[HN Gopher] High-powered motorcycle vibrations might impact iPho...
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       High-powered motorcycle vibrations might impact iPhone camera
        
       Author : jnieminen
       Score  : 89 points
       Date   : 2021-09-11 12:20 UTC (10 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (support.apple.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (support.apple.com)
        
       | bserge wrote:
       | Well, yeah, violent shaking of the internal components can damage
       | them.
        
       | 14 wrote:
       | I wonder what the signs of degradation are? I use my phone
       | attached to my handle bars and the phone shakes so much that I
       | can have the camera app open and see the picture vibrating, it
       | won't actually let me take a picture or video. If I start the
       | video then the bike it will record but blurry. I'm on an iPhone 8
       | so might have older camera less sensitive to this.
        
       | behohippy wrote:
       | It isn't just iPhone, and it can happen on any motorcycle
       | regardless of the engine size or power. The OIS in my Pixel 4a is
       | destroyed from using a mount for less than an hour.
        
         | alias_neo wrote:
         | Just to be clear, this isn't about using the camera while
         | mounted on the bike, but having the phone mounted ever actually
         | damages the camera for any use, mounted or otherwise?
        
           | technoplato wrote:
           | TLDR shaking the phone anywhere at any time with certain
           | amplitude / frequency combinations will permanently damage
           | sensitive components and make pics look like you've got ALS
           | again
           | 
           | Yeah they actually go into more interesting detail than
           | expected from a support article and detail how (not an expert
           | so it could just be wool over my eyes Apple BS but doesn't
           | smell that way here) the OIS and closed loop AF work in that
           | article.
           | 
           | Basically sensitive gadgets shouldn't be exposed to certain
           | frequency / amplitude combinations because sensitive gadgets
           | rely on well, not being shaken out of whack.
        
       | garyfirestorm wrote:
       | 'Dampening' - it's damping not dampening.
        
         | blamazon wrote:
         | See also: amalgamation vs. amalgam.
         | 
         | I hear people use amalgamation all the time, when the word they
         | actually meant is amalgam, the result of amalgamation.
         | 
         | However, language is democratic, and the preference of people
         | like you and me will be pushed into the proverbial footnotes
         | over centuries as similar sounding words amalgamate into
         | synonyms.
         | 
         | So why bother correcting people ;)
        
       | ffhhj wrote:
       | Just put it in foam inside a case.
        
       | reustle wrote:
       | This happened to my Samsung S20 Ultra camera ($1500~) and Samsung
       | refused to even look at it. I think they're aware.
        
       | Factorium wrote:
       | ICE motorbikes seem like the most obvious type of vehicle to
       | immediately mandate 100% EV, with an aggressive target like 12
       | months (to clear out existing inventory).
       | 
       | The segment and vehicles themselves are small enough that this
       | changeover can be made fairly easily, with immense benefits for
       | noise pollution in cities.
        
         | 1970-01-01 wrote:
         | You have it backwards. Motorcycle riders are not going to swing
         | over to electric at any time soon:
         | 
         | Bikers keep their rides for decades and
         | 
         | ICE motorcycles can last just as long and cars, if not longer,
         | and
         | 
         | The price for entry on a new electric motorcycle is so far away
         | from the price of ICE motorcycles it financially can not work
         | for owners. And
         | 
         | There is little benefit to the environment to switch. Modern
         | motorcycles have been sold with catalytic converters for
         | decades, and they also get 40+ MPG.
        
           | dharmab wrote:
           | > There is little benefit to the environment to switch.
           | Modern motorcycles have been sold with catalytic converters
           | for decades, and they also get 40+ MPG.
           | 
           | Previous emissions standards for motorcycles were much lower
           | than cars. To the point where a bike getting 50mpg and
           | carrying one person output more pollution than a sedan
           | getting 25mpg and carrying an entire family.
           | 
           | This has been fixed with Euro4's introduction for the 2017
           | model year (which is why so many bikes were redesigned that
           | year with huge exhausts.)
        
         | sgt wrote:
         | You are clearly not a biker... otherwise you might have
         | understood why EV motorcycles are years, maybe decades into the
         | future.
         | 
         | If you refer to e.g Asia where motorcycles are possibly your
         | only transport, then sure; your argument is valid. But this is
         | HN, and in Western countries a motorcycle is basically a hobby.
         | Heck, they are often even more expensive to run than cars.
         | 
         | So as to why EV bikes are not even close to being ready:
         | 
         | (a) The range is abysmal, and the availability of charging
         | simply isn't there in areas that many bikers venture (away from
         | traffic, hundreds of miles into the hills). Motorcyclists try
         | to avoid the interstate and main highways if possible. You
         | rarely see a Zero bike for this and many other reasons. A
         | proper ride may be 12 hours per day for hundreds of miles, for
         | days on end.
         | 
         | (b) Battery mass. The energy per mass unit in even the best
         | batteries make it very impractical with motorcycles that really
         | need to be as light as possible.
         | 
         | (c) Longevity. A lot of bikers own not just one, but many
         | motorcycles. You may have the latest BMW R1250GS, but also a
         | garage littered with anything from KDX 200 to DRZ 400 and Honda
         | CBR1000RR. Those bikes can still be used for years to come, and
         | it doesn't make sense to scrap them. PS - bikes are generally
         | not that reliable though, but that doesn't necessarily affect
         | longevity too much as owners love to tinker.
        
