Anyone using after market horns?

The horn on my new GS8 is positively wimpy compared to my old Goldwing.
There is an interesting article here on Webbikeworld where they tested various aftermarket horns.

Anybody mounted one up?



Lance

You bet! The stock horn is so pathetic I can't even hear it at speed. I popped in a PIAA sport horn.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/70/17147/ITEM/PIAA-Sports-Horn.aspx

Probably not as loud as the Stebel but no relay required, just replace the OEM connector with spade connectors and your all set. Waaay louder!

I've got the Stebel Magnum on mine. Better than stock but not as awesome as the Nautilus I had on my 1200GS. That horn cleared traffic.

Ooo... I was originally impressed by the horn on my F800GS because I could actually hear it as opposed to my SV650 which you wouldn't notice in a library... I may look into these for both my bikes. Nothing brightens my day more than telling some phoney or texting jackass to fuck off!

Oh yeah and saving your skin when getting nudged off the highway is good too!

I have used the Stebil dual electric horns for a couple decades and have always been quite happy with their performance as they are at the very least a couple big steps up from what most scooters come with stock. It is about the very first item I swap out on all my bikes. Safety first, you know?

Well about 5-6 years back when they first came out with these compact air horns I mounted one up on my KLR. Talk about L-O-U-D! They say 139 decibels and now I almost like it when some moron is not paying attention. You hit the button and the offending cager will about roll their car trying to get the hell out of in front of the 18 wheeler they are positive is bearing down on them! They really could rattle your fillings loose!

These are easily a couple steps above what the aftermarket electric horns were to the stock horns. Now I want to change out the horns on the rest of my fleet........

Where are people mounting the Nautilus on the F800GS? I'd like to have the option to wake the dead or put the fear of being run over by a 18 wheeler in to others around here in NYC. Just not sure where it would fit. . .

I've been thinking about that as well. I put crashbars on, so I guess there ought to be some way to hang them off of those...

How about it, anybody got pic's? Also, does anyone know if the f8 has a horn relay built in?


Lance

Those that have been running the Nautilus have been splitting the horns from the canister and running a piece of vacuum line between them.

HERE is a thread I started when I was thinking about it.

In the end, I elected to go with the Magnum since it was practically plug n' play. I only had to clip off the BMW horn connector and crimp on the two that come with the horn. Done. Mounted in the stock location and everything.

There's a good thread on F800Riders.org about a clean solution for installing the Stebel Nautilus:

Originally posted by YetiGS:

Yeti, how do you find the performance of the Magnum? The Nautilus installation looks like too much of a hassle.

From the sticky of info, threads:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=469187

I got the magnum. Cheap & loud enough that cars hear it. It's a car horn. Don't need louder or more $$

This is the Stebel Magnum. Just drops right in. Louder than the stock but not as loud as the Stebel Nautilus

Nice thread, GP. Thanks!
BTW, did you ever check the clearance? ;-)


Lance

It's a plastic horn. If you want to you could trim it. I don't have any issues with mine but I don't ride it like some offroad. I ride hard but have never bottomed the stock set up that I know of.

What would happen? It would hit the plastic fender... And? Don't see the issue happening. It was cheap and works great for 10,000 miles +.

I just pulled the trigger on the Stebel TM80 Magnum, low tone, in black from Hornsplusauto. $19.95 including shipping.

Can't wait to get rid of the "Meep, Meep".
Thanks for everyone's help in this thread!


Lance

I think you'll like it. Easy mod, the trimming is minor and it's car horn sound is great. :)

Good enough, certainly as loud as car horns.

Finally got it installed... Way to many projects and Honey Doo's....

Anyway, I though I'd try my Radio Shack sound level meter before and after to see the difference.

Believe me, I know this is not scientific, but I think it's fairly accurate in "relative" terms. The bike is in the garage, so lots of echo. I hold the meter out in front of the bike as far as I can reach and still reach the horn button. Works out to be about three feet from the horn. Meter set to C weighting and fast response.

Stock horn: 110db

Stebel Magnum: 118db

For what it's worth...

BTW: the tone is much lower and more car sounding. i like it better than the stock "Beep".


Lance

Actually that is a big difference. 118 is 8x louder than 110db. It's like earthquakes.
http://www.rcaanews.org/noiselev.htm