:: Loud Motorcycles in Yosemite ::

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hardman

Trad climber
love the eastern sierras
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:12pm PT
scuffy were they the dudes at the rolling stones show
David

Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:18pm PT
It's not just Yosemite. It's everywhere these days. I don't understand the desire to engineer a motorcycle to be as lound as possible. Cleary an attention ploy and probably some sort of small penis issue that most of these riders are dealing with.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:25pm PT
When I lived in SF (North Beach) the Riders would make a game
of going down the street and setting of car alarms (from their bike's vibrations) as they drove by.

A pretty funny sight/sound at midnight, the bikes would be gone, but they'd leave behind a blocks of hootin' cars...
phoolish

Boulder climber
Athens, Ga.
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:27pm PT
I used to work at the Coffee Corner, and I lived at the Terrace employee section in the rockfall zone under Glacier Point. About thirty feet from my tent was the foundation and electrical hookup box for a tent that got crushed in the late '90s rockfall.

Anyway, during the orientation thing, one of the points the housing folks stressed was that if you hear a really loud rumbling, get out of the tent and behind a huge boulder fast.

One night, I was merrily sleeping away, and suddenly a fierce rumbling woke me up. I dashed outside, hoping not to be smashed to bits, but it was only some as#@&%e on a straight-pipe Harley, cruising in front of the Arches meadow at 3 am, echoing like mad.

I hate those things. People who drive them are as#@&%es.
Landgolier

climber
the flatness
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:28pm PT
Quit bitchin' on here and go talk to 'em. You're not going to get your a** kicked; this ain't the 70's anymore, guys touring in the national parks on harleys are probably professionals or successful small business owners or whatever. They may not agree with you, but they're the kind of people who will at least listen. If they're in the park for 3 days and 10 people talk to them about how they think loud pipes spoil the park for everyone and aren't really necessary for safety when touring in groups, it's going to make a dent in their psyche. They may tone it down, or they might just take their next vacation where they won't catch as much crap.

As a road cyclist, I'm sick of this "loud pipes save lives" BS, though. It's the same argument as "3 ton SUV's save lives;" screw it, why not just drive a panzer or a bradley? We cyclists seem to stay as safe or safer than bikers while running dead silent, if loud pipes were the only route to safety we'd be stacking roadies like cordwood.
TradIsGood

Trad climber
Gunks end of country
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:29pm PT
Whoa! They used the toilets! What is this world coming to?
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:31pm PT
Nonetheless Phoolish, a funny story.


Landgolier, I agree with the part about safety in loudness being a specious claim, but as much as I enjoy riding on the street I just won't do it any more.

The reason of course are the drivers who AREN'T on bikes. They don't see you and YOU lose.

There are two types of bikers. Those that have been down, and those that are going down.
I'm not going down again.


So, yes, SUVs do have better survivability. And if you know of a good deal on a Bradley let me know.



And if the rest of you don't like the noise you're not doing a long enough approach.
(That being said, the bivies in Zion with no shuttle or other vehicles from 10:00PM to 6:00AM are quite serene. But its a tradeoff. Takes twice as long to get to the base, and back to your car.)
David

Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:44pm PT
re."I wonder if any of the bikers say, "These darn rockclimbers are always cluttering up the view. You can't see the cliffs in their natural state without some crap glinting in the sun and messing up my photos."

I doubt it. Usually they're in ElCap meadow asking for someone to point out the climbers to them.
I've never heard a climber ask for help in order to hear a Harley roar by.
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:44pm PT
My favorite is when the bar across the street from my shop participates in an unannounced (to me) poker run. It's a regular weekend biker stop anyhow, but when 300-400 bikers roll into our tiny town after hitting four or five other bars, things get sorta rowdy. The sheriff just sits at the edge of town, visible, but not active. The town just shuts down, I'll close for lunch and go home cuz it's pointless to be here and the burning rubber and testosterone levels drive me nuts. The cackling smoker's laugh of the biker chicks doesn't help either. Thought it was hilarious when this one guy was sporting a shirt that said "If you can read this, the bitch fell off." They're usually nice guys though and don't cause any trouble beyond mild nuisance and noise pollution. Really bad for my business though.