           | seanmcdirmid wrote:
           | It is kind of inevitable in the long run if cars move on to
           | being EVs, where will bikes fill up if there are no more gas
           | stations?
           | 
           | That being said, I've only ever seen one EV motorcycle in
           | China once (not just a big electric bike), it had unreal
           | acceleration, I'm not sure it would be safe to ride.
        
             | sgt wrote:
             | Thing is... there will likely always be gas stations
             | catering to vintage vehicles and such. Bikers will have to
             | pay premium for bio-ethanol or such meant for exotic and
             | old cars. Luckily motorcycles are generally decent (not
             | great) on gas mileage, so it might work out OK.
        
             | toast0 wrote:
             | It'll be a long time before the whole car fleet turns over,
             | and then you've got gasoline powered box vans and what not,
             | too.
             | 
             | But as (or if) the liquid fuel demand drops, you'll
             | probably see the density of stations drop too. Both fewer
             | pumps per station and fewer stations. But I suspect most
             | areas will have some gasoline availability for at least my
             | lifetime. Worst case, auto parts stores will carry 5 gallon
             | jugs prefilled with stabilized gasoline. That would get a
             | motorcycle around quite a bit.
             | 
             | For old-timers who hang onto their classic gasoline powered
             | cars, they might need to plan trips around fueling
             | stations, like natural gas drivers and EV drivers currently
             | do. (EV is easier, you can always bring a 110V charger and
             | wait a long time)
        
         | dharmab wrote:
         | You aren't a biker and it shows.
         | 
         | Here's a 9 minute video that rebuts your 10 second
         | unresearched, uninformed statement, with real data. Please
         | watch it and become more informed about real ways we can
         | improve motorcycles:
         | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2zlYpy6QCM
        
         | marcinzm wrote:
         | Batteries are heavy and bulky so difficult to fit in a bike.
         | Moreover the noise is on purpose so they'd just add a
         | loudspeaker or something instead.
        
           | oneplane wrote:
           | Perhaps they could just put the noise in an headphone and
           | leave the rest of us in peace. They get the experience they
           | want, and we get to ignore it.
        
         | sigzero wrote:
         | Yeah, good luck with that.
        
         | et2o wrote:
         | This would destroy an already distressed and shrinking
         | industry. EV motorcycles are comparatively very expensive and
         | with limited range. None of the major manufacturers outside of
         | Harley Davidson have commercialized an electric motorcycle yet.
         | Furthermore, given the relative scarcity and lower miles
         | traveled of motorcycles, banning ICE bikes would have limited
         | environmental effect.
        
         | dan-robertson wrote:
         | I suspect that the noise is a big appeal to motorcycle owners.
        
           | whartung wrote:
           | It's not just motorcycles.
           | 
           | Around here, every cowboy with a V8 Challenger, Charger,
           | Mustang, Camaro, or Pickup truck seems to have stripped off
           | any semblance of "mufflers" because they want to "hear" their
           | powerful V8 motor.
           | 
           | I live near a freeway entrance (and by "near" I mean at least
           | 1/2 mile away), and out here, at night, when the freeways are
           | more clear it's not too uncommon to have the silent darkness
           | shattered by one of these cars opening up the throttle on the
           | on ramp and racing to Vegas. Down the road is an interchange,
           | and I've heard them start near me and just roar down the
           | freeway, across the overpass and down the other freeway.
           | 
           | These cars are everywhere around here. Not to say the
           | motorcycles aren't participants, but down here, the cars
           | prevail.
        
             | ultrarunner wrote:
             | This is a good point. I suspect that due to Harley's older
             | demographic the "loud pipes save lives" crowd will give way
             | to a demographic that isn't so interested in obnoxious
             | noise levels. That probably won't follow as much for car
             | drivers where the noise isn't as neatly segmented.
        
           | xattt wrote:
           | Is there an industry name for this specific phenomenon? Where
           | goods are purchased/owned/carried solely for an intimidating
           | appearance without any intent of using for their intended
           | purpose?
        
             | dharmab wrote:
             | In the automotive world this is called "presence"
             | 
             | To automotive marketers this type of customer falls under
             | "status seekers"
        
             | henearkr wrote:
             | A lot of people needing to buy imposing bikes, cars,
             | clothes etc do it because they feel insecure, for example
             | in their masculinity...
        
