Topic: H-D's COO Comments (Read 5150 times)

Jock · « **on:** February 15, 2006, 07:48:32 PM »

Part One of Two...

A MESSAGE FROM JIM McCASLIN
President and Chief Operating Officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Individuality has been an important part of the Harley-Davidson experience for more than 100 years. Harley

Jock · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:49:44 PM »

Part Two

Today, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have more power and performance than our predecessors could have ever imagined, but with all due respect, we love to hear them coming. That doesn't mean louder noise equals even more power, however. It's an interesting misconception. Testing has proven that straight pipes do not necessarily outperform pipes with lower noise levels. Pick the wrong pipes and you can severely reduce your horsepower and/or your torque. And while you're doing it, you'll awaken the sleeping giant of social concern that lives next door to all of us.

So what if you've picked the wrong pipes?

Then you have a very important individual decision to make. We all do. No one expects everyone to change out their straight pipes overnight. But we all must consider changing out our thinking. We need to think about the consequences our actions have on others, before others take action against us. As tempting as it is, maybe we resist cranking up the revs at the next stop signal. Maybe we fall in love all over again with the unique and mesmerizing sound "quality" of our own V-twin, not just the volume. Maybe we think about how we can assure that all those riders coming behind us can enjoy the same level of freedom we do today. Maybe we just take a time-out to remember that this is really something. And it's something we never want to lose.

Jock · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:52:15 PM »

As I understand it H-D will be discontinuing certain models of their Screamin' Eagle pipes along with a few other products...

I have my own opinions regarding this matter, however would be really interested in others perspectives.

Jock · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:56:27 PM »

The above information was taken from HERE

HUBBARD · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:21:09 PM »

Yeah, 'er 'uh, Jock,
Here is my perspective: If they think MY Motorsickle, or any other one, for that matter, is too loud for some miserable excuse for a human being, they can put their fingers in their ears, or buy them some ear plugs, or stay in the basement, or Drop Dead, for all I care. I'd bet half of the ones complainin' wouldn't work in a pie factory, and are on some kind of government assistance, or drive a Volvo, or has an ol' lady so fat and ugly, that he wants to committ a murder, suicide! BTW, I'm of the opinion "Spotted Owl", taste like Chicken! There endeth the lesson. Later--HUBBARD

Twolanerider · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:23:49 PM »

Jock, for me it's an easy answer.

SPIDERMAN · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:36:30 PM »

[size=16]I will ride whatever the law allows me for however long god allows me to ride it ![/size]

Twolanerider · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:45:17 PM »

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[size=16]I will ride whatever the law allows me for however long god allows me to ride it ![/size]

Yeap, that sums it up.

Fired00d · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:48:11 PM »

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Jock,......[highlight]So screw it.

spydglide · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:49:28 PM »

I've actually heard some (drag) pipes make a V-Twin HD engine sound bad. Now, that's doing something, in my book. That 'irratating-fingernail-down-the-chalkboard' kinda raspy, blaty sound. You definitely don't wanna ride beside that bike too many miles.

har! [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]spyder

RJ749 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2006, 08:55:58 PM »

Straight pipes and bad judgement got some to the best Thursday night ridin' anywhere nearly eliminated from Seattle.

SPIDERMAN · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:00:38 PM »

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Straight pipes and bad judgement got some to the best Thursday night ridin' anywhere nearly eliminated from Seattle.

Twolanerider · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:02:51 PM »

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Twolane,
It's not that it's not as loud as it was when we were 25, it's just that our hearing isn't what it was when we were 25. [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif] I have 22.5 years of Q2 sirens, and air horns blasting in my ears along with loud rock and roll. So don

Twolanerider · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:05:10 PM »

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so your answer to the question posed by this thread is you will quit riding rather than deal with reality ?

Fired00d · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:07:39 PM »

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I hear ya Gary (pardon the pun).

RJ749 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:24:56 PM »

Why ride where you are getting harrassed, the groups have moved on to areas where they aren't hassled. Now there are Thursday night rides in many different places throughout the Greater Seattle area and if you ride in Seatlle you just putt, putt through there without getting loud.

