Comments on: Reader: Motorcyclists Should Pay $40, Forget The Ride

By: fred

fred — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 01:16:52 +0000

We watched “Rolling Thunder” from the west bound lanes and were very impressed that that many would come together for a good cause. There was a long line of traffic behind them which I’m sure got where they were going without the usual “leap-frogging down the interstate.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:34:36 +0000

You win that bet. Doubt if there is a Harley in town that hasn’t been altered.

By: Idahocystal

Idahocystal — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:07:57 +0000

I’d be willing to wager a large coffee & a donut with sprinkles at the old codgers morning henhouse of their choice that they would have found more than ONE bike out of all 1000 bikes that actually meet or exceed the stated 92 decibels.

As a group, it was very loud – As single riders they’re loud enough to hear but certainly not louder than a train horn, P40, or your average lawnmower

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:34:21 +0000

Jeepers! Yes, there is a law against the excessive noise and the cops give tickets for it. I don’t ride, but have been thinking about it and I think I’d like my bike to make a little noise so the cars are more likely to notice me. I’ve seen many cars run motorcycles off the road for whatever reason. I don’t think you can outlaw motorcycles like you did skateboards, but who knows.

What concerns me more is the arrest made locally of individuals with bombs. What were they planning? Lucky Peak dam or the courthouse or ???

By: Flyhead

Flyhead — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:39:20 +0000

I think the loud exhaust on motorcycles is the “hey ya’all look what I can do” syndrome. Or Freud had another explanation.. penis envy.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:53:10 +0000

dh and why isn’t this enforced!

By: dh

dh — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:13:30 +0000

Other than general, lemming like, behavior (the more of them there are together, the worse this gets) to willfully disregard STOP signs, lane markings and other safety laws, my biggest complaint with these yayhoos, is their almost universal ILLEGAL modifications of their exhaust systems. They try to make themselves as obnoxious as possible. We can hear many of the jerks coming and going for miles where we live just off one of their many popular bar hopping/beer guzzling routes.
Their blatant disregard of the safety laws and failure to wear protective gear doesn’t bother me nearly so much because we generally drive full size vehicles, guess who usually walks away from any encounters with the negligent Darwin Award candidates?
As far as their damned noise, I see a great income source if the local constabularies would cease their selective/non- enforcement of Idaho Codes to include all of the scooter shops who sell the riders their aftermarket noise makers:

http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/Title49/T49CH9SECT49-937.htm

TITLE 49
MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 9
VEHICLE EQUIPMENT

Sec 49-937
(3) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or a motorcycle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of the vehicle or motorcycle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle by the manufacturer.
(5) No person shall sell, offer for sale, or install any noise suppressing system or device which will produce excessive or unusual noise.

And this from Sec 49-106(7) “Excessive” or “unusual noise” means any sound made by a passenger motor vehicle or a motorcycle at any time under any condition of grade, speed, acceleration or deceleration, which exceeds ninety-two (92) decibels, or any lower decibel level that is fixed by law or rules adopted by the board of health and welfare, on the “A” scale of a general radio company No. 1551-B sound level meter, or equivalent, stationed at a distance of not less than twenty (20) feet to the side of a vehicle or motorcycle as the vehicle or motorcycle passes the sound meter or is stationed not less than twenty (20) feet from a stationary motor or engine.

By: Mame

Mame — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:54:07 +0000

Might be pleasing to see no double or triple semis on I84 during a bike demo.

By: My Two Cents

My Two Cents — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:45:48 +0000

With all due respect to bikers everywhere, I do not understand why it is legal to make that much noise (i.e., have no muffler). Why is that allowed when all other noises have to be kept to a minimum to avoid being a disruption to others? You cannot mow a lawn in the middle of the night, but you sure can rev up your motorcycle. And you can drive by me so loud that I think my head is going to explode and that is somehow acceptable. But if my car has no muffler, that is a violation of the law… I just do not get it. Can someone explain this to me?

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:43:57 +0000

Speaking of bicycles and traffic disruption… somebody could get a head start on composing a complaint about NEXT weekend’s (June 8) “Ironman” event. Those half-ironmen and half-ironwomen will be riding 56 miles on their velocipedes, and are certain to disrupt the traveling plans that us “pot metal” Boise people have made.