         | crims0n wrote:
         | That is one way to kill an entire industry.
         | 
         | Electric motorcycles have been here for years, nobody is
         | adopting them because nobody wants them. They are closer to
         | electric bicycles than they are motorbikes.
         | 
         | When I jump on my motorcycle, it is about the experience - not
         | anything practical. The startup ritual, the heat of the engine
         | on a cool day, the symphony of sound and vibrations, the weight
         | of what is under you, the absolute bliss you feel shifting
         | through the curves of the road, the adrenaline of masterfully
         | coordinating lean, angle of attack, rev matching, and counter
         | steer.
         | 
         | There is something incredibly dull about an electric motorcycle
         | comparatively. They are practical, and I will admit the linear
         | acceleration is fun, but with so much sacrificed I could never
         | see myself owning one as a recreational vehicle.
        
           | oneplane wrote:
           | I wouldn't mind the industry being killed. But then again,
           | I'm only on the receiving end of the noise, stink, bad
           | drivers, people using infrastructure for pleasure etc. I bet
           | if I liked driving for fun or using shared infrastructure for
           | pleasure instead of need, I might like it too. But I don't.
        
           | foepys wrote:
           | Plus electric motorcycles are loud, they make a high pitched
           | sound. German motorcycle magazine "Motorrad" does a huge test
           | with almost all motorcycles on the market in the Alps every
           | year. They test a lot of things there, including noise
           | levels.
           | 
           | The loudest motorcycle this year when in motion? An electric
           | motorcycle.
           | 
           | This obviously not including aftermarket exhausts.
        
       | hprotagonist wrote:
       | This is well known. Popular/good mount manufacturers have offered
       | vibration dampeners for some time now.
       | 
       | https://www.quadlockcase.com/products/vibration-dampener
       | 
       | https://hondogarage.com/products/buzz-kill-vibration-isolato...
        
       | amelius wrote:
       | If a handlebar can kill a phone, has anyone else wondered what it
       | can do to one's hands and arms?
        
       | tomxor wrote:
       | > Attaching your iPhone to vehicles with small-volume or electric
       | engines, such as mopeds and scooters, may lead to comparatively
       | lower-amplitude vibrations.
       | 
       | No superbikes for you Apple users :D - _recoils in anticipation
       | of onslaught of downvotes_ -
       | 
       | In all fairness I expect it's going to be difficult to design
       | anything with such small delicate moving parts to be invulnerable
       | to arbitrary frequency vibrations. It can also be challenging to
       | accurately model the resonant frequency response of composite
       | "stuff" prior to manufacturing it (many bridges have failed).
       | Better luck with the next model I guess...
        
         | dharmab wrote:
         | I keep my iPhone in my jacket pocket and use the bluetooth
         | module on my helmet. I also have a Garmin GPS on the handebar
         | of my touring bike, although in 2021 you can get GPS built
         | right into the bike's instrument panel.
         | 
         | (To be fair, my most preferred navigation method on long trips
         | is to tape a piece of paper with handwritten notes to the fuel
         | tank anyway.)
        
         | vzaliva wrote:
         | I think the problematic engines are big Harley twins which
         | vibrate like hell and run relatively low revs. Superbikes
         | engines are usually operate on high RPMs and vibrate less.
        
           | tomxor wrote:
           | Quite possibly, in which case "No Harleys for you :D"
        
           | dharmab wrote:
           | Nope, happens with pretty much every bike. Have heard all
           | sorts of riders talk about this.
        
       | 1970-01-01 wrote:
       | "Attaching your iPhone to vehicles with small-volume or electric
       | engines, such as mopeds and scooters, may lead to comparatively
       | lower-amplitude vibrations, but if you do so a vibration
       | dampening mount is recommended."
       | 
       | Oh boy I can see it now: Apple to unveil $500 All Aluminum
       | Motorcycle Mounting Kit with vibration dampening sensors and
       | hyper shock absorbing rubber.
       | 
       | Then we watch them do something incredibly stupid like pair the
       | mounts to phones so you can't just unhook it and let a friend
       | borrow it.
        
       | ibaikov wrote:
       | This exact thing happened to my friends who goes on a cycle trip
       | daily. He had his samsun s8+ attached to the habdlebar. The phone
       | is damaged now - camera shakes, can't focus, etc.
        
       | elephantum wrote:
       | I killed at least three iPhone cameras this way with my KTM 690.
        
         | mmmeff wrote:
         | Same here on a Honda Africa Twin
        
         | dharmab wrote:
         | Had a coworker murder his camera on his Africa Twin.
        
       | sgt wrote:
       | The camera becomes blurry and shaky - completely useless. It's a
       | common and well known issue if you happen to mount the phone on
       | your handlebars (do NOT do this). I have several friends who've
       | had this happen in the last year. All the way up to 12 Pro.
        
         | spockz wrote:
         | I wonder. Can this same happen on a dashboard mounted phone in
         | a car?
        
