Motorcycles do not have to be loud. Many riders believe that loud pipes make them safer, but I haven't seen data to back that up. I've owned bikes for years, commuted to work on them (when I've had office-based jobs), and mostly my neighbors are surprised to find out that I ride them, because I don't sit outside and rev them up in the mornings before leaving, or gun them up to high RPMs while leaving the neighborhood.
Motorcycles can be far more efficient than cars, so fight the noise, fight the obnoxious riders.. but not the vehicle.
Many riders believe that loud
pipes make them safer
I've always been sceptical of how earnestly anyone believes this, because I've never seen anyone with loud pipes dressed [1] to attract motorists' attention visually.
So I can't have my fuel-saving super-efficient quiet vehicle because you're upset with the people who buy a Harley specifically to be loud?
Banning motorcycles will not fix loud noises. They'll just buy loud trucks and cars and/or "upgrade" them to be loud.
I watch for other motorcycles because motorcyclists wave at each other as they pass. Around here (Colorado) it's maybe 1/20 motorcycles that are louder than a car under normal conditions. Probably 1/12 or so that are louder than a car when they're driving like an asshole.
I honestly encounter loud cars more often than motorcycles, usually when some idiot thinks I pulled up to the light on my motorcycle to race them in their civic. (When I'm just on my way to or from the damn grocery store)
Though if you're looking for the loudest thing on the road, I'll grant that it's usually some 60 year old dude on a Harley.
Stock Harleys aren't that loud. What you hear is after market open pipes that are poorly regulated in most states and rarely ticketed in those that do regulate them.
Motorcycles can be far more efficient than cars, so fight the noise, fight the obnoxious riders.. but not the vehicle.