Some good points but one I disagree with and a couple are only sometimes true.
Loud pipes are mostly about ego. Either for the sound or the supposed “performance” increase. The “Loud Pipes Saves Lives” quote is just used to validate it. A hi-vis helmet or jacket would help avoid many more accidents than any pipe but you don’t see many of those on the road.
And while many riding outfits are for safety 95% are also for looks. It is an image the rider is going for. Whether that is the tough biker with black leather and tats. Or the racers with logos all over the outfit.
However I have found it very true, especially of the cruiser crowd, that most motorcyclist are just average people with families and jobs that enjoy riding. Even the ones with the most obnoxious bike are the toughest looking outfit tend to be pretty good people when you talk to them.
Craig