Hi guys - this is an upgrade I did a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was about time to rock out with the camera and share... 

There have been a couple of times when I'm fairly sure that cagers have been unable to hear my horn - perhaps it was due to distance, their phone, the blaring car stereo, who knows.  But I'm sure everyone has encountered the odd occasion when you just want to let someone know that you're there.

And it must be said that the factory horn is fairly gutless.  So I decided to upgrade to twin discs - Stebel HF80/2's to be precise.  These horns are a discordant pair (340 and 430Hz) and punch out 136dB.  They cost me $25.

They arrived in the post and it wasn't long before I realised that they are slightly larger than the diameter of the stock horn.  I did a dry-run bolting them onto the existing horn mounting point (one above and one below) - and wasn't really satisfied with the look.  They would have worked there fine, but they did stick out and it was a pretty obvious addition to the bike.  So I went hunting for a new place for them to live... 

...Which turned out to be under the oil-cooler.  So here's a run-down of how to do it...

First of all you need to make a bracket to the dimensions below.  I used 3x25mm aluminium strip bent in a bench vice - this is a couple of dollars at any hardware store.


This then attaches to the bracket that supports the underside of the oil cooler. Install the horns in your aluminium bracket, hold it in the correct position, and scribe with a pencil the edges of each bracket on eachother. Then when you come to take the oil cooler bracket and your new horn bracket off these pencil lines will allow you to get them correctly aligned on the drill press for drilling. I used a pair of 3mm bolts to hold them together.


View of the unpainted bracket from the front (picture above), and the painted bracket from below (picture below).


A touch of satin black spray-paint will make your new bracket look like it came from the factory. Install the horns to the bracket and the bracket to the oil cooler bracket. Then it's time to wire up your wiring.  These horns will draw a whopping 9A (as compared to the stock horn's measly 1.5) so a separate fused circuit activated by relay is really a necessity.  Fortunately that is really easy to do using the circuit below - it shows the existing wiring in black and the new addition in blue.  I mounted my relay to the frame under the seat and ran the cables forward for a clean look.



I have put this horn upgrade and more detailed information about relays up on the Horn Wiki

...oh yeah and it's freeeeaaaaakkkiiiiin loud! 

...and here's two shots for those wondering how they fit in with the bigger picture.



(click each for enlargement)

Nice! But where's the sound check?

Quote from: bucks1605 on April 21, 2008, 06:46:26 PM
where's the sound check?

I don't really see the point in taking a recording - first of all they're so loud they'll just run whatever I'm recording with into distortion; and second the level that you hear them at will be totally dependent on your volume settings!

There is a soundbite available on the Stebel website, but again it doesn't do anything to convey loudness.

nice..

Put it where its more out there ... In front under the headlight ... more sound hitting the guy in front of you instead of hitting your front wheel.
Cool.
Buddha.

Philward,
That's a nice idea. I like how you added the wiring diagram as I'm in the process of trying to learn about electrical circuits and familiarizing myself with how to read wiring diagrams. Your example gave me an opportunity to test myself. From the wiring diagram it looks as though the stock horn is still functional, has to be, in order for the new ones to work. Am I reading that correctly?

No, the old horn is removed (that's why it's in a red dotted box and greyed out).  Basically the terminals from the old horn are connected to the coil of the relay - that way when the horn button is pressed it activates the relay.

I had read a lot of threads where people were confused about how to wire a relay - so I thought I would knock up a diagram to add to the wiki to help clear things up.   I figured that by showing the 'old and the new' it would give people a better understanding of the rationale behind it, and help them make the alteration.

appreciate that phil. now when i figure out how to mount my galls police horn to my gs, hehhehehehehehehehehe

Yikes! It looks loud 

QuoteAnd it must be said that the factory horn is fairly gutless.  So I decided to upgrade to twin discs - Stebel HF80/2's to be precise.  These horns are a discordant pair (340 and 430Hz) and punch out 136dB.  They cost me $25.

