Topic: So, I want a loud horn... but don't want to make many mods to get it

[Hope]

A fellow rider crotch rocket dude said that I should go to a junkyard and pull a horn off from an old VW bug & that I should able to wire it right in where my existing horn is.

Fact or fiction?

[Klark Kent]

anything substantially louder will be doing so by drawing more current and so would require a relay to spare your ancient horn button circuitry- can't say if the VW horn needs one or not, but if it doesnt need a relay it would follow that it is not much louder.  relays are not hard to install though.
everything you need to know is here

I found this when i was thinking of a horn upgrade, but decided that no matter how loud a horn i got there would always be somebody who failed to hear it and that my only real defense against the cagers is vigilant avoidance.  not to say i wouldnt like to scare the cellphone out of a soccermom's hand every now and then, but you could be wrapped in dayglow fabric with constant 150dB honking and still not be guaranteed to be seen.  acting as if you are invisible and paying attention (lots of it) works for me so far.

good luck

[kghost]

Thats a fact KK

Had a motorcycle officer run over  here a couple years ago.

He had his lights and siren on at the time...making a right hand turn....struck from behind.

Only broke his leg....

[scondon]

  Those old vw horns weren't that loud. As I recall, Phineas T. Freak got tired of everyone laughing at his little car that went "bleet, bleet" so he opted for something a bit louder

  Horn wiring is a simple matter. They generally have two spade connectors, one power and one ground. If the vw horn has the same size connectors as your bike horn and you can get one cheap then give it a whirl. Why not, sounds like fun

[medic09]

KK, that link on relays is quite good.  Thanks!

[mystic_1]

You can get a few extra dB out of the stock horn by:

1. Feeding it via a relay, and larger gauge wiring.  This eliminates bypasses resistance in the stock wiring and flows more amps.
2. Adjusting the "tone screw" that some horns have.  One frequency will be loudest.

mystic_1

[Rocking-M]

Stebel Nautilus Air horn, I just put one on the Duck and it's LOUD.
If you order one get the wiring kit, the horn comes with a relay.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-nautilus-compact-motorcycle-air-horn-black-p-74.html?utm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

[scondon]

Stebel Nautilus Air horn, I just put one on the Duck and it's LOUD.
If you order one get the wiring kit, the horn comes with a relay.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-nautilus-compact-motorcycle-air-horn-black-p-74.html?utm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

And frickin cheap$$$ to boot. Thanks Jerry

[BobbyR]

A fellow rider crotch rocket dude said that I should go to a junkyard and pull a horn off from an old VW bug & that I should able to wire it right in where my existing horn is.

Fact or fiction?

Fact. I had one on a KZ440 I owned. It was loud as hell and sounded so unique it caught people's attnetion. I meant toi swap it onto my 750 when i sold it but I forgot.  They were 6V horns so they are much louder when run on 12V. Which is not an issue since the horn is used in fairly short bursts. If you find a source I would buy one.

[mystic_1]

Stebel Nautilus Air horn, I just put one on the Duck and it's LOUD.
If you order one get the wiring kit, the horn comes with a relay.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-nautilus-compact-motorcycle-air-horn-black-p-74.html?utm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

And frickin cheap$$$ to boot. Thanks Jerry

139 dB!?!?!  Holy smokes!

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html

mystic_1

[DammitDan]

Yeah, I would be more concerned with my OWN safety (as in hearing damage) if I put that thing on my bike!

[S-Dog]

I have a stebel horn also.... LOOOOUUUUDDDDDD!!!!!

[Hope]

Stebel Nautilus Air horn, I just put one on the Duck and it's LOUD.
If you order one get the wiring kit, the horn comes with a relay.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-nautilus-compact-motorcycle-air-horn-black-p-74.html?utm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

How difficult is it to install this booger?

[Hope]

A fellow rider crotch rocket dude said that I should go to a junkyard and pull a horn off from an old VW bug & that I should able to wire it right in where my existing horn is.

Fact or fiction?

Fact. I had one on a KZ440 I owned. It was loud as hell and sounded so unique it caught people's attnetion. I meant toi swap it onto my 750 when i sold it but I forgot.  They were 6V horns so they are much louder when run on 12V. Which is not an issue since the horn is used in fairly short bursts. If you find a source I would buy one.

So it's true that I can install the VW horn with no mods?

[BobbyR]

Yes that is true. The KZ440 wiring was no more robust than the Honda CBs. I am serious if you find horns let me know.

[Rocking-M]

Stebel Nautilus Air horn, I just put one on the Duck and it's LOUD.
If you order one get the wiring kit, the horn comes with a relay.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-nautilus-compact-motorcycle-air-horn-black-p-74.html?utm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

How difficult is it to install this booger?

Not very hard at all Hope, if you get it and the directions leave you in a bind give me a shout.

[BobbyR]

This Rock is a true gentleman.

[Hope]

Yes that is true. The KZ440 wiring was no more robust than the Honda CBs. I am serious if you find horns let me know.

http://www.jbugs.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=111951111H&Category_Code=

Looks just like the horn I have on there now.

[tortelvis]

I put twin air horns on due to the idiot drivers out there and boy do they work! Had a woman in an SUV run a stop sign yesterday right in front of me. I saw it coming and had it covered but couldn't resist giving her a blast. She ran off the road to get out of the way!

[Rocking-M]

I put twin air horns on due to the idiot drivers out there and boy do they work! Had a woman in an SUV run a stop sign yesterday right in front of me. I saw it coming and had it covered but couldn't resist giving her a blast. She ran off the road to get out of the way!

  Way to go!!!

[BobbyR]

Yes that is true. The KZ440 wiring was no more robust than the Honda CBs. I am serious if you find horns let me know.

http://www.jbugs.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=111951111H&Category_Code=

Looks just like the horn I have on there now.

Nah, that is some wimpy aftermarket crap. The real OEM VW Beetle horn was larger and deeper.

[Hope]

Yes that is true. The KZ440 wiring was no more robust than the Honda CBs. I am serious if you find horns let me know.

http://www.jbugs.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=111951111H&Category_Code=

Looks just like the horn I have on there now.

Nah, that is some wimpy aftermarket crap. The real OEM VW Beetle horn was larger and deeper.

http://www.mtmfg.com/cgi-local/displaycat.cgi?cat=58

[BobbyR]

Yes that is true. The KZ440 wiring was no more robust than the Honda CBs. I am serious if you find horns let me know.

http://www.jbugs.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=111951111H&Category_Code=

Looks just like the horn I have on there now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-VOLKSWAGEN-BEETLE-Original-Horn_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247QQcategoryZ10076QQihZ017QQitemZ270221259571QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

Nah, that is some wimpy aftermarket crap. The real OEM VW Beetle horn was larger and deeper.

http://www.mtmfg.com/cgi-local/displaycat.cgi?cat=58

[Hope]

I think I will start calling local junk yards.

[SD750F]

A horn is nothing more than a electric buzzer with a diaphragm to mechanically amplify the buzzer frequency. So the current consumed is directly related to the buzzer's coil resistance and the duty cycle of the buzzing caused by the coil turn on and off. So any air horn pump or electronic amplifier and megaphone that consumes less current than the buzzer will save you power and in most cases provide a louder horn. I will look around and see if I can find the coil resistance on your typical Honda horn.

Scott