Motorcycles (Submitted Photo/ Mitch Haffey)

By Ronald Quaroni

Loud pipes

‘If you can hear me, you can see me’: Riders weigh in on motorcyle noise

Apr 26, 2019 | 1:05 PM

Public nuisance or a good way to keep motorcycle riders safe?

Excessive vehicle noise is a topic that’s sure to heat up as the weather warms. Kelvin Bakstrad has been riding motorcycles for about 34 years, he has the philosophy, “if you can hear me, you can see me.”

“You make your bike as loud as possible to draw attention to yourself, so you’re seen and not run over,” Bakstrad said. “We’re all somebody’s husband, brother, wife.”

He said that motorcycles have developed a stigma over the years due to their portrayal in television and movies. Bakstrad said riders have varying reasons for having loud bikes.

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“Some of it is safety, some of it’s a throwback, maybe a mid-age crisis, everyone is an individual,” Bakstrad told paNOW.

Don Wood, a veteran rider and motorcycle enthusiast of 40 years said the roads, especially in the city, have become much more dangerous.

“You’re literally taking your life in your hands every day when you’re riding on two wheels,” Wood said. “You could safely say every fourth car, that driver is going to be on their cell phone, it’s scary.”

Wood says a noisy bike may help show people you are around, but the responsibility still has to be on the rider.

“The onus is on the rider to be 110 per cent aware when they’re on that bike and you’ve got to watch out for people around you,” Wood said.

Wood encouraged all motorcyclists to practice common sense and courtesy when gauging noise level.

According to RCMP Cpl. Rob King, a vehicle that is deemed too loud can land the driver or rider with a $100 fine and in some cases, a motorist could receive a vehicle inspection notice to ensure the exhaust system is working properly.

King said that in general, for a vehicle to be excessively loud, there has to be adjustments made to its exhaust system.

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Ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni