New horns installed

[Lowcountry Joe]

I installed a Stebel Air horn under the seat and it works great. I didn't want to fool with mounting it in front at the top of the radiator area, nor did I want it in a place where it would get full of water and dirt, nor did I care to fool with separating the compressor and the horn and connecting them with a length of plastic hose thus creating the need for two mounting positions. Nothing wrong with any of that, but I didn't want to mess with it.

I considered a few other mounting options, read all the other guys mounting stories, then decided the best place for my installation, and quickest to accomplish, and cleanest, was under the seat. So that's where it is, powered through a 30 amp relay with it's coil keyed from a tap off the voltage going to the OEM horns when the horn button is depressed. It's one of the coolest and loudest horns I've ever heard.

Now, that leads me to my post....

I bought and installed a set of FIAMM disc-style horns (D-40365 was the low tone model number) today (from a local auto parts store) to replace the beep-beep roadrunner horns that are original standard equipment. Some of the reasoning behind why I chose these horns:

1. They draw a measured 3.2 amps each, compared to the stock horns that draw a measured 2.6 amps each, so the OEM wiring can be safely used...no additional wiring or relays required.

2. They fit in the space provided for the OEM horns without the need for trimming plastic (not against trimming plastic, just glad I didn't have to).

3. They clear the front end forks and fork brace when turned hard lock right and hard lock left. Bent the bracket on the driver's right horn back just a touch to accomplish clearance.

4. They are heavy duty...much more so than the OEM horns. (just look at the photos)

5. They are LOUD. (they are advertised at 130 db, but I had no way of verifying that)

Although the FIAMM horns came with mounting stems, I used the OEM mounting stem instead to get the horns nestled up in the area where the OEMs lived.

Now the mixture of the new FIAMMS with the Stebel Air horn is simply amazing. The tones mix and it sounds like a Cadillac horn to my old ass ears.

Here is a link to a few pics in case you are interested. https://picasaweb.google.com/joeyaferguson/HornReplacement02#

My horn project is complete, I hope. Thanks to all the guys that posted horn projects in the past. Those were a great help to me. Ride Safe and be LOUD! (with your horn that is!)

 

[SHRuuM]

Hmmmm! I'd really like to see some pics of the Stebel horn set up, plz.

 

[YukonG]

I'd like to see pics of the Stebel also (installed).

I keep a compressor under the seat; but that might be a great place to put my Stebel.

How loud is it for you, while riding?

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

There really isn't much to see. You take off my rider seat and look in the tray, and there is a Stebel air horn, with the compressor part wrapped in foam packing material to keep it from bouncing around and to keep it in place. Horn openings face up. The wiring runs up under the right side of the gas tank to the battery area where the relay resides. Simple install. The thing that took the longest was figuring out how to tap into the horn feeds so that the horn button would key my relay and toot the Stebel.

Guys with cruise controls may not have this room available under the seat, however, I use a Vista Cruise for my cruise control, so don't ever expect to fool with the Audiovox or the one from Austrailia. So my underseat area is "open".

If you still want to see a picture, I'll post one.

It's really loud, but not bad while riding considering it's under the seat. But blow it in the garage and it will hurt your ears.

 

[mattster31]

It's really loud, but not bad while riding considering it's under the seat. But blow it in the garage and it will hurt your ears.

That's one hell of a fart!!!!

 

[lnewlf]

Did the same thing with the FIAMM horns-twice as loud as stock for less than $30 and plug and play..as you said ,low draw won't hurt the stock wiring..

 

[FJRandy]

If you think it's loud mounted under the seat, you'd have been amazed how loud it is mounted in front facing forward.

Tested in most spots on the bike with a sound meter. Facing front was by far the loudest.

Just saying...sometimes it's well worth the effort.

Then again if you're happy, I'm happy.

 

[FJRandy]

It's really loud, but not bad while riding considering it's under the seat. But blow it in the garage and it will hurt your ears.

Did someone cut you off in the garage? :lol: Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Patriot]

If you think it's loud mounted under the seat, you'd have been amazed how loud it is mounted in front facing forward.Tested in most spots on the bike with a sound meter. Facing front was by far the loudest.

Just saying...sometimes it's well worth the effort.

Then again if you're happy, I'm happy.

yep, like this...