Stock Horn Replacement.

Does anyone have a recommendation on a replacement for the stock horn on a 2015 RT? I want something louder that the stock "meep" that's easy to install

I used a Fiamm Freeway blaster low tone. I cut the connector off of the stock horn and soldered it to the Fiamm for a plug-and-play solution. No relay required as the stock wiring and Canbus was able to handle it. The horn mounted to the stock location as well. Not as loud as an air compressor horn, but much louder than the stock horn.

I used a single low tone BMW horn. Used same bolt and same wiring.

Make sure that you get something which is easy to remove since you have an RTW. Moving the horn makes lowbeam headlight replacement much easier.

Welcome to the Forums BTW!

russell11 said:

Does anyone have a recommendation on a replacement for the stock horn on a 2015 RT? I want something louder that the stock "meep" that's easy to install

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Hi Russell,

My belief is that you can change the sound quality for sure and pick up a bit more volume by changing to one of several snail horns that will fit in the same location but getting substantially more volume out of one snail horn using the same leads that the OEM meeper isn't going to happen. Others will contest this--go to this thread to read about one option people believe is substantially louder than the meeper--peruse the entire thread as there as issues to be aware of:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/rt-series/161162-mother-all-horns-2.html

My story is I did change out the meeper for Denali Mini Sound Bomb on my '16 RT and while there was some increase in volume and the meeper sound changes w/ this snail type horn, the volume wasn't good enough for what I wanted, so I installed an additional two more of the loudest FIAMM Freeway Blasters available in a very secure & unobstructed location, for a total of 3 snail horns:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/rt-series/154962-wethead-rt-excellent-spot-install-two-horns.html#post1604266

I've ridden my '16 through torrential rains and have no problems with these horns despite one person's insistence the location I have could be an issue, and they truly are loud enough to be useful in real world road conditions. Having these horns fully unobstructed I believe contributes significantly. This is the 2nd time I've used this type of horn in this type of exposed location, the first time being on a '13 F800GT:

http://f800riders.org/forum/showthread.php/173689-Wolo-Horn?p=1794633&viewfull=1#post1794633

No CANbus fault codes w/ the wiring that was done on my 2 new horns retaining the Denali Mini as the correct load on the OEM circuit. If you want to avoid fault codes you have to retain the same (or very similar) load on the OEM circuit. You can do a two horn install, retain the meeper to keep the load the same, using the trigger wire to trigger the two new horns getting their power thru separate fused power via a relay to the battery.

Good luck! This mounting location won't work if you have already used the light bar mount on your '15, and may not work if you have engine guards installed.

Here is a recording of my single Fiaam low tone horn installation. Definitely louder than the stock "meeper".

does anyone know if a Power Distribution Module would help with the issues of installing a different horn?
I have a Rowe PDM 60 in the bike now.

russell11 said:

does anyone know if a Power Distribution Module would help with the issues of installing a different horn?
I have a Rowe PDM 60 in the bike now.

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If you're subbing in a horn w/ close enough amp draw to the OEM horn all you need to do is deal w/ making sure the new horn doesn't impair steering or suspension travel, and make the connection using the OEM wires w/ or w/o an adaptor as needed for the new horn. If you're going major loud w/ an air horn or multiple snail horns then you need fused power up to 20 amps using the trigger wire from the OEM horn to a relay, so if Rowe PDM 60 is a place to obtain fused power that would have value for you there.

russell11 said:

does anyone know if a Power Distribution Module would help with the issues of installing a different horn?
I have a Rowe PDM 60 in the bike now.

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Well it could be used as your fused power source if you're going to upgrade the horn to an airhorn or other horn solution demanding a serious increase in amperage. The OEM disc I believe requires maybe 6 amps, where as you'll need up to 20 amps for airhorns. If you're just aiming to change the meeper tone to a typical car horn tone using only one new snail horn, you won't need the PDM 60 as you just use the OEM wires. Just have to make sure steering/suspension aren't adversely impacted by the different horn.

ExGMan said:

I used a single low tone BMW horn. Used same bolt and same wiring.
...
Welcome to the Forums BTW!

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+1
You can buy this or you can pay $60 for a Bosch unit.


+1 welcome!

I put Denali split bomb horn on 15 R12GSA. I connect it to PDM60 circuit #5(it designed for air horns 20 amps). You will need a relay coming off the original horn. I didn't have to cut/splice into wires. Check out JVB DVD disc and Advrider.com.

LFarling said:

I forget who it was but they had a set of three air horns mounted on the side of their LT.

