Horn upgrade.

[spyug]

As promised, I got a set of the Fiamms, one high tone and one low tone ( on sale this week at Princess Auto $12.99 each). Now these are the "basic" Fiamms. They also have the "highway blasters" for $18.99e. I couldn't read the packaging but I think the basics are 125db where the Hbs are 139db.

Well its an easy 10 minute install. Unbolt and disconnect old horns replace with Fiamms. Now with engine off they suck juice and I could only get one horn to sound. With engine running......lots of sound.

Without a sound meter I couldn't tell how much sound I'm actually getting but Its definitely twice as loud as stockers, at least in the garage.

I was going to wire them to a relay but I'll leave them as is for now.

An easy & relatively cheap mod.

I'll try them on the open road in a day or so and let you know how they work.

Cheers all,
Spyug

 

[iDodgimus]

sweet - i'll try to get out and grab one - my stock horn is a little weak!

any idea if its possible/easy to mod my single setup to accommodate two horns?

I'm just getting the hang of mechanical, so electrical isnt my strong point - layman terms appreciated :-s

 

[willie]

I was going to wire them to a relay but I'll leave them as is for now.

Cheers all,
Spyug

Just my .02 worth but if I were you I'd take the time to install a relay before you need a new horn switch. I put Fiamms on my GK and was surprised at how easy installing the relay was. Time well spent. Especially the 1st time a car started pulling out in front of me from a side street. Maybe he didn't see me at first but he sure as h*ll heard me. His reaction was priceless.
Willie in TN

 

[BlackStar]

I put a pair of these on my '78 GS1000 in the stock location. I used a relay to prevent welding the stock switch since these draw a heck of a lot more current than the stockers.
I might add that they do get peoples attention, liked 'em so well, I put a pair on my car.

 

[tejasmud]

What, let me guess, gets people out of the way faster so one can go faster? :-s

Just teasing.......

 

[schlyme]

What, let me guess, gets people out of the way faster so one can go faster? :-s

Just teasing.......

it makes them think you in a 1970's caddy with the lil old lady of pasadena driving it i have the freeway blasters with a relay

 

[iDodgimus]

relay?

relay?

I'm gonna take a run to Princess Autos to pick one of these up but first a question if you dont mind...

is this the relay that i'll need?
http://www.princessauto.com/truck-t...0-amp-5-wire-12vdc-relay/socket?keyword=relay

also, is there a schematic/wiring diagram knocking about anywhere? i found this thread but the actual schematic isnt there anymore:
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=121673&highlight=horn+relay

thanks again

 

[Riding Again]

It could/should be, dependent upon if has at least the following standard pin id numbers: 30, 85, 86, 87.


Wire the pins of the relay as such.

Connect pin 30 to the battery with an in-line fuse in the line somewhere.
Connect pin 87 to the horn.
Connect the old horn wires to pins 85 & 86. Doesn't matter which way.

I'd include pictures, but am too lazy to convert & load files . However, here is a link to an example.

http://www.wolo-mfg.com/419%20english.pdf

When the horn button is pressed, it sends and electrical current through the relay (an electromagnetic switch) using pins 85 & 86.

When the magnet is on, it closes the switch for the higher current circuit (remember to fuse this one) drawn directly from the battery, using pins 30 & 87.

This will be the typical pattern for most relay mods.

There are other relays (look for other threads to describe some of them, I'm still learning because I don't use them often enough and have to look it all up again ) but the numbering is industry standard for these applications.

 

[iDodgimus]

Highway Blaster!

Highway Blaster!

Done and done... it was way easier than i thought and nothing to be scared of. My first electrical work on the bike worked fantastic and sure enough was needed today when some idiot texting while they drove decided that they wanted to share my lane with me... one swift blast of the Freeway Blaster had them firmly back in their own lane!

For those thinking of doing it, highly recommended...

here's some pics:

horn installed in stock location

inline fuse (running from the battery to the relay)

relay, installed by reusing the master cylinder screw

 

[motocycle shawn]

lol

lol

i got a loud horn!!! my wife after i told here what i.v spent on my bike so far.... mount her on the front then the hole damn world will know your coming down the road.. lololololololol

 

[82Shafty]

Done and done... it was way easier than i thought and nothing to be scared of. My first electrical work on the bike worked fantastic and sure enough was needed today when some idiot texting while they drove decided that they wanted to share my lane with me... one swift blast of the Freeway Blaster had them firmly back in their own lane!

