Aftermarket Horn

[Nightshift]

I want to install an after market horn on my 2004 FJR and after trying the search feature come up with unrelated topics, so I figure its time to bring this topic up for discussion. Comments ,advice and opinions from those who like their aftermarket horn system please post.

 

[mattster31]

I want to install an after market horn on my 2004 FJR and after trying the search feature come up with unrelated topics, so I figure its time to bring this topic up for discussion. Comments ,advice and opinions from those who like their aftermarket horn system please post.

Go here https://www.fjrtech.com/getdbitem.cfm?item=46 (Walter, I still can't change the linky!!)

I have a set on mine..............but I hardly ever use them. I find it easier to concentrate on avoiding a crash with another vehicle, rather than spending those precious milliseconds thinking about whether or not I should use my horn.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Can't agree with Mattster, I think a set of LOUD horns is damn important. I put a set on after two buttwipes cut into my lane within a few days of each other (one freeway, one surface). I just plugged a set of Auto Zone blasters onto the old leads from the stock buzzers, and they worked fine. Now I'd heard that it's better to add a wiring harness like the one FJRandy was making, and may still be making--it's discussed here. Never really understood why it was necessary, although I'm sure it was, but still it was working just fine right up till I flipped and fried the bike (definitely NOT related to the horn issue) this summer.

I'd much prefer the cagers around me think a big old Buick is honking at them instead of a little old bike that can barely scratch their paint. Of course, that's just me.

 

[happyPuppy]

Send a PM to ahchiu. I heard his horn system and it is loud. It is very cool with a nice loud deep tone. He used the Stebel and two others to round out the sound. Really nice.

 

[mattster31]

Can't agree with Mattster, I think a set of LOUD horns is damn important.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have put them on if I had thought it would be useless..... That said, I do use them, just not as much as I thought I would. Most of the time when an "incident" presented itself before me (rarely), I would simply accelerate/brake/steer to avoid the issue......then I would think, "why didn't I use my horn??" I should probably make a better effort to use them They are loud!!!

 

[doctorJ]

I've had a few Stebel horns but not had good luck with their reliability. I've now gone to PIAA dual tone horns that don't require any relay or anything except plug and honk. They sound and work great. I mounted them in same location as the stock horns.

doctorj

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I've had a few Stebel horns but not had good luck with their reliability. I've now gone to PIAA dual tone horns that don't require any relay or anything except plug and honk. They sound and work great. I mounted them in same location as the stock horns.
doctorj

webBikeWorld® ran into the same reliability problems. Review

 

[protondecay123]

I have had the Stebel Magnum Blaster installed about 1 year now. It's worked like a charm. It reminds me of the sound of a '65 Buick Electra. It's really loud. It makes me feel better about the likelihood of some other vehicle hearing me when they can't see me.

As far as QA issues go, I've had none.

But I also have a "non-ticking" 05. Maybe just lucky that way.

Good luck. YMMV.

 

[Harald]

I'm partial to the Stebel Nautilus horn. It's incredibly loud, but more difficult to install.

Here's two methods for installing this horn:

FJRandy's install

Spunkmyer's install

And finally, here's my favorite install:

Harald's install

Okay, I'm biased because that's my install. It's basically the same as Spunkmyers install except I made a bent bracket that tips the horn back for better clearance to the fender.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Stebel Magnum's for about 10 mos, no issues, works fine in SoCal.

 

[Patriot]

I have two horn circuits - on stock wiring is replacement Fiamm disc horns (120db) bought at Advantage or O'Rielly (sic)

On another circuit with harness and included relay is a Stebel Nautilus compact air horn (139db) and is incredibly loud.

I added a separate radio shack miniature momentary button switch into the turn signal/high beam/windshield switch cluster on the left side and use it to blow 18 wheelers out of my lane as they cross the white line in front of me. No reliability problems on all my 3 bikes for years of satisfactory use.

The stock button is to in a friendly way beep beep my buddy to come out and ride at 7am.

see pics of that air horn button in my flickr account using the sig clicky

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[ahchiu]

I have 2 Fiamm (Low) horns mounted in the stock location, I cut inside fairing to set them back, I also mounted a Steible horn below the triple clamp, I took apart the Steible and mounted the compressor in the left fairing behind the compartment and used a fuel line for air hose, I also have a seperate button to just use the 2 Fiamm horns.

Marcus

 

[Nightshift]

I have 2 Fiamm (Low) horns mounted in the stock location, I cut inside fairing to set them back, I also mounted a Steible horn below the triple clamp, I took apart the Steible and mounted the compressor in the left fairing behind the compartment and used a fuel line for air hose, I also have a seperate button to just use the 2 Fiamm horns.
Marcus

After reading everything over I decided on the PIAA Dual Tone Horn 115 dB basically because it is straight out of the box installation. . If it doesn't make me happy I'm only out $46.00. Thanks for all the input. I'll let you all know whenever I get this horn installed, about two weeks from today I figure.

Mick

 

[FJR13k]

After reading everything over I decided on the PIAA Dual Tone Horn 115 dB basically because it is straight out of the box installation. . If it doesn't make me happy I'm only out $46.00. Thanks for all the input. I'll let you all know whenever I get this horn installed, about two weeks from today I figure.

Mick

I am electro-mechanically challenged; the out-of-the-box solution is for me. I've read up on some of the installs - removing farings, triming pieces, fabricating/bending brackets and adding relays....what a nightmare! Any effort on my part to do any of that would result in screaming louder than the 115-130dB horns.

To my point, do you have a link for these horns?

 

[Bounce]

I bought a set of Freeway Blasters (Fiam) and didn't like them. Moved them to my GMC truck because they were better than GM stock.

Installed the Magnum Blasters (using a relay and wiring harness as the horn switch isn't designed to handle the load directly). All these years later it's still gratifying to see someone actually DUCK when they think they've just put themselves into harms way from a 21' Buick (thinking nothing of running over a bike a second before).

 

[Capt. Bob]

[quote name='FJR13k' date='Jan 13 2009, 06:39 AM' post='535080'

To my point, do you have a link for these horns?

Start here.

Clicky

 

[wheatonFJR]

I have 2 Fiamm (Low) horns mounted in the stock location, I cut inside fairing to set them back, I also mounted a Steible horn below the triple clamp, I took apart the Steible and mounted the compressor in the left fairing behind the compartment and used a fuel line for air hose, I also have a seperate button to just use the 2 Fiamm horns.
Marcus

After reading everything over I decided on the PIAA Dual Tone Horn 115 dB basically because it is straight out of the box installation. . If it doesn't make me happy I'm only out $46.00. Thanks for all the input. I'll let you all know whenever I get this horn installed, about two weeks from today I figure.

Mick

115 dB is much softer than the 128 or 138 something horns. dB are not measured on a linear scale...

 

[Fred W]

Anyone know what the dB rating of the OE horns is?

 

[Capt. Bob]

Anyone know what the dB rating of the OE horns is?

Good question, so....

I ended up here clicky

Interesting to say the least.

Toward the bottom they list the Duck's stock horn at about 86dB. I would think (with noise laws) that the FJR's is about the same but....

Looking at the charts, it's interesting to note that their tests aren't that much louder (from a dB quantity) thus alluding back to Wheat's statements.

This indicates that you really don't need to increase the dBs greatly to get a noticeable increase in sound.

That stated, the PIAAs would give a huge increase in noticeable sound if they really put out 115dB, which appears (from this article) might be much less.