quote Songman writes: Nice name calling! Did you make up all those big words by yourself? The point still remains... You act like my Harley sounds like Thunder! What do you ride? Sounds like a little motor-envy if you ask me... I'm sorry if you can't afford a Harley....

If your Harley is running the straight pipes that you claimed earlier in the thread, then it's unreasonably loud above idle. There is no mechanical advantage for removing the mufflers from your Harley.

Besides, I don't need a Harley - I already have an identity. Sorry you had to spend $30K on $5K worth of 1930's technology to make youself feel like a man.

quote artherd wrote: You know, if you remove your head from your ass, and take the damn woffer out of the trunk, you'll find the volume dosen't need to be turned up nearly so loud

If you'll read earlier in the thread instead of jumping into the middle, you'll discover that the loud stereo I had (and used responsibly) was in a Suzuki Samurai I owned 12 years ago, before I got into Fieros. My automotive interests have changed since then, and I prefer my Fiero 95% stock.

For the record, I don't like the bass-pumping jerks sitting next to me (or driving through the neighborhoods) any more than I do the jerks who run open exhaust, no matter what kind of vehicle it's on.

quote Originally posted by Mach10: Oooh! A name calling match! Me first! Me First! I'll open with "Longhairedmuffdivingcrabcrawlingassholepinko****stick." Any takers?

You lost me after Longhairedmuffdiving... Up to there I'll take all of the names! hehe

And LZeitgeist...This is the part that confuses me. This has turned into all of this big ole fight and it sounds like you don't even disagree with me. And of all the people who don't like the loud music but like Harleys, you chose me to start with. What's the real story here? And I'm not even gonna repeat the part again about not having straight pipes!

And I don't NEED a Harley, no more than I needed my 911's, Jags, or Vettes... I just LIKE them. Same as I like Fieros. Did Roger NEED to put a Ferrari body on his Fiero to make himself a man? No, he did it because he liked it and because he could.

1930s technology? I think you need to go to a Harley shop and check again. Ever ridden a Buell? Harley's version of a rice rocket... I'm sure you have seen them because they win lots of races... And it is amazing how all of the other bike companies are trying to copy that 1930's technology and grab up part of that business...

This is getting boring now having to repeat the same thing over and over and it still not being noticed... I think I'll go find another topic to be a hypocrite on. Of course, you are more than welcome to come along and share your views there too...

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Tennessee Fiero Owners

Let's just agree to disagree. When you get down to it, both types of noise irritate 50% of the population. When it's hitting 110Db outside the car, not too many people are picky about whether it's "boooooom-boom-boom-booooooom" or "BAT-BAT-BAT-BAT-BAT."

Saying that the harley noise is a safety feature is silly. Personally, I'd take the bike but leave the noise. To me it sounds like a very large lawnmower. However, I will agree that reproduced low bass does carry more, and that a lot of the stereo owners should be thinking a little more about the people around them. Late at night, there's no reason for either of them to be roaring or pounding up my street. On the main roads, where it's just an audible rumble, I couldn't care less.

Personally, if I were to compare the sound of an excessively loud stereo to that of a unreasonably loud harley... I would have to choose the stereo. From my experiences, many of the local harleys are so loud that it literaly hurts my ears. Sure window shaking bass from the car next to you is irratating, but it is not going cause damage to your hearing because it is low end and muffled. If you were in the car, then it may be a different story. After the harley pulls away I am often left with a ringing in my ears. I have not had this happen with a car stereo. What does that tell you?

If you are hearing things that aren't there, it tells me that it's time for your blue pills...

I would agree. My ears don't ring even after the most brutal bass hit.

But I repeat, 50% of the population is going to find either one or the other (or both) irritating... There's no right/wrong answer.

Although bass does carry well, it doesn't stay loud. The total dB output of the stereo outside the car will almost never be more than the Harley. Low-Fq sounds just carry better. By that logic, the cop with the meter 25ft away from the Car and the Harley will probably hand the ticket to the hog.

Hypocritical would be saying that it is OK for Harleys too be unreasonably loud but not OK for stereo's. Judging from Songmans posts thats what he is saying. Correct me if I am wrong.

Also, how many high level competition stereo's do you hear? I only see the kids with one 15" in their moms explorer (I know before I said "Earth shattering bass" but I was over exaggerating). While on the other hand, I see/hear a loud annoying Harley just about every day of the week and often times chugging down my street at 3 AM when the bars kick them out.

Songman - I apologize for the degree that our 'head-bumping' reached. And I thank all the posters who decided to try and lighten the mood of these two threads instead of piling in on the fight on one side or the other.

Yes, I have strong opinions about things I deem annoyances (like obnoxiously loud exhaust pipes on any kind of vehicle, as well as obnoxiously loud bass-pumping stereos run by evidently clueless and rude people), and sometimes when I speak strongly about things I believe in, I tend to cross the line into rudeness. I apologize for that.

Tell you what - if you find yourself idling through NC on your bike, I'll be glad to buy you a beer if we can find a bar that doesn't play their music obnoxiously loud, O.K.? ::smile::

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Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Red Fiero Formula
- 1st Place - Stock Coupe - FOCOSEVA 2000
- 3rd Place - Stock Formula - FOCOA Nat'l 2001

LZ, I accept your apology and offer mine for my part... That is what keeps this forum together. The ability to disagree and not have to kill each other for it.. heheh

Now let's get the girls in here and turn the music up so we can dance... the first round is on LZ! hehe

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Tennessee Fiero Owners

Apology accepted - and I like your idea. ::smile::

(brings the keg and stripper into the room)

The problem with bass is that it is "omni-directional", meaning that it doesnot/cannot be "pointed" like mid ranges and tweeters should/can be. That being said, bass tends to wander through the car, and obviously out of the car. With everything vibrating, it gets amplified, etc. and is heard outside the vehicle. Good sound proofing - Dynamat for one - will help contain the bass inside the car where it needs to be heard.

'Course, I'm one to talk. I'm a bass-head, running a 12" Lanzar dual voice coil subwoofer behind the passenger seat, and yes, my system is loud, and my next system will be louder, but more than anything my next system will be clearer. I've heard IASCA show cars up close, away from the judging, and you'd be surprised at how clean these systems sound. I'd take that over loudness any day, however I don't have the mega-bucks that these guys pour into their cars.

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Boomtastic

I don't want a Harley for speed anyway. Harley's are cruisers. A Harley can be built to un-Godly specs if that is what you want. Personally, I like them stripped down. Get rid of the bags, the windshield.. get down to what a motorcycle is supposed to be...

I have hardly ever had my Harley over 85mph. And I have NEVER done a wheelie from a redlight like so many rice rocket riders want to do. That is not what they are intended for. Same way I don't try to carry gravel in the back of my Fiero. That is what trucks are made for. It all comes down to what you want to do.

My very first Harley was a dirt bike, if you can believe it! Like Harley's or not... They are quickly approaching 100 years in business. And except for a few years of Japanese and corporate involvement, they have always been considered to be top of the heap. You gotta be doing something right to still be doing it after 100 years! And they are AMERICAN! HIP HIP HURRAY! That means something to me too. As I said earlier, if I wanted a rice rocket type motorcycle I would buy a Buell.

But as always, to each his own. We all have our favorites. I've owned Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, Kawasakis, KTMs, Bultacos, and probably others in my life. Even had a Benelli and a Triumph. Now I choose Harley Davidson.

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Tennessee Fiero Owners