Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: RideBellChain on July 26, 2011, 02:06:45 PM
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Hi all,
I'll be picking up a new Connie within the next few weeks...wanted to know about the horn. Is it loud (enough)? I have a Stebel Nautilaus on my current bike, but not sure if one will fit on the new bike...love making grandpa drop the cell phone while they're driving like zombies with a good honk! :)
Seriously though, I ride with my wife or kid quite often, and I want to be heard. What are you all using? (Please post links to the good stuff!)
Thanks,
Mark
http://www.RideBellChain.com (http://www.RideBellChain.com)
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I am still running the stocker but it isn't very loud. I had a stebel (loved it) on my last bike, I just need to find the motivation to wire up another stebel to my C14.
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The horn on the C-14 doesn't seem to be heard in traffic by people in cars. I added a Stebel air horn to my bike and it works much better. I also kept the original electric horn for those times when I don't want to sound the big trumpet. I select between the horns being used with the high beam switch (low beam = stock horn, high beam = Stebel horn and stock horn together although you cannot hear the stock horn at that point).
Brian
Hi all,
I'll be picking up a new Connie within the next few weeks...wanted to know about the horn. Is it loud (enough)? I have a Stebel Nautilaus on my current bike, but not sure if one will fit on the new bike...love making grandpa drop the cell phone while they're driving like zombies with a good honk! :)
Seriously though, I ride with my wife or kid quite often, and I want to be heard. What are you all using? (Please post links to the good stuff!)
Thanks,
Mark
http://www.RideBellChain.com (http://www.RideBellChain.com)
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There are a LOT of horns you can fit on this bike.
Stebel, or is it Hella, makes a dual kit that is fairly compact. Search for it, I recall others have installed those. Look on MurphsKits.com.
The Stebel Nautilus compact air horn also fits on the bike, under the top right panel. Plenty of room. Again, search... others have it installed.
I put a dual trumpet air horn on my bike, same location as stated above. Can't recommend it... as the nautilus is much easier, and I'd say probably a little louder.
Just be aware that the air horn mounted inside the fairings will be impeded a bit by the fairings themselves. The nautilus on my naked bike seems MUCH louder than the one on my C14... and the C14 location aims some of that glorious tone right back at me.
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It definitely needs to be replaced, I think the stock horn came off an anemic scooter. I put a FIAMM low tone in place of the stock, takes a little fiddling but it works. Be very careful of touching the radiator as it is made of aluminum foil.
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I always hook up Goldwing horns. Very loud and car-like (and may be from a Honda cage). I think I've got/had one on my VTX 1300, FJR, ST1300, ZX1400, and the 2010 C14.
Just go listen to one. Or, ask to blow the horn on a Honda. You'll be impressed.
However, you will prolly need a horn relay. EasternBeaver.com has those and other stuff. Really good customer service and custom stuff, too.
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I always hook up Goldwing horns. Very loud and car-like (and may be from a Honda cage). I think I've got/had one on my VTX 1300, FJR, ST1300, ZX1400, and the 2010 C14.
Just go listen to one. Or, ask to blow the horn on a Honda. You'll be impressed.
However, you will prolly need a horn relay. EasternBeaver.com has those and other stuff. Really good customer service and custom stuff, too.
1) The Concours horn is the worst of the bad.
2) I have the Stebel Air horn and it's great, but a royal PITA to install
3) I have a Goldwing and he is right - they are as loud as you need with more mounting options. What I should have done.
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Hi all,
I'll be picking up a new Connie within the next few weeks...wanted to know about the horn. Is it loud (enough)?
Absolutely not. It is a typical, wimpy bike horn. Not even stock dual like my previous bike.
I have a Stebel Nautilaus on my current bike, but not sure if one will fit on the new bike...love making grandpa drop the cell phone while they're driving like zombies with a good honk! :)
Seriously though, I ride with my wife or kid quite often, and I want to be heard. What are you all using? (Please post links to the good stuff!)
See that "search" box on the upper right?
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=639 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=639)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=286 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=286)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2821 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2821)
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Hi all,
I'll be picking up a new Connie within the next few weeks...wanted to know about the horn. Is it loud (enough)? I have a Stebel Nautilaus on my current bike, but not sure if one will fit on the new bike...love making grandpa drop the cell phone while they're driving like zombies with a good honk! :)
Seriously though, I ride with my wife or kid quite often, and I want to be heard. What are you all using? (Please post links to the good stuff!)
Thanks,
Mark
I just installed a set Stebel HF80 horns. They are much louder than the stock horn. Available at Murph's
http://www.RideBellChain.com (http://www.RideBellChain.com)
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I've had my C14 for about 9 months now, I don't think I've ever used the horn once... (http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/smiley_dunno.gif)
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I've had my C14 for about 9 months now, I don't think I've ever used the horn once...
I have had mine far less time and had to use it three times. Once with the stock horn, which was completely ignored. Twice with the new horn- one of which might have saved me from being struck.
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I have the stebel nautilus mounted on the left side of my '09 and although it is under the fairing, it still puts out a hell of a lot more noise than the stocker.
I have used mine on a few occasions and it will get a cager's attention
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2) I have the Stebel Air horn and it's great, but a royal PITA to install
The stock horn is a joke. Sounds like a cheap kazoo. I replaced it ASAP with the Stebel Nautilus and got the prefabbed wiring loom for it. Made intallation a BREEZE! Seriously, just plug into the old horn into the loom, plug in the Stebel, and connect to the battery. Its a piece of cake.
Just disconnect the old horn, remove the right panel cap (the black cover on the right side of the tank above the fairing), and push the old horn wires up to the opening there. I removed the carbon canister (black rectangular plastic box about 2"Wx3"Hx6"L), capped the fuel vent lines with some filter media (aka little sections of terry cloth zip tied on) then zip tied the Stebel into the canisters location. Ran the wires down to the batter and voila! With this setup you can sometimes smell gas more because the carbon canister isn't sucking up the smell anymore.
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I'm looking for the easiest install possible. How hard is it to put on the Honda Goldwing horn? What's a rough cost to get one?
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Stebel Nautilus here. Mounted on left side under plastic and there is plenty of room under there. Recommend prefab wire kit also. You can make your own, but why? See Murphskits for that. Probably the easist most beneficial thing you will do to the C-14. Probably take you one to one and one-half hours to do.
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I'm looking for the easiest install possible. How hard is it to put on the Honda Goldwing horn? What's a rough cost to get one?
New Goldwing horns are not inexpensive. I think like $100 or so .... Honda Direct has some I've purchased years ago. But, you may be able to get 'take offs', or some such on eBay.
I had a Stebel horn on one of my bikes and took it off. It was loud, but not a sound I liked hearing. Same/same deal with a dual air horn I had on my Valkyrie. The Goldwing (auto) horns are pretty good.
Another idea is going to a auto parts store. There are dual tone horn pairs there that are pretty inexpensive. Had them on my ST1300 for a while. And, while they are not Goldwing horns, they are better (IMO) than Stebel.
Plenty of room under the left side Tupperware. I had the shop install the horns and other stuff. I'm not all that mechanical.