I am getting ready for my trip to DC and this will probably be the most traffic I have ever dealt with while riding a bike, so I want to make sure I have a good horn that will get attention if needed.  I had a Nautilus on my last bike and loved it, but I was wondering if the HF80 was a better alternative.  Is it as loud?  I don't mind mounting the nautilus but if the HF80 is just as loud then I will go that route since they mount in the stock location.

Here in my town i use my Vstrom for commute. I used the Nautilus but six month ago i installed
the stebel HF80 (I had stebel HF80 in my connie). the traffic is a chaos here and i prefer the sound of the Stebel HF80.
IMO the cars drivers listen better this one.

I'm not super impressed with the HF80. It's better than stock but not as good as the nautilus.

Yeah, I made up my mind after hearing the HF80 on youtube (I don't have speakers on my computer at work because of government cutbacks  ).  The Nautilus is definitely the winner. 

I used the Nautilus but six month ago i installed the stebel (I had stebel in my connie).

The Nautilus *is* a Stebel.  Your posting doesn't make any sense!

The Nautilus *is* a Stebel.  Your posting doesn't make any sense!

I noticed that also, but just decided to to listen to an HF80 on youtube and it was pretty anemic IMO. 

I noticed that also, but just decided to to listen to an HF80 on youtube and it was pretty anemic IMO.

Well, of course you can't really tell much from listening to a recording as far as how much sound pressure there is.  Just gives you a feeling for the "tone".  I am sure the HF80 magnetic is much better than the stock, wimpy, single, magnetic horn.  But I doubt any magnetic horn can hold a candle to an air horn- even a compact one like the Nautilus.

Not to Hijack, but one time I bought a set of Fiamm Highway Blasters from Aerostitch and those things were really loud.  Sounded just like an auto, but louder.  I'm running the Nautilas right now, but I sometimes wish I got the Fiamms.  Loudest horn I ever heard.  I think that sometimes they fudge on the decibels.

Not to Hijack, but one time I bought a set of Fiamm Highway Blasters from Aerostitch and those things were really loud.  Sounded just like an auto, but louder.  I'm running the Nautilas right now, but I sometimes wish I got the Fiamms.  Loudest horn I ever heard.  I think that sometimes they fudge on the decibels.

The problem with just "decibels" is that it is a totally meaningless number without knowing the distance and the frequencies.   Sound pressure goes down to the square of the distance.  And the human ear perceives different frequencies with much different volume levels.  Finally, different frequencies travel and penetrate differently, affecting what one might hear inside a closed, target vehicle.

I started with a Nautilus but wasn't ready to do the modifications necessary to mount it, I ended up with the 80's mounted in the same fashion as the OEM. (I think it was Roland who had the great how to on the original forum) There is a clear difference  between the 80's and the Nautlius but the improvement with the 80's compared to stock was so great, I have been satisfied with them.

I started with a Nautilus but wasn't ready to do the modifications necessary to mount it, I ended up with the 80's mounted in the same fashion as the OEM. (I think it was Roland who had the great how to on the original forum) There is a clear difference  between the 80's and the Nautlius but the improvement with the 80's compared to stock was so great, I have been satisfied with them.

The problem with just "decibels" is that it is a totally meaningless number without knowing the distance and the frequencies.   Sound pressure goes down to the square of the distance.  And the human ear perceives different frequencies with much different volume levels.  Finally, different frequencies travel and penetrate differently, affecting what one might hear inside a closed, target vehicle.

I agree... what it sounds like in real life and the sound pressure is what counts!

I know the Nautilus will get a cager's attention, when I need it to.  I guess the biggest reason I didn't go with the HF-80 is because I used the Nautilus on my last bike and I know it works as advertised.  I didn't mind the extra hour of making a bracket and finding a spot to mount it.