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Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:43 am
by jaskc78
there's actually some fairly affordable kits to give you a horn in the 130-140dB range. of course, if your horn is that loud i hope you're wearing hearing protection when you hit it because that's louder than a jet taking off.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:17 am
by storysunfolding
Well hopefully you're not getting repeated and prolonged exposure to it or maybe it's time for some introspection.
I advocate everyone wearing ear protection. Even if you're in your Schuberth S1 riding is noisy enough to cause hearing damage.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:00 pm
by Wordherder
I used to ride a Suzuki S50, a midsize bike with the standard Japanese horn: wheeeenk. First time I fired up the horn on the Harley - same sort of scenario - I seriously damn near fell off the bike. There was the FOGHORN BLAST of noise and a buzzing vibration on my left calf that startled the living daylights out of me. That 120 dB horn is aimed at a point right below your left patella.
Now I use it liberally when entering intersections. Can't count the number of left-turners I've surprised.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:09 pm
by storysunfolding
Wordherder wrote:I used to ride a Suzuki S50, a midsize bike with the standard Japanese horn: wheeeenk. First time I fired up the horn on the Harley - same sort of scenario - I seriously damn near fell off the bike. There was the FOGHORN BLAST of noise and a buzzing vibration on my left calf that startled the living daylights out of me. That 120 dB horn is aimed at a point right below your left patella.
Now I use it liberally when entering intersections. Can't count the number of left-turners I've surprised.
Yeah, Harley isn't sold in as many countries. But for $40 your S50 would have sounded louder than a stock harley horn.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:10 pm
by HYPERR
Grey Thumper wrote:Yeah, I don't think I've ever used my horn as a 1st option "life saving" measure. It's asking a lot to leave your life to the comprehension and reflexes of other people.
I use the horn to prevent having to make life saving measures. When entering sketchy looking intersections or if I see a sketchy looking driver looking to come out of a side street, I usually slow down, cover the brakes, and honk the horn just in case.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:41 pm
by Wordherder
Storysununfolding - My wife is riding my S50 nowadays. I'd like to get a louder horn for her bike - suggestions welcome, esp. ones that are easy to install! Appreciate any advice you can give us.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:44 pm
by HYPERR
Wordherder wrote:Storysununfolding - My wife is riding my S50 nowadays. I'd like to get a louder horn for her bike - suggestions welcome, esp. ones that are easy to install! Appreciate any advice you can give us.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:53 pm
by storysunfolding
^^^^ That about does it. I like the fiam freeway blasters since you can pick them up at Advance auto.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:03 pm
by MZ33
I agree that the horn does not beat evasive action when it comes to safety, which is why I didn't bother to look for it. But I must say I have had good success on clearing my space under similar circumstances in the past. I have a Stebel, which sounds like a baby locomotive. Once it actually made the texter jump in her seat and get the hell out of my way. Guess she thought I was a truck. But then, I had more notice and better suspicion that I was going to be using it. The little Aveo swept up next to me in the faster lane pretty quickly. (Well, she was late for work after all. 
)
I wonder, too, if my own rustiness may have contributed to my response. It seemed a little slow, but then, in such situations I guess it's fairly common for the scenario to seem to be unfolding slowly. Dunno. Happy to be here.
Re: Thank goodness it was a skinny car.
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:18 am
by sunshine229
Might I just say that it is truly upsetting to hear you had a real close call. Damn. Glad you made it out alive!!!