I'm a motorcyclist and that argument is fucking stupid (not you specifically). If you're drowning out nearby conversation just so you feel safe when you ride a motorcycle maybe you shouldn't be riding.

Again this isn't a personal attack on you, I just hate that i get lumped in with the loud pipe mouth breathers when I've ridden 200,000 miles on a quiet motorcycle without getting turned into road pizza.

I've biked for decades; any biker stupid enough to believe this will end up dead shortly.

It's just an excuse, if they wanted to be noticed there are much better ways to accomplish it like headlight flashers during daytime. Not to mention some are so loud they create a distraction for other drivers and drown out all other noises which is inherently unsafe. If I can't hear my car horn (or myself think) over your Harley how the fuck am I supposed to drive? That's no different than wearing headphones while driving which is illegal for the exact same reason.

Plus, think about where the sound is exiting from compared to where most motorcycles are hit (someone turns left in front of them.) You don't even have the person most likely to kill you in the direction of your sound waves. It's just a talking point.

I've heard that too. But if motorcycles actually require that kind of public warning then they probably shouldn't be street legal.