 Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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OP
Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3 |
Before going to Yuma, I decided to change to something a little more noticable than that silly wee buzzer made by nikko. The OL wanted to help whilst I was gtting the bikes ready for the trip, so I asked her to go to puke... ahhh.... Pep Boys, to get an airhorn kit and a couple of 3/4 - 1 1/2 inch hose clamps, preferably with either black or chrome horns. So, because they only had red air horns in stock, she came back with a classic motordriven "oogah" (klaxon) horn.
That turned out a bit easier, because I didn't have to worry with finding a place to mount the compressor. I made a mounting bracket from a piece originally intended to mount an electric outlet/switch box, and bolted it to the underside of the lower fork triple clamp. The only problem I ran into was that the mount cannot be reformed to hang the horn level because the end will hit the fender on a hard bump. This results in the horn tilting upward at a somewhat awkward looking angle.
I may have to rethink the mounting. I'm not sure if it was because of the blocking effect of the wind noise or the increased air pressure on the horn diaphragm when it faces forward, but it seems to sing soprano when running a tonne up. At any rate, I could still hear it, while I couldn't hear the stock little POS even at 70 MPH.
I'll try to post some photos later.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
Definitly looking forward to pics. Here's a shot of my Hella Supertones. 
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Benny, Jeesh...do you literally blow people out of the way with those? They look good though...nice contrast to the black frame. Gotta tell Gary James about them. He's accented his chrome-dipped ride with a few red pieces. BB 
Patriotism: Supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it. M. Twain
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
I feel bad for my upstairs neighbors when I tested them in my garage:)
Yeah they rock. And you can easily take the red cages off and re-paint if need be....
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362 |
Hey Benny Was wondering if those horns caused any issues by blocking airflow to the oil cooler? I've just got a pair of Fisa horns (the Touring FXT/2 ones on that page) which're D@MN loud but really struggling to find somewhere to mount them. I Originally wanted FIAMM horns, but noone imports the bl00dy things to Australia anymore. Oh well. Matt
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825
"Lighten up, Francis."
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"Lighten up, Francis."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825 |
Matt, your Fisa link is messed up. Here it is, fixed: Fisa If I was the moderator here I'd've just fixed your post. 
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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Actually yes they would if I still had the stock cooler on there, if you look you can see I have the performance oil cooler on. I am not sure anyone makes or sells it anymore since I think a few guys were having trouble adapting it, but I finally got it to work without leaking. Which is good because last summer I was in exactly the same position you are with no place to put em!!!
One thing you may consider is attaching them low side by side along the foot control bar... I had considered a rubberized band mount sort of like some of the bike-clocks out there. MY top horn is actually mounted to the top oil cooler mounting bolt.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
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I ended up making up a stainless rail that bolts to the standard horn mountand goes across the frame, and another bolt thru the other side to sit on one of the bolts that holds the frame together as a locator, and stuck the horns on either end of it. It puts them on either side of the tank, just in front of and below it, and just above the downward curve in the header pipes. Not as pretty a mounting as I wantedbut it works and made for easy wiring, as I put the relay on the back of the rail and hooked the standard horn wiring to it, with a new wireto the battery for power. The horns're earthed through their mounting bolts which I was nervous about, but it seems to work so I'm leaving well-enough alone. I'll have to put a pic up I guess.
Matt
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
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Quote:
Matt, your Fisa link is messed up. Here it is, fixed:
Thankee 
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,681 Likes: 1
Bar Shake
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Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,681 Likes: 1 |
I agree with the others, Ben. Your horn looks cool. If you don't mind me asking, how much were the horns? Also I notice you have new tires on her. What kind are they?
-PES
"Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at seventy miles per hour can double your vocabulary" Author unknown
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,104
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,104 |
139dB? That's a loud little horn. Have you one mounted on your scoot?
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
I think they were like 60 bucks for the pair, remember, a pair, sounds like a lot, and it is, but not THAT uch more than a pair of $20 highway blasters. plus i saw and heard em in person, just had to:) that's an avon under a speedy fender...
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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OP
Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
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[image]http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1449&sort=1&cat=500&page=1[/image]
There it is. Had to do a lot of trimming to get it within the file size limit.
I don'nt know why it won't show, here is the link
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/photopo...=500&page=1
Last edited by Greybeard; 04/30/2005 3:44 PM.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Hey Greybeard I love the drawing of the Guy on the Triumph. Do you think I could get a copy of that without BonnevilleAmerica.com on the bottom?
Jim
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Adjunct
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Quote:
139dB? That's a loud little horn. Have you one mounted on your scoot?
Not yet but a friend has one on his R12GS and it will peel paint off the side of an offending cage 
I already but Brent's horn on my TBA.
