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I ride one of the best bikes in the world. But i am embarrassed on it... '05 R1200GS

STANTONBARBAS

New member
Why on earth does my bike have the crappiest horn? I ride a 2005 R1200GS. The horn is so puny that if i am traveling behind someone, they won't hear it. My old K75 had the loudest horn i ever heard on a bike. I am disappointed that such a safety feature is so.... lacking. It's pathetic.
 
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Stock horn is so anemic it makes the old VW bug horn sound robust.
Several after market options, many threads already posted concerning same.
Just curious I am not familiar with BMW auto horns, are they similar?
I mean does it sound like "entschuldigen Sie mich" or "Mach Schnell!!!!" ?
 
One suggestion I might add. Leave the stock puny horn intact when you add the feeway ear blaster. Some times all you need is a medium loud attention getter for the inattentive pedestrian and the newly added super hiway blasters to get the attention of the big rig on a loud freeway.
 
One suggestion I might add. Leave the stock puny horn intact when you add the feeway ear blaster. Some times all you need is a medium loud attention getter for the inattentive pedestrian and the newly added super hiway blasters to get the attention of the big rig on a loud freeway.

that's an excellent point. My k1100lt horn even makes me jump (should move horns outside of faring I suppose). A softer horn for those pedestrian moments seems more respectful (unless they are shuffling across the intersection, earbuds blasting while texting and seemingly 'zoned out'.... :nono). - Bob
 
Why on earth does my bike have the crappiest horn? I ride a 2005 R1200GS. The horn is so puny that if i am traveling behind someone, they won't hear it. My old K75 had the loudest horn i ever heard on a bike. I am disappointed that such a safety feature is so.... lacking. It's pathetic.

I went to Canadian Tire and purchased a Freeway Blaster electric horn, about 123db for about $20 . . . and it fits into the same mounting hole on my 2005 1200ST. I also purchased a wire connector from the dealer, so you don't have to cut any wires, just unplug the old horn, plug in the new cable and wire that to the new horn. The part number for the new plug and leads is 83300402344, should be about C$13.64. :)
 
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I went to Canadian Tire and purchased a Freeway Blaster electric horn, about 123db for about $20 . . . and it fits into the same mounting hole on my 2005 1200ST. I also purchased a wire connector from the dealer, so you don't have to cut any wires, just unplug the old horn, plug in the new cable and wire that to the new horn. The part number for the new plug and leads is 83300402344, should be about C$13.64. :)

The high or the low Freeway Blaster? There are two.
 
Horns are virtually useless as a warning device anyway. Today's insulated and isolated cages with 28 speaker super Dolby sound surround, make any attempt to alert the average inattentive driver with anything less than an RPG (a text message might work too) is futile.

My youngest son drove Ambulance when he was in college, and with light's and sirens people still didn't "see" him coming. My eldest drove a Tractor trailer and horns or the massive size did not help him either. Lets face it, it does not matter what you drive or ride, it is up to YOU, to avoid danger, no one else gives a $hip.

Until we get serious about training, and aggressive in revoking driving privileges, and enforcing laws about distracted driving, it will just get worse.


HEY, new idea, maybe I should file a patent. Here it is, when you press the "horn" button, it automatically sends a text to any phone within a 200' radius!!! THAT will get a better response than a horn.
 
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Funny, I've put 225k miles on 6 1200GS's since april 2004 and the only time I've used the horn is on my street saying hello to a neighbor. I should add that they hear it and wave back.
 
Not a big horn user here as well. I was thinking how often I honk at people or wildlife, it's more at wildlife/livestock in the road. In traffic, seems like the last thing I use in avoidance is the horn...throttle and maneuvering more so.

With that said, my 05RT was very loud, my 09GSA not so much.
I have mounted airhorns and blasters on friends and H's bikes...they are honkers it seems:brow
 
I use my stock horn just about every day as I commute. It never fails to grab the attention of folks, and they know that it's a motorcycle or something strange. Some guys here at work have those big horns, and, to me, it seems that they sound like big diesel rigs. I don't want folks looking for a diesel rig when I want them to see a motorcycle when I go mbeep-mbeep...
 
Agree with pffog, a long while back white caddy convert with youngsters aboard came from behind dangerously close, so gav'em a blast with the then new double Fiams, whadaya think happens? They try to run me into the ditch.

IMHO a horn on a bike is a safety distraction that consumes precious milliseconds of brain reaction time, and can further infuriate a possible hothead. All I want to manage on a bike is two foot controls, left hand clutch, right hand throttle, brake and turn signals. Right hand has more to do but can't move the turn signals to the left hand. Get the brain trained, dump the farkles, and enjoy. The easier technology has made motorcycling, the more complicated it has become. Let me think, where's the horn button, WHAM!, or, let me think, cover the brakes, WHEW!
 
I will add another comment, the horn is absolutely useless as a left turn indicator.

I have been riding with the BMW R-L paddle switches for 13 years, and liked them a lot. So this fall when I rented a '13 F800GS, seems BMW is falling in line and going with the conventional switch layout, but they ended up placing the horn button in the exact spot the LH paddle was, so every time I went to signal a turn, I blew the horn instead. :banghead

I told the guys following me that if they heard my horn, be prepared for a LH turn soon.
 
I use my stock horn just about every day as I commute. It never fails to grab the attention of folks, and they know that it's a motorcycle or something strange........

Funny, here in the PNW it's considered very impolite to honk your horn. I think the only time I've used mine is at wildlife and, as stated above, the occasional left turn:)
 
Funny, here in the PNW it's considered very impolite to honk your horn. I think the only time I've used mine is at wildlife and, as stated above, the occasional left turn:)

Well, I for one owe my life to the newly installed LOW Highway horn. Were it not for that horn, I would have been sideswiped by a red Jeep on the Second Narrows bridge yesterday and been crushed. When you are in heavy traffic, and someone has a brain fart, then it is a nice reminder that there is another life in the balance when they change lanes without looking or try to squeeze into gaps that are just not big enough. I do not use it often, but when I do, it general turns out well.
 
Funny, here in the PNW it's considered very impolite to honk your horn. I think the only time I've used mine is at wildlife and, as stated above, the occasional left turn:)

I have lived in the PNW since 1988 and this is the first I have heard of such policy. My wife was born and raised in the PNW so I called and asked her if she has ever heard of this and she laughed and said nope...LOL, Now we know :)
 
Puny horn

I got the same horn on my 05 GS. Not a huge concern for me as I seldom use the horn. It is tested more often during my circle check than at any other time.
Happy trails rob.
 
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