Happy Birthday Buddy! Down a couple fer me too!
noise vs visability eh? I assume I am completely invisible (it's cool, I feel like some crazy superhero bike dude). I don't buy my gear to be seen, I didn't buy my pipes to be heard. Obnoxious? Hell yeah. People notice things that annoy them. (that car alarm going off down the street, the dog barking two streets over, blinding light in the dark etc.) If I'm waking up a couple of daydreamers, then that's a great side effect to the pipes.
I bought them cuz I like the sound. And the extra flow of course
An aquaintance of mine was a big advocate of the safety vest until a woman hit him turning left in front of him. She thought he was a roadworker at first glance and didn't realize he was moving.
They are out there and no matter what you do, some idiot can take you out at any time.
BDC - brain dead cager - I like that!
Rj