Quote from Dr. Markus Schramm, head of BMW Motorrad

MilwDave

MilwDave

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“The general position of the motorbike industry is that we are responsible for our hobby. And because we don't want to have everything ruined by a small minority of riders with manipulated and unapproved excessively loud exhaust systems, we stand behind tough legal regulation.”

That would be directed at us R18 owners.
 
The whole context of the article would be useful, yes it applies to our bikes but every motorbike, BMW or not. It’s just after 5am as I type, I get up early, like to. There’s a young lad who lives somewhere around here who’s got a small capacity two stroke bike with a noisy exhaust on it, you can hear him coming miles away as it screams down the road (flat out at 30mph) and eventually passes the house. Then screams away into the distance, he probably thinks it’s great but really, it’s a Royal PITA. It’s excruciating, not a nice noise, not pleasant.

I like the sound of a big Harley, well set up, but I wouldn’t want it next door. One thing that this forum highlights to me is that America is very different to Europe/UK. We ( and by that I mean owners of older ICE vehicles and motorcyclists ) are being squeezed more & more with congestion charges, lower 20 mph speed limits, fines, cycle lanes, entirely pedestrianized areas, speed cameras, tax. They want us off the roads, out of towns and cities. I get the impression in America you don’t live like this 🤷‍♂️. Germany, the so called ‘mothership’ is in the heart of Europe and much of the legislation we adopt comes out of there so the comment does not surprise me at all tbh.

That’s one reason why DIY manuals have gone. They want tamper proof sealed for life engines. They don’t want owners altering anything on a bike, mirrors, grips, exhausts, nothing, at all, so much so that they will actually fail annual MOT’s. Enjoy what we have while we can. It’s going. Fast.
 
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Big twin cruisers shouldn’t sound like a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
But with all this talk blaming EU5 regs, my granddaughter’s Moto Guzzi V7 sounds like a rumbling monster compared to the R18. Yet they both meet EU5 regulations.
 
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Well, Herr Schramm ... einen rech schönen Schwäbischen Salut für Sie !!!
I like my louder pipes and that's it ... shouldn't have sold it to me, if you didn't want me to mod it, you are trying to break into a market where individualism is everything ... but only along the corporate guidelines? ... screw that!
I know he is never going to read this ... but I had to get that off my chest.
 
Ulrich said:
Well, Herr Schramm ... einen rech schönen Schwäbischen Salut für Sie !!!
I like my louder pipes and that's it ... shouldn't have sold it to me, if you didn't want me to mod it, you are trying to break into a market where individualism is everything ... but only along the corporate guidelines? ... screw that!
I know he is never going to read this ... but I had to get that off my chest.
Click to expand...
It’s as if he has zero understanding of the market BMW is trying to make inroads into.
 
MilwDave said:
It’s as if he has zero understanding of the market BMW is trying to make inroads into.
Click to expand...
I think that is the case, Europe & USA are quite different. However I think there are a significant number of people who live in Europe that are fed up to the back teeth of all the control, rules, restrictions placed upon them by the authorities.
 
I'm just not sure everyone around you should have to hear you enjoying yourself with the wind blowing through your hair or past your ears. Or have to listen to the music you're enjoying on your motorcycle on it's speakers, instead of through something like a Blue tooth connected headset with a Cardo Edge set of 40mm speakers in your helmet.

Of course, California is a weird Nanny state, requires you to wear a helmet, but one of the very, very few places in the world where lane splitting and lane filtering is legal, within reason.

I have my own beliefs.... I only will lane filter between cars completely stopped at a red light, for one reason and one reason only.... to avoid being squished or rear ended by some bimbo f*cking with their smart phone instead of driving, and not paying attention to the road or what is in front of them.

Usually soccer mom's where I live, with a 3 or 4 ton tank of a SUV, with screaming undisciplined bratty kids in back, distracting mom for driving. Being very serious about this stereotypical observation of mine.

Absolutely crazy today, now that kids are back in school and summer is over, how Mom's are driving around my neighborhood. Came, very, very close to hitting a Mom in a black Audi Q7 pulling away from the curb parked next to a school, without looking, doing an illegal U turn in front of me. ABS saved my bacon.

