My Horn Philosophy

Several members upgrade their vehicles w/air horns for added safety to be noticed, which is a horn intent. But, IMHO, there is being heard by a short beep and laying on an air horn, setting up a possible road rage incident, scaring and/or angering the other party.

When someone lays on the horn they are usually already angry by another drivers action or was caught unawares by said action. Either way, a driver loses face by this action and IMHO, is not a good driver by not anticipating bad driving.

Factory dual horns are hi/lo pitch. The adjustment screw on the NC single horn can be set (and checked) for max volume. I installed a 2nd horn off the same mount on my ST13, adjusted both hi/lo horns to max and had a very strong set up, w/very little rework.

I seldom use my horns in anger. I drove an AAFES mail van in Seoul, Korea for 10 years. It took me several years to adopt the local driving philosophy of never getting angry, you get even by getting ahead of the other driver and NEVER laying on your horn.
The few times I saw somebody blowing a horn, it was a American that I knew was new in-country. Korea, like all Asian big cities, takes bumper to bumper driving to a whole new level!

My main point is this. By splicing in another spade connected 2nd horn one can (more easily than air horns) turn a mediocre horn into a very loud, attention getting dual set-up, w/o upsetting the cagers, but understanding there are times they need to be jolted.

Or, you can get GL1800 OEM horns which sound like a car, very much an attention getter.

I installed two car horns on my NC. I haven't used them yet and probably never will. Getting the hell out of the way is a higher priority than blowing the horn.

I have a hard time finding the horn on the nc,by the time I do its usually to late.I just spend more time trying to get past it also.

You guys are correct but I just want 17 train horns!!!!

While I agree that Americans as whole are far too quick to go for their horn or to use the horn to display their anger/dismay. But, the reality is a horn exists (and is required by law) for a reason. To warn. If you're in the left lane and a car in the right lane starts to shift into your lane while they have their stereo blaring, while they sip their latte and adjust their make up having a horn that will wake them up can be kind of handy. Sorry, but the stock horn just doesn't do it.

That said, I agree if you have a really loud horn that you blare at the driver in the above scenario is going likely to lead to more danger as they overreact. Responsible use is key.

Now, if you want to experience absolutely insane use of horns no matter what decibel they are, go spend a year in Bahrain. I swear I experienced hearing lossfrom being stationed there.

vodapas said:

Now, if you want to experience absolutely insane use of horns no matter what decibel they are, go spend a year in Bahrain. I swear I experienced hearing lossfrom being stationed there.

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I was in Amman, Jordan for a few months, and from my observations there, it seemed like they used their horns more for echo-location than in anger. It was weird until I figured out the patterns.

I wanted a louder horn for similar reasons. When people can't see me, I will usually give a very short beep, just to let them know I'm there. In the event of someone trying to kill me with a car, my instinct is to take evasive action, not hit the horn.

I've never really been a big horn user myself, and maybe only once a decade in anger. I've put on Fiamm's on several of my bikes over the years, but it was more due to the fact that the stock horn was *so* wimpy, it didn't seem to be able to be used for any kind of warning device.

I try not be in a position to have to use the horn, and when I am surprised, I'm usually more concerned about evasion, than beeping at someone. (It doesn't help that I despise the NCX's horrible upside down button placement- I'd be blasting people most often when trying to use the turn signal lol.)

More of a gentle meep meep to get someone's attention to go ahead, or it's ok to pull out of their parking spot, or NOT ok to pull out, if they can't see from their view what I can, is 99% of what I use a horn for. I don't really want a set of train horns to accomplish that intent, hee hee

Rode through an area with free range cattle, I don't think cattle would even blink at the sound of the stock horn.

I came across this sort of scene while riding through Theodore Roosevelt park. No way was I gonna blow the horn trying to get through that. No telling what mood the bulls are in, or how protective the cows are.

I upgraded my horn and have only used it to run off animals. Hope to never use it for cars.

In addition to animals, I use my horn to alert cars of my presence of starting to change lanes into me, or pull out close in front of me. Doesn't have to be long angry blast, and helps avoid smidsy.

NC is my first bike, so I've no problem finding the horn (in theory, in reality I've beeped at people to let them know I'm canceling my turn signal a few times)

I can only recall once using my horn to notify some they were attempting to occupy the same space as me...

It's become an instinct to move my thumb to the horn as I'm calculating what is my best escape route from a potentially bad scenario (driver next to me on a cell phone, cars merging onto the highway in the left lane where one clearly wants to go faster than the car in front of him and I'm blocking his lane change, passing cars where the side view mirrors are so poorly adjusted the driver is likely using them to do their hair, etc)

Often times I'll be well out of any danger before I realize that my thumb is resting on the horn button...

Even with regularly resting my thumb there, I've only ever used it once (on purpose, in traffic)... The value add proposition for putting a larger horn on just isn't there for me at the moment... I'm not happy with how it sounds, but I hear it so rarely, and when I've needed it it's worked... I'm also not happy with how any of my cars have sounded... The only horn that I was actually pleased with was an aftermarket job my father did to the pickup truck I had when I was a teenager... He worked on Tractor Trailers and put a half busted tractor trailer horn in to a ford ranger... half capacity was more than enough for that truck from that horn.

While I upgraded my horn on one of my previous bikes, I haven't on the others. Surprisingly, even though everyone on that particular forum feels the horn is wimpy...when I've used mine, even though I can't hear it much...the other driver reacts. I think it is because the horn is pointed down and away from me, but the sound travels to the other driver just fine.

I mostly don't use my horn. If I'm counting on the horn to save me from a close encounter with another vehicle...it is too late. I'm counting on the other driver hearing it...realizing what is going on...and reacting the way I would expect. By that time, I could easily be in the middle of the accident. It's easier to just anticipate the hazards and avoid the situation entirely.

Besides, road rage is alive and well here.

Chris

State law often says what horns are to be used for.
In Oklahoma the law says safety. Holding it down for five seconds is anger, not safety.
In Britain the motor code says the horn is to be used as a warning.

I've got a denali soundbomb I'm going to wire in parallel with the stock horn, on a delay timed relay. (Using a 555 timer circuit most likely.)

Quick jab of the horn button will be the stock meep-meep horn for pedestrians and what, hold it down longer will activate the sound bomb...

In Virginia you're supposed top use the horn while passing another vehicle according to the law.

Just as in most other cases, there's a time to honk the horn and then there's time not to. I love the air horn on my cruiser as it's twin toned and sounds nice while at the same time it's loud enough to be hear with the a/c on, the windows up and the kids screaming. It has saved my butt a few times and made me fell much better very often to have alerted someone to not do something foolish at my expense. So you do what you want to do according to what effect you want. The NC stock horn may be okay at a stop light or in your garage but it by no means is loud enough to really alert someone that you are there. Just my opinion.

frozenpoet said:

In Virginia you're supposed top use the horn while passing another vehicle according to the law.

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Well in Virginia it's also the law that sex with the lights on is illegal and it's illegal to tickle women among others so not too worried about the horn thing.....