           | numpad0 wrote:
           | Potentially? But it's a known issue only to motorcyclists and
           | (pedal)cyclists. idk why Apple is saying this is due to
           | engine vibration but I think it has more to do with hard
           | suspensions.
        
           | sandworm101 wrote:
           | Dashboards are not bolted directly to engines. The issue is
           | that motorcycle parts are more directly connected to the
           | engine. Sportbikes normally use the engine as a structural
           | member, bolting all the other bits and pieces to the engine
           | block. So vibrations through motorcycle handlebars and such
           | are more intense than those on the dash of even an extreme
           | muscle car.
        
             | dharmab wrote:
             | > Sportbikes normally use the engine as a structural
             | member, bolting all the other bits and pieces to the engine
             | block.
             | 
             | Before someone asks if this could be "fixed": This is a
             | desirable trait. It improves the frame stiffness of the
             | vehicle, resulting in better handling.
             | 
             | https://youtu.be/FlbkAhCNvik?t=453
        
           | technoplato wrote:
           | Ignore the motorcycle bit completely and just think physics
           | 
           | You could trigger this on any oscillating "body" if that body
           | is oscillating at a certain frequency and amplitude
           | combination.
           | 
           | It just so happens motorcycle engines produce that
           | combination. There would certainly be others. tHe sustained
           | nature of the shaking would also be cause for concern but I
           | didn't see any mention of duration in the support article
        
           | thefounder wrote:
           | No
           | 
           | Source: personal experience
        
             | sgt wrote:
             | Cars are better insulated and vibrate less in the first
             | place. But if you do offroad and gravel with lots of
             | vibrations, I think it might increase the risk.
        
       | ChuckNorris89 wrote:
       | Their explanation seems legit but I do wonder how Apple would
       | handle warranty claims to damages done to the camera system from
       | strong vibrations.
       | 
       | Like, does the iPhone internally log strong vibrations sensed
       | through the gyro/accelerometer to invalidate warranty claims?
       | 
       | I'm asking since most phones also have moisture stickers inside
       | to invalidate warranty claims to to water damage.
        
         | nerdwaller wrote:
         | A friend of mine has had his phone replaced twice due to this
         | before figuring out the cause, however now that there's a
         | formal publication in it I'd bet that changes.
        
         | alias_neo wrote:
         | > does the iPhone internally log strong vibrations sensed
         | through the gyro/accelerometer
         | 
         | I would lean heavily towards "yes".
         | 
         | The why, I guess we'll never know the real answer, but I
         | remember rumours, years ago, of manufacturers denying warranty
         | claims based on "dropped" devices thanks to the gyro data.
        
         | nicce wrote:
         | This gets closer to slippery-slope argument, because in that
         | case everything happens on black box software and is easier to
         | manipulate or error prone. Apple can just say that logs say
         | your gyro tells this and this. At which point you can't trust
         | for the warranty of your phone? Moisture stickers can be
         | validated by third party in theory at least.
        
           | technoplato wrote:
           | So too with gyroscopic readings unless you think those are
           | fraudulent
        
         | maxerickson wrote:
         | There is likely characteristic physical damage from the
         | vibration.
        
       | kristianpaul wrote:
       | Buy a gopro then?
        
         | mgraupner wrote:
         | For navigation?
        
         | dharmab wrote:
         | People mount phones to their handlebars for GPS navigation and
         | to use as speedometers on bikes that did not come with one from
         | the factory (e.g. dirt bike conversions in places where that is
         | legal)
        
       | _Microft wrote:
       | This seems like something that could be detected while it's
       | happening (*). Maybe iPhones could warn users before lasting
       | damage occurs?
       | 
       | (*) Edit: I was assuming that damage to the camera accumulates
       | over time. If it happens on short time scales or as a single
       | event as nicce's reply seems to suggest, this renders the
       | notification idea moot ofcourse.
        
         | nicce wrote:
         | It is very likely that it is too late on that point. It might
         | be hard to detect or pick up your phone from your pockets when
         | driving. Even harder if it is on chassis somewhere.
        
           | technoplato wrote:
           | Could be interesting sci fi technology to "wrap" the
           | sensitive parts in a shell kind of like a roly poly bug (it
           | would have to be more than a wrap and more of securing foam
           | that disappears, but interesting to ponder)
        
             | HPsquared wrote:
             | Simpler to have a little locking mechanism for when the
             | camera isn't in use. Like the head parking "ramp" on some
             | HDDs.
        
       | interpol_p wrote:
       | This is a great thread by a motorcycle and iPhone camera
       | enthusiast detailing the problems that can arise from broken
       | sensor-shift and OIS modules
       | 
       | https://twitter.com/sdw/status/1436657008904740866
        
       | mrosett wrote:
       | Road bikes too. I wrecked my iPhone 8's autofocus after riding
       | ~1000 miles with it on a handlebar mount. Obviously there's no
       | engine vibration but chip-and-seal roads have a similar effect.
        
