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Beep?
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:36 pm
by MrGromit
Are bike horns pretty much interchangible? I just bought a used bike and the horn sounds rather, well, sick and wimpy.
At the very least I want something that's gonna let the ol' blue-haired lady who is merging into me know that there's a bike over in 'our' lane.
So can I just pick up pretty much any horn and it'll work or are they brand-specific?
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:43 pm
by BuzZz
I've found that all bike horns are about the same.... lame. I hear folks comment that they have found a decently loud horn from various machines or venders, but I can't remember what or where.... I'm sure someone will have some info. But any horn I've seen on a bike has 2 simple wire connections, so I can't see any interchangeablity problems.
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:55 pm
by flynrider
Most are easily interchangable. I used to swap out the horns on all my bikes, but when I got the Nighthawk, I was pleasantly surprised. It's got a perfectly usable horn on it.
One other thing that makes bike horns suck is that they're stuck out in front of the engine and get filled with bugs and road goop. That'll kill the volume pretty quick.
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:21 am
by sharpmagna
Get an airhorn. That'll get someone's attention
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:00 am
by storysunfolding
The best horn on a bike I saw was one off an old ford taurus, price with a radio shack relay (uses more power than a standard bike horn) and wires was about $5. It was also really loud. However, many aftermarket car horn companies make a mini version (and sometimes not so mini) that you can rig onto your bike. Depends how much you want to spend.
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:15 am
by Big B
flynrider wrote:Most are easily interchangable. I used to swap out the horns on all my bikes, but when I got the Nighthawk, I was pleasantly surprised. It's got a perfectly usable horn on it.
must be something about hondas, the stock horn on a vtx is plenty loud
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:32 am
by MrGromit
Big B wrote:must be something about hondas, the stock horn on a vtx is plenty loud
Actually, I'll be replacing one on a Honda.
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:37 am
by storysunfolding
Yeah, I'm sure it depends on the particular bike, it's age and how much money you put into it. My 85 vf500c has a wimpy horn, though it is a dual tone monstrosity.
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:21 am
by 9000white
my 85 vf500c with stock horns is as loud as a car horn.
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:24 pm
by storysunfolding
my honda accord has a wimpy horn
