ST1100 Horn Upgrade

Hey, thank you very much everyone.

I haven't realised before, that those "Freeway Blasters" where known for some years and that they were a good value.
At first, they just looked as a possible solution for me. But I was still hesitating.

With all your comments, I'm now convinced. So, I will buy the pair, and a relay.
I'm still a bit busy for now, but at least, I will get the parts, and install that a bit later during the summer.

Thanks again everyone.

Or go the easy route and buy the air horn can and mount it in a coffee cup holder on the handlebars.

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Sort of like a bicycle horn with the rubber squeeze end :)

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I installed a Wolo Boy air horn in the same area years ago, wired with a relay. Tight fit, but it works well. The horn is about $55 and a wiring kit with a relay is another $20 or so. I actually use the horn a couple of times a year and it's very effective.

 
Hey, thank you very much everyone.

I haven't realised before, that those "Freeway Blasters" where known for some years and that they were a good value.
At first, they just looked as a possible solution for me. But I was still hesitating.

With all your comments, I'm now convinced. So, I will buy the pair, and a relay.
I'm still a bit busy for now, but at least, I will get the parts, and install that a bit later during the summer.

Thanks again everyone.

I would go with the Uncle Phil install. I put both of mine on one side and it's very tight. Make a bracket like UP did.

RT
 
Well, it happened on Friday on the way home. Cager changed lanes into the space I was currently occupying. Liberal application of the Fiamm Highway Blasters resulted in an immediate course correction. I got a very nice view of the driver jumping about 6" off their seat. So I'd say they are effective .

RT
 
Also, as you can see, the air trumpets have about the same strength (135 dB), but, since they are more directionnal, they surely are much louder.

View attachment 272520
Since the dB scale is logarithmic, the intensity doubles every 3 dB. The air horns are not just about the same strength, but nearly 4 times as loud. Note our ears do not hear in the same way, and said additional 3 dB will not be perceived as twice as loud.

I'd want a genuine locomotive air horn if they did not cost hundreds of dollars and require huge volumes of air that can only be supplied by a tow behind compressor. Too, they tend to weigh a lot and would negate any weight savings provided by a lithium battery. Sounding one of those would also probably slow the bike 10 to 20 mph (unless you aimed it rearward) and lift the rear end of the car in front of you 3' in the air. :rofl1:
 
Good point @SMSW, yeah 3 dB doubles the power. That's right. I remember that from my ham radio operator course.

@rwthomas1, ha ha... it is in those moments that we are glad to have installed them, right ; -)


Funny this thread cames back to surface.

I got my two Freeway Blasters just this afternoon.

I will install them in the coming weeks, when I'll get a chance.

Yeah, it's a good value for the price. Best bang for the bucks as we say.

And it will probably save my life a few times over the years.
 
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Another thing that I'm thinking to put on my bike, is a deer whistle. @Jim Van, and other riders I'm sure, also have one.
Reports of their efficacy are iffy - that is some folks swear by them, and some guys have seen deer ignore them. Studies, I've read, do not show that they work consistently. That said, one cannot hurt, though the increased wind resistance might slow you down. :rofl1: Oh, they also repel elephants. Nobody who has one has reported seeing an elephant.:rofl1:
 
The cheap , non-electric ones never worked for me in Michigan . I've hit deer twice with vehicles that both had 4 of those cheap whistles on them .
Since then , I use the Hornet 12 volt deer whistles on 3 MCs & 2 Outbacks .
Wife is seeing deer a lot , work commuting mornings & evenings . She sees them look at her & then head back to the ditches / woods , a lot !
 
Good point @SMSW, yeah 3 dB doubles the power. That's right. I remember that from my ham radio operator course.

@rwthomas1, ha ha... it is in those moments that we are glad to have installed them, right ; -)


Funny this thread cames back to surface.

I got my two Freeway Blasters just this afternoon.

I will install them in the coming weeks, when I'll get a chance.

Yeah, it's a good value for the price. Best bang for the bucks as we say.

And it will probably save my life a few times over the years.
Ah too bad you already bought the horns.
I realized that my horn wasnt working after i bought this bike. There was an alarm which i removed because there were no instructions on its operation (probably online but. . . ). Anyway i bought a couple of Honda Accord horns from the recycler and a relay. Not realizing i had cut out wiring from the alarm also powered the horn.

So i have a pair of horns n relay for you if you want?
Ill take $20 for them n mail them to you? Just give me your address.
Dave
 
I had removed my Fiamm horns last year and don't much remember how I had em mounted. Putting them back on now, or trying to.
Main question is do people generally do this with the upper fairing in place? I would think this is necessary in order to know if the horns fit behind it adequately.
Not much room though.
Yep, I have a few photos saved that people have posted of mounting positions, but it ain't easy.
 
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