         | gregdetre wrote:
         | Hmmm, interesting. That hasn't been my personal experience.
        
           | runnerup wrote:
           | Indeed, several years ago I took an iPhone 6S Plus on a
           | roadtrip on a motorcycle, Yamaha FZ-600 for about 2500 miles,
           | no issues.
           | 
           | But I also had a quiet stock exhaust?
        
             | hjnilsson wrote:
             | 6S did not have the OIS or autofocus features that lead to
             | this problem. There are no moving lens elements in that
             | phone.
        
               | HPsquared wrote:
               | 6S Plus did have OIS (in any case all cameras have
               | autofocus which involves moving lens elements).
               | 
               | Probably the vibration in that situation didn't match the
               | resonant modes of the camera components. It's probably a
               | fairly rare event where everything lines up just right.
        
         | [deleted]
        
         | qwertox wrote:
         | I've _read_ the same, but my Pixel 3 had no issues after
         | ~12.000km, half on it on asphalt, the other half on gravel and
         | some rougher parts. Then a Motorola and a Xiaomi which I guess
         | shared each half of the ~12.000km (two phones mounted, Xiaomi
         | replaced Motorola halfway, both in parallel to the Pixel 3),
         | where both of these devices (not the Pixel) were making
         | automatic photos at geofenced spots during the ride (one of the
         | street, to record the wet /dry condition, one of the selfie
         | camera to record the sky condition cloud/sunny).
         | 
         | Though I do use a rubbery holder with good damping properties
         | [1] and only recently moved over to a fixed one out of aluminum
         | [2] for one of the phones, which could start causing this
         | issue.
         | 
         | [1] https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B06Y6C3P43
         | 
         | [2] https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07TQDMX6Z
        
       | smoyer wrote:
       | I live about 5 miles (on the same road) as the local Harley
       | Davidson dealership and would love it if HD riders left the stock
       | pipes on their bikes. While the engines do vibrate, don't dismiss
       | the additional concussive force of an unmuffled exhaust.
        
         | bserge wrote:
         | I hear them outside and am happy for them, they don't have
         | tinnitus. Yet.
         | 
         | I used to like the sound of engines, still do, but I never
         | understood the farty exhaust tbh.
        
           | hughrr wrote:
           | Yeah it's just being a nuisance for the sake of it.
           | 
           | There was one who lived over the road from me a few years
           | back who would rev his broken exhaust bike at 5am and wake
           | everyone up. About three weeks later his motorcycle
           | mysteriously caught fire in the early evening. There were
           | people smirking out of their windows enjoying the
           | schadenfreude. There's still a puddle of aluminium melted
           | into the ground where it died.
        
             | amelius wrote:
             | Sadly this won't help in the majority of cases. Their
             | insurance will just pay for a brand new bike with the
             | newest and noisiest tech installed.
        
             | ryandrake wrote:
             | > Yeah it's just being a nuisance for the sake of it.
             | 
             | It's a lot like rolling coal[1]. No actual safety purpose,
             | people do it simply to project insecurity and irritate
             | others. Sometimes I think society is too tolerant of purely
             | antisocial behavior, but I guess in the US everyone has the
             | freedom to be a donkey.
             | 
             | 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal
        
               | hughrr wrote:
               | Oh joy that's terrible. Had no idea anyone did that.
        
           | amelius wrote:
           | Hint: they wear protective earplugs.
        
             | bserge wrote:
             | The bastards!
        
               | RhysU wrote:
               | The protective earplugs are to combat wind roar and
               | hearing loss over a lifetime. The non-Harley folk wear
               | them too.
        
               | whartung wrote:
               | Correct. My bike has a stock exhaust and sounds like a
               | sewing machine, but I wear earplugs mostly to protect
               | against the constant wind noise at speed.
        
               | tbihl wrote:
               | Is that not accomplished by wearing a helmet? I haven't
               | been on a motorcycle in over a decade, but I recall it
               | being pretty quiet in the helmet.
        
               | steffan wrote:
               | No, there's more than enough noise to cause permanent
               | hearing damage.
               | 
               | Obviously higher speeds=higher wind noise; you might be
               | fine < 35mph (~ 55kmh) in a city, but anything above that
               | hearing protection is advisable.
               | 
               | "Measurements of motorcycle riding noise levels vary, but
               | are generally around 85-95 dB at speeds up to 35 mph,
               | climbing to 110-116 dB at 65 mph"
        
               | chairmanwow1 wrote:
               | I had a pretty nice helmet, and it was absolutely not
               | quieter
        
         | amelius wrote:
         | Isn't there a legal limit on the amount of dB(A) produced by
         | any vehicle?
        
           | voisin wrote:
           | I would love to see statistics on how many tickets are issued
           | per year for these violations. I suspect zero.
        
