From a Reuters article on MSNBC.com today: Fuel cell motorbike unveiled, but too quiet?: “[The bike is so quiet] that designers are looking to introduce artificial vroom to keep potential customers happy. Powered by a high pressure hydrogen fuel cell, the Emissions Neutral Vehicle produces the equivalent noise of a personal computer fan belt.”
Personal computer fan belt?
Can it be that there is a motorcycle out there that is even quieter than my personal computer carburetor, or even my personal computer alternator? [wink, wink]
Well, never mind that. What could Reuters know about computer fans?
What’s more troubling, though, is the idea that the biker crowd may not purchase this otherwise environmentally-sound, fuel-efficient, two-wheeled, motorized transportation unless the company puts the peacock feathers back on the tail.
Nothing gives me a greater sense of security or speaks of the owner’s masculinity and ample testosterone than the window-rattling sound of a Harley clearing phlegm out of its tailpipe at 4:30 in the morning.
Last summer these little neighborhood hoodlums got pulled over across the street because the arresting officer, Deputy Doogie [is everyone with authority or a stethoscope younger than I am, now?], “got complaints from neighbors about the noise” and was ‘pretty sure’ the bikes were illegal to ride, even with helmets, which the young men had on. Granted, it was nice to be relieved of the sound of a large [old-growth forest] chain saw winding out at the top of its lungs. But as it turned out, according to one of the hoodlums, to whom I e-mailed the entire set of pictures later that day after finishing my margarita in the summer sun, “the cop didn’t even show up in court.” Case dismissed.
Summer’s just around the corner, and these guys will be back at it—I just know it. Maybe I can get some sleep if I can muffle the noise with the sound of my personal computer fan belt.
March 21, 2005 at 11:51 pm
Mmmmmm, “margarita in the summer sun.” David, you can even paint pictures with words.
Wish I had one, and had the sun.
March 23, 2005 at 3:31 pm
Well written. The HARLEYS all get rented on Sundays, on Kauai, and they roar into downtown Hanalei about the time church is letting out. Hanalei has only 3 churches, about 5 hamburger restaurants, and 39 T-shirt shops. Now why would a Harley driver need to go to Hahalei? They’re too late for church.