Horn not loud enough

[Skim]

Is it just me, or is the gs500 horn not loud enough?  Just yesterday I was travelling on the freeway heading home.  I was on the left lane and behind a Ford truck.

All was well until I saw a something (on the ford truck) start shaking in the wind.  So I back off a little and prepared to switch lanes.  Next thing I know, a big garbage container flies off the truck and comes tumbling down the lane.  Lucky for me I was able to dodge the container.

After switching lanes, I caught up with the truck driver and honked my horn a couple times to let him know he dropped something on the road....but he couldn't hear me.  Finally he saw me and realized what happend after I pointed to the location where his container was.

Anyways, does anyone also think gs500 horn sucks?

[Susuki_Jah]

i feel embarrased to use the horn on my gs. sounds like a honda BLAH!!!

anywas I was thinking of replacing it with a louder deeper toned horn to scare the piss out of drivers when they cut me off.

[scratch]

Adjust the little screw on the back to make it louder.

[milo]

Yeah, it's kind of a POS, but I think it's a blessing in disguise. Having read a bunch of horror stories about cagers online, I think it's a bad idea to use the horn in anger. I just use it as a polite-sounding signal to other people on the road. That way I limit road rage when I'm riding.

In my car, though, it's another story. Riding a nimble little bike like the GS has really made me prone to frustration when driving. I lose patience very easily - and the (louder) horn gets put through its paces.  

[JetSwing]

all bikes have same sissy horns...

[Ed89]

all bikes have same sissy horns...

Because if the bike horn sounds like that of a truck, people will look out for a truck and not see you.

Cheers,
e.

[JetSwing]

all bikes have same sissy horns...

Because if the bike horn sounds like that of a truck, people will look out for a truck and not see you.

Cheers,
e.

so they put horns that no one can hear...what a great idea!  

[cernunos]

If the situation is scary enough you think they might hear you screaming? Another good reason for open-faced helmets. Oh yes I do love it, the GS500 and it's progenitors, along with this forum.

C.......

[Ed89]

so they put horns that no one can hear...what a great idea!  

Dunno.  I hear all sorts of horns fine.  Moped to 18-wheeler.  There'll always be times when drivers don't hear you.  Maybe the music is blasting, or the kids are yelling, or the cell phone ringing, or just plain lack of attention when driving (too common, sadly), etc.  But saying that no one can hear the horns is stretching it a little, no?

Let's say I got myself a mama honk on my GS, and I am next to this car and it's drifting to my lane, so I blast the mama honk.  The driver is startled (of course, since  he wasn't paying attention in the first place), looks around for a truck because it sounds like a truck is about to run him over!  No truck?  Where?  Who?  What!?  Maybe it's that bike?  But a bike doesn't sound like that?!

Fraction of a second lost in reaction time while the startled brain tries to override the trained association of big horn == big vehicle.

It's my opinion, of course.  There will always be situation when the driver cannot hear the stock horn.  Just like there'll always be drivers that don't stop at stop signs, or blast through red lights, or turn left into your path even when you are right there in plain view 15 meters in front of him.  It is a risk, obviously.  Putting a loud horn will increase the chance of the driver hearing the biker (although I hear all horns fine, as I said before), but will most likely cause him not to look out for the bike initially.

Anyway, personally I have used the horn more in angry reaction (x times) than in real emergency situation (0 times).  The horn is activated always (1) after the danger is passed, or (2) I could have maneuvered out of the situation but instead chose to show the cager WHO'S DA BOSS! :guns:  I am not proud of that, of course.  The bottom line is that I would rather use the focus and concentration to get out of the situation, regardless of who is right or wrong, than to operate the horn.  Needless to say,  there are days when I am just in a foul mood.  

Again, just my $0.02.  Not passing judgment on anyone.

Cheers,
e.

P.S.  Another thing to consider is the power drain of a big horn.  The last thing anyone need is the bike stalling at that moment.

[Eklipse]

I want an air horn on mine. I want to sound like an 18 wheeler. I'd rather them notice me a fraction of a second later than not hear the horn at all.

[cernunos]

You could always put a horn off an old Buick Electra on it.    And remember to SCREAM real loud!! Love the little meek twin, Chile, and this forum.

C.......