Yes, most people resent the Harley noise. All the bikes I have ever ridden are only barely louder than an average car, and softer than most sports cars.

On risk: Interestingly enough, I got into a discussion the other day at work with my student aides about the risks we take in life. Yes, motoring is a large one. But so are smoking, drinking, many sports and so-called sports, and even getting out of bed and out of the house. As adults--since this does not apply to minors who cannot yet make these choices--we must choose our risks carefully and accept the possible consequences in favor of the pleasure that comes from the activity.

In the case of the students, the first part was about smoking, as I 'caught" one of them smoking cigs (or "fags" if you like). The discussion curiously morphed into one about motorcycling, as the smoker was also a biker wannabee. When we were done, she decided that she still wanted to be a biker, and she also wanted to continue smoking. Me, I am going to motor to work today before it rains again.