""The 1 a.m. ride was supposed to be a short one meant to relax the couple, who have known each other for more than a year."
Let me just guess here:
Harley with open pipes, he regularly takes these 1 AM rides;
Maybe one of his neighbors is not so amused?"
I'm a lifelong biker, but I have to admit thats my first thought on this one. It was stupid to do this.....but its also self centered to ride with pipes that wake the dead.
Personally, I keep my Intruder's baffles intact. I'd rather the police focus on my neighbor and his very loud baffle removed Harley.....(grin)
No excuse for this, and I'm not defending it. However, I do understand neighbors fed up with loud bikes at 1 AM.
I live in a gated community. I canvased all my neighbors between me and the front gate and asked if the noise from my bike was in anyway disturbing or bothersome (exact words) to them as I also do the midnight ride routine. Half of them had no idea what I was talking about the other half had no problem and gave me the usual "My cousin owned a harley and..." stories.
When my riding partners come to visit and leave afterdark, they know to back their bikes into the street and have their exhaust aiming up or down the street and not in the driveway aiming at my neighbors as they start em up. I have never had a complaint and have a super quiet neighborhood with a few state troopers and a sheriff in the community.
A little courtesy goes a long long way. Unless of course I scared em all into submission with my handsome looks!!
<|:-)~~
PS even the guys with Thunderheaders can tone down their escape, at least till they get outside the gate and past the troopers house.