Air Horn Upgrade. Not the easiest install, but SUPER LOUD! (Screaming Banshee)

[ProbablyAGuy]

The reasoning...

I get how many of you will think this is an unnecessary upgrade. It cost $120 and was NOT fun crafting my own bracket just to hold the damn thing. But you know what, last week I about lost it when this oblivious teenage girl turned into my lane and completely ignored be laying on the horn. She wasn't the first driver to make me nearly crap myself, and she won't be the last. At least with an air horn, I can be sure we BOTH crap ourselves. Or better yet, keep them from running me off the road in the first place.

 

The process...

The product is called the "Screaming Banshee - Shockwave". It's advertised as 132 db, motorcycle friendly, and easy to install. I bought it from their website which I will link below for $120. Me and the Banshee didn't get off to a great start when I discovered the "bracket" it came with wouldn't even fit onto the horn because it was 1/8'' too wide, but even if it did fit on the horn, the way the stock horn bracket is configured, the Banshee had no hope of just bolting directly on. It's too heavy for the stock horn bracket and doesn't face the right direction. This was going to require it's own custom bracket.

 

Using some scrap angled aluminum I had in the workshop, I was able to craft this. It wasn't going to win any beauty contests but the metal is thick enough I don't fear it will bend and it does a good job at facing the opening to the horn out towards my left leg. It couldn't be mounted with the opening end facing the front or rain could find it's way inside. Found some extra bolts that fit fine, added loctite then bolted her right on. For some added piece of mind I also zip tied the center of the horn directly to the upper crash bars. Doesn't move an inch, and if I drop the bike on the side, the crash bars should take most of the impact before the horn touches ground.

 

As for the wiring, it wasn't too challenging. Two blue wires that plugged into the stock horn female ends, one positive wire to run to the battery (which was just perfectly long enough, phew), a yellow wire for splicing into the high beams (It supposedly will flash the high beams while you honk, but an optional step that I didn't do) and lastly a ground wire (which you can see in the picture I attached to a skid plate bolt. The picture above wasn't the finished wiring setup because after testing to make sure it worked, I went back and added wire protectors to everything, and zip tied it all neatly to the frame. 

Lastly, I made sure to add stickers. All-in-all, I am pleased with the finished product. It sounds like a train horn, it's insane. Obviously, it's far more important to brake quickly or swerve away from an idiot about to hit you, but an air horn will at least get their attention and let them know they screwed up. And if this can't get their attention, nothing will. In the event the horn craps outs, falls off, or I just don't want it, it would be a 15min job to put the stock horn back on. No damage done.

 

Some things to note...

It was advertised to have a "friendly honk" which is quieter and activated by very quickly tapping the horn button, but for me this didn't work. It is loud or nothing. Not really an issue for me but worth mentioning. Another thing, you can't "lay on the horn". If you do it will automatically take a 0.5sec pause in-between blasts as if it needs to "take a breath" before screaming again, which I find kind of funny.

 

Screaming Banshee Shockwave Horn

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The Screaming Banshee Shockwave Horn with BVAS is the loudest and best engineered motorcycle horn you can buy. From our compact design and integrated flashing headlight feature, to our simple, one touch...

 

[BoB72]

Is that thing water proof ?

[Landshark]

That will work excellent for the fool who never shoulder checks and wants your lane.  Wake up time.  I need one of those for my old truck.  The brakes don't work so a louder horn is in order.   

[ProbablyAGuy]

20 hours ago, BoB72 said:

Is that thing water proof ?

No clue. If the company advertises it to be motorcycle friendly you'd HOPE it would be water resistant at least. I may keep a ziploc bag to zip tie over it if I need to ride through rain.

[Janson]

Secure the air inlet against water inflow and you will be ok .

[Dougie]

Must admit I like the sound of this. Musical one would be even better. Hmmm