Hey, it could happen. But would the quiet be any fun? Comments have been flying around a recent blog item by Katrina, "First Fuel-Cell Motorcycle is Snazzy but Silent." Is silence really golden?

The issue of sound, in small or large quantities, crosses over into vehicles in general, both mass-market and specialty. In the mass market, for example, General Motors tried for years (pre-SUVs in the '80s) to make their V6s sound like V8s. A V6 will never sound like a V8, but The General—as well as many readers who commented about that article—was onto something: It's what customers wanted.

Quiet or loud, manufacturers spend millions engineering sound. The masses want peace and quiet (though even that's changed a bit with, for example, the return of the Hemi and the marketing forces driving the perception that 'vroom' is generally desirable).

Enthusiasts, however—whether on two wheels or four—want power. With vehicular power most often comes noise. (A line can also be drawn between those who want to make noise to be noticed, and those who simply and selfishly enjoy the sound and every sensory thrill associated with it.)

Peace and quiet, in terms of power, means restriction—from intake through exhaust. Enthusiasts spend countless days, weeks, months (even years?) trying to undo what manufacturers and engineers have done for the masses. Ever see the exhaust system on a new Volkswagen GTI VR6, for example? The muffler's the size of a Civic engine. To the 'average' GTI buyer, the sound is good, the performance is good. The enthusiast sees another ten horsepower in its replacement, however, along with more enjoyment, more satisfaction.

Government standards generally aren't the friends of enthusiasts, either. There are good and bad, however, and defining the positive and negative becomes a dangerous matter of opinion. Another for-instance: my current (four-wheeled) ride is mechanically noisy by nature. Blower whine and a 6-speed'll do that. High levels of mechanical noise dictated that the manufacturer quiet things down in other areas to meet federal drive-by noise standards. So, the exhaust system was designed to be quiet, thus particularly restrictive. Damn federal noise standards, I want my !@#$^*! 25 hp back, and exhaust modifications easily and inexpensively met that goal. Is it all about the horsepower? No. I like the noise. I could care less about attracting attention. Matter of fact, I don't want the attention. If I could go silent without sacrificing power, stealth would clearly be my preference. Current technology, however, makes that impossible. Okay, a red convertible wasn't the best choice for stealth. Shoot me. It was the last one the dealer had. (Come to think of it, I'd love few things more than 500 hp that makes barely a sound. Actually, it exists and one has already humbled me while I clawed for traction. Okay, so it costs $130,000.)

Is this to say that the masses are wrong? No. If you want to drive a Prius, have at it. If you want to drive an Excursion, go for it. I don't have to agree with your choice, nor do you with mine. We're 'free' to express and debate, however. (Or, are we?)

Freedom and choice have limits. Case in point: helmet laws. My state has none. If you want to ride helmetless, it's okay by The State Capital. The Governor thinks it's just fine if you turn yourself into a Frisbee and end up a greasy spot on I-95. In terms of 'freedom,' you should be able to do that, if you want. Go, Gov. Two things related to that come to mind, however. Firstly, if you don't have to wear a helmet, why must I wear seatbelts? Beyond the constant nagging of buzzers, interlocks, and howling midgets, one can be ticketed here for not wearing a seatbelt. Why? Must be an insurance industry conspiracy. Secondly, what about the passenger? A pocket-rocket of a Japanese bike flew by me the other day at three-digit speeds. Don't get me wrong, such speeds are fine by me, depending upon conditions. (And the sound of the bike was just schweet!) What burns me about that instance, though, was the helmetless passenger. While, yes, she assumed responsibility just by getting on the bike with him, she is not in control of the situation and, I would guess, didn't sign up for greasy spot duty.

So, whether it's noise or quiet, senseless fun or sensibility, speed or speed limits, 'freedom' or safety, it comes down to some degree of responsibility. Enter the 'lawmakers,' huh?

Enjoy your weekend…