What is involved (electrical-wise) with installing a more powerful horn?

Its easy electrically... The horn has 2 wires with spade connectors... you will use the T fitting the horn comes with and split it into 2 and hook up to the 2 horns that make a pair in most aftermarket ones... The trouble is mounting them.... The GS is going to need the horns fitted right about where its stock is ... one below the other ... they have some brackets with the horns you buy ... autoparts store and get the loudest 2 piece horn units... button style ...thouse large round ones may be easiest to fit ... those coil trumpet ones may be harder ...
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: seshadri_srinathIts easy electrically... The horn has 2 wires with spade connectors... you will use the T fitting the horn comes with and split it into 2 and hook up to the 2 horns that make a pair in most aftermarket ones... The trouble is mounting them.... The GS is going to need the horns fitted right about where its stock is ... one below the other ... they have some brackets with the horns you buy ... autoparts store and get the loudest 2 piece horn units... button style ...thouse large round ones may be easiest to fit ... those coil trumpet ones may be harder ...
Cool.
Srinath.

I bought fiamm horns from harbor frieght for my car.... it's awesome.  It really literally scares people when I honk at them.. which is what I want

Yea 130 db ... harder to fit I think but I had them on the monstro kawi's ... but they had big open space in front of the horns being under the headlight... Get the 130 db round ones, not the trumpet ... but hey if you can fit it get the trumpets ...
Cool.
Srinath.

New Harbor Freight opening 15 mins. from my house!!!!!  The other closest one is an hour away...    

Harbor freight is my favorite store

would this work?  :mrgreen:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4504562590&category=34284

Any 12 volt horn will work.  The hard part is trying to find a place and way to mount it.

Quote from: JetSwingwould this work?  :mrgreen:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4504562590&category=34284

OK that looks like it be the size of my head... :lol:
Cool.
Srinath.

Hum, I never thought about the horn, but it is an important piece of equipment. I don't use it that much, but if I did I sure would want someone to know I was there.

Thanks for this post. I am going to add this mod to my bike. In fact, I proclaim this a SuperMod! It is easy to install, inexpensive, and it is highly effective.

My Dad put some loud SOBs on his '83 Honda CX650c and it is so loud it is scary. Here is what my Dad bought: 12V Nikko horn

I know his bike is setup for two horns, so I presume he bought the high/low-tone dual horns (combined 110db), but each horn is inscribed  108db. So this means they work together to give you 2 more db?

I looked at the OEM horn on my GS500 and its rating is 105db. So I guess if I am going to replace it I might as well go all the way and get me one of these single 125db rated horns

You may not get the results you want, but loosening the nut in the middle of the bell may get you a little more volume.

Hi,
I couldn't stand how low my horn was so I bought that air horn on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4500363968&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT
and had it professionally installed for $100 today. It works great! very loud. the mounting isnt that pretty but it isnt that bad at all. if anyone wants me to take a pic so you can see what it would look like send me an email or something. [/quote]

Good luck!

Quote from: kingsfan33[img]
Good luck!

Careful, someone might confuse that for a turbo  :lol:

I'm guessing its seriously loud?

Harbor Freight....Fiamm Low tone...130db....$9.95

Gene

Just my $0.02 about replacing horns:

I think the horn has to match the vehicle.  If it sounds like a car, the person (OK, let's call him the TARGET ) will look for a car, and will not see you (or will see you and still look for that car, causing a delay in reaction and/or confusion).  Yes, it has happened to me.

As long as the target can hear it, it is sufficient.  I think if I need to depend on it to have the target get out of the way, I am riding wrong.  IMHO.  But if   the intention is to scare the sh1t outta the target, well... :mrgreen:

Cheers,
e.

Quote from: Ed89Just my $0.02 about replacing horns:

I think the horn has to match the vehicle.  If it sounds like a car, the person (OK, let's call him the TARGET ) will look for a car, and will not see you (or will see you and still look for that car, causing a delay in reaction and/or confusion).  Yes, it has happened to me.

As long as the target can hear it, it is sufficient.  I think if I need to depend on it to have the target get out of the way, I am riding wrong.  IMHO.  But if   the intention is to scare the sh1t outta the target, well... :mrgreen:

Cheers,
e.

yes yes... but I don't want a car horn.. I want a train horn... and I think most people get out of the way of trains


my car has horns I installed that people MOVE for... it's nice when some idiot here in atlanta is coming into my lane

Is it just me, or is this GS dripping chain oil onto a tile floor?

Quote from: kingsfan33

...train horn!  That is the shaZam!!  A friend built-up an old step-van years ago as a beach crawler/camper van and installed a genuine air horn from a railroad diesel engine.  (The air compressor system also served to vary the tire pressure for running on the beach.)  He could bring traffic to a standstill by pulling the cord.  Unfortunately, that horn was a "little" large for mounting on a motorcycle!  



Gene

Oh Yeah!    

I built a couple of air horns based on the very popular Leslie S3L.  The S3L was the standard railroad air horn on most of the freight engines in America.  Unfortunately they're 30" long, weigh 70 lbs, and use 130 CFM of air at 120 PSI.  Running continuously they'll easily draw down a 15HP air compressor.   :lol:  That's the price for 147 db of ear-splitting music.

The problem is that railroad air horns are 1/2 wavelength long.  If you go to 1/4 wavelength to make them fit they lose some of the brassy tone and start to sound "smaller".   Also, the horn efficency is reduced, making it quieter.

I wish I knew how they spin trumpets or tubas.  If I could figure it out, maybe I could get a 1/2 wavelength horn and wrap it up into a smaller package.  

 Airchime S3L .WAV