SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> The Cafe >> TRAIN HORNS
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1760070929

Message started by blod on 10/09/25 at 21:35:29

Title: TRAIN HORNS
Post by blod on 10/09/25 at 21:35:29

I'm considering putting train horns ( the compressor ) in the trunk of my Savage, and the trumpets underneath. I have not heard of anyone else installing them on a sidecar rig and am wondering why not. I know they are childish, but I' never really grew up' and they are good fun so why not. Motorcycles in general are just big boys toys anyway

I think this one will fit in the trunk with room to spare.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0BB81 ... Z0W2&psc=1
It's far from the cheapest option available, but it has quality

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Ruttly on 10/09/25 at 23:06:15

Tip :Keep the tips of all the horns as far forward of your ears as possible.
They are LOUD and damaging to the ears. :o
Savage looks heavy but heavy is stable , looks like fun.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Eegore on 10/10/25 at 07:04:07

Agree 100% about protecting your ears from those. Even with a helmet.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Dave on 10/10/25 at 08:44:32

The link doesn't work - post it using the "Hyperlink" that is at the top right of the screen when you are posting.....it look like an Earth Globe with a sheet of paper on the bottom right corner.

The horn circuit likely cannot handle the amperage of something using a compressor. Use the stock horn circuit to power a relay...let the relay do the heavy lifting of current!

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by blod on 10/10/25 at 10:53:39

48686A627F680D0 wrote:

Agree 100% about protecting your ears from those. Even with a helmet.

Too late mate, I'm already Mutt & Jeff, with luck I will be able to hear them. :)

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by blod on 10/10/25 at 10:57:00

645F5245545843455E565B44370 wrote:

Check out the train horns on Amazon. They re all much the same.

It needs a wiring system all of it's own. I will keep the standard horn as well.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by blod on 10/10/25 at 10:59:23

http://https://i.imgur.com/iwKIlk6h.jpg

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by blod on 10/10/25 at 11:08:02

684F4E4E56433A0 wrote:

Tip :Keep the tips of all the horns as far forward of your ears as possible.
They are LOUD and damaging to the ears. :o
Savage looks heavy but heavy is stable , looks like fun.

I was thinking of installing them facing out the back. If they are half as powerful as people tell me I might get some extra boost
:)

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by MMRanch on 11/16/25 at 17:59:48

I was thinking of installing them facing out the back. If they are half as powerful as people tell me I might get some extra boost

;D

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Axman88 on 11/17/25 at 08:04:43

584A584A47545B565D150 wrote:

I was thinking of installing them facing out the back.

Horns, in the original sense of the word as it was applied to conical devices to amplify sound, are highly directional, especially at higher frequencies.

Have a glance at a typical polar plot for a horn type PA speaker: Every 3 db down represents 1/2 the sound output.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by MMRanch on 11/17/25 at 19:30:45

blod wrote that , but I like the idea of it ! ;D

so if my horn is 110 db then how far is it louder than a car radio of a teenager ?

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Axman88 on 11/18/25 at 08:51:23

637163717C6F606D662E0 wrote:

blod wrote that , but I like the idea of it ! ;D

so if my horn is 110 db then how far is it louder than a car radio of a teenager ?

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by LANCER on 11/18/25 at 10:36:14

When a car goes through the town or neighborhood, with the heavy base cranked up, it seems to have more penetration through cars (mine) or houses.
What’s with that ?

Seems like I read once that the military uses extremely low frequencies to communicate with nuclear subs on the other side of the world, with the signal actually penetrating through the earth.
Unlike high frequencies which travel in a line of sight fashion.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by MMRanch on 11/18/25 at 15:47:27

Hay Lancer :)

Didn't the Wales figure out Underwater Sound better than we have ? :-?

Not that I've known very many Wales ... :-[

But I did see a wale on Star Trek once , and Spock seemed to know what it was going on about ? :)

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by LANCER on 11/18/25 at 19:25:56

657765777A69666B60280 wrote:

Whales didn’t figure out anything, God just installed it from the beginning.
But you should have known that already Michael.
You know he designed everything and established it all from the beginning, just like His word says. Yep.

