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Oakland PD think loud pipes save lives

monkeythumpa

monkeythumpa

When I go slow, I go fast
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Location
Oakland, CA
Moto(s)
V-Strom 650, XT250, XR50 (son's), KLX110 (other son's) (Past: R1200GS, ZR-7S, V-Star 650, Vulcan 500
Name
mnkythmpa
Oakland refitted all their police motos with louder pipes at $500/moto because of safety concerns. Last month a motorist hit an officer and said he never heard the officer. Saw this on the morning news and they don't have the link up yet.
 
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I saw this on the news as well. Waste of money, but who am I to say. Seems to me drivers need to take responsibility for their driving instead of making excuses for their laziness and ignorance. $500 x 20 bikes=$10k in loud pipes. I bet I could find a better place to spend that money and still have it benefit the LEO's.

Christian
 
I can't believe that professionals believe something like that. Geez.........

'Probably some beaurocrat making the decision. I suppose every little bit helps. But don't advertise the fact. There's too many loud bikes out there as it is. And it really doesn't do anything for safety.
 
Pretty sure same is true of Berkeley PD. I sure love all he LEOs rolling around with equipment violations...
 
monkeythumpa said:
Oakland refitted all their police motos with louder pipes at $500/moto because of safety concerns. Last month a motorist hit an officer and said he never heard the officer. Saw this on the morning news and they don't have the link up yet.
Click to expand...
Hypocrisy FTW. I wonder if the department is still going to write equipment violations for aftermarket pipes.
 
So they will be rollin with Loud ass Pipes and writing tickets to those with non oem pipes on:thumbdown
 
What I'd like to see is some by-the-book Ivory Tower-type CHP pull over one of these illegal Oakland Harleys and write a ticket. Then we could sit back and watch the cops fight it out. Too much to hope for though...

Where I live, I see San Jose, Santa Clara and CHP bikes, mostly BMWs, all with OEM exhaust. How come these departments are able to provide safety training sufficient to keep their officers safe on legal bikes, while Oakland has to rely on the equivalent of a baby rattle bolted to a toddlers three-wheeler?

Lex
 
The media seems to be focusing on the noise level.

But isn't the real question 'Are they CARB approved?' :twofinger
 
I think an effective measure to help prevent accidents in general is to improve the Drivers/Motorcycle License testing. I believe drivings skills such as: parallel parking, emergency braking, emergency maneuvers, and obstruction of view (IE: locating blind spots behind an SUV at a crosswalk leading you to believe their are/is pedestrian crossing...therefore be prepared to yield/stop) should be considered. Drivings school only teach you how to pass the exam but not real life techniques that can save you and other peoples ass. I like the advertisements I've seen on youtube with the phrase: "Think Bike"
 
Instead of spending $500 per bike just go everywhere with the siren on. Or just rig the horn to permanently on while the bike is in gear.
 
When I was a kid people called police on me all the time when I was running a dirt bike with the expansion chamber, there were no baffles in those days, and the closest house was like a mile away. Police were always mad at me because they couldn't get near enough to attract my attention due to rough terrain and mud.

Finally one of the neighbors snitched me off to my dad, and I didn't see the bike for a while, if ya know what I mean.

So, loud pipes DO attract attention, no doubt about it whatsoever.
 
Wow, you guys only see the negative in all this.... Think positively, this makes it that much harder for OPD to sneak up on you :laughing:twofinger
 
Personally, I think that Sacramento should just repeal the section on decibel limits on exhaust. A Harley should sound like one, a '55 Chevy should be felt and heard across town and a sport bike should sound like it's going 160 when it's idling. Just the way things were meant to be.
 
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