While some prefer to add sound systems to their motorcycles,
mostly found on two wheeled size Buicks, I prefer to listen to the sound of the
engine and its exhaust note. I can tell a Harley from a Triumph from a Honda
four to a Moto Guzzi to a Ducati. Each one has its own distinctive note, only
muffled by an appropriately device called a muffler. Now back when I started
riding in the last century, Brit bikes ran TT pipes, or just cut the mufflers
off all together. Loud, sounded cool, but LOUD! BMW’s were too quiet until I
added a set of Dunstall Low Decibel pipes to my R90S, adding sound, personality
and horsepower. And soon we had companies like Bassani, Hooker, Kerker,
Alphabet, Action Fours, Yoshimura, Jardine, and Vance and Hines-each giving your
bike added personality via more sound, and more power, at least perceived power
as felt through the wrist. But soon the 90’s hit, and Harley sales exploded,
like their bikes used to, and soon it was trendy to be loud, not necessarily
adding power, but aggravating neighbors when they left for work too early. But
a friend of mine, an ex-service manager for a Japanese brand once told me of a
travelling dyno that measured real horsepower, and the effect of a header, with
some surprising results. Not all headers or exhaust mods added power, just
noise. Some even moved the power away from midrange where you need it to high
rpm’s like on a race bike, with some even making less, but it coming on so
sudden it appeared like more power. And so I find like so many unmuffled
Harleys, if you can’t be fast, at least you can be loud. And to quote Gordon
Jennings, racer, SAE engineer, editor, and publisher, among others, “it is a
poor motor that makes maximum power at idle.”
Now for years it has been a popular conception that loud pipes
save lives, and I am not going to get into that. What is true is that too loud
pipes are annoying-and not only to those who don’t ride. And more sound doesn’t
equate to more power, as proven on the dyno and the race track, where sound
rules are enforced. Even a friend of mine who is a header builder, who has been
successful on anything from off road to world land speed record cars, will tell
you sound will not build power-it just builds the ego. Which may be at the
heart of more sound anyway. Tell Harp where you want the power, he will build
an exhaust system to do that. As of January 1st, 2013, new lower db laws are in
force in many states, prohibiting use of loud headers on bikes. So the
aftermarket has come up with quieter systems, that build the same power, or
more. Gone are the days of TT pipes, and soon the loud V-twins will not be able
to find more sound, but may find more power, that is what you were after,
right? SB435 in California states any bike built after 1-2013 cannot be louder
than 80 db, a great reduction from 88db in 1969. But compare a 1969 anything to
today’s model, technology is a good thing. Putting an end to the big bang
theory that more sound equals more power. Today it is power under control,
where and when you need it...let’s grab the throttle and have fun!
Power under control is not a new concept, but can be traced back
to the New Testament. Listed among the fruit of the spirit is meekness, aka
power under control. Ask any drag racer, without getting the power to the
ground, it is useless, it is power out of control. And meekness shows power
under control, and it is a choice we get to make. It is being in a situation
where we can do the right thing, but do something better. It is shown in mercy,
not in retaliating against someone or being vindictive. It is not chasing down
the yuk that just cut you off then flipping you off with her free hand, the
other one holding her cell. It is showing the right way to someone rather than
belittling them, and seeing a change of heart in them. It is listening to what
God wants as opposed to what your feelings dictate. It is called love,
personified in the man of Jesus Christ, and it is lacking today in many places,
even in some churches. As we see people picket against abortion, we don’t see
the many there to counsel before they got pregnant or after the abortion. We
see too many in politics holding signs quoting scripture, but not walking
according to it themselves. It is seen where me first and my views take place,
conveniently leaving out Jesus, unless He happens to agree with you, a long way
from us changing to follow Him. Meekness is willing to admit you may be wrong
and not know it all, but change to do what is right. Despite all the help form
others. It is showing love when compassion is needed to a soldier’s widow,
rather than protesting the war at his funeral. Meekness is love, and tells us
more about God than we may know. It is what we would want, but not always what
we give. It is not a big bang, but a quiet whisper, not demanding its own way.
It is an exhaust note so cool that you want to hear it again and again-even at 6
on a Sunday morning.
I stood and watched as a man argued with Mick about the
horsepower of his bike on the dyno. Some other dyno had shown more power, and
he was going back, as if Mick’s dyno was faulty. But when confronted, he was
forced to admit he was only after the horsepower numbers, which change from day
to day, if only by atmospheric conditions. He wanted bragging rights, he
probably couldn’t handle what he had anyway, so he let the dyno do his talking,
instead of his wrist. Cool and wet builds power, the O in H2O. Now you know
why racers sit bags of ice on their intakes between races, to cool it down, make
it moist. So what are you after, more power or a loud exhaust? You can have
both, but you can also have your bike sing a song all will want to hear. Power
under control, if it works on a motorcycle, imagine what it can do in your
personal life? Imagine what it can do to your walk with Jesus? For just like
it didn’t start with a big bang, it doesn’t have to end with one. Are you
making maximum power at idle, or do I have to hear it to feel it? It is all
about power under control-fast is fun after all isn’t it? Some are diluted by
pure ignorance, I can hear the Dunstalls singing now...let’s ride.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com