The point was we all went a bit out of our way to meet there anyway and now it seems everyone figures "screw it", why go there when you know it is going to be a hassle.

mr_magoo · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:58:00 PM »

Hate to say it but there are people that I won't ride with because they are to loud to ride behind in a group.

SPIDERMAN · « **Reply #17 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:15:45 PM »

[highlight]A Message from Jim McCaslin President and CEO of Harley-Davidson [/highlight]

I think we're talking about something a wee bit larger than avoiding a particular town when the CEO of the MoCo issues a statement like this. Time to widen your view a bit Dude and see the whole picture. The times they are a changin You can change or get left behind Those are the rules, I don't make em, don't even like em, but rather than expend a lot of energy tilting at windmills, I go with the changes and find a way to keep on keepin on

MJZ · « **Reply #18 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:18:45 PM »

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Hate to say it but there are people that I won't ride with because they are to loud to ride behind in a group.

I have to agree with this. There are a few good friends of mine I will not ride behind. If fact one of my friends that lives in the same neighborhood as I do is one of these. When he rides by in the middle of night, I sometimes feel angry when awakened. Now I like him, love my bikes and I even sometimes find it disturbing. How do you think the young couples that have young children awakened feel. I never thought I'd ever feel this way but I agree, we need to start to at least be cognisent of how it may negitively effect others. I must be getting old as hell!

SEULTRA · « **Reply #19 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:41:12 PM »

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I have to agree with this. There are a few good friends of mine I will not ride behind. If fact one of my friends that lives in the same neighborhood as I do is one of these. When he rides by in the middle of night, I sometimes feel angry when awakened. Now I like him, love my bikes and I even sometimes find it disturbing. How do you think the young couples that have young children awakened feel. I never thought I'd ever feel this way but I agree, we need to start to at least be cognisent of how it may negitively effect others. I must be getting old as hell!

Oh, Oh.... you know the saying... if it's too loud you're too old.

Don't get offended... I like my peace & quiet too. Sounds like this could turn into a loud pipes discussion. Consideration for others was a mark on our kindergarten report card wasn't it? It's a life skill for adults. Definitely a time and place for everything and waking up your neighbors with your HOG is only cool at Glencoe at Sturgis and like venues. R-E-S-P-E-C-T ... thank you Aretha!

[smiley=afro.gif]

Road_Glider · « **Reply #20 on:** February 15, 2006, 11:23:06 PM »

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Hate to say it but there are people that I won't ride with because they are to loud to ride behind in a group.

I agree with that.

RJ749 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 15, 2006, 11:28:48 PM »

I also agree that the move is to more sensible exhaust notes.

RedFXR2 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 16, 2006, 10:22:35 AM »

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The times they are a changin...

Twolanerider · « **Reply #23 on:** February 16, 2006, 11:24:26 AM »

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He just couldn't understand why his neighbors all around him complained, and felt he absolutely had the right, talking about what he could do on his own property.

grc · « **Reply #24 on:** February 16, 2006, 12:03:52 PM »

Why is it that whenever regulations / restrictions are put in place to reduce obnoxious behavior, the people who squeal the loudest are the ones who caused the problem in the first place?

RJ749 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 16, 2006, 12:05:23 PM »

GRC

Here, here...... [smiley=drink.gif]

Jock · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2006, 08:00:21 PM »

Check out the article in Hot Bike Vol. 38, No. 4, 2006

You can email me for a PDF copy, if you do not have it...I do not have a host to post it...

UK Dave · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2006, 08:11:08 PM »

Quote

mr_magoo · « **Reply #28 on:** February 19, 2006, 10:26:17 PM »

Ouch thats gotta hurt.

Willie D · « **Reply #29 on:** February 25, 2006, 02:37:31 PM »

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I have to agree with this. There are a few good friends of mine I will not ride behind. If fact one of my friends that lives in the same neighborhood as I do is one of these. When he rides by in the middle of night, I sometimes feel angry when awakened. Now I like him, love my bikes and I even sometimes find it disturbing. How do you think the young couples that have young children awakened feel. I never thought I'd ever feel this way but I agree, we need to start to at least be cognisent of how it may negitively effect others. I must be getting old as hell!