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I have 3 horns, but they are snail horns and the mounting location is cool because it is unobstructed and all 3 horns combined are really loud! Here's the left one, the right side is also hung from the solid location, and the 3rd is sitting where the OEM disc meeper lived:

"Loud Horns Save Lives"

Try this

Check this posting to the BMWST site for the Denali SoundBomb Compact installation I did a couple of months ago. Relatively simple installation and a huge improvement:

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthrea...ain=89627&Words=denali&Search=true#Post984256

My $15 air horn solution

In just installed an airhorn today on my 2017 R1200GS. I left the stock horn intact and since I already had the EZCan wiring solution, I installed the new air horn compressor and its (newly) separated trumpet near the rear bags. The power leads were only about 12" from the EZCan. Leaving the EZCan breaker at 10 amps didn't work--the breaker tripped--so I upped it to 15 amps and it no longer trips, at least for short "honks." I haven't hit any long honks yet because it is so obnoxiously loud and I live in a condo-like setup (a marina.) People put their fingers in their ears when I was testing it. No additional relay or fuzing is required with the EZCan.

I looked at a number of typical horn solutions (Denali, Wolo, etc.) I came to the conclusion that ALL the usual air horns use an identical compressor; only the plastic air horns are slightly different. I bought mine on Ebay for $15. It was originally an integrated unit, but I separated the compressor from the horn, made it like the split Soundbomb, plumbed in some tubing, mounted both compressor and trumpet on the left rear of the bike inside of the bags.

TwistedThrottle sells a bracket to dangle the Denali Soundbomb between the front forks, but I really didn't like a long pendulum weight swaying around down there--seemed like a poor idea, so I opted for a tightly secured compressor on the rear of the bike. I don't like the "typical" mounting schemes using that rely on the single bolt concept of the usual compressor. Might work OK in a truck or boat, doesn't seem like a good idea on a bike.

Did Not Work

Howdy,
Installed the Denali sound bomb mini on my 2014 RT. It does not work. When the horn button is quickly pushed it beeps fine, but if I hold the button down any longer like when your trying to get someones attention the horn beeps intermittently then quits with the can bus eventually shutting down the circuit. Resets after the key is turned off then on. Using the Denali BMW adapter so I would not have to hack up my harness. Am I doing something wrong?
Later,
Norm

https://www.amazon.com/Stebel-11690019-Nautilus-Compact-Black/dp/B00CMX20H4

139 DB Stebel.

I have installed Clearwater Erica lights on my RTWs. They are very powerful on high beam. I do not use high beams in the day except for warning cars at intersections that I am here and please do not pull out before me. Even more powerful is the Clearwater strobe feature that can be linked to the horn. That is, when you see a car at an intersection that looks like he or she might not see you and pull out, press the horn and the Clearwater's high beams strobe fast. That really has been effective for me in stopping cars that might pull out. Coupled with my 139 DB Stebel horn, which replaced the wimpy toot-toot stock horn, it really announces my presence and has stopped pull-out cars for me.

russell11 said:

does anyone know if a Power Distribution Module would help with the issues of installing a different horn?
I have a Rowe PDM 60 in the bike now.

Click to expand...

I've installed a number of high amperage air horns on BMW's with Canbus. The horns I've used all drew between 15 & 20 amps which means that they will quickly overdraw and shutdown the OEM horn circuit. So they were NOT simple replacements and required a thoughtful work around.

The basic notion is to use the OEM horn switch to drive a relay that opens a power circuit to drive the horn-I preferred to use a circuit with at least 20 amps of fused power since my horns spec around 18 amps. The source of that 20 amp power could be straight from the battery or from a power distribution block...the horn doesn't care. If a power distribution block is to be used, it must have the capacity for at least one of its circuits to supply a 20 amp circuit and this is what always threw me off the Rowe PDM60. My investigation always showed that this product can only have a 15 amp circuit at most. http://pdm60.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PDM60-General-Installation-and-Operation-Manual-2016.pdf

Now, I've never owned one, never used one and in practice, maybe it will work. But I refused to use it because I didn't want it to fail and leave me with no recourse.."Hey idiot, we told you it maxed out at 15amps and you are trying to drive an 18 amp horn...why is this OUR problem?".

So, I went looking for a fuse block that WOULD support a 20amp circuit and easily found several. Not as sexy as the Rowe block, (which, the last time I looked would not work on a MAC for programming). So I got an old school fuse block (with actual fuses) and never looked back. My horn is LOUD.

The PDM 60 would serve your purpose. Put the horn on circuit #5 you can program it for 20amps.

Roc-Roc said:

The PDM 60 would serve your purpose. Put the horn on circuit #5 you can program it for 20amps.

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Not according to their Installation and Operation PDF...it says Circuits 4 & 5 max out at 15A: http://pdm60.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PDM60-General-Installation-and-Operation-Manual-2016.pdf

I know that's what the instructions say. I contacted PDM people and you can program circuit #5 for more than 15. You can program circuit #5 for 20amps and you still have 40 amps left. I have an Denali split air horn on a 2015 R12GSA with no problems. Contact PDM people they will walk you through it.