[null and void]

We could hear them from far off as they approached. We always wondered why motorcycles were allowed loud pipes but not on vehicles?

You touched on one reason given. A driver who wouldn't see anything smaller than a car (and that's most drivers) can still hear them, and is therefore alerted to their presence.

I LOOK for motorcyclists, and even I nearly flattened one I didn't see against a cluttered background.

[Does so]

I LOOK for motorcyclists, and even I nearly flattened one I didn't see against a cluttered background.

Coming into town, a biker was being tailgated by a pickup truck. His one headlight merged with the pickup's left headlight. The biker was not happy when I pulled out in front of him.

≣≣8-O

[billyboy15]

Loud pipes is one of the reasons folks buy motorcycles.