I think we are all in somewhat agreement about this issue. I loved the sound of my 1200 sprty with the Thunder Header, and also the 'Switchblade' (red one) with the V&H Pro pipe, and the SERK with TD and Thunder cones, but as ole BD told us, 'The times they are a changin' and so the new 06 FLTRI has a SE Active PE system, and guess what, It don't sound have bad. Maybe I won't have to wear ear plugs anymore ?
Plus it is 50 state street legal [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
JMHO, WD

JCZ · « **Reply #30 on:** February 26, 2006, 12:12:41 AM »

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I've actually heard some (drag) pipes make a V-Twin HD engine sound bad.

The Mysterious Q! · « **Reply #31 on:** February 26, 2006, 10:23:14 AM »

Well here it goes. I started riding rice rockets at a young age.We put on the race pipes as the first mod we did (of course the mandated re-jetting).They were loud and when the RPM's got up there they were plain offensive.Then with the hot rod cars with Hookers and free flowing mufflers then to my 89 Mustang GT with no cats and Flowmasters.Never once really looking for performance but just the sweet note of the exhaust tone.Then I got my OCD,Harley Davidson.I thought it was mandatory to go with straight drags,louder equals better and badder.You would see some actually hear first some jackass riding by with a Sporty with those 1 1/4 inch drags wailling but looked like he was in slow motion. Noisy as hell slow as f@@k.As I matured a bit more I started to putt putt through my neighborhood because I didn't want cops posted at the corner waiting for me when I got home ,possibly with a couple too many pops in me.Then all the holiday weekends local cops in all the hot biker areas would have 3 or 4 cops just out there to enforce loud pipes and would have road blocks set up for just that reason. I got sick and tired of getting yanked over,ticketed and having to get the bike re-inspected.That means swapping out the drags for stockers ,leaving work early ,inspecting then swap back.I since sold that bike and now own my 02 SERK.I put on the Rineharts but I WILL keep the baffles in.I will no longer look over my shoulder every time I pass a cop to see if he's pulling out after me.As for your riding buddies in group rides.I was that azzhole who would fly up on your left a gear to low and shake the loose skin on your neck.It got to the point that I had to be in front(where I like it) or the last bike in the pack(the one who has to blow every damn red light).I'm now a changed man .I ride because I enjoy it and I want to keep it that way.If you want loud pipes and your mantra to concerned neighbors and authorities is to get ear plugs or hide in the basement then maybe shame on you.You'll be the one when federal mandates make you put those Electrolux size cans on your scoot for a muffler and cry about it.So lets be a little more understanding of others and maybe they will give us a little more understanding.Thats my 2 cents.Later,Q

MJZ · « **Reply #32 on:** February 26, 2006, 10:44:25 AM »

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Well here it goes. I started riding rice rockets at a young age.We put on the race pipes as the first mod we did (of course the mandated re-jetting).They were loud and when the RPM's got up there they were plain offensive.Then with the hot rod cars with Hookers and free flowing mufflers then to my 89 Mustang GT with no cats and Flowmasters.Never once really looking for performance but just the sweet note of the exhaust tone.Then I got my OCD,Harley Davidson.I thought it was mandatory to go with straight drags,louder equals better and badder.You would see some actually hear first some jackass riding by with a Sporty with those 1 1/4 inch drags wailling but looked like he was in slow motion. Noisy as hell slow as f@@k.As I matured a bit more I started to putt putt through my neighborhood because I didn't want cops posted at the corner waiting for me when I got home ,possibly with a couple too many pops in me.Then all the holiday weekends local cops in all the hot biker areas would have 3 or 4 cops just out there to enforce loud pipes and would have road blocks set up for just that reason. I got sick and tired of getting yanked over,ticketed and having to get the bike re-inspected.That means swapping out the drags for stockers ,leaving work early ,inspecting then swap back.I since sold that bike and now own my 02 SERK.I put on the Rineharts but I WILL keep the baffles in.I will no longer look over my shoulder every time I pass

Jock · « **Reply #33 on:** February 28, 2006, 08:11:42 PM »

Quote

Check out the article in Hot Bike Vol. 38, No. 4, 2006

You can email me for a PDF copy, if you do not have it...I do not have a host to post it...

Here's the article, I did not know how to post it in the past...

Author Topic: H-D's COO Comments (Read 5150 times)

SPIDERMAN

SPIDERMAN

SPIDERMAN

RedFXR2