             | hemloc_io wrote:
             | Anecdotally I've heard that they are mostly used as a way
             | to stop riced out Japanese cars.
             | 
             | Not ppl on motorcycles. As someone who has run straight
             | pipes across two major cities never had an issue. A bunch
             | of motorcyclists don't even have licenses lol.
        
             | cagey wrote:
             | USA long-time motorcycle owner here: agree. I believe there
             | have been laws on the books for many years regarding noise
             | limits, but they are (effectively) NEVER enforced. No-
             | muffler-at-all ("straight-pipe") exhausts on V-twin (EX:
             | Harley Davidson and its countless clones) are de facto
             | standard (and for reasons unclear to me are accepted).
             | 
             | Also, aftermarket exhaust systems for motorcycles (99.9% of
             | these being much louder than stock/OEM) are a huge
             | business: I'd guesstimate that 50% of motorcycles sold in
             | the USA soon (< 1 year old) end up running aftermarket
             | exhaust systems; it's a standard first modification done by
             | almost all enthusiast owners.
        
             | mhb wrote:
             | About the same as for leaf blowers.
        
           | kevin_thibedeau wrote:
           | Such laws are almost never enforced in the US.
        
           | garyfirestorm wrote:
           | Yes. Look up passby noise.
        
           | kzrdude wrote:
           | (Sweden situation). There's recurring inspections of any
           | vehicle, binannually or something maybe for motorcycles. The
           | HD people I know/knew, would change back to the stock pipes
           | for inspection, because the loud ones were not legal to use.
           | Then just change back again.
        
             | arglebarglegar wrote:
             | yes this is exactly what people do with modified cars too
        
             | moonchrome wrote:
             | Or they just add/remove the DB killer (removing a small
             | plug vs dismantling the exhaust)
        
               | foepys wrote:
               | With Euro4 and later exhausts this is no longer possible.
               | Db killers need to be not removable, so you need to
               | replace the whole slip-on.
        
               | moonchrome wrote:
               | Had a friend who put an Akrapovic on his MT-07 - DB
               | killer is welded but once you drill through a small part
               | on the weld you can remove it/put it back easily and the
               | drill hole is covered by carbon shield so unless they
               | disassemble the shield to check (and my friend had it
               | like this for 5 years before selling IIRC) it was just
               | pull out - put it back in for technical
        
               | nitrogen wrote:
               | Just curious, do these changes affect power output in
               | either direction?
        
               | rolleiflex wrote:
               | Generally, well designed bikes assume a certain pressure
               | in the exhaust pipe and use it as a way to compute the
               | internal combustion cycle timings, since it affects the
               | movement of air and how long it stays and how fast it is
               | likely to move on. So changing the pipes without doing
               | anything indeed affects performance. That's why most pipe
               | changes usually also come with a reflash of the bike's
               | ECU so that the onboard computer can know new pipe's air
               | resistance parameters.
        
           | robgibbons wrote:
           | Several beach towns in my area have enacted local ordinances
           | and have handed out citations for excessive exhaust noise.
        
           | kube-system wrote:
           | The EPA prohibits modifying exhausts on motorcycles to exceed
           | some decibel limit (80 something IIRC?), and this is stamped
           | into the muffler on my motorcycle.
        
           | ThePadawan wrote:
           | (Switzerland here)
           | 
           | Yes, but they're surprisingly recent, so most vehicles are
           | grandfathered into "may still make a shitload of noise"
           | levels.
        
           | sp332 wrote:
           | Yes, and many aftermarket sets say "not for road use". Harley
           | Davidson was fined for installing them on too many daily
           | drivers. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-harley-
           | davidson-lawsu...
        
         | kube-system wrote:
         | Loud pipes are annoying, but they won't change the amount of
         | vibration transmitted through the handlebars to a phone mount.
        
           | jacquesm wrote:
           | Yes, but the proximity is such that the soundwaves themselves
           | could conceivably vibrate the case enough to do damage if it
           | is in a partially enclosed space and facing out (because that
           | way it gets pressure from only one side, essentially a
           | reverse bass speaker).
        
         | kingkawn wrote:
         | For the bikes being loud enough that everyone knows you're
         | coming is life and death issue on the road surrounded by huge
         | cars and trucks
        
           | dahart wrote:
           | That theory has been tested, and shown that bikes are not
           | loud enough for anyone to hear you coming.
           | https://www.autoweek.com/news/industry-
           | news/a35952569/loud-p...
           | 
           | The accident stats also fail to backup this idea, and even
           | suggest that loud pipes might be giving some riders a false
           | sense of safety and leading to more accidents than otherwise.
           | https://canadamotoguide.com/2016/07/29/the-truth-about-
           | loud-...
        
           | int0x2e wrote:
           | Sorry, but as a person with over 15 years of motorcycle
           | driving experience - "loud pipes save lives" is mostly a
           | myth. They may help sometimes, but they can also be dangerous
           | since in some settings they can scare the heck out of the car
           | driver which can lead to them making unpredictable choices.
           | 
           | Ultimately, the best thing a rider can do is take total
           | ownership over our safety - full protective gear, constantly
           | taking advanced riding training courses, and above all -
           | always riding at a reasonable speed for the road, visibility
           | and traffic conditions.
        
