toml@rlgvax.UUCP (Tom Love) (06/28/85)
i'm in the market for a set of after market horns for my 83 honda nighthawk
650. i have ruled out the silly-looking bugle horns; that leave two
basic categories of horns: the electrics (usually sold in pairs), and the
air horns.
i've looked at fiamme horns of both varieties, and i've heard of bosch
and strebel, but haven't seen them. the fiamme's seem to cost between $30
and 35 retail, but none of the discounters seem to carry them.
does anyone have experience with fiamme's or other brands?
does anyone have insight into the electric vs air decision?
do air horns require maintenance, frequent or otherwise?
which are louder?
can i get them discounted?
what about the other brands?
any tips on installation and wiring? (a friend recommends using a relay
to isolate the stock horn switch; he says the current drawn by the after
market horns will fry the stock switch.)
reply to me or the net, and i'll be glad to summarize for those requesting
a summary. tia.
tom love
computer consoles inc - office systems group
reston, va
{seismo | allegra | ihnp4} !rlgvax!tomldarryl@ISM780.UUCP (06/30/85)
>i've looked at fiamme horns of both varieties, and i've heard of bosch >and strebel, but haven't seen them. the fiamme's seem to cost between $30 >and 35 retail, but none of the discounters seem to carry them. I have a set of the Fiamm electric horns. Paid 29.95 at my dealer. They are louder than most of the Japanese subcompact car horns and perhaps on a par with a large Buick. They are easy to install if you have a wiring diagram to your bike. >any tips on installation and wiring? (a friend recommends using a relay >to isolate the stock horn switch; he says the current drawn by the after >market horns will fry the stock switch.) Your friend is right. Fiamm's come with the needed relay. Why is it that manufacturer's put toy horns on real vehicles? It can't *really* save them that much money, can it? --Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp. ...!cca!ima!ism780!darryl The views expressed above are my opinions only.
norcott@cca.UUCP (Bill Norcott) (07/01/85)
> i'm in the market for a set of after market horns for my 83 honda nighthawk > 650. i have ruled out the silly-looking bugle horns; that leave two > basic categories of horns: the electrics (usually sold in pairs), and the > air horns. > I replaced the puny beeper on my Suzuki GS-450E with one of a pair of electric horns I bought at Zayre's for $12. I only had room for one. It took about 15 minutes to install the "Blaster" (made in Italy). The horns are sold as louder replacements for trucks and cars. It is much louder than a car horn (they're rated at 110dB each, and I believe it). The Italian horn has a more musical note than the Detroit or Jap variety. You could practically raise the dead with this thing, I can't imagine anyone spending $30-$40 for air horns that are only marginally louder and have the compressor, etc. to deal with. My advice would be to scout out a pair of Italian electrics at a local discount store, mount one or both, and keep the $20 or so that you save for gas money. Sincerely, Bill Norcott P.S. I skipped using the relay that came with the horns, and I've had no trouble with my electrical system.
tjs@cbdkc1.UUCP ( Tom Stanions) (07/03/85)
In article <682@rlgvax.UUCP> toml@rlgvax.UUCP (Tom Love) writes: >i'm in the market for a set of after market horns for my 83 honda nighthawk >650. i have ruled out the silly-looking bugle horns; that leave two >basic categories of horns: the electrics (usually sold in pairs), and the >air horns. > >i've looked at fiamme horns of both varieties, and i've heard of bosch >and strebel, but haven't seen them. the fiamme's seem to cost between $30 >and 35 retail, but none of the discounters seem to carry them. > >does anyone have experience with fiamme's or other brands? >does anyone have insight into the electric vs air decision? >do air horns require maintenance, frequent or otherwise? >which are louder? >can i get them discounted? >what about the other brands? >any tips on installation and wiring? (a friend recommends using a relay >to isolate the stock horn switch; he says the current drawn by the after >market horns will fry the stock switch.) > I have used Fiamms on my Honda 750 for 11 years. I did have to replace the first set when one of them stopped working (after ~9 years). They are loud enough for anything I've ever needed and are easy to install (if no relay is included you will need to buy one, the horns do draw a high current). The air horns are probably louder, or they carry farther, but when I blow my horn I want a car driver to turn his head and look for a motorcycle, not a truck. The air horns are more difficult to install and their plumming makes them more likely to fail. Also there is a delay as air pressure is build up before the horn sounds. You might get a deal if J.C. Whitney still carries them. If not then $30 sounds like a fair price. I paid $20 for my first set and ~$30 for the second. If you should go for the Fiamms be sure to mount them so that the rain will run out of them (that is with the horn section down and the electronics on top). I mounted my first set wrong and when I went to use it in the rain it sounded like a drownding cow until it pumped the water out. {allegra|ihnp4}!cbdkc1!tjs
pilotti@telesoft.UUCP (Keith Pilotti @shine) (07/03/85)
Go for the horns!
My own experience has been with two sets of Fiamme electric horns.
They are LOUD! Some suggestions:
DEFINITELY direct-wire these horns to your battery through a
(large, 15A) fuse and 10- or 12-gauge stranded wire. These
monsters suck as much current as they can get. If you have
quartz-headlamps, running lights, and a killer stereo make
sure your battery (et al) is in good shape!
DON'T FORGET TO USE A RELAY (controlled by the handlebar button)
to switch the power line. It wouldn't hurt to have two relays
in series for failsafe operation. (If a single relay jammed in
the "closed" position your battery would be gone in minutes...)
The only problem I encountered is one of corrosion. I live in relatively
dry and mild weather, and close to the ocean. I've also squirted them
(indirectly) with water while washing the machine.
After a while, about a year, the internal pieces (simply an electromagnetic
"buzzer" like on Mr. Wizard) build corrosion (ie. rust) and eventually
fuse.
[It's possible that regular preventive disassembly, cleaning and sealing
of the horn units (with water repellant) might prolong their life.]
The last few squeeks and squawks are pitiful, and then there is
silence. I am down the the last few on the survivor in my current pair,
and may just try the air model this time.
/+\ Keith
________________________________________________________
KEITH F. PILOTTI -- TeleSoft (619) 457-2700 x172
10639 Roselle St, SanDiego, CA 92121
(UUCP) {decvax,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!telesoft!pilotti
(ARPA) Pilotti@UCSD