Loud horns save lives

For when a super loud horn (Stebel Nautilus) is too much for casual warnings and the regular horn not loud enough in other situations. Say hi to Peter: Banshee horn kickstart project

Sounds like a great idea to me!!

I replaced the horn on my truck with one of these Stebel horns and folks notice it. Defnitely would be an improvement on my bike. It's a pretty large horn and finding a spot to mount it under the fairing could be a challenge. I'm sure someone here has conquered that issue.

Like it! And obviously he has a great choice in motorcycles as well........

Mike

Loud, but not particularly useful. When I'm about to be cut off my first reaction is to brake, avoid, and recover. I suppose I could honk my horn at them after the fact to "punish" them but never saw the point. Car drifting into my lane on the freeway, I brake, car pulling out of a side street, I brake, car turning left in front of me, brake. I have no time or use for the horn.
it's pretty loud, just can't see how it would save a life.

That is a fantastic idea!!!  I'm a lot like tamworth though as I usually am fully concentrated on avoiding the hazard/accident and blowing the horn is usually an afterthought to call attention to my single finger salute.  Still a great idea though, very ingenious.

There have been a few times I can remember using my horn - but of course the only one who probably hears it is me. Not sure why bikes have such crap horns. A super loud horn is on my wish list, just have to figure out how to find space for it.

[image: View Post]Tamworth, on 07 January 2012 - 03:39 PM, said:

Loud, but not particularly useful. When I'm about to be cut off my first reaction is to brake, avoid, and recover. I suppose I could honk my horn at them after the fact to "punish" them but never saw the point. Car drifting into my lane on the freeway, I brake, car pulling out of a side street, I brake, car turning left in front of me, brake. I have no time or use for the horn.
it's pretty loud, just can't see how it would save a life.

Kindof agree with this.  My mindset is much more defensive than trusting a horn would allow me to be.

I tend to "punish" with my finger afterwards, if I'm really upset - but probably like a horn of any volume, it does nothing but make me feel better.

I'm not much on using horns either....... But riding though a parking lot would be a good place for one that load.

Another reason I don't use the motorcycle horn is because they sound so pathetic. The Banshee is loud but an awful tone, the Stebel nautilus is less loud but equally poor tone. Need a nice set of two (complimenting) tone Fiamms, or maybe something from an 80s Cadillac. Nothing like a good old two tone American horn. Here's a nice dual Fiamm electric horn sound, nice tone.

[image: View Post]Tamworth, on 07 January 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

Another reason I don't use the motorcycle horn is because they sound so pathetic. The Banshee is loud but an awful tone, the Stebel nautilus is less loud but equally poor tone. Need a nice set of two (complimenting) tone Fiamms, or maybe something from an 80s Cadillac. Nothing like a good old two tone American horn.

Here's a nice dual Fiamm electric horn sound, nice tone.

I had some air horns on my Triumph(cage) They had 3 long trumpet tubes...... Great tune and loud..... Of course I never used it, unless I was on a back road and I didn't see any cars or houses, then I'd blast it to make sure it was still working.

I think the idea is long over due, but like some of the other posters I rarely use the horn, it's typically an afterthought, even in my car. I tend to manuever and avoid and dont even think about the horn until after the situation is over. The wife however is more prone to using the horn. For those who are horn users I think it's worth looking into.

Interesting idea, but I think I would like a toggle switch between "friendly toot" and "loud blast." - If I need the loud blast like fricken now, I dont want to have to wait for it.

When I find myself dodging oblivious cagers I simultaneously give them the benefit of the music that only the Stebel Nautilus can provide.  Hitting the horn in no way impacts my ability to brake and more often then not scares the cager back into their lane giving me even more opportunity to escape unscathed while they try to figure out where the "big truck" is.  You should practice it as part of your defensive driving.  I don't even have to think about hitting the horn any more.

As for giving a friendly toot versus a roaring blast I find it just as easy to accomplish with the Stebel as with the stock horn.  A quick honk usually gets nothing more than a standard response and truthfully if I have to honk at all I could care less if someone gets offended.  If you are driving responsibly then you won't get any grief from me.

As for the device?  I don't see how it could hurt but if they are not paying attention to you anyway I don't think flashing your lights are going to be a significant deterrent.  Still, any little bit helps and if it gets you home safely then I say it's worth it.   :fing02:

i dont see the point of the stock and aftermarket horn then flashing the lights?

why not just have the aftermarket horn? and no light show?

When I installed my Stebel I couldn't wait for someone to attempt to run me off the road so I could use the horn.  I loved the idea of waking idiot drivers but numerous times I've noticed that they were totally oblivious to my screeching air horn.  Now I just kick the side of the car when they come at me.

[image: View Post]ericlw, on 07 January 2012 - 08:23 PM, said:

i dont see the point of the stock and aftermarket horn then flashing the lights?

why not just have the aftermarket horn? and no light show?
  I'm pretty sure the stock horn was just to let us hear it, right before the improved one.

