New Horns

[ChrisACT]

There are a few threads on how piddly the Rocket 3 horn is and various replacement options.

I've decided to go with these:



I decided to go by what I thought the horns actually sounded like. The tone, rather than the alleged sound pressure. I like the sound of these. Most air horns, especially compact horns like the Stebel Nautilus and Denali SoundBomb, are higher pitched than I want. To get lower pitched airhorns means they're so long it's very difficult to install on a bike.

Going by the spec, they're not the loudest around. But then, I was an audio engineer for 20 years and I reckon that the dB rating on all horns is mostly just marketing lies anyway. Firstly, 112dB doesn't actually mean anything. Nor does any other number with dB after it.

The decibel is not a hard unit of measurement. It's a ratio therefore it needs a reference. dB what? SPL? A weighted? C weighted? It is truly meaningless without a reference. And unless all horn manufacturers are using the same reference, comparison by the quoted specs is impossible anyway.

Another advantage of these is that they only draw about 5 amps for both of them so I don't have to use a relay.

The next trick is to mount the buggers. And for that I'm getting these:

They grip onto the crash bars and I can mount the horns to them. Should be able to get them in pretty snug to the engine in behind the radiator. Once I have it all installed I'll post pics of it.

 

[Bigjaype]

There are a few threads on how piddly the Rocket 3 horn is and various replacement options.

I've decided to go with these:



I decided to go by what I thought the horns actually sounded like. The tone, rather than the alleged sound pressure. I like the sound of these. Most air horns, especially compact horns like the Stebel Nautilus and Denali SoundBomb, are higher pitched than I want. To get lower pitched airhorns means they're so long it's very difficult to install on a bike.

Going by the spec, they're not the loudest around. But then, I was an audio engineer for 20 years and I reckon that the dB rating on all horns is mostly just marketing lies anyway. Firstly, 112dB doesn't actually mean anything. Nor does any other number with dB after it.

The decibel is not a hard unit of measurement. It's a ratio therefore it needs a reference. dB what? SPL? A weighted? C weighted? It is truly meaningless without a reference. And unless all horn manufacturers are using the same reference, comparison by the quoted specs is impossible anyway.

Another advantage of these is that they only draw about 5 amps for both of them so I don't have to use a relay.

The next trick is to mount the buggers. And for that I'm getting these:

They grip onto the crash bars and I can mount the horns to them. Should be able to get them in pretty snug to the engine in behind the radiator. Once I have it all installed I'll post pics of it.

I’m in the market for a new horn. The bike came with a butt ugly wolo. Care to share the links, assuming you bought online!

 

[ChrisACT]

I’m in the market for a new horn. The bike came with a butt ugly wolo. Care to share the links, assuming you bought online!

Sure.

The horns

The mounts

 

[barbagris]

They grip onto the crash bars and I can mount the horns to them. Should be able to get them in pretty snug to the engine in behind the radiator. Once I have it all installed I'll post pics of it.

Those PIAA clamps work BUT be careful not to over-tweak the screws. It's a bit of a black art as the Pin clamp screw needs to be fairly tight. I'd put them in airflow. It gets bloody hot twixt RAD and pipes.

 

[ChrisACT]

I'd put them in airflow. It gets bloody hot twixt RAD and pipes.

Hmmm ... good point. I could try to mount them from the handlebars behind the bug screen with the bells pointing outward. They seem to just about fit there. I don't really want them completely hanging out like dog's balls for all to see. They're not really good decoration. Would rather hide them as much as I can while keeping them at the front of the bike.

 

[scot in exile]

I like the sound of my steel on both my Rockets better plus I do not have to worry about some clamp breaking off or the parts overheating as MrB pointed out for you

 

[ChrisACT]

I like the sound of my steel on both my Rockets better plus I do not have to worry about some clamp breaking off or the parts overheating as MrB pointed out for you

Steel = Stebel?

I've read reports of the compressor clamps letting go on them among other manufacturing issues. Even some DOA without so much as a squawk from the start. Another reason I wanted to do something else. PIAA have made very good lights for yonks so I thought I'd give them a go.

As for the sound, of course it's a personal taste thing. Each to their own. If I could fit them on the bike, I'd go for a 5 stack of train horns with an air tank. But that's hardly practical.

But just silly enough to be tempting though.

 

[Eric R.]

Chris, I have been debating horns for my r3t. I am not too comfortable about the relay installation for most of the other horns that are available.
I would like to do what you have done. Are you sure that a relay isn’t needed in your case? Are you saying that five amps is a safe load for the horn circuit?
That would make the installation much easier.
Thanks, Eric

 

[Jag]

Chris, I have been debating horns for my r3t. I am not too comfortable about the relay installation for most of the other horns that are available.
I would like to do what you have done. Are you sure that a relay isn’t needed in your case? Are you saying that five amps is a safe load for the horn circuit?
That would make the installation much easier.
Thanks, Eric

It’s really not that bad of a job. The hardest part to me was finding a good mounting spot for the compressor and the horn that works and your happy with
.
The wiring is not to bad just a little different then the directions say because you are actuation the relay using the negative thru the switch.

 

[ChrisACT]

Chris, I have been debating horns for my r3t. I am not too comfortable about the relay installation for most of the other horns that are available.
I would like to do what you have done. Are you sure that a relay isn’t needed in your case? Are you saying that five amps is a safe load for the horn circuit?
That would make the installation much easier.
Thanks, Eric

The OEM horn draws 3 amps @ 12V.

The PIAA horns I ordered draw 2.7amps @ 12V each so 5.4amps total.

By comparison, a Stebel Nautilus draws 18 amps @ 12V.

A Denali SoundBomb draws 20amps @ 12V.

I'd be surprised if the horn button and stock wiring can't handle 5.4amps especially given the short duration of use the horn gets. It's not like a headlight circuit which would run constantly for hours at a time.

Also the fuse on the horn and indicator circuit is 15 amps so that should be fine.

But you can see why air horns that have a compressor like the Stebel and Denali certainly require a relay and a separately fused circuit.