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Question on R1200RT horn - suggestions?

I have a friend with an 06RT and his stock horn is LOUD.

Perhaps the part number is different? It would be easy to replace if it was.
 
The 2008 RT has an unused wire harnes that you can add a second oem horn.

A plug and play operation:

Here is the location of the extra connector (you can almost see it if you remove the left mirror and look towards the frame mount

DSC02919.jpg


Here is where it would mount:
DSC02917.jpg


Here is how it looks mounted
DSC02921.jpg


Mounted view with plastic on
DSC04147.jpg


The parts you will need
HornPartsCost.jpg


Complexity of work - remove plastic and front nacelle of which we have DIY's for:

Plastic Removal - note you only need to remove the two outer panels not everything

Link for removing the front headlight nacelle
 
Around mid 2006 they changed from a dual horn to a single pancake style. I went to the dealer and told them I wanted the horns and hardware for a 2005 horn. They sold me just what is listed below.

There are some on the forum who changed to other aftermarket brands which cost a bit less. I prefer the stock version for the simple plug and play instalation even though it cost a few $$ more.

For me the hard part was getting the extra connector free. It is a tight and awkward space. I think they are pretty loud.
 
I installed a set of FIAMM Highway Blasters on my '06 RT. I used the above mentioned second horn wire along with the existing horn connection to connect the High and Low separate horns. I had to cut the BMW connectors off (it only hurts for a second) :)and install push on types that the Highway blasters use. Total cost was less than $25 for everything. They are VERY loud.
 
I installed a set of FIAMM Highway Blasters on my '06 RT. I used the above mentioned second horn wire along with the existing horn connection to connect the High and Low separate horns. I had to cut the BMW connectors off (it only hurts for a second) :)and install push on types that the Highway blasters use. Total cost was less than $25 for everything. They are VERY loud.


I was afraid that the hurt wouldn't go away. The extra $50 I spent was my cost to not have an extra worry bead (electrical stuff makes me nervous!!!).
 
I had an '05 horn installed to replace the pancke horn. Sounds like a Pontiac now! :thumb

Rubber Down.
 
I ditched the oem horn on my 06 and replaced it with a Stebel air horn. Have you ever seen a cage driver throw a cellphone out the window at 70 mph out of sheer terror?:dance
 
Horn

To quote my Dealer
"Not a good idea to scare a car driver as they are just as likely to do exactly what you did not want them to do......BMW calibrates their horns for the proper effect"
This is not my view, so do not flame me...
 
I installed (actually, Ben Lower installed and I watched) a Stebel air horn on my '07 RT and I really like it.

I agree that a loud horn at the wrong time can be a bad thing to do. An older gentleman made a left turn in front of me. By braking hard, I could avoid collision and let him go on by. Instead I hit the horn causing him to panic and stop with his care sideways in my lane. Due to the RT's amazing brakes, I still had time to get stopped, but it would have been much better to have let him complete his turn.

Having learned that lesson, I only use the horn when really needed, but when really needed, I'm really glad I bought the air horn.

I put Fiamm Highway Blaster horns on my Moto Guzzi Jackal and they were also quite loud. They are also an excellent choice.
 
I went and bought a "Badboy" horn from a Meijer store, 139 db , about $40.
I hooked it up thru a relay, main horn power coming from the battery, via a fuse, because of the much higher amperage draw than the anemic pancake, etc., types. There is just enough room to mount it on the same bracket as the oem horn, which was relocated to the lower right hand fairing. The "BadBoy" was positioned so that the sound exit / horn was the lowest / forward, fits between brake line and fork swing area. The CanBus system detects a normal current draw with both hooked up that way . and both horns are working but you really can't hear the oem anymore ! The oem used to sound like a sick roadrunner.
 
Any suggestions for a better horn (than the stock one) for an 2008 R1200RT?

I also replaced my 08RT horn with either the 05 or 06 OEM horn ( can't remember which, but I think they're the same part anyway) Much better in my opinion as I felt the same way as you about the new style horn. Pretty much what Luis -Semper_Fi suggested.

The newer horn is more like a hi frequency buzzer which I believe gets attention, but it seems harder to localize than the horn style. Not going to do you much good when a driver hears it and has to start looking around as to where it came from. Some here have referred to the newer OEM horn as "The Vespa" horn.

As far as I can tell, the 05/06 RT horns seem to be the same horn sound I had on my 1150RT only perhaps with different wiring for canbus.
 
I also replaced the scooter horn on my 08 RT with a 2005 RT setup. Much better and now I don't get embarrassed when I toot the horn. The stock horn was just plain silly. Another example of BMW trying to save money like the new switch gear and the urine jars on the handle bars on the 2010's. The horns can be fixed but owners of the 2010's will be stuck with the cheapo switch gear and the urine jars.
 
I installed a set of Fiamm Highway Blasters on my 08 RT. I figured if I did not like them it I would put them on my car and buy the BMW set. It was a big improvement, but still had a wierd sound, like something was missing. So I managed to stuff the stocker in there with them, and it has a very distinct tone now, which I was looking for. It does not cause problems with the CANBUS. 10K on the bike since the install (AND ABOUT 3 ACCIDENT AVOIDANCES).

And just a tip for you guys that are thinking about aftermarket horns, but do not want to cut the stock wiring......you can buy splice blades that will attach the new horn wiring to the original harness. I just put heat shrink or a quality electrical tape around the spice connectors, and also around the stock plugs, to seal out crud and water.

:thumb
 
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Question?

In close encounters with cages(cars), whats first, your horn button or your brakes? OR maybe both, if you're really good! I'm a brake guy first and horn guy 2nd, but do find the topic interesting enough to want more horn too. My GSA1200 is weak there too. MY KLT was first rate in horns and I wonder where the logic is, when a company changes a good thing? Anyhow, I had to ask just HOW a horn saves anybody, when its an after the fact, finger approach kind of thing. NOT many are saved from cars cutting you off, when the action has already occured by the time you hit the horn! Yes?
I HAVE been in other countries where the HORN is a defensive driving tool and they "wear it out", approaching intersections, etc. and its scary riding in a Cab(Taxi) the first time in one of those places. Been there, done that...Maybe they'll just hear me coming, blasting my horn, throttle up!
Some interesting discussion. Happy Trails, Randy
 
When I first got this thing I found myself honking at people trying to turn the left signal on - took some getting used to the positions, had to train my thumb!
 
Funny point:)

Me too, in a panic to blast someone in a close call situation, I still do the brakes first thought thing and my horn is HARD to find, with signals coming on, etc...Seems a horn button should be much larger and easy to apply! NOT so easy to miss...I know this has happened to nearly every rider, so fess up:). Randy
 
When I first got this thing I found myself honking at people trying to turn the left signal on - took some getting used to the positions, had to train my thumb!


Hey one of the benifts of the new switch-gear is no more "angry left turn signals" :bolt
 
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