             | dharmab wrote:
             | This is especially true in modern cars with great sound
             | deadening and NVH. As my group of riders has observed when
             | we ferry bikes into winter storage, the only bikes we can
             | hear at all in our cars are practically straight piped.
        
             | smoyer wrote:
             | You just reminded me of an incident that happened to me on
             | I83 near the PA border - a motorcyclist passed between me
             | and the vehicle in the left lane (yes ... a two-lane road
             | passing on the dashed line) going about 120 MPH. It wasn't
             | the cycle passing at high speed very close to the car that
             | scared me ... it was that I never saw him/her in my mirrors
             | and the noise between two cars that were 4 feet apart was
             | horrendous. I actually made me flinch at the wheel and I
             | probably swerved a foot in my lane.
             | 
             | I've known many conscientious motorcycle drivers but it's
             | people like this that lead to emergency room doctors
             | referencing "donorcycles".
        
           | oskapt wrote:
           | This doesn't deserve to be downvoted. The statement is
           | correct. I have a permanently destroyed right foot and ankle
           | because someone made a left turn from the right lane just
           | outside the Holland Tunnel in NJ back in 2004. The driver
           | "didn't see me" before making the illegal turn and planting
           | his Mercedes horizontally across my lane as he slowed to
           | enter the gas station driveway. I laid my quiet 800cc bike
           | down and plowed into his car at 40mph, crushing my right leg
           | between the bike and his driver side door. I now have 4 toes,
           | limited mobility, and near constant pain with every step I
           | take. After that I put straight pipes on my bike and had
           | countless other situations where a car would start to change
           | lanes into me and then move back when I gunned the engine to
           | let them know I was there. Loud pipes save lives. Car drivers
           | are often oblivious of their surroundings or distracted by
           | their phones or music. When they check their blind spot the
           | brain is looking for car or truck shapes and ignores
           | motorcycle shapes as it quickly assesses the clearance of the
           | lane. I've had people look right at me and then change lanes
           | into me. I've kicked cars and cabs from my motorcycle as they
           | are pushing me off the road. 100% of accidents where a car
           | hit a bike use the excuse of not seeing the motorcyclist.
           | I'll make sure they can hear me too.
        
             | mhb wrote:
             | If he was making a left turn from the right lane, maybe he
             | would have collided with a car if one had been there also.
        
             | tartoran wrote:
             | As someone mentioned above, most of the motorcycle muffler
             | sound is projected backwards.
             | 
             | The louder is safety is just a myth to not comply. Most of
             | it is ego and show off in my oppinion.
        
             | gokhan wrote:
             | Sorry for your accident. Just wanted to share my contrary
             | experience.
             | 
             | A motorcycle with loud pipes filtering right passed me fast
             | in a two lane road while I was on the left lane, I was in
             | my car. I am a former enduro rider myself and don't react
             | when I hear a loud one, but the driver in front panicked as
             | he was most probably didn't see him coming from his mirror,
             | did a hard left, came dangerously close to barriers and did
             | a hard right to correct, hit the motorcycle pushing him to
             | the right lane. Motorcycle barely fit the space there and
             | luckily didn't crash, but it was all happened on a very
             | straight road with no one was turning or doing any
             | movement, just straight driving.
             | 
             | After 15 years, I have enough confidence that being muffled
             | or not does not make any difference to safety, people
             | hearing the thunder but not seeing the source is equally
             | lethal to a rider. I'd rather have proper training,
             | constant wearing full body armored motorcycle clothes and a
             | much lighter/cooler riding attitude (not saying you didn't
             | have / do any of this).
        
             | kingkawn wrote:
             | Folks here already decided they were too right for your
             | experience. I hear you though.
        
             | willis936 wrote:
             | >back in 2004
             | 
             | >distracted by their phones
             | 
             | Have the roads gotten more dangerous in the past 15 years?
             | 
             | Also the issue people have with loud exhaust is not that it
             | draws attention on the highway; it's that people use it as
             | a tool to be obnoxious. When I lived in a small town I
             | would regularly get woken up at 2am by some shmuck opening
             | up on main street. The entire town would be woken up. I had
             | the urge to chase them down. It's not good for anyone.
        
               | jacquesm wrote:
               | And that's the real reason. These toddler narcissists are
               | out to make it known to the world that here rides a
               | badass, not that there is someone who drives responsibly
               | and whose life depends on the volume of their exhaust.
               | It's pathetic.
        
               | claytoneast wrote:
               | It's not possible that they might just enjoy loud
               | machines? And you might not enjoy loud machines?
        
               | ubercow13 wrote:
               | Why would that be relevant or important? Frankly, it's
               | not a justification for antisocial behaviour to 'like'
               | it.
        