Todd Richmond
Grapevine, TX USA
'78 R80 /7
'06 FJR1300A
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
Greybeard that looks pretty cool. I imagine it's not super loud from your perspective but directed out front which is cool.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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OP
Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3 |
Quote:
Hey Greybeard I love the drawing of the Guy on the Triumph. Do you think I could get a copy of that without BonnevilleAmerica.com on the bottom?
PM me an Email address and I'll send you a copy.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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OP
Old Hand
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From the seat it's a lot louder than the silly wee buzzer thing the bike came with. I caught holy hell when I tested it. The OL's computer is on the other side of the wall from my shop area, and she nearly tossed the mouse she jumped so hard.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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Hahaha nice. My apartment complex is arranged weird... but anyway, my garage is next to my upstairs neighbors garage... make sense? So my garage is under their livingroom (I think... never been up there). So I can omply imagine what their dog was doing when I tested mine:)
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Has anyone mounted a horn with the relay? Do we already have a relay for our horns on the TBA? I am thinking of getting this one, so I dont know if I need to mount a new one. http://adventurersworkshop.com/Merchant2...tebel_Air_Horns
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
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I put a relay on mine, and I'd suggest it with those horns too. They're really very simple to do, the hardest part is running two extra wires from the battery terminals to the relay to carry the current. Once that's done you never have to worry about wether blowing your horn's gonna blow your wiring too. Cheap insurance.
Matt
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 Re: Better horn
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OK:
I ordered one of their "compact" Stebel horns - it is much larger & heavier than I thought. Ended up installing it on my truck - it is loud!
Palmer
"Absent Brothers, You Are Not Forgotten"
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
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Hey, let's quit messing around :-) 
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Big Bore
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Big Bore
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 9,223 |
OK  
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity" - Robert Heinlein
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
Yeah you need a relay. My horns came with one, and I mounted it to the frame in the holes where the AI reed valve used to be. Used the same screws actually  The wiring was way simpler than I thought it would be. I found a large gauge switched hot wire under the seat, right near the fuse box. Spliced into that (this way the horn won't work without a key, wiring right to the battery, it'll still work without a key). Wired a fuse inline (get an in-line fuse holder at Autozone or something) and ran that up to the relay. Then ran the hots to the horns and the grounds back to the battery. Then I simply plugged my original horn wires into the proper terminals on the relay. So there ya have it. I could take some better pics if you want.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Benny,
Any pics would be much appreciated. An inline fuse is a good idea. I wonder how many amps they draw.
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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OK brace yourself I took a few pics  This first one shows where I spliced into the wiring harness. It's an orange wire, heavy gauge, off the large connector bundle right near the fuse box. This next one shows the in-line fuse holder, one pig-tail of which is what I spliced into the harness with. This is a shot of the relay itself. Mine came with the horns... So I dunno what you would do about buying one off the shelf. Once I understood WHAT the relay did, the wiring was simple. You can see the hot wire coming from the harness, and the old horn terminals plugged in too. The other hot lead of the relay went to one horn, then I spliced into THAT to feed the second horn. Then ran a wire from the first horn back to ground on the battery, again splicing into it for the second horn. Clear as mudd? 
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Yea thanks. The pics are pretty clear. How many amps can your fuse handle?
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
I wanna say I put a 15 amp fuse in there... I bought the holder based more on the gauge wire, 12 I think, thickest I could get really, you can always put a smaller fuse in there.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
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Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7 |
Is the Stebel horn you got one of the air horn sets or the electric? How does it sound? I heard their compact air horns described as sounding like a sissy fight on a loud speaker. :-) What is your opinion?
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537 |
Todd: That Stebel mini air horn set is pretty slick and priced right. I'm assuming the $35 includes the compressor, etc. Wonder if that thing could be stashed out of sight under/behind our tanks or elsewhere?
Al
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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There's a fair amount of room under the tank once the AI stuff is removed. Room enough for all the relays, etc, even threaded mounting holes!
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
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That horn isn't the most attractive piece, I'd want to hide the whole thing if possible. Boy, my winter project list is getting longer..
Al
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 Re: Better horn
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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If you get your head right down there in front of the tank, you can look up undernieth the tank and see what kind of gap/room you have to work with.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Check Pants
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Check Pants
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There's a little bit of room to play with. I'll need to get the dimensions of that horn. Wondering if it will fit right up against the frame, between the tank & frame.
Al
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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You're talkin about that air horn right? Yeah I have no idea how thick it is...
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
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4 1/2" wide x 5 1/2" high x 3 3/4" deep & 2.5 lbs. They're loud, but what do they sound like?
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537 |
Quote:
4 1/2" wide x 5 1/2" high x 3 3/4" deep & 2.5 lbs. They're loud, but what do they sound like?
Oh-oh, don't think I have that much room anywhere for something that large. They looked slimmer. Oh well.
Al
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 Re: Better horn
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7 |
Here's an idea. Buy Brent's headlight extension and put it behind the headlight. Out of the way AND way out front where it's most needed.
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
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