Replaced the Stebel Nautilus Horn With...

[bergj1986]

Ya, that's right, I found a horn that I like better than the Stebel Nautilus horn. I purchased it at Advance Auto Parts for $20, the FIAMM Highway Blaster. 132 decibels (Stebel is 139, not much difference there), draws 10 amps as opposed to 18 amps, and is much simpler!

I installed the horn last night underneath the left-side inner fairing with the open part of the horn facing out. Horn is almost completely covered by the inner fairing and works much better! I never really trusted the Stebel horn and after it died on me a few days ago, I knew I had to find something more reliable. I used the included mounting bracket and slipped it under a screw on the left fairing that was securing a cable clamp. Keep in mind that you MUST use the mounting bracket otherwise the horn won't function properly when securing the mounting nut.

The horn portion of my Stebel died, the compressor still works though. Kinda scary to not know your horn isn't working until you need it.

FZ6 on Youtube with the Highway Blaster installed: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_IAOtR6cPM]YouTube - Fiamm Highway Blaster on my FZ6[/ame]

Thought I would pass this information on to other Fizzer riders. I can post pictures if needed. Happy riding!

 

[zigzagg321]

doesnt seem very loud... must be the vid?

 

[RJ2112]

The FIAMM should be considerably louder, if the difference is 7 dB..... that's a logarithmic scale. I took a quick look at your link; it states the distance from the horn the measurement was made as 4". That will drop off considerably, in the ~ 40 feet needed to alert an encroaching driver....

No idea what the measurement specs are for the Stebel...... if it's done at 4" from the horn as well with equivelent measurement technique and equipment, the FIAMM would blow it's doors off.

Your 'ear' tells me the two were not measured the same way. If the FIAMM is 'fookin loud', that's good enough for me.

 

[bergj1986]

RJ2112, I agree that the scale could be off a bit, I'm not a horn scientist (I wonder if that job exists...) but this horn is very loud. It can easily be heard on the highway doing 80 mph with a full-face on. You could barely hear the stock horn at highway speeds. This horn will make you jump, that's for sure.

 

[FB400]

Berg...
how simple was the wiring to set-up? Does this horn need a relay like the stebel? At $20, sounds like a great find.

 

[Botch]

The FIAMM should be considerably louder, if the difference is 7 dB..... that's a logarithmic scale.

Agreed, but its the Stebel that should be the louder of the two...

I have the FIAMM on my bike too, though.

 

[OneTrack]

Did you buy the low tone or high tone?
I installed the recommended low tone last year and it's been a life saver.
I'm considering pairing it with the high tone one as well for an even more "startling" effect.

 

[bergj1986]

I purchased the low tone. I re-used the relay wiring I had already installed from the Stebel. According to the instructions on the box, they recommend using a 10 amp fuse, so I'm going to assume the FIAMM draws 10 amps or less. I'd run a relay anyway just to be sure.

If you paired a low and high tone together, you'd have the ultimate horn! You might be able to run another horn on the right side of the bike, but I didn't look to see what was underneath the inner fairing. I chose the left side because the relay I wired was already there.

 

[RJ2112]

Agreed, but its the Stebel that should be the louder of the two...

I have the FIAMM on my bike too, though.

D'oh! :banghead:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Anything is better than the stock horn. I too am on my 2nd Stebel, first one broke, failed, whatever, probably wore it out.

Adding a 2nd horn, now that's a great idea.

 

[wrightme43]

The Stebel is louder.

I am on my 5th fiamm freeway blaster now. Lots of rain riding kills them.

 

[deeptekkie]

This made me think back: Every automotive horn that I've ever had to fail was due to water shorting them out internally. (Just a thought)

 

[OneTrack]

If installing the Fiamm horn in place of the OEM horn (same location), point the "outlet" of the horn downwards as far as possible so water can't accumulate in the horn body. I also drilled a small drain hole in the body of the Fiamm horn at its lowest point. Now...I haven't ridden much in the rain, but it's still working like new after about 18 months.
A relay is a MUST when installing any, more powerful aftermarket horn, btw.

 

[RJ2112]

If installing the Fiamm horn in place of the OEM horn (same location), point the "outlet" of the horn downwards as far as possible so water can't accumulate in the horn body. I also drilled a small drain hole in the body of the Fiamm horn at its lowest point. Now...I haven't ridden much in the rain, but it's still working like new after about 18 months.
A relay is a MUST when installing any, more powerful aftermarket horn, btw.

Now you're going to make me look at my *cough* Clymer's manual...... doesn't it seem odd that the OEM would be wired without a relay?

 

[wrightme43]

The Fiamm does not require a relay. Water kills the horn though. I have drilled them and taken them off and drained them, they just are a cost of riding. Test it often, it sucks when you need it and it goes bllleeeh. 100mph down the interstate in pouring rain just shuts them down. (I know its not right but I love it)

 

[bergj1986]

I have the horn mounted so the inner fairing plastics will cover 90% of the horn. The output portion of the horn is facing perpendicular to the ground so I don't think I'll have issues with water getting into the horn at speed. Still working fine as of the ride to work this morning!

It's not very easy to properly mount an aftermarket horn in the stock location without it getting whacked by the fender when going over big bumps. it's really best to mount the horn up in the fairings if possible. Also, if you put the horn up in the fairings, it cleans up the front end considerably by not seeing the ugly horn sticking below the headlights!