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All About The Horn

SeattleVet

Elio Fan
Joined
Sep 4, 2014
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Seattle, WA
I put Fiamm Freeway Blasters on my Moto Guzzi. Makes the motorcycle horn sound sort of like an old Buick Roadmaster or something, with the two-tone sound. And it has saved me a couple of times. A van ahead of me was turning right, and I was going straight through the intersection. A woman started turning right from the road the van was turning in to, and started to come out into the lane I was already occupying, and actively using at the time. I hit the horn, and watched as she dropped her cellphone and steered right into the curb. More than once on the Interstate I've had someone try to change lanes into me, and a short tap on these puppies made them steer right back to where they were supposed to be. (And yes, I always try to position myself so that I am *very* visible to everyone else on the road, and also wear a bright lime-yellow 'Hi-Viz' helmet. One one trip a guy we were riding with got stuck in traffic, and said he could see my helmet from about a mile back bobbing above the traffic. He switched over to Hi-Viz the following year.)

Of course, the trick when you're on the motorcycle is to be hyper-aware of *everything* going on around you, assume you're invisible, and believe that they really *are* out to get you. You can't afford to be in auto-pilot mode; you've got to see and react to things much quicker than you would normally think. I'm thinking that the Elio is different enough that it will also attract attention on the road, and more people will 'see' it, but that doesn't help much when the idiots are looking down at their crotches, texting.
 

zelio

Elio Addict
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Sutherlin, OR
I put Fiamm Freeway Blasters on my Moto Guzzi. Makes the motorcycle horn sound sort of like an old Buick Roadmaster or something, with the two-tone sound. And it has saved me a couple of times. A van ahead of me was turning right, and I was going straight through the intersection. A woman started turning right from the road the van was turning in to, and started to come out into the lane I was already occupying, and actively using at the time. I hit the horn, and watched as she dropped her cellphone and steered right into the curb. More than once on the Interstate I've had someone try to change lanes into me, and a short tap on these puppies made them steer right back to where they were supposed to be. (And yes, I always try to position myself so that I am *very* visible to everyone else on the road, and also wear a bright lime-yellow 'Hi-Viz' helmet. One one trip a guy we were riding with got stuck in traffic, and said he could see my helmet from about a mile back bobbing above the traffic. He switched over to Hi-Viz the following year.)

Of course, the trick when you're on the motorcycle is to be hyper-aware of *everything* going on around you, assume you're invisible, and believe that they really *are* out to get you. You can't afford to be in auto-pilot mode; you've got to see and react to things much quicker than you would normally think. I'm thinking that the Elio is different enough that it will also attract attention on the road, and more people will 'see' it, but that doesn't help much when the idiots are looking down at their crotches, texting.
On my trip to Medford last Wednesday I had a mc come up on me from no where. I watch my mirrors all the time but I didn't know he was there until I heard him. He shocked both me and my passenger. In fact there were 3 mc traveling separately along one stretch of I-5 going through the mountains. He was the first. The second passed on the left of me as I was driving in the left lane to pass some slow moving trucks. I at least saw him coming so wasn't shocked when he went flying by. I can't remember what the 3rd one did but I began to wonder if it was going to be a full moon that night because those riders were taking all kinds of risky actions. It also made me very happy I am on this site because I have learned to be that much more aware of mcs thanks to your comments. :-) Z
 

outsydthebox

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I put Fiamm Freeway Blasters on my Moto Guzzi. Makes the motorcycle horn sound sort of like an old Buick Roadmaster or something, with the two-tone sound. And it has saved me a couple of times. A van ahead of me was turning right, and I was going straight through the intersection. A woman started turning right from the road the van was turning in to, and started to come out into the lane I was already occupying, and actively using at the time. I hit the horn, and watched as she dropped her cellphone and steered right into the curb. More than once on the Interstate I've had someone try to change lanes into me, and a short tap on these puppies made them steer right back to where they were supposed to be. (And yes, I always try to position myself so that I am *very* visible to everyone else on the road, and also wear a bright lime-yellow 'Hi-Viz' helmet. One one trip a guy we were riding with got stuck in traffic, and said he could see my helmet from about a mile back bobbing above the traffic. He switched over to Hi-Viz the following year.)

Of course, the trick when you're on the motorcycle is to be hyper-aware of *everything* going on around you, assume you're invisible, and believe that they really *are* out to get you. You can't afford to be in auto-pilot mode; you've got to see and react to things much quicker than you would normally think. I'm thinking that the Elio is different enough that it will also attract attention on the road, and more people will 'see' it, but that doesn't help much when the idiots are looking down at their crotches, texting.

Thank You!..for that testimony! I am happy to hear from someone (besides myself) that actually "knows" what a difference a loud horn can make. Not to scare people but simply to be heard which, at speed, is nearly impossible with the factory horn. :cool:
 
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