Where is the sound intensity value from (i.e. measured or manufacturer spec)? Just wondering because that value is loud:

Threshold of Hearing (TOH)	0 dB
Rustling Leaves	10 dB
Whisper	20 dB
Normal Conversation	60 dB
Busy Street Traffic	70 dB
Vacuum Cleaner	80 dB
Large Orchestra	98 dB
Walkman at Maximum Level	100 dB
Front Rows of Rock Concert	110 dB
Threshold of Pain	130 dB
Military Jet Takeoff	140 dB
Instant Perforation of Eardrum	160 dB

info from: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/CLASS/sound/u11l2b.html

Quote from: El motociclista on April 23, 2008, 10:48:18 PM
Philward,
That's a nice idea. I like how you added the wiring diagram as I'm in the process of trying to learn about electrical circuits and familiarizing myself with how to read wiring diagrams. Your example gave me an opportunity to test myself. From the wiring diagram it looks as though the stock horn is still functional, has to be, in order for the new ones to work. Am I reading that correctly?

I think you might like this tool. My electronics class teacher showed us this program. I never needed to use it but it looks promising!!
here is the link:   
http://my.ece.ucsb.edu/bobsclass/2C/Simulation/circuit_maker.htm
enjoy wiring 

btw: philward great job with the horns! I wish the stock horn was louder!

Quote from: beRto on April 24, 2008, 01:07:39 PM
Yikes! It looks loud 

Where is the sound intensity value from (i.e. measured or manufacturer spec)?

It's the manufacturer's spec.

Like all these things it's important to not get caught up 'measurbating' - sound is such a hard thing to compare anyway.

I had originally bought the Stebel Magnum which is a snail-shell style horn.  A single unit is claimed by the manufacturer to put out the same as these twins combined (136).  Due to it's larger dimensions I found it difficult to find a place for it on my naked (a naked is not forgiving for hiding things!).  As a result I ended up mounting on a friend's faired bike under the bottom triple, really easily - and it's as good as invisible.  (you can see the magnum below on the right)



It was interesting to compare the two.  The twin-discs sound 'fatter' due to their dischordant pair, whereas the magnum (and stock horn) only produce a single frequency and hence the 'meep' - even though the measured volumes are the same.  Just goes to show that sound 'loudness' is also a little bit subjective.

...oh yeah and another thing that I left off - when you hit the horn you can feel the vibration through the handlebars! 

I've been looking at getting a Stebel Nautilus.........or 2......... ay least that way I'll know I have their attention as they're clutching their bleeding ears f%$king ohio mini vans

Quote from: spcterry on April 24, 2008, 07:29:41 PM
I've been looking at getting a Stebel Nautilus.........or 2......... ay least that way I'll know I have their attention as they're clutching their bleeding ears f%$king ohio mini vans

I think I'm gonna go buy a mini van and come on down for a little sight seeing vacation...

so why do u need the extra sound?  i doubt people even listen to horns anymore.  are you hooking it up to an alarm system?  thanks for posting in such great detail.

Quote from: bucks1605 on April 24, 2008, 07:30:55 PM

Quote from: spcterry on April 24, 2008, 07:29:41 PM
I've been looking at getting a Stebel Nautilus.........or 2......... ay least that way I'll know I have their attention as they're clutching their bleeding ears f%$king ohio mini vans

I think I'm gonna go buy a mini van and come on down for a little sight seeing vacation...

There's a good possibility you'll either end up owing Beaufort county a thousand bucks or so or you'll get shot by some pissed off guy on a bike

Quote from: spcterry on April 24, 2008, 07:33:33 PM

Quote from: bucks1605 on April 24, 2008, 07:30:55 PM

Quote from: spcterry on April 24, 2008, 07:29:41 PM
I've been looking at getting a Stebel Nautilus.........or 2......... ay least that way I'll know I have their attention as they're clutching their bleeding ears f%$king ohio mini vans

I think I'm gonna go buy a mini van and come on down for a little sight seeing vacation...

There's a good possibility you'll either end up owing Beaufort county a thousand bucks or so or you'll get shot by some pissed off guy on a bike

Wonder who that would be??   

      That or you'll get a blast of like 3 Stebels right in your ear and be permanently deafened

Quote from: spcterry on April 24, 2008, 07:47:38 PM
    That or you'll get a blast of like 3 Stebels right in your ear and be permanently deafened

All my kids will be yelling and fighting in the back, so I probably won't even hear your stebels.

We've got great things here for dealing with problem children...............they're called sharks.