Very loud Airhorn

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DazB
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Very loud Airhorn

Post by DazB »

Ive decided! After my usual 10 mile commute home and almost taken-out 3 time by cars not seeing me, Ive decided I need a loud horn!!

I had a head-on (overtaking on my side) and two pull-out on me today, the head-on was soooo close, I have to take invasive action! Luckily Id had a crap day at work so I was taking it easy. If id been going a bit quicker Im sure I would have been heading to A&E.

I did tend to commute on full-beam in daylight, it might piss one or two people off now and again, but you will get seen! Full-beam will be back on for tomorrows commute, for sure! :cool2

Anyway! F**k'm, sh1t happens, all is good. BUT I really want a loud horn!? I don't do the revving engine ting, so I need some two-tone! :twisted:

Im sure loads on here have done this. Anyone got any recommendations for a dude on a budget? Are they an easy install?

Ta

And be safe out there, the good weather is turning drivers brains off!
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Wicky
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Wicky »

It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

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Solarboy
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Solarboy »

Wicky wrote:
That’s cool Wicky, might be a little extreme.....

I have often wondered if a car horn could fit in the original horn position for a bit more get out of the wayness? Aren’t most car horns two tone?
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Watty
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Watty »

Solarboy wrote: Tue May 22, 2018 8:38 pm
Wicky wrote:
That’s cool Wicky, might be a little extreme.....

I have often wondered if a car horn could fit in the original horn position for a bit more get out of the wayness? Aren’t most car horns two tone?
Two tone on a car is twin horns iirc!
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Solarboy
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Solarboy »

I know that........ I was wondering if there was enough space for both horns...
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MacV2
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by MacV2 »

How about...


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There is actually a third horn under the seat plastics to the right.

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Solarboy
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Solarboy »

I think DazB has first dibs after his day today. But if not
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VTRDark
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by VTRDark »

Sadly in this day and age where folk don't even hear sirens becuase they are so used to the noise pollution I don't think a horn will make too much of a differance. In fact it may even be more detrimental to you as your wasting valuble split seconds when thinking and reaching for the horn when in fact by that stage you might need to be allready taking evasive action. Basically if you reachng for a horn its allready too late. We just have to accept the fact that there are idiots on the road and we can't even blame them for being an idiot as we are all caught up in the rabbit hole of a system. At the end of the day it's down to ones own perception to keep an eye out for things and to take evasive action soon enough and hope luck is on your side. One could argue that you did not read the situation and see the other person soon enough. If you think about how advanced motorcyclists, Police or whatever are allready predicting in their head possible scenarios that can happen furthur up ahead by reading the road and surrondings way beforhand.

I was going to say stick louder cans on but it's the same thing and although some will disagree, actually fitting louder cans on has been proven to not make a differance to those locked up in their little bubbles and they still wont hear you untill your right on top of them. Still...it's a better option than a horn as you don't have to think about it. If you watch the video's on youtube of the guys that have installed a train compressor and air horns on their bike and driving around the streets, it's intresting to see that not everyone jumps out of their skin evrytime it goes off. How many folk take any notice of a car alarm or building alarm bell when it's going off. Not many. Now if you was legally alowed to fit something that was loud and went through a various range of diffrent sounds then that maybe attention grabbing. Why do you think Emergency respone teams no longer use a basic two tone siren or Police motorcycle escorts / security services use a simple referee style whistle. It needs to be something diffrent, way diffrent like with marketing and advertising a product it needs to stand out from the crowd and even now we are so used to hearing these newer sirens that folk ignore them.

I'm sorry but it's not down to them to see you. It's down to you to see them and that is the way to survive.
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Solarboy
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Solarboy »

Bloody hell Dark, ever the optimist. You are right of course but marginal gains can make a difference. If you are able to have enough time to read a situation and sound a horn then it adds a few more percentage points the the side of luck / fate or whatever you believe in. I have loud cans do starship Enterprise miles ever year (in a car) and see loads of idiots doing idiotic things.
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cheekykev
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by cheekykev »

I'm with VTRDark on this, as he said, if you come across the type of incident you mention you will not have time to sound your horn, and the time spent sounding it would just delay your evasive action.
Sadly these days a horn is just to warn someone you're there well in advance, or to give them a bollocking after the event.
Loud exhaust is the better option, and will help a bit. but as VTRDark mentioned, unfortunately at the end of the day it's up to us to constantly monitor and observe the conditions you're in while riding, that's what the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists teach you, and that's how the emergency services operate.
Yes I agree that no matter what you do, some clown can still involve you in an accident, all we can do is try our best to avoid it by leaving a margin of error, and predicting something that could possibly happen, no point kicking off and blaming the driver because you may not be around to argue your case in court.
If you feel passionate about it, and haven't already taken an Advanced Motorcycling Course, then why not take one, you'll be quite surprised how much you can learn from it no matter how long you've been riding.
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Solarboy
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Solarboy »

I certainly don’t disagree with anything you have said. As bikers we have to read the road for our own sakes because some vehicle drivers just don’t think. Horns have their place though and it can’t hurt to have a loud one can it.
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cheekykev
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by cheekykev »

If you still insist you need a louder horn then try a Stebel magnum, they are loud, easy to fit without the need for any mods.
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Stratman
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by Stratman »

Riding on full beam is only likely to antagonise some people and could lead to them becoming aggressive e.g jamming on brakes as you dazzle them from behind. I really don't get this bad behaviour from car drivers, but maybe I drive defensively and position myself to be seen? Maybe an IAM course rather than f*** off horns would be a better long term safety feature?
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DazB
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by DazB »

I didn’t see all the replays until this morning, sorry. At work now, so will reply in full later.

In short, I feel any advantage to be seen or heard with can never be a bad thing. I have done Advance riding including BIKESAFE, and track stuff back in the day. I’ve also picked up loads of tips from racers and road testers over the years. Observation is always your first line of defence, but no mater how good you are, extra help is good. Sometimes I put on high beam, usual when I filter. I’d much rather people be a little pissed off than not see me. And a horn is to let people know your there, surely loud is best!?

Shits going to happen however good you are, so make sure you have all the tools in your box to help you.

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DazB
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Re: Very loud Airhorn

Post by DazB »

MacV2 wrote: Tue May 22, 2018 8:44 pm How about...


Image

There is actually a third horn under the seat plastics to the right.

Make me an offer.
lol, nice. bit bigger than I wanted ;)
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