Hmm recently got my GSXR600K6 and I decided after being a bit embarassed about the noise my R6 Akrapovic made that I decided I would keep with the stock pipe as it was much quieter, however after doing the regular commute (same time same road as every morning for the last to years) I’ve noticed that theres alot more near misses occuring with cars pulling out and side swiping me when I overtake. (not filtering but overtaking) nearly got killed yesterday morning going down Wrotham Hill by a BMW coming out on me and this morning a McNichols van did the same thing, he DEFINITELY knew I was there as he passed me on the roundabout and he had no chance to overtake so he was just trying to ‘block’ me. Tis deliberate blocking is only recent and only on the new bike?
now this never happened with a louder race can (not obscene but louder) and I’m wondering whether its true that a loud pipe not only serves to tell people you’re there but also intimidates drivers a bit to be careful and not mess you around?
Seems a bizarre thing to me but for sure since I’ve had the new bike with quiet can I’ve had loads more near misses than I ever had with the loud can on. My gear hasn’t changed, lights were on all the time on both bikes and riding style is the same? Also I’m not being a loon or anything I am overtaking on the right hand side of the road not filtering?
Anyway after this moring the loud pipe is being bought as this isn’t funny anymore, more cars made room and reacted to me in a positive manner when I had loud pipes than when I had quiet ones = go figure
Yeah I can see this would be seen as a “loud pipe saves lives thread” I just wondered if theres any reason they do seem to work? Intimidate drivers? I don’t really want a loud pipe as it
a) costs money
b) Annoys the neighbours (not that thye think about using their mower at 9pm at night)
c) makes me worried about annoying drivers who might try and have me off despite knowing that I seem to be safer with a loud pipe sigh
no - no right turning m8, this is just pulling out for no apparent reason? he couldn’t overtake at this point either and the car in front of him was pulling away so why would he try? Only thing I came up with is he was trying to threaten me?
I think you are spot on… when you look and sound like a death racer cars do show you respect! My Yoshi tri is loud and I constantly blip when filtering… Hell, I don’t even use the hooter at all !
P.S: I always ride with earplugs so the bike sounds pretty quiet to me…
It seems to add to the general awareness of your average driver/pedestrian - they do not seem to go into goldfish mode and forget you are there after 5 seconds.
It seems to put a post-it note in their noddle that says ‘bike about’
Having gone from standard 18 year old cans on my FJ to legal ART Race cans (well, there is no “Not for Road Use” sign on them) I’ve noticed that I have a cleaner commute. People can hear me coming as well. It is not obscenely loud or obtrusive, just a bit more of a presence. I use them and not my hooter to warn peds, cars etc on pulling out. BUT it is mainly down to observation and awareness that you’ll not have issues. I had to hoot and rev at a little mini squeezing into traffic and not looking.
I think you are right there Tex, I noticed several times when I despatched that I had accidentally switched my [daytime] headlights off purely by the frequency that people pulled into my path, so I never rode without them. Loud pipes sadly warn Plods you are approaching, so there will come a time when a speed gun that would have otherwise been pointing down at the ground is suddenly up and pointing right at you, but the safety aspect is more important that being nicked, even jailed, so my gixxer’s Ti dustbin is in the, er dustbin [well, back of garage…]
When you ride “more agressively” more people get out of your way cos you are some maniac just with a blipped Yoshi and some body/bike language motioning for impossible gaps you would be surprised at the gaps that open up. Having said this, I was a DR at the time and spent a lot of time in traffic, it is not good advice for newbies . . . .
it is possible Im riding my bike differently witht he different engine note but I still make progess pretty rapidly, I think the general consensus is drivers to “watch out” or get worried when a loud can is being used, I must admit this is a bit sad as I was trying to do my bit to keep noise down by using standard cans but I reckon its back to a loudish one (not race) as this does seem to have a better effect, on thinking about it when Im in the car and I hear a race can I do think “he means business, he’ll go through quickly” but if I see a quiet commuter 500 I tend to think “pfft who does he think he is trying to push through”…obviously I move over as Im a biker but psychologically speaking there is a difference in perception of the type of rider…
Dunno mate, the Yoshi with the RX-7 really does cause some resonating around the ol head ! I actually think I may have damaged my hearing a bit after just over 2 years of riding without plugs. I am so used to them now I can even sort of speak to someone with them in so traffic noise ain’t a problem…
I use that too and tend to rev a little when passing traffic to make them aware of me. Sometimes they just aim for you purposely and there is not much you can apart from avoid them and to shout obscenities into your lid.
Very true, I do the M25 twice a day. I have tried with and without main beam to test the difference and it is a lot lot safer WITH main beam as far more car move over.
And yes, driver are more aware and less likely to mess with you if you have aftermarket louder pipes. Mine s on order as I was awaiting for a descent for my D675
As far as overtaking when you have right side roads, I don’t do it either unless I have made eye contact with the driver in from and I am 100% he knows where I am at… Assume a monkey drive every car, scooter and van (especialy Royal mail’s one) on the road and you might get home in one piece.
I ride in Paris for years and there it is an other story, car are actualy creating a 3rd lane (or 4th) for bike to filter at high speed…
They do not do it because they are nice though, French driver are maybe the worst in the world once you killed all italians. They do it by fear. Many bikers will keys the side of any cars in their way when they do not just trash their mirrors.
Do not know what worst/best. But to go from A to B during morning rush hour, we do a lot more miles a lot faster on the other side of the tunnel. However not that relaxed …
I’ve got a race pipe on my commuter, but actually I don’t think it is loud. As pipes go I think it is quite sedate. You want to hear a cut down or straight through! Yes when you are doing 10k down a residential street at 1am its loud but not when you are in rush hour traffic surrounded by cars. All those cars on the road together makes a lot of noise. I live quite close to a major road. The noise carries a long way. People underestimate how much noise a double decker bus or heavy lorries make. Obviously not as bad as a bike screaming its nuts off, but you are not going to do that on an every day commute… are you?
I’ve just put a street legal can on my Gixxer. I’m not impressed with it. The baffle is coming out tomorrow. If you have something flash like a sports bike why not put a bad arse pipe on. Let everyone know you are coming I say.