Spare me with loud pipes save lives. If that was so, they'd aim exhaust pipes forward, like the muzzle of a gun, to project noise forward, so that you can be heard by oncoming traffic. I rarely hear motorcycles with loud exhaust systems coming up behind me, but I can surely hear them a 1/4 to 1/2 mile away running straight pipes out the back, when running in front of me. No different than a muzzle report from a rifle or shotgun. The direction the gases are propelled, is the direction it's the loudest.

Listen to what a F-16 sounds like on takeoff, running down the runway, and then what it sounds like passing you by.
 
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Rufus said:
I think that is the case, Europe & USA are quite different. However I think there are a significant number of people who live in Europe that are fed up to the back teeth of all the control, rules, restrictions placed upon them by the authorities.
Click to expand...
I do think so as well, I grew up in Germany and still remember all the hoops I had to jump through because a part that I wanted to fit didn't have the DIN or whatever number that some dick in a testing station needed to fill in a form to make it 'legal' .. life is much easier here in Oregon ... I feel for the brothers and sisters in Europe and other places where this 'Certification' madness seems to also been taking hold.
To that matter ... some things do make sense ... for example a company that gets fined big (just recently happened) that makes chips for diesel trucks so they can 'Roll Coal' ... in other words blow a whole lot of black nasty smoke out of their stacks ... for no other reason than doing just that ... they gag the $hit out of me these trucks should I end up behind them (not even mentioning the environmental impact) ... but loud pipes .. that is between me, my neighbors and the local authorities.
 
Since the R18B and TC have such great sound systems, what's to keep BMW from "piping" in sound when in ROCK mode? 🤣 <JK>

I used to have an 8 track tape in the 70s of tire squealing sounds that worked with my old six cylinder Ford Falcon.
 
Pork Rind said:
I'm just not sure everyone around you should have to hear you enjoying yourself with the wind blowing through your hair or past your ears. Or have to listen to the music you're enjoying on your motorcycle on it's speakers, instead of through something like a Blue tooth connected headset with a Cardo Edge set of 40mm speakers in your helmet.

Of course, California is a weird Nanny state, requires you to wear a helmet, but one of the very, very few places in the world where lane splitting and lane filtering is legal, within reason.

I have my own beliefs.... I only will lane filter between cars completely stopped at a red light, for one reason and one reason only.... to avoid being squished or rear ended by some bimbo f*cking with their smart phone instead of driving, and not paying attention to the road or what is in front of them.

Usually soccer mom's where I live, with a 3 or 4 ton tank of a SUV, with screaming undisciplined bratty kids in back, distracting mom for driving. Being very serious about this stereotypical observation of mine.

Absolutely crazy today, now that kids are back in school and summer is over, how Mom's are driving around my neighborhood. Came, very, very close to hitting a Mom in a black Audi Q7 pulling away from the curb parked next to a school, without looking, doing an illegal U turn in front of me. ABS saved my bacon.

Spare me with loud pipes save lives. If that was so, they'd aim exhaust pipes forward, like the muzzle of a gun, to project noise forward, so that you can be heard by oncoming traffic. I rarely hear motorcycles with loud exhaust systems coming up behind me, but I can surely hear them a 1/4 to 1/2 mile away running straight pipes out the back, when running in front of me. No different than a muzzle report from a rifle or shotgun. The direction the gases are propelled, is the direction it's the loudest.

Listen to what a F-16 sounds like on takeoff, running down the runway, and then what it sounds like passing you by.
Click to expand...
Weird how California is the nanny state where lane-splitting is legal, but Texas just outlawed lane-splitting. https://www.rideapart.com/news/685449/texas-outlaws-lane-splitting-filtering/#:~:text=Under%20the%20terms%20of%20this,by%20state%20representative%20Ryan%20Guillen.

Things that make you go:

Huh.jpg

Mike
 
Ulrich said:
I do think so as well, I grew up in Germany and still remember all the hoops I had to jump through because a part that I wanted to fit didn't have the DIN or whatever number that some dick in a testing station needed to fill in a form to make it 'legal' .. life is much easier here in Oregon ... I feel for the brothers and sisters in Europe and other places where this 'Certification' madness seems to also been taking hold.
To that matter ... some things do make sense ... for example a company that gets fined big (just recently happened) that makes chips for diesel trucks so they can 'Roll Coal' ... in other words blow a whole lot of black nasty smoke out of their stacks ... for no other reason than doing just that ... they gag the $hit out of me these trucks should I end up behind them (not even mentioning the environmental impact) ... but loud pipes .. that is between me, my neighbors and the local authorities.
Click to expand...
Do you ever get the feeling we are being watched? I’ve just had a quick look at the forum and recent updates. Read this entry and ‘Roll Coal’ which I’ll be perfectly honest, have never EVER even heard of. It’s not something that’s even a thing in the UK.

