Horn Upgrade

[Slick Willy]

I know some of you folks have installed louder horns. I'd like to clean up the front of my Bonnie.
Where did you mount them? I'm considering the Hella Super Tone. I know I'll need to add a relay.

 

[strokerlmt]

Under or behind the battery box......the behind exposes to the rear wheel road spin off....BUT.....I have not seen undo soiling..........
LMT

 

[Kframe]

It depends on how involved you want to get, and how hidden you want the horn.
I decided to fit the Stebel Nautilus (also branded as a Wolo Big Boy) air horn under the tank.

Here's the horn with attached compressor. I used the steel cutoff wheel on the dremel to cut off the plastic 'ears' that hold the horn(s) to the compressor.

Then I painted the compressor black and mounted it to the bottom of the ARK. Yellow arrow points to the bolt.
Blue dashes are the air line. You can see the relay riveted to the ARK, near the rear brake reservoir - it has a yellow wire and a clear wire visible. The yellow wire is one of the leads from the 15A inline blade fuse.

I mated two lines together to make the air line, end "A" stick is stuffed into the horn inlet. This is an example, the line I used ended up way longer.
End "B" fits over the cast outlet of the compressor. Both ends were sealed/secured with RTV, also the junction is sealed and clamped. I used a clamp at the compressor end too.

The horns were tucked and zip-tied up under the tank, within the frame, wiggled in from the left side. It was a very tight squeeze, you really have to trim off all the unnecessary plastic from the horns, and rotate them as you get them in. I had to remove the tank and also temporarily removed the (?) ignitors that hang from the frame. You'd think that the plastic horns would melt in that location, but no part of the horns touch engine or oil cooler, and I've had it on for thousands of miles with no deformation.

It's loud as heck, and I also wired in a toggle switch, mounted through the bottom of the headlight bucket, that I can switch between the stock *meep meep* horn and the new WAAAHHN WAAAAHHN horn.

:headbang2:
-K

 

[pattybilt]

Here is how you upgrade your horn. 1. Unbolt and disconnect horn 2. find nearest trashcan 3. dispose of said horn 4. while youre at it, dispose the ridiculous reflectors attached to affore mentioned horn 5. Finish these steps with patting yourself on the back and a beer, for getting rid of useless shit and not replacing it with more useless shit!

 

[Kframe]

Here is how you upgrade your horn. 1. Unbolt and disconnect horn 2. find nearest trashcan 3. dispose of said horn 4. while youre at it, dispose the ridiculous reflectors attached to affore mentioned horn 5. Finish these steps with patting yourself on the back and a beer, for getting rid of useless shit and not replacing it with more useless shit!

How is a good horn useless?
-K

 

[strokerlmt]

pattybilt.....have to strongly disagree.....not using your brain here.....do you wear a helmet :huh:

 

[otherwise]

It probably depends on your location. I have never pressed my horn button until this thread started, had to do it to see what it was like. If I rode in a city I think I'd like two air horns.
Now I am thinking about other controls, I will have to check my high beam switch, I have never been out on my T100 after dark.
How pathetic am I, don't answer that.

 

[Slick Willy]

K,

Excellent presentation!

I like the air horn idea. I have had occasion to apply some "beep beep",
sometimes followed up with a "flip off".

Thanks,
Bill

 

[pattybilt]

Haha, I am very much a strong believer in helmets. I just honestly have never used my horn, I dont even use them on other forms of transportation. I would rather react than think about the horn first, then react. I feel that if a person isn't seeing me, then they are certainly not hearing me. In my opinion they are just clutter.

Kframe-Nice installation! Looks waaaaay better and waaay more functional than the stock, "please excuse me, I hope im not impeding your commute," horn.

My personal fav. Is to raise a hand, or two if the ability presents itself, gesturing "what are you thinking," then watch as the driver slinks behind the wheel or the door panel in shame. Tsk tsk.

 

[strokerlmt]

patty....a horn is part of "the whole package" When I drive my car ......I never use my horn...... BUT the reason for a horn on a bike that makes a noise is that there are so many assholes drivers out there and you are vulerable.... When you ride your bike you need all the tools to stave off the aholes.....vision, looking for problems, experience, HORNS, helmets, mirrors, bike clothing and on and on.....
Grow up.....

 

[Kframe]

......
Now I am thinking about other controls, I will have to check my high beam switch, I have never been out on my T100 after dark.
How pathetic am I, don't answer that.

I don't usually ride at dark either, but my high beam switch gets plenty of use; I have the high beam on during the day to be more easily noticed.
-K

 

[Kframe]

Haha, I am very much a strong believer in helmets. I just honestly have never used my horn, I dont even use them on other forms of transportation. I would rather react than think about the horn first, then react. I feel that if a person isn't seeing me, then they are certainly not hearing me. In my opinion they are just clutter.

Kframe-Nice installation! Looks waaaaay better and waaay more functional than the stock, "please excuse me, I hope im not impeding your commute," horn.

My personal fav. Is to raise a hand, or two if the ability presents itself, gesturing "what are you thinking," then watch as the driver slinks behind the wheel or the door panel in shame. Tsk tsk.

Thanks for the complements!

IMO, the horn isn't always the first course of action/evasion. But there are situations in which it is the only tool that works.
One that happened last summer to me and sticks out as a perfect example is this.
I was on a 2 lane each way divided state highway in the outside lane, in a 55, and there are intersecting streets. I was just coming over a rise, and there was a little fast'n'furious tuner car ahead of me traveling in the same direction, and just over the rise is an intersection with a car pulling up to the stop sign and then going to cross over our lanes to turn left into the other direction lanes. So the tuner car looks ridiculous and has a little farty exhaust, and the car pulling up to the stop is also an adolescent in a little souped up POS. I was far enough behind car #1 that #2 didn't see me when car #1 came over the rise. Driver in #2 was rolling up to the stop and his eyes/head was turning to follow #1, and #2 assumed the intersection was clear as it looked like he was going to roll the stop and pull into my path while looking the other way. I noticed all this because I assume most cars are about to do something to wreck my day and car #2 had driver's window down. So, I gave a 1 second blast on the air horn and I saw the kid's head whip around as he stomped on the brake, stopping with his nose 5 feet into traffic. And I also was planning what to do if he didn't stop.

If I had slammed on my brakes I could have had problems with the car behind me, and had I accelerated or swerved I may have been hit broadside in the inside lane. Or I might have been fine, but all I know is the horn was the perfect tool in this situation.

The little 'meep meep excuse me' horn is worthless though.
-K

 

[Slick Willy]

-K,

I agree. The horn is just another tool to add to our arsenal of riding technique.

 

[tribear]

:snack:

 

[Kframe]

:snack:

:wave:
-K