               | nitrogen wrote:
               | I have neighbors, friends, and family who ride
               | motorcycles either for the speed or for the sound.
               | They're mostly reasonable about it. But the thing about
               | loud machines is that they are loud for everyone, who
               | didn't get to choose whether to listen to that engine at
               | 2AM.
               | 
               | The comparison to toddlers is apt because we expect
               | adults to be aware of the effects their actions have on
               | others, and take steps to mitigate them in social
               | reciprocity.
        
             | dijit wrote:
             | I'm sorry to hear that, but it's unlikely to improbable
             | that "bike wasn't loud enough" was the cause there.
             | 
             | Throwing away the idea that people in cars don't impede
             | their own hearing with radio stations and music; sound
             | produced by engines is not fantastically directional to
             | hear and _mostly_ trails behind bikes (due to that being
             | the location of the exhaust).
        
             | ubercow13 wrote:
             | It sounds equivalent to driving your car around with the
             | horn constantly pressed for safety. Why not get a horn or
             | something for your bike? Or wouldn't that sound as cool?
        
               | alex_c wrote:
               | Funny enough, that basically describes traffic in
               | Vietnam.
        
               | nitrogen wrote:
               | I've heard that there are indeed places in the world
               | where people will refuse to drive if the horn is not
               | working, for this reason.
        
           | gbrown wrote:
           | That's the sales pitch, but I haven't seen any evidence.
           | Almost all the sound is projected behind you, where people
           | can already see you (and where high-vis clothing would be
           | more effective than sound anyway, but you don't see many
           | bikers wearing that).
           | 
           | Anecdotally, the people I've known with loud exhaust systems
           | are not what you'd call "safety conscious".
        
             | Invictus0 wrote:
             | Even if it's ineffective, it's still a psychological safety
             | blanket. It's much the same reason that bikers ride in
             | groups.
        
               | SquishyPanda23 wrote:
               | I'll keep that in mind next time a loud bike wakes up my
               | children in the middle of the night.
               | 
               | "It's okay honey, that man needed a psychological safety
               | blanket.'
        
               | tartoran wrote:
               | This!! Mufflers and subwoofers wake up my child in the
               | middle of the night and only we know how long it takes to
               | fall asleep again. Its frustrating because both of these
               | sources are completely unnecessary
        
               | JasonFruit wrote:
               | My kids would find that hilarious, and I'd have to resign
               | myself to hearing it after every motorcycle that passes
               | for weeks.
        
         | jrootabega wrote:
         | I'm not commenting either way on the value of loud motorcycles
         | here, but is this related to the article? It says the danger
         | comes from mounting the phone directly to the bike. As far as I
         | can tell, it doesn't say that the acoustic vibrations damage
         | the phone. Would the muffled exhaust also reduce the physical
         | vibrations of the frame?
        
           | jacquesm wrote:
           | Judging by the vibrations of my walls: yes. The sooner a
           | maximum noise emitted law for vehicles goes into practice the
           | better. I have a neihgbor here who goes out for small trips
           | 20+ times per day on his HD. Open the garage door, take the
           | bike out (running, of course), close the garage door, rev it
           | a couple of times, wait for a few minutes for the engine to
           | warm up, roar away at maximum volume. Return 10 minutes
           | later, leave bike on the stand while opening the garage door.
           | Turn off bike. Close garage door. Wait 1/2 hour or so, rinse,
           | repeat. No idea what he's up to but it's not a normal usage
           | pattern as far as I can see and I'd be a-ok with that _if he
           | would not make so much noise_. Even with headphones on you
           | can clearly hear it and the vibration is enough to rattle the
           | cup on my desk. With noise cancelling on on the headphone I
           | don 't hear him.
        
             | Camillo wrote:
             | How are you going to deal with the situation?
        
             | jrootabega wrote:
             | Noise cancelling headphones can negate it but it could
             | damage a phone? This seems more like the place for people
             | to gather and say "I don't like motorcycles because loud."
             | Which is fine, but let's not really say it's related to the
             | post.
        
             | spoonjim wrote:
             | He's a delivery drug dealer. Very common for heroin and a
             | major enabler of the heroin overdose epidemic. Allows
             | people who are too zonked to do anything to still get their
             | fix. Pioneered by Mexicans but now adopted by all kinds of
             | criminal gangs.
        
               | barneygale wrote:
               | Shotters don't generally use loud/obvious vehicles
        
               | dTal wrote:
               | You seem very confident.
        
             | bradknowles wrote:
             | Sounds like someone needs to build an MRAD. You can put out
             | as much noise as he does, and make sure it is very
             | carefully aimed at the only suitable target.
        
       | abotsis wrote:
       | Years ago I had the vibrator in my phone go out as a result of
       | being on my handlebars. Was really surprised to not see something
       | about this come out earlier tbh.
        
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