horn replacement

I realize some people will not appreciate this topic, but, am thinking of trimming the plastic behind the horn in order to mount a better one. Thoughts please, Paul

I’m also planning on replacing the OEM horn simply because I think it’s a poor match for the Swing. Looking at either the PIAA Super Bass Horn or a Stebel Airhorn as replacement. Either will beef it up more to my liking.

I have a theory based on experience but not scientific evidence that fitting a horn to a vehicle which 'disguises' what it is is not a good idea.

I fitted a Stebel Nautilus to my X9 500 and loved it. However, it became clear that it was not better than the OEM horn simply because it made a noise more akin to an 18-wheeler so, if I sounded it, the driver or pedestrian at whom I was hooting looked for an 18-wheeler, not an X9 maxiscooter, so didn't see me.

As I said: no specific scientific evidence but it falls into line with stuff I've read about people seeing what they expect to see, not what's actually there.

But, as they say: what do I know?

Well people can't hear the stock horn. I'm going to replace it with one from the local auto parts store, 15-20$. I don't care if they think it is a car honking at them. Just sayin, Paul

You asked for thoughts.
Just sayin'.

MikeO wrote:

You asked for thoughts.
Just sayin'.

Thank you Mike

I’ve had a Screaming Banshee horn on the shelf for a couple of years. It’s jarringly loud. Regrettably I just can't find a proper location to mount it on the Silverwing.

Tim- interested in turn dust into a little cash?

minimac wrote:

Tim- interested in turn dust into a little cash?

Have you figured out where to mount it on your SWing?

I've never took much notice of motorcycle horns as they all sound pretty much the same to me.. I usually give the horn button a press or two when I've bought a new maxi scooter for novelty value and then that's it. I had my Silver Wing for eight years and I doubt if I ever used the horn at all, apart from checking it was working prior to annual MOT road worthiness check time.

My Forza gets the odd accidental press of the horn button instead of the indicator/turn signal switch, and that's more to do the left handlebar switch layout. It sounds loud enough to me and I'm wearing custom fit earplugs.

Over the years I've read quite a few topics on different forums about upgrading horns. No one it seems considers replacing the stock diaphragm horn with replacement higher or lower tone one. One that looks the same, knocks out a few more decibels than the OE one, and installing is a simple swap.

Oh no, it has to be some large Stiebel or Denali lump that sounds like a freight train or a truck.

This is when the forum posting starts. Help! they're having problems installing it because it's too large to fit in the space where the OE horn was. They're wondering what to do next, or where to hide it under the Tupperware. Then it's help needed about whether to fit a relay or not, suitable brackets etc.

If fitting one of these sound bombs was so straightforward, why would you need to tell an online community about it.

The space under the seat is (almost) large enough to take a ships foghorn - although I do take on board Mike's comment about people seeing what they expect to see. But are people really dumb enough to expect to see an oil tanker bearing down on them? A quick glance at this mornings headlines and Facebook confirms they are.

Cynicism aside there is plenty of science behind vehicle horns and sirens as to which frequencies are best heard and what most easily located and bigger / louder isn't necessarily better.

If really want to be noticed on a bike forget additional lights and horns, wear a bright yellow tutu and strap a huge inflatable pink penis to the pillion seat.

The 'frequency' business is interesting, at least to me.

Years ago I wondered why railway locomotives and trains had two-tones horns. It transpired, as I discovered in a conversation with a teacher-of-the-deaf who supported a partially-hearing child in my class, that many 'deaf' people suffered high-frequency loss of hearing and having a high and low frequency horn made it more likely that the hearer would hear one of them.
When I had my hearing tested a few years ago, the higher frequencies in one ear were becoming muted.
I'm in favour of two-tone horns for bikes and cars but not ones that are inappropriate.

Sorry this explanation os a bit garbled.

The stock horn on my silverwing is one of the best I had on a scooter.

folks get run over by trains and semis, big loud and brightly lit, so there's that.

steve_h80 wrote:

If really want to be noticed on a bike forget additional lights and horns, wear a bright yellow tutu and strap a huge inflatable pink penis to the pillion seat.

I can wander into York city centre almost every weekend and see very confidently dressed and inebriated young ladies tottering round the streets in stiletto heels and neon yellow micro dresses, going from bar to bar waving inflatable penises about.

Nothing to do with bikes, just the usual Hen Parties from the North East.

York it is then for the inaugural Silverwing AGM (eh?) 🥸

Count me in, please.

MikeO wrote:

The 'frequency' business is interesting, at least to me.

Years ago I wondered why railway locomotives and trains had two-tones horns. It transpired, as I discovered in a conversation with a teacher-of-the-deaf who supported a partially-hearing child in my class, that many 'deaf' people suffered high-frequency loss of hearing and having a high and low frequency horn made it more likely that the hearer would hear one of them.
When I had my hearing tested a few years ago, the higher frequencies in one ear were becoming muted.
I'm in favour of two-tone horns for bikes and cars but not ones that are inappropriate.

Sorry this explanation os a bit garbled.

Yeah but, what frequency is it that will scare the bejesus out of the nimrod who’s moving into your lane while talking on the phone?

And, where to mount that 2nd horn?

It's the same problem for blue light services, a tone which catches your attention isn't good at defining a location. More research and development is required for bike horns I think.
Till then a loud sound system playing Dancing Queen, the yellow tutu and pink inflatable is your best defense against nimrod.
But still expect them to pull out...