beating guys with piped bikes with my stock appearing bike. I also like the looks & comments I get because my engine sounds good, not loud.

I don't have a problem with "Race Pipes" if that's what they're used for, or in extremely desolate places like the sand - exclusively, but most "race" bikes also get used as "play" bikes & ride on land surrounded by our "enemys" who are just looking for an excuse to shut us down, that's where the problem comes in.

What good is being the "fastest" up the mountain if there's not a mountain available to climb? Plus, there will always be someone faster, always. I lost interest in keeping up with & trying to outrun the Jones' long ago. If you want to race, do so in an organized event where machinery takes a back door to skill. If drag racing is your interest, do it in a car - engine parts are much cheaper & you can potentially go MUCH faster. I prefer to use my ATV for what it was designed for, going fast thru trails & clearing airtime.

Eventually there will be tightening restrictions on noise levels on public lands, guess who is going to be responsible for this taking place. Ever wonder why all the other off-roader's hate us & think we're all a bunch of redneck, beer swilling idiots???? Personally it pisses me off that I'm grouped with the bulk of ATV riders that are blamed for tearing up & trashing trails, riding like morons, seeking out "sensitive" areas like mud holes to tear up, modifying our exhausts to unacceptable levels (this is done in far less frequency in the M/C world), etc.... All of which leads to land closures. Lurk around at a dirtbike or sled site sometime, you might be surprised what thier opinion of us is.

I know I am in the minority here, hell, that's why other riders have the view of us that they do. Just though I would share some opinions, try to open some eyes, & do my part.

I stand by what I said about the comments that started this whole thread... Purposely going out and trying to find the loudest pipe is stupid & irresponsible.

 

Hey Gabe, what exhaust do you suggest I get. I ride strictly sand dunes. I ride out here in Washington, and there are two dune areas I ride in with no noise restrictions, and there are not that many frequent riders. I also ride in the Oregon dunes,that is when I put on my stock silencer. I also do not like loud pipes, I wish there was a way you could have a free flowing header with the stock silencer, but there isn't, or is there?.

I know how annoying a race pipe would be to a lot of riders out there, but I don't like the fact that I would be losing 4-5 horsepower because I put on my stock exhaust. Unless something changes my mind, I am switching to a TC race pipe.

 

Loud exausts do nothing except create problems and turn heads,the WRONG WAY!.Not staying within the legal sound limits will soon ruin our sport for many.If you chance it and get caught,a stiff penalty should be administered.

I like the sound of a lounder exaust to,however,I think my neighbors like the sounds of the birds chirping,the wind blowing,and the mild sound of their own TV sets,ect too.All of us must see that we maintain a legal sound limit,its all part of being fair and having respect for others privacy.
Bill