And I agree about the park. It sucks. If a fixed anchor is ruining somebody's wilderness experience, loud bikers certainly are doing the same.
JuanDeFuca

Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
Jul 21, 2006 - 01:51pm PT
The loud Harley's should be outlawed and the riders run off the road. The riders are total narcissistic as#@&%es.

That is the way I really feel.

Should I tell stories of trolling for bikers on Angeles Crest?

After having about ten of the ninja as#@&%es cross over into my lane and nearly hit me, and seeing two other accidents caused by motorcylists. I decided that I owned my lane and started driving right on the yellow line.





Juan
scuffy b

climber
Chalet Neva-Care
Jul 21, 2006 - 02:03pm PT
Hardman, Yes, it was they (Oakland Hell's Angels) at the Rolling Stones show.
It amuses me that the modern trend is toward the outlaw aura, while the outlaw guys are straighter looking. Hell's Angels wear real helmets, not the legal minimum, not the faux German WWII dealies, not so much black leather fringe and chaps, etc.
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 21, 2006 - 02:12pm PT
Definition of Puritan: Someone who stays up late on Saturday night, worrying that somewhere someone may be having fun.

Edit: I'm surprised that they managed to sneak "pursuit of happiness" into your constitution. Whatever happiness is... Like Stalin's grave, must have been some sort of wacko pinko commie plot. Some sort of conspiracy, anyway.
TradIsGood

Trad climber
Gunks end of country
Jul 21, 2006 - 02:17pm PT
Motorcycles rage,
Ephemerally.
Toleration flows.
Tranquility returns.
Harmony reigns.
pud

climber
Sportbikeville
Jul 21, 2006 - 02:30pm PT
DavisGunkie wrote:

"secondly, loud bikes mean a car can hear you and not hit you."

only someone with very little experience on bikes would write such a thing.


Loud bikes are a way of saying. "no one liked me when i was a kid. WHAAAAAAA!!"
Chaz

Trad climber
So. Cal.
Jul 21, 2006 - 02:43pm PT
Davis Gunkie sez:

"secondly, loud bikes mean a car can hear you and not hit you"

I've heard the same excuse Mr Gunkie heard from those guys.

When they try to feed me that line of crap I will ask them, if being noticed by cars is so damn important, why is their standard uniform BLACK? From head to toe.

If they were serious about being noticed by cars, common sense says wear bright colors. Like Blaze Orange, or Flo Green.

But common sense doesn't seem to be their strong subject.
Conrad

climber
MT
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 21, 2006 - 02:52pm PT
Wow... didn't think this was going to stir up the hornet's nest. I have spoken to bikers at the TM grill. They were indifferent to the fact they were loud. It probably did register with them. I also ask the entrance booth attendants if they are irked by the loud machines and they generally are. I asked a ranger with the Yosemite NPS if there is a decible limit. Yes - but it is seldom enforced.

One way to let them know they are loud is when you hear an approaching pack hold your palms to your ears. They get the message.

The Zion approach is great - I doubt Yosemite will have a similar plan in the near future.

Again - no embrage to the loud tail enthusiasts.
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Jul 21, 2006 - 03:48pm PT
How does that apply to custom choppers? ie: no assembly line.

loud or unusual I guess.
BoKu

Trad climber
Douglas Flat, CA
Jul 21, 2006 - 03:53pm PT
Dingus wrote:

> Don't worry mates! Half those middle aged
> harley losers are pending roadkill anyway!

Maybe so, but by their looks too many of them are pretty limited in their organ donation potential.
quietpartner

Trad climber
Moantannah
Jul 21, 2006 - 04:00pm PT
Best cure for a loud bike in the neighborhood is to spray some water on a corner at night, let it freeze, and watch the biker drop! (Not that I'd ever do that)

Think I'll get back on my Harley now....
quietpartner

Trad climber
Moantannah
Jul 21, 2006 - 04:02pm PT
Best cure for a loud bike is to spray some water on a corner at night, let it freeze, and watch the biker drop! (Not that I'd ever do it)

Think I'll get back on my Harley now...
Messages 21 - 40 of total 221 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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