Again, since I am no electical wizard and feel successful in the electronic field whe I plug/unplug my laptop, what is wrong with just removing the OEM horn and mounting an old horn ripped from a cage at the junk yard? Will that fry something else on the VFR? Does it need some sort of inline relay? A regular car horn is pretty damed loud when it isn't confined under the closed hood of a car! Electro wizards, what do you think?

[image: View Post]The mailman, on 07 January 2012 - 09:29 PM, said:

Again, since I am no electical wizard and feel successful in the electronic field whe I plug/unplug my laptop, what is wrong with just removing the OEM horn and mounting an old horn ripped from a cage at the junk yard? Will that fry something else on the VFR? Does it need some sort of inline relay? A regular car horn is pretty damed loud when it isn't confined under the closed hood of a car! Electro wizards, what do you think?

You need a relay. The switch for the standard horn is too light to handle the current of a big loud horn.

[image: View Post]Willy, on 07 January 2012 - 03:35 PM, said:

I replaced the horn on my truck with one of these Stebel horns and folks notice it. Defnitely would be an improvement on my bike. It's a pretty large horn and finding a spot to mount it under the fairing could be a challenge. I'm sure someone here has conquered that issue.

I stuck one in my VFR1200F. There's a perfect spot for it.

http://vfr1200fa.blo...econd-horn.html

I use it all the time. When a car blindly and casually starts drifting into my lane a 2 or 3 second blast snaps them to attention and I suddenly become visible. Worth every penny and then some.

I also use it as a bit of a practical joke with my riding buddies.... I sneak up into their blindspot and give them a blast. They nearly crap themselves every time.

Honk if you're horny. :tongue:

After reading the FAQ on their website, there are a few options to this device. First, you can actually allow the "big" horn to be triggered with an outside switch instead of the horn switch, you can shorten the delay to 1/4 second and can also bypass the light flashing if you wanted to.

.... or how about one of these sticking out of your tank bag?

[image: View Post]vanion2, on 07 January 2012 - 07:50 PM, said:

When......
........
........   :fing02:


Everything Vanion said is exactly what I would have said.

[image: View Post]ericlw, on 07 January 2012 - 08:23 PM, said:

why not just have the aftermarket horn? and no light show?
Because when in a cage and it is not always apparent from what direction the sound is coming from. Flashing your lights helps.
I myself have thought about putting an extra wire between the horn and the high beam relay.

I installed a Stebel some time ago, but wouldn't bother if I had to do it over again. It's loud, but the cagers still don't hear it. With their windows closed, well insulated vehicles, music on, and that oblivious demeanor, it's wasted on them. I have pulled up close right next to them and given a blast, and that is somewhat satisfying watching the driver jump, but that's after the fact.

After saying all that, I think the Banshee is likely to be heard.

[image: View Post]Knife, on 08 January 2012 - 03:59 PM, said:

I installed a Stebel some time ago, but wouldn't bother if I had to do it over again. It's loud, but the cagers still don't hear it. With their windows closed, well insulated vehicles, music on, and that oblivious demeanor, it's wasted on them. I have pulled up close right next to them and given a blast, and that is somewhat satisfying watching the driver jump, but that's after the fact.

After saying all that, I think the Banshee is likely to be heard.
I agree the Banshee got it for being heard, Wish we had those oscillating EU police sounds. I think the oscillation is the key to overcoming radios and what not.

Ride defensively! Now that is a horn!

Regardless of the whole ride defensively discussion, this is a fantastic idea. I ride extremely defensively but having this as an additionnal safety measure and as a way to warn poeple is great. I flash my lights to get attention on occasion anyway so this will be even better. Coming up to a car waiting to turn left.... voila!

I'm getting one and telling friends about it for sure.

Thanks for posting this!

Pledged.  I understand the argument that using your horn is the last thing on your mind (same here really), but it's that one day you need it to save your ass that makes $69 cheap.

A horn is a nice way to get somebody's attention that's for sure. All I was saying is if there is time to honk the horn there is time to push or pull on the bars and I trust that reaction more. Read an interesting post somewhere, practice pushing that horn button because in panic mode you react to what you do most, number 93.  http://pirateslair.net/SAFETY1.htm

[image: View Post]landlover, on 08 January 2012 - 09:10 PM, said:

A horn is a nice way to get somebody's attention that's for sure. All I was saying is if there is time to honk the horn there is time to push or pull on the bars and I trust that reaction more. Read an interesting post somewhere, practice pushing that horn button because in panic mode you react to what you do most, number 93.  http://pirateslair.net/SAFETY1.htm


I like that cell phone sign :smile:

Muscle memory technique. I get that. I have been reading the 'Proficient Motorcycling' books by David L. Hough and there's quite a bit on street riding "survival" techniques and best practices. Some of what he writes about is practicing quick stop and evasion maneuvers, getting these "memorized" so that your reaction time is quicker, that 1/4-1/2 second reaction time could make a difference. After reading their FAQ and thinking about it more, even though I am typically not a horn user, I might get one of these as an added safety measure. As it is now, when I ride on the street, I wear an orange reflective vest and a Hi-Viz yellow helmet, along with the other safety gear. Anything to make myself more conspicuous in traffic is a good thing in my book.

bump for whoever did not see this the first time around!

