Didn't You Hear Me?

Ineffective Motorcycle Horns

Posted November 12 2007 02:48 PM by The_New_Guy
Filed under: Recreation & Daily Riding

"MOVE!" That's what I want my motorcycle's horn screaming in the head of the driver in front of me.

Okay, fine, sometime's it's "STOP!," yelled at someone trying to turn in from a side street. Regardless, the typical motorcycle horn is a pathetic toy. I use my horn several times per day on my commute, mostly to make sure that drivers turning across or into my direction of travel have actually seen me. We might as well be cranking bicycle bell horns as we cruise down the street for all the attention our horns get. Sure, people do hear them (usually), but without the immediate awareness that the typical automotive horn generates. Some bikes, like the new Victory Vision, have a great horn. Heck, even Vento's 250cc Colt has a great horn. So why do most bike's have the same old tech, innefective horns that have been used for the last 40 years???

Now I've got spilchis in my genektagazoint. I'm a little verklempt. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Reader Comments:

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1. I can yell louder than my horn (with my head in a full face helmet)...it happens to be less embarrasing than honking it. My kid's barbie jeep has a better horn than mine.

tano01 - Posted November 14 2007 03:03 PM

2. Being a new motorcycle rider, after an absence of some 30 years, it is good to know what to expect from these horns (nothing it looks like). What what you recommend for a replacement horn that can be installed on a Yamaha V-Star 1300 bike?

Thank you for your help!

Sofine - Posted November 18 2007 12:40 PM

3. Try Rivco air horns. 120 decibels. Nice and loud. I have them on my V-Star 1100.

BluesJD - Posted November 25 2007 07:22 PM

4. I'd highly recommend FIAMM Freeway Blasters. 132 decibels and only about $35 a pair from most auto parts retailers or JC Whitney. I put a pair (hi & low tone) on my bike and now when I hit the horn people start looking around to see if they're about to get run over by something big. They DEFINITELY get everyone's undivided attention.

Electra.glide - Posted December 2 2007 07:08 AM

5. My Stebel horn gets the attention of most cages, but some would still ignore a locomotive bearing down on them.

nikopen - Posted December 30 2007 08:27 PM

6. ive got a 2000 BMW K1200LT.its got a great factory horn.it screams WIE GEHTS ODER GEH WECK DUMKOFF in 254 different languages!!!!!

longrider999 - Posted January 10 2008 10:11 PM

7. I have the Stebel/Wolo/bad boy nautilus airhorn on my bike and car. It costs about $35. to $40. dollars at many auto parts stores & Harbor Freight. 139 DB be sure to use the included relay so you don't starve it for electricity. It's very small & easy to mount. Dual note and very hard to ignore. Available in Chrome if desired for +$10.00 I would recommend black as it pretty much disappears in that color

Moose_A._Lini - Posted January 12 2008 08:37 PM

8. Horns weren't put on bikes to warn people, they were put on horns to salute the ladies you pass. They work fine for that.

redrider750 - Posted February 5 2008 12:04 AM

9. I also have the wolo badboy, is very compact & in black its less visable than the factory horn on the side of the bike. i made a bracket & tucked between the frame tubes & pips right at the bottom front of the motor.
VERY HARD TO IGNOR THE BLAST OF THIS HORN.

MAGNAMAN - Posted March 26 2008 10:22 AM

10. I have to agree with everyone else, air horns are the way to go. Many people have their stereos turned up or are talking on their cell phones when driving their cars. The sound of an air horn makes them think that a GREAT BIG SEMI or fire truck is about to squash them, so they look where the sound's coming from. They really get people's attention. If you "toot" them at a good looking girl, the girl will turn around so fast that her skirt will flip up and you get to see a great pair of legs. It's a win win situation for anyone on a bike (LOL).

Otter - Posted May 30 2008 08:06 AM

11. If you're using your horn to see if a motorist has seen you, ere's a clue that will save your life: They didn't.
Don't rely on the horn to make people aware that you are there - Not when most car stereos easily top 200W.
Command your lane - Move around in it. Drive like you are absolutely invisible. Stay out of blindspots and ALWAYS have a way out.
Oh, and loud pipes don't save lives - The sound is directed behind you, it is quiet in front at speed. All those pipes are doing is letting the cops know where you are, and if you are asking to be pulled over.

motorcycle_madman - Posted July 5 2008 01:18 PM

12. LOL There's a name for riders who reach for the horn button instead of taking evasive action... Crash Victims.

About 20 years ago, the Orlando cops started regularly doing random vehicle inspections on a road I used to commute. One day, I was waved in for the check. My horn didn't work, so they gave a me a "fix-it" written warning. I stopped at an autoparts store on the way home and bought a pair of 135db car horns for $15. When I got home, I removed the oem harley horn and installed the car horns, then signed the warning form and mailed it in. A couple weeks later, I was waved in for another inspection. The cops didn't appreciate the fact that they didn't have earplugs when I pressed the horn button for them. I wear earplugs when I ride, so I didn't mind. They never waved me over again :-)

I have no use for a horn and couldn't care less if it works or not.

regards,
Joe

sloowpoke - Posted July 27 2008 03:16 PM

13. Gee, Joe,

It seems like July 27th was a bad day for you. Every one of your posts is negative, castigating the other forum contributors in either their riding skills or machine preparation. I'm sorry things are so tough for you.

In the real world, we riders do need good brakes, good horns and road courtesy from our fellow motorists (regardless of the number of wheels they are on), and, if you actually did read Cruiser, you'd find out that we have very informative product reviews that clearly state the good and the bad aspects of products.

You might also try re-reading these blog posts to make sure that you get the actual main point of the posts, and not simply find some nit to pick, slamming the wood and missing the nail altogether.

Keep it on two wheels.

The_New_Guy - Posted September 17 2008 01:29 PM

14. Most of the horns on bikes are barely loud enough to give a see you later toot as the person's heading off the slab.

Honda put a real horn on the GoldWing. I think they liberated it from one of the cars. I have to remember to not have the bike facing the garage when I test it.
It is amazing how people will spend $500 to slap on the loudest set of pipes "for safety of course", and then don't spend $20 or 40 to swap out the horn which gets loud at things in front of you when you want it to.
Horn isn't a cure all, just another tool in the arsenal.

frbock - Posted September 22 2008 05:54 PM

15. Here is a real air horn!! www.metalartsinc.com

read this article

http://www.americanrider.com/output.cfm?id=1834669

motoman1950 - Posted November 9 2008 04:04 PM

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