Had just bought a new motorbike...
A Ducati Sport 1000, and after the run-in period decided to take it for a decent ride.
So I removed the baffles from the tailpipes, pulled on the leathers and headed out to a remote national park, where there are NO side roads, NO pedestrians, utter visibility for ages and only very rare traffic.
After enjoying myself immensly for a while (not really breaking the speed limit, more like shattering the utter fuck out of it*) I slowed right down because I knew I was getting to the part where there are actually a few blind curves. Cruising around one of them, I see a cop on the side of the road aiming a speed camera at me, followed by a frantic wave to pull over.
"You were doing 60 in a 50 zone!" he thundered.
"Was I? I doubt that. This bike's almost brand new and the speedo was reading under 50. Can I see the radar reading?"
Fumble fumble "ummmm..." fumble.
"It's reading 120 now..." Fumble "Ah, the thing's fucked! But I could hear you from miles away, there's no way you were doing the speed limit!"
"But I was, maybe you were hearing someone else?"
"Rubbish? There's nobody else anywhere near us!!"
And just at that point about a dozen other bikes, all members of a local cruising club, motor around the corner at the speed limit and tootle past.
And exceedingly unhappily, off he sent me without a fine.

*Yes, yes, speeding is not clever etc etc, I already know. But I was a lot younger then. It was last year.
( difficultchild, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 1:31, 21 replies)

Agreed
Speeding is not clever - avoiding being caught speeding is!
I have a nice little Miata/MX5 and found its limit. Fun!
But not too often though.
(justin7926, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 2:58, closed)

It's not clever
but it does keep the NHS stocked with eyes, lungs, livers and kidneys. Keep up the good work!
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Wed 23 Jun 2010, 6:33, closed)

It's not so much generic "speeding" that keeps up supply
it's riding like a complete dick, in ignorance of the laws of physics.
Still I have long maintained that we would all be better off if we put the worst motorists on bikes, that way they can kill themselves with less risk to the general public, with the added benefit of human spares increased.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 11:07, closed)

I agree

( The_Commander_of_Skips wears his sunglasses at night, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 16:14, closed)

Q
Why remove the baffles? Just for shits and noisy giggles?
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 7:45, closed)

I wondered that,
but as a former Fireblade owner, I'm having a hard time getting too indignant over the speeding naughtiness. Tee hee.
( Not Pineapple anymore, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 8:08, closed)

I guess so.
You drop back pressure out of the exhaust system, so you'll lose power for a kick-off, but it'll certainly get louder. And mean you can't use it on a track, which kind of defeats the point of a fast bike.

On an older bike, baffle removal can produce the more splendid side-effect of jets of flame out of the exhaust on downshifts, but I suspect a brand new ducati last year would probably have better fuel management than that
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 8:49, closed)

Nah, releasing the back pressure will release more horses.
Depends on the track as to noise restrictions.
But it's a Ducati. It'll break down before the second corner! (Sorry Difficult, you know it's true!)
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 10:08, closed)

that's not strictly true. Depends entirely on the engine set-up.
The horsepower argument comes from the belief that a "freer flowing" system must be better, but that's far from ever being the case, it totally depends on the engine setup. I'd suggest on a newer bike/car the chances are far more weighted in favour of no effect or power loss, simply because a reduction in back-pressure in the system fucks up the fuel management a little.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 10:15, closed)

Cars yes,
try telling all my bikes to keep the front end down with race cans on though! Emmisions are so stringent, we regularly see (only) around 5 bhp increase with pipes. (Manufacturers are restricted to 5% increase for TUV regs.) Admittedly, you'd have to be bloody fast to tell the difference, it's only my v-twins which really turn on the extra power.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 13:24, closed)

No idea
if the race can on my good old 1000RX improves performance, but it sounds sweeeeet. I dare say it has saved me once or twice too, on one occasion I did see a dizzy old dear about to T-bone me, she could definitely hear me, but hadn't got a fucking clue where I actually was (on the road, my right of way, well within the speed limit). Thankfully she stopped for a look around to find the crackling beast which was making all the row.

That said, it must really piss the residents off in the Peak District etc, listening to the Power Rangers blatting round those roads every fucking Sunday when they are trying to sit in the garden and read the paper.
(Rsoles, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 15:38, closed)

In some cases I'm sure
but just cutting the baffles out ain't the same as putting a race can on, is the point I'm making. Race cans will probably be at least vaguely balanced for the engine they are going on.

Actually on a car, race exhausts are usually a waste of money as a fair bit of the restriction is in the manifolds, so unless you change them too, you're just wasting power on noise.

I've generally run classics and I'm still astounded by people who chuck on wide body carbs without changing the inlet manifold and think that'll speed things up. Genius.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 24 Jun 2010, 9:16, closed)

Absolutely right!
I love seeing saxos with an exhaust larger than Jordan's twat.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Thu 24 Jun 2010, 9:23, closed)

The wing mirrors
On my CBR600 used to slowly fold in when you reached a certain speed.

Clearly that was the bike making itself more streamlined and urging me to go faster.
( Dervel OTBC, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 9:23, closed)

Like Super Pursuit Mode on Knight Rider

( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 12:17, closed)

My first bike was supposed to be restricted to 30mph
but My dad helped me re-jet the carbs and I got 50 out of it. Take that "The Man!"
( Peej, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 10:16, closed)

speeding is not clever
but purposly choosing a safe spot to indulge yourself is.
( Crap Little Monkey Deathstar, so good they built it twice, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 10:59, closed)

Nothing wrong with a bit of a brisk fang through the twisties
as long as you respect the laws of physics. Although I like my bike a bit quieter, so that the government thieves don't hear you coming. A quiet Duke just wouldn't be right though.

I must say that I had a bit of a smirk on my face a week or so ago, as I was warning others of the camera in the usual fashion, when another cop vehicle flashed me (headlights), as I continued on at 40k's over the limit (open highway), he couldn't do anything as I disappeared into the dark, because of the guide rail separating the the lanes.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 11:02, closed)

Big ride yesterday
Coming up the motorway with my brother on the pillion seat, pushing 80 when I saw a line of Police Cars and a Police Biker pulled over, obviously waiting for something or some one! Thankfully not me and on my V-Twin, the engine braking alone got me under the speed limit again with in a second.

There really is nothing like the roar from a bike exhaust, but too much will bugger your hearing. Like yours, mine is kept on the quieter side of things.
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Wed 23 Jun 2010, 13:54, closed)

I can't hear my engine
once I'm over 130 (k's)
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Thu 24 Jun 2010, 7:57, closed)

K's...
yeah, k's ;0
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Thu 24 Jun 2010, 9:30, closed)