A New Scooter/Motorcycle Horn Idea

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 6:58 pm

For a long time, I've been thinking that it would be really great if it were possible to design a horn that somehow was not extremely loud if you just needed to remind somebody that the light has just turned green or whatever, but would be extremely loud if you needed it. Apparently, some other folks were thinking the same way and came up with a solution that I really like.

JohnKiniston · Post by **JohnKiniston** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:14 pm

Honking except in an emergency situation is illegal in my state

It's supposed to cut down on noise and road rage.

http://www.library.pima.gov/librarianfiles/?kbid=985

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:59 pm

Ah, I saw that project when it was on Kickstart. One of our local maxi-scoot guys got one of the first kits and installed it on his Burgman.

If I'm not mistaken, it also has a headlight modulator as well. Smart idea - a gentle tap on the horn (for scoots with less-than-Nautilus stock horns) sounds the stock horn, but holding the button down brings on the Stebel/Wolo air horn. Pulsing it is a good idea, too.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:05 pm

A half second is too long. It could be all over in a half second.

That's what happens when you let an electrical engineer try to design stuff. They should stick to drawing stick figures on paper. Now if a mechanical engineer had gotten involved it would have made far more sense.

That horn should be designed as a regular horn with a simple light press. It should only enter the "screaming" stage when you press down on the horn button HARD! Depending on the pressure exerted on the horn button is what should determine how loud the horn is. You can design it in a 2 stage loudness format or a single progressive loudness depending on pressure exerted. Either way is better than his half-second delay.

Pffft. Electrical engineers.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:06 pm

Hmmmm. A piezo horn button...

Edwub · Post by **Edwub** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:09 pm

Love it. Two horns is really ideal.

I'd jump on this, if it looked like there was any way to make it work with a Blur.

Looking at Nathaniel's Stebel install, it doesn't look like there'd be any space for a second horn : (
http://www.flickr.com//photos/nathaniel ... 9596/show/

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:36 pm

JohnKiniston wrote:Honking except in an emergency situation is illegal in my state

It's supposed to cut down on noise and road rage.

http://www.library.pima.gov/librarianfiles/?kbid=985

It could be interpreted that way, I guess, but I think a quick beep of the stock horn to inform the driver ahead of you that the light has changed so they should stop texting and go is going to fall pretty low on the enforcement list.

That's what this device does. It allows you to give a friendly beep to the guy you work with who's backing out and can't see you; and also allows you to keep your thumb on the button for a split second longer to warn the neighbor who never mows his lawn and is busy talking on the phone with the girlfriend he's cheating on his wife with.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:44 pm

k1dude wrote:A half second is too long. It could be all over in a half second.

That's what happens when you let an electrical engineer try to design stuff. They should stick to drawing stick figures on paper. Now if a mechanical engineer had gotten involved it would have made far more sense.

That horn should be designed as a regular horn with a simple light press. It should only enter the "screaming" stage when you press down on the horn button HARD! Depending on the pressure exerted on the horn button is what should determine how loud the horn is. You can design it in a 2 stage loudness format or a single progressive loudness depending on pressure exerted. Either way is better than his half-second delay.

Pffft. Electrical engineers.

Obviously, mechanical engineers make more money and can afford to pay someone to rewire their bike, replacing the horn switch while their at it.

(Maybe we could get a chemical engineer involved and design an adrenaline switch?)

Really, I agree with you, to a point, but this guys idea was for a bolt on horn addition, not a horn replacement. I like it myself.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:46 pm

Nice idea. If I didn't already have my Stebel I would absolutely consider one. It would be nice if the owner could adjust the sensitivity of the button, or perhaps rather than it waiting 1/4 second for the loud horn to kick in, if it was the pressure you pressed the button with that determined which horn sounded. It's pretty much guaranteed in an emergency you'll be pressing hard.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:57 pm

k1dude wrote:A half second is too long. It could be all over in a half second.

That's what happens when you let an electrical engineer try to design stuff. They should stick to drawing stick figures on paper. Now if a mechanical engineer had gotten involved it would have made far more sense.

That horn should be designed as a regular horn with a simple light press. It should only enter the "screaming" stage when you press down on the horn button HARD! Depending on the pressure exerted on the horn button is what should determine how loud the horn is. You can design it in a 2 stage loudness format or a single progressive loudness depending on pressure exerted. Either way is better than his half-second delay.

Pffft. Electrical engineers.

Signed,
jrsjr, BEE

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:27 pm

jrsjr wrote:
Signed,
jrsjr, BEE

Signed,
k1dude, BSME

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 11:36 pm

Am I the only one who's thinking "why bother"? It's a horn. If I use it, a quick tap is generally considered 'polite' as in you're trying to get someone's attention. Riding in Phoenix, nothing is ever polite. So, give me as much volume as simply as possible.

It's a horn. Horns aren't polite.

kschulz · Post by **kschulz** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:19 am

k1dude wrote:A half second is too long. It could be all over in a half second.

That's what happens when you let an electrical engineer try to design stuff. They should stick to drawing stick figures on paper....

Pffft. Electrical engineers.

...ahem!

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:29 am

approximately 18 amps required by the Banshee

That seems like a lot of amperage. Too much for the Bud?

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:45 am

The Banshee kit is based on what looks like a Wolo 139dB horn, which _seems_ to draw 15A, based on some websites' description and fusing.

The Stebel Compact Nautilus, standard equipment in the 150s, also appears to pull 15A, so I reckon the Banshee kit might serve as an upgrade to those Buddys with the smaller horns without stressing the system too badly, unless it runs both horns, which isn't clear from the docs.

Disclaimer: IANAEE

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:09 am

At least it wasn't designed by a software engineer... Beep, turn the bike off, turn it back on, and then maybe honk louder.

Just put the loud horn in and forget the bells and whistles.

- Just an EE trying to convince MEs that there is no such thing as 460.

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:38 am

I put the loud horn from my Rattler on my MadAss. Everytime I hit the horn the recoil set me back two blocks. Had to remove it.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:45 am

Keys wrote:I put the loud horn from my Rattler on my MadAss. Everytime I hit the horn the recoil set me back two blocks. Had to remove it.

I love that horn.