Carl's Speed Shop and the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau welcome you to Biketoberfest®. We want you to have a fun and safe time, but we need your help and cooperation, so we can continue to bring you this exciting event next year.

We all know that the mellow baritone exhaust sound from a Harley engine is music to many riders' ears. As a courtesy to city residents and everyone attending this prestigious event, we ask that you keep your engine's exhaust note at reasonable levels within city limits. Then once you are on the highway outside the city, go have fun!

As a long time rider, racer and engine builder of Harley-Davidson, I know it is not that hard to keep engine exhaust sounds down to moderate levels. So I would like to share with you some tips that I learned through years of successful racing that will help make this Biketoberfest® a fun event for all.

When an engine has a performance exhaust system, the easiest way to keep exhaust noise down to reasonable levels is to use less rpm. For example, try limiting your engine speed within the city limits to 2500 to 3000 rpm. This can be easily accomplished by upshifting to the next higher gear earlier than normal. Up-shifting early will allow you to take advantage of the low speed torque your Harley engine is noted for. Your bike will still accelerate quickly but with less noise. As a result, you will find that you will not need to use the engine's high rpm horsepower, which is what produces high noise levels.

This riding technique is called short-shifting, which I often used on the racetrack to provide quicker acceleration. Try this technique and you will see for yourself that your bike will still accelerate quickly while keeping the exhaust note down to a reasonable level.

From all of us at Carl's Speed shop, we wish you a fun and exciting time at Biketoberfest® and a safe trip home. If you are in the area of our shop, please stop by and say hello. We would like to meet you.

Ride safely. We'll see you next year!