Paula said to say Hi.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/19/25 at 08:35:17

7E47525E5107073F0 wrote:

[quote author=637163717C6F606D662E0 link=1760070929/0#10 date=1763436645]blod wrote that , but I like the idea of it ! ;D

so if my horn is 110 db then how far is it louder than a car radio of a teenager ?

Sound intensity follows the inverse square law.

That means that at double the distance, sound intensity drops to 1/4 of what it was at closer distance. This simple physical fact is why the concept "loud pipes save lives" is an illusion. Loudness is massively related to proximity.

Let's say that the horn's 110 db rating was assigned at 1/2 meter.

At 1 meter from the horn, twice the distance, the rider experiences 1/4 the intensity, that's down 6 db, which is 104 db, still enough to damage his hearing.

At 8 meters away, (~25 ft) the teenager experiences the sound of your horn reduced in intensity by 16 times, or -12 db, which is 98 db. It's loud, but their radio is louder, especially if the windows are rolled up, because the car's enclosure will cut about 6db or more.

Each party is satisfied, mission accomplished, because as THEY experience the sounds, theirs is louder. And, each is well on their way to deafness. The irony is, that as they lose their hearing, those immature, selfish people will need their sound to get LOUDER, to get the same sensation.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world gets to experience the additive nature of sound pollution.[/quote]

I really appreciate this information, Axman. I knew that decibel sound is compared logarithmically…like 90dB is 2X louder than 80dB, and 100dB 2X louder than 90bB. Yikes, 100dB is 4X louder than 80dB. Your info regarding distance from the source info is helpful.

Reason… I’ve been doing some testing and reviews for Black Widow Exhaust (based in the UK) on my bike. They sent me 3 different exhausts to test for free! They liked some of the reviews I’ve done on other exhaust systems for my bike and they asked me to do a complete and honest review of their exhausts. Part of it is doing dB readings at different distances and running it through the gears and cruising.. Pretty fun and I’ve got my own little “muffler shootout” going on over here.

It’s insane the various methodologies used to measure motorcycle exhaust noise for regulations purposes…. Finding complete thorough details of the exact methodologies is almost impossible. Something will be explained, but then they’ll leave out an important detail like “which gear”.

It’ll be something like…get up to XX speed, run it WOT from cone A to cone B which are 100 feet apart, measure dB using ABC123 decibel meter using XYZ standards and configuration at 3 points between the path at 25’ away, bla bla bla. Then they’ll leaving you hanging with a question like - is that a 3rd gear roll-on or 5th gear?

Whatever or wherever, it all seems to revolve around the magic 80dB level. 5 feet way? 50 feet away? 5th gear at 6,000rpm or 3rd gear at 3,000rpm?

It’s no wonder some states in the US have come up with their own simpler methodology that law enforcement can actually measure and enforce. It’s not like they could truly replicate the federal dB standard in the field.

OSHA work noise safety standards is some interesting reading :-). Basically, employers have to provide some kind of hearing protection when employees are exposed to 90dB+ for 8 hours per day. At least that’s how I summarized it in my head.

Sorry, didn’t mean to hijack and digress on the posted topic, but your info is helpful Axman. Thanks.

Title: Re: TRAIN HORNS
Post by Eegore on 11/20/25 at 08:03:11

"When a car goes through the town or neighborhood, with the heavy base cranked up, it seems to have more penetration through cars (mine) or houses.
What’s with that ?"

Bass penetrates more than treble due to long wavelengths, which are less likely to be absorbed or reflected by barriers like housing walls, and its ability to bend around objects. This is why a subwoofer on a home sound system can be placed in many locations with effect, while the soundbar needs to be in front of the viewer.

High-frequency treble has short wavelengths, which are easily scattered, absorbed, or reflected by materials, making them more directional and less penetrating than bass. Treble travels in more straight lines so to speak.