Promoting quiet recreation in Wisconsin.
Opposing the coming attempts to sell off Wisconsin's natural heritage.
Fighting denial about climate change. When are we hitting the streets?


Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Motorcycle with after market muffler sound file...

Just kidding. But it needs to be said. Highway 60 runs along the north side of the Wisconsin river. I would say about 70 percent of the highway noise you hear on the river is the sound of motorcycles with obviously loud mufflers. It is frustrating. One can accept the tire noise of trucks because we haven't figured out how to reduce it. But motorcycle noise is a voluntary noise with no other purpose than sounding loud. Don't give me the "loud pipes save lives" argument unless you wear a helmet, and your bike is only used for transportation purposes. But even then i need to tell you: No matter how loud your muffler, I can't hear you when I am driving with Radiohead on. At best, you have loud pipes because you like the sound, at worse, you are saying "screw you" to the quiet places of the world.

What worries me is the growing popularity of motorcycles. In the past, a few motorcycles didn't make a difference. But everyone seems to want to be Peter Fonda now. We can't give motorcycles a pass.

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