Anyhow. I then flicked over to my YouTube to take a look there and on my front page has appeared a video of an American truck ‘Rolling Coal’. Now what the heck is that all about?

I’ve just returned to this forum to post. Every so often something happens just like this. It’s like a glitch in the Matrix where we see a glimpse of something for a second and then think….is it me?
 
Rufus said:
Do you ever get the feeling we are being watched? I’ve just had a quick look at the forum and recent updates. Read this entry and ‘Roll Coal’ which I’ll be perfectly honest, have never EVER even heard of. It’s not something that’s even a thing in the UK.

Anyhow. I then flicked over to my YouTube to take a look there and on my front page has appeared a video of an American truck ‘Rolling Coal’. Now what the heck is that all about?

I’ve just returned to this forum to post. Every so often something happens just like this. It’s like a glitch in the Matrix where we see a glimpse of something for a second and then think….is it me?
Click to expand...
Hahahaha the algorithm got you!!! Skynet is online 😧
To the subject off 'Rolling Coal' ... dummest thing I have ever seen ... and trust me, if you end up behind a truck like that on an incline ... you will puke or best pull over and let him go.
 
Rufus said:
Do you ever get the feeling we are being watched? I’ve just had a quick look at the forum and recent updates. Read this entry and ‘Roll Coal’ which I’ll be perfectly honest, have never EVER even heard of. It’s not something that’s even a thing in the UK.

Anyhow. I then flicked over to my YouTube to take a look there and on my front page has appeared a video of an American truck ‘Rolling Coal’. Now what the heck is that all about?

I’ve just returned to this forum to post. Every so often something happens just like this. It’s like a glitch in the Matrix where we see a glimpse of something for a second and then think….is it me?
Click to expand...
Oh boy...welcome to the internet Rufus...

https://securethoughts.com/computer-spying-on-you/

I'd say at least in the EU, they have more protections against this sort of thing...if you LIVED in the EU, that is... ;)

But, while we're on the subject of "targeted advertising", I "hope" you don't get any ads for lingerie for well-endowed women with a bra size between 36D and 36G cup, and colors ranging from red to satin black.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Mike
 
Keehn said:
Oh boy...welcome to the internet Rufus...

https://securethoughts.com/computer-spying-on-you/

I'd say at least in the EU, they have more protections against this sort of thing...if you LIVED in the EU, that is... ;)

But, while we're on the subject of "targeted advertising", I "hope" you don't get any ads for lingerie for well-endowed women with a bra size between 36D and 36G cup, and colors ranging from red to satin black.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Mike
Click to expand...
Ha, thanks for that 🤦🏻
 
Pork Rind said:
Of course, California is a weird Nanny state, requires you to wear a helmet, but one of the very, very few places in the world where lane splitting and lane filtering is legal, within reason.
Click to expand...

I live in California. People forget that the original reason lane splitting was not made unlawful is because in the early days the vast majority of motorcycles on the road were air cooled. You had to keep moving to keep the motor cool. Of course, as traffic got worse lane splitting became more convenient.

WRT pipes, I don't want my bike to sound like a sewing machine. My wife agrees with me :) And if you're going to lane split, there is benefit to people hearing you coming.
 
moleculo said:
I live in California. People forget that the original reason lane splitting was not made unlawful is because in the early days the vast majority of motorcycles on the road were air cooled. You had to keep moving to keep the motor cool. Of course, as traffic got worse lane splitting became more convenient.

WRT pipes, I don't want my bike to sound like a sewing machine. My wife agrees with me :) And if you're going to lane split, there is benefit to people hearing you coming.
Click to expand...
Texas weather doesn't seem to be getting much cooler as of late.

Maybe someone should give them the memo that a LOT of bikes are still air/oil cooled, like our R18's!

When I was stationed in San Diego, I used lane-splitting mainly on the Coronado bridge in morning traffic to the naval base. MASSIVE time savings. I never lane-split unless traffic was at or near standstill. That didn't stop a lot of squids racing by at 100+mph making the rest of us responsible bikers look bad though.

Mike
 
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