For those thinking of doing it, highly recommended...

here's some pics:

horn installed in stock location

inline fuse (running from the battery to the relay)

relay, installed by reusing the master cylinder screw

I have that exact looking horn, but it sounds like a sally clown horn??? Am I missing something here, or are there other knock off's that look like your super snail horn?

 

[sschering]

I have that exact looking horn, but it sounds like a sally clown horn??? Am I missing something here, or are there other knock off's that look like your super snail horn?

Did you get the high and low note?
If you have one or the other it's just not the same.

 

[1_v8_merc]

Hey, kind of a dumb question, but why do you have to install a relay and fuse? The bike already has one, so why can't you just swap the horns out, and that's it?

Or is the stock fuse too small for most aftermarket horns and will keep blowing out whenever you use the aftermarket horn?

I really needa get a louder horn, the stock one sounds like something that should belong on an electric tonka truck,lol.

-------

Can I just goto autozone and get a stock car replacement horn, swap it on my bike and NOT blow any fuses?
Or does it matter how many Db the horn is.....

 

[Zook]

These horns draw a bunch of current and will burn out the horn switch if not powered off a relay.

They are OEM on both my Guzzis. NOT run through a relay. When operated with all the lights on the voltage drops...and keeps dropping...below 12 volts...and drops...
On the GS, no problem. I really need to put relays on the Geese.

 

[posplayr]

Done and done... it was way easier than i thought and nothing to be scared of. My first electrical work on the bike worked fantastic and sure enough was needed today when some idiot texting while they drove decided that they wanted to share my lane with me... one swift blast of the Freeway Blaster had them firmly back in their own lane!

For those thinking of doing it, highly recommended...

here's some pics:

horn installed in stock location

inline fuse (running from the battery to the relay)

relay, installed by reusing the master cylinder screw

Vibration is bad on these mechanical relays so you wanna mount with a flexible tab so the frame vibrations can transmit to the relay mechanism

 

[spyug]

Originally, as I mentioned, I had just plugged them in to the stock wiring setup and they worked fine. On reflection and doing some reading I have decided to wire in a relay. I also bought the same horns for the Kat project and I'm going to wire them in on a relay this weekend.

Dollar for dollar, I think this is one cheapoer safety mods you can do. I notice on the road, they do get folks attention.

Cheers,
spyug

 

[djg42]

I want to put on a better horn on my bike too. What does it mean to have a high and low tone? Is it two differen horns? Also, where can I get the relay ill need? Is this the horn to get? Its 130db, only 9 less dcb and much cheaper then the stebel($15 vs $40)

http://www.amazon.com/FIAMM-72112-F..._1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1267655529&sr=8-1

 

[spyug]

Yes that is the horn. They come in two tones Fiamm model A High Tone #72002 and model B Low Tone 72012. I don't know if Amazon has them both but an internet search should find other retailers that have them. In Canada I get them at Princess Auto which is similar to Harbour Freight so they likely carry them too.

The relays can usually be sourced at any good auto store but HF will have them. They are available in different amperage ratings and either 30A or 40A will work. Some come with sockets, some without usually around $5 to $7 or so. They will be in the electrical section (duh) and likely near auxillairy light and switches.

Hope that helps and good luck.
S.

PS Wear ear plugs when you try them out especially if in a garage

 

[Guest]

Is it two differen horns? Also, where can I get the relay ill need? Is this the horn to get? Its 130db, only 9 less dcb and much cheaper then the stebel($15 vs $40)

Those Fiamms are a pretty good upgrade, esp. in comparison to the stock items, but just to clarify what a 9 decibel increase really means.....

[Keep this in mind: sound energy doubles for every 3 points you go up in the decibel scale. It means that the Stebel Nautilus horn, which produces 139 dB of sound, puts out a LOT more sound than these popular horns:
- 800% of the sound energy of the more expensive 130dB FIAMM Freeway Blaster;
- 600% louder than the $140, 130 dB Pro Pad Mini Beast horn;
- 650% louder than the $179, 128dB Rivco dual trumpet horn...]

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/2137

The Stebel is dual-tone, and comes with the relay for that price (I got mine on ebay for $25 + shipping), but it's bulkier, and more difficult to install correctly (the horn opening should face the ground, to prevent water collection), so the Fiamms might be better from the convenience standpoint.

 

[djg42]

Thanks for clearing that up. If i go with the fiamms should i get High or Low tone?