30 hours left on the group buy.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 08 January 2012 - 08:49 PM, said:

Pledged. I understand the argument that using your horn is the last thing on your mind (same here really), but it's that one day you need it to save your ass that makes $69 cheap.
Plus a million on that one! My Fiamme low tone snail horn had saved me many many times through the years from getting punted or crushed by inattentive drivers in the crazy freeways around the bay area.
There's should be no arguement here! Loud horns do save lives! And yes, they can hear them when their windows are shut. I suspect that the only time they don't is if they are playing their radios way too loud to hear anything else or the driver of the vehicle might have some hearing defficiency.

Beck
95 VFR

This seems like an overly complicated (expensive?) solution... but something an engineer would come up with, and the ingenuity is awesome!

I have my stebel wired using a relay triggered by the existing horn switch.  It has worked fine for me...swerving overcorrections, spilled coffee.

[image: View Post]thereisnospoon, on 26 January 2012 - 02:25 PM, said:

I have my stebel wired using a relay triggered by the existing horn switch.  It has worked fine for me....
I have mine set up the same and I was able to mount the stebel in the same spot as the stock horn.

Loud horns (nice), bright gear and Helmets (nice), extra Lights (nice)

But unless your tactically engaging potential threats for clarity, everyone will be run over at some point and time.

[image: View Post]Tamworth, on 07 January 2012 - 03:39 PM, said:

Loud, but not particularly useful. When I'm about to be cut off my first reaction is to brake, avoid, and recover. I suppose I could honk my horn at them after the fact to "punish" them but never saw the point. Car drifting into my lane on the freeway, I brake, car pulling out of a side street, I brake, car turning left in front of me, brake. I have no time or use for the horn.
it's pretty loud, just can't see how it would save a life.

I considered the Stebel to placate the wife, But truthfully, I wouldn't use it either.  Haven't had a functioning horn on my car for 6 years and don't miss it.  On a bike, who has time to wait and see if the horn warning did the trick?  I do the same, brake, avoid, recover.  Horns are to make a statement "I'm here".  The real question is whether you have the luxury to wait and see whether the message is received.

I don't.

There are indeed some situations where being noticed is your only survival option (probably due to your own error) and in those situations have a loud horn is absolutely a potential life saver.  I would have to retrain my reflexes because I'm usually on the clutch ready to make a change and not on the horn at the same time.

I had a loud horn on Lucy and did use it a few times.  I didn't notice a huge difference though.  The other thing about a REALLY loud horn is what if that soccer mom/housewife or whatever gets startled and ends up swerving into you?  I once scared a tractor trailer into almost running into another one while on the bike.  I knew I could stop, evidently he didn't, lol..

So has anyone purchased and succefully mounted this unit?

I thought it would be pretty straight forward as I wouldn't even need to mod the device since the inventor had the exact same bike as me but it turns out he does not have the ABS version. The place where he mounts it, in the front left side fairing, a gaping hole on non-abs models it seems, is not an option on the ABS model. It is not going to fit anywhere in there. After considering and trying numerous options I went for the location of the current horn (repositioned slightly to the right) with a home made bracket. After spending the better part of a day and a half on this as sooooo many things went wrong (damn everything is tight on this bike, makes me wish I had miniature hands), I am calling it a day but will post pics when I do get it done correctly.

Anyone else have better luck?

They have since come out with a two piece model that would be a breeze to install....

Post your install pics if you have them

[image: View Post]HumalogAddict, on 19 April 2012 - 07:52 PM, said:

So has anyone purchased and succefully mounted this unit?

I thought it would be pretty straight forward as I wouldn't even need to mod the device since the inventor had the exact same bike as me but it turns out he does not have the ABS version. The place where he mounts it, in the front left side fairing, a gaping hole on non-abs models it seems, is not an option on the ABS model. It is not going to fit anywhere in there. After considering and trying numerous options I went for the location of the current horn (repositioned slightly to the right) with a home made bracket. After spending the better part of a day and a half on this as sooooo many things went wrong (damn everything is tight on this bike, makes me wish I had miniature hands), I am calling it a day but will post pics when I do get it done correctly.

Anyone else have better luck?

Yeah I just fitted mine not an hour ago.  I'll post a video in the next day or so, but since mine is non-ABS you can guess where I mounted it!!!

Side note: It is extremely loud!  Just what the doctor ordered.