We're starting a new weekly segment at the Twisted Throttle blog. Every week we're sent photos from our customers. They range from product installation photos to trip reports. When we get them, they make their way onto our photo gallery, but we can't give all of them the attention the deserve.
So, every friday we'll pick one or two extra special photo submissions and put them in the blog. These photos will be finalists in the monthly photo contest. And if these guys ever make it down to the shop, we'll buy them some ice cream.
Now, on to this week's photos!
From Dr. Hans G. Machel we received a photo tutorial (and written tutorial (AND VIDEO!)) for mounting a Stebel Nautilus Air Horn on a 2007 Yamaha FJR1300.
He writes:
"I did not do the job myself but was involved in deliberating various options with my mechanics. I had the job done by my trusted Suzuki-Yamaha dealership ALBERTA CYCLE MOTORSPORTS in Edmonton. (Special thanks go to James and Brock for a super job).
Upon my initial request, they first tried just about every conceivable hidden position, that is, in the location of the stock horns, then under the fairing on the left or on the right, then under the seats. Something was always in the way. As for the stock horn (there are two) locations near the top corners of the radiator, the Stebel is so large that it would interfere with either the fairing, or the steering, or the shocks, if the full travel of the front fork is used (such as during an emergency brake manoeuvre or when going through a larger pothole or over a high hump in the road). On the right under the fairing the battery is in the way, on the left it is the glove box. There is room under the seat, but that muffles the sound too much. We tried.
Then we explored various outboard locations, keeping in mind that the horn should have maximum volume but not get water inside from either above or below. We wound up mounting the horn on the right side of the engine block above the foot, where it is not interfering with any mechanical parts, nor with the rider's leg or foot, and where the sound volume is maximized - see photos. Also, note that the 'trumpet' is positioned outwards and downwards, and it is behind the fairing when viewed from the front, thus it is out of the rain and splash during wet roads. Brock manufactured a bracket as shown (from three positions) and painted everything on the horn black that wasn't black already.
The result is for all intents and purposes "perfect": the horn is at first glance inconspicuous but looks sharp when spotted, it does not interfere with riding, and it will stay dry inside. Most importantly, however, its 139 dB blast will scare those deer or moose off the roads, as well as jolt any careless driver, of which there are all too many (especially those chatting on their friggin' cell phones), who all to often endanger motorcycle riders."
It's pretty cool looking, too! Don't forget to check out the YouTube Video, either!
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