Motorcyclists are at all times attempting to get essentially the most out of our bikes — essentially the most sound, essentially the most energy, essentially the most enjoyable. Some people take this to extremes, clearing out every little thing that would presumably intrude with these treasured exhaust pathways, as much as and together with their spark arrestors. As a fellow motorcyclist, I encourage of you: Don’t try this.
Final evening, as I scrolled mindlessly by means of Instagram reels, I discovered one that basically irked me: Somebody taking a cutoff wheel to their bike’s spark arrestor, completely eradicating the display screen that stops sizzling carbon particles from capturing out from the bike’s exhaust. The reel included just a little disclaimer, warning viewers “if it is advisable to be sparky authorized don’t minimize it off,” however issues concerning the legislation ought to pale compared to issues about beginning a goddamn forest hearth.
Do you by no means journey your grime bike — an offroad automobile — over lifeless leaves? Dry grasses? How a lot harm to the world is value that little profit to your bike’s sound? We’ve reached a degree in our artifical environmental decimation the place even Brooklyn’s Prospect Park can catch hearth, and the blazes set by your dumb little bike mod can have far-reaching penalties. Please don’t burn down a forest simply to vary your exhaust word.
Motorcycling is inherently an train in figuring out acceptable threat, however capturing sparks out into the wild just isn’t acceptable. Go do one thing else dumb as an alternative, ideally one thing that’ll solely damage you if it goes badly.