You know, this could also apply to all the little hoodlums who drive 60 miles an hour down my street with their stereo loud enough to hear 2 miles away.

I think that those people have to turn their stereos up that loud, amy, to avoid outrunning the music.

I believe that there are actual laws and ordinances in existence to protect communities from excess noise. When I brought up the issue to my local police station, their response was along the lines: "what's your problem - Harleys are cool"(!) I've decided to make an issue of it - to inform people of our rights and responsibilities. Join a group and make yourself heard, and remember - the smaller the man, the louder the pipes. By the way I commute on a large, powerful, (and quiet)bike every day. Everyday, the quality of life recedes ever farther. "sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul" - Edward Abbey

1.) On motorcycles (including automobiles), want buyers just leave the exhaust system along as the manufacturer intended that exhaust system for whatever its on. The manufacturer knew what they were doing, so why change it?
2.) Just like cigarettes and alcohol are illegal for a young adult under a certain age, the same thing needs to apply for motorcycles driven on the highway, such as moving the minimum age out to 23 to 25. By the age of 23 or 25 (insurance rates are highest for those under 25) the person would think more like an adult, and be more considerate and be less likely to tamper with the exhaust system.
3.)That saying, "pipes save lives" is an excuse, when most of the noise is going behind the bike. If there is any truth to it, then the pipes should be facing frontward to get the attention of the motorist in front of a cyclist, not as much the motorist behind the cyclist.