Kawasaki Versys Forum banner

Denali Mini Sound Bomb

9K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  onewizard 
#1 ·
Got tired of the anemic horn on my '15 VLT. I commute on DFW freeways. I couldn't hear the factory horn above road noise. No chance of car or truck drivers hearing it. And driving these roads you frequently need a horn. People doing 75 mph with their faces glued to smart phones while drifting through and over lanes don't see other cars and especially not motorcycles.

The good news is this horn is LOUD! Louder than the horn on my car. And the tone is way more authoritative. Cost me 29 bucks, installs with no modification to the factory bracket, no electrical wiring required and no clearance issues.

I view this as a survival necessity. I am a happy camper. Ready to resume jousting with the cage drivers.
 
#2 ·
Denali Horn


Interesting, my Denali remote sound bomb draws close to 20 amp and the lights dim when it is on, nice change using the mini with 5 amp draw, no compressor etc. Thanks for posting, and the price is good!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Irish green
#7 ·
Thx @onewizard, did exactly this today, and what happened? All good, nice commute, not a single need today to use it at all!


However, this is California, so I'm pretty sure the moment will come where I'll be happy to have upgraded
 
#9 ·
Just installed the Denali Soundbomb on my 2015. I've rotated the bracket 180 degrees inboard so the horn is more tucked away. I think it'll clear everything with the front suspension fully compressed. It's definitely much louder, more like a car now. The horn and tail light look to be on the same circuit with a 10A fuse, so I think it'll be OK with the horn needing 5A.
 
#10 ·
Denali Mini Soundbomb



You mean mini? Correct?--5 amp rating is lots, unless your horn button sticks on, :eek:--just kidding , the 10 amp rating is to protect the wiring, in case you shorted out the wiring, total load with brake light and horn on are less than 80% of 10 amp.
 
#13 ·
Here's a pic showing the mini SB on my '15 with the mount bracket rotated inward.

 
  • Like
Reactions: onewizard
#14 · (Edited)
That would be most fantastic if paired with a high tone horn, to go along with your low tone horn... I've have a pair of these (1 high tone and 1 low tone) in the car for 13 years now, and they're still going strong. I got to use them well on my last trip into town tonight to fend off a couple of nut job kids racing around in car and pickup, which then attempted to flee in fear.

WOLO 315-2T Loud One High Tone Horn 12-Volt 115 Decibels 510 Hz Two Terminal | eBay
 
#15 ·
Does anyone with the Mini Bomb has the issue that it doesn't work for longer than a few seconds? Whenever I need mine it just stops working after the first use, sounding like an engine running out of fuel. Won't come back on that ride, but next day or so it is back with the same behavior.

Didn't check the fuse yet, but if it would have blown the horn wouldn't work on the next day. ?
 
#17 ·
I received my Denali Mini Sound Bomb (MSB) from RevZilla today and installed it (sort of) on my '16 Versys 1000 LT. I have installed two previous Mini Sound Bombs on my 2009 Vulcan 900 Classic LT and my wife's 2009 Vulcan 500. Both installations went smoothly and the horns worked great (although I had to trim the housing of the horn on the 900 so it wouldn't impact the front fender when the front shocks compressed - simple mod though, and it didn't impact the effectiveness of the horn.

During my install today, however, I ran into several problems, and the horn still doesn't work... First of all, the threaded mounting pin on the rear of the MSB is much shorter than the pin on the rear of the stock horn so you can't utilize Kawasaki's rubber mounting configuration. I jury-rigged a system that worked, but it deadens the sound of the horn significantly. Secondly, the MSB is nearly three times as thick (front-to-back) as the OEM horn, and although I finally managed to get it bolted on using the original bracket, it comes in contact with the front forks when the handle bars are turned to the extreme left or right. So at this point the horn doesn't work, and I am trying to determine a new mounting strategy (I really like the horn!).

I really like Doug Just Doug's idea of mounting it below the radiator, but I am curious about the effect of exhaust heat and road flack on the MSB housing - it doesn't appear that substantial to me a looks like it wants to be in a protected spot. I would also like to know how Doug Just Doug extended the wiring to reach the horn - home brewed extension or something from the aftermarket?
 
#18 · (Edited)
On my V-1000 i separated a Stebel Nautilus Air Horn and mounted it to the area where the old horn was. I used multiple zip-ties to mount the horn. Works great no issues...

Mounting the horn you have should be easier since its smaller than the one i used...

P1010739 by weljo2001, on Flickr



You can see the black megaphone piece sticking out some under the beak of the bike.....


P1020087 by weljo2001, on Flickr


P1020259 by weljo2001, on Flickr



Zipped-Tied the compressor and the megaphone both on this bracket.....

P1010512 by weljo2001, on Flickr
 
#22 ·
that's pretty dang good. i've got a stebel that has been sitting in the lazy box for a few of years while i picked up a piaa sport horn around the same time and put it on the wife's bike. the piaa is a straight swap with no relay and nice and loud. it's about $50 these days though. the msb is the way to go.
 
#23 ·
I used to change out the horns on all of my bikes but don't bother anymore.

I found that the times where I really needed the horn I was too busy braking or accelerating to get out of the way and no time to use the horn.

I only used it to if it looked like someone might potentially be drifting in my direction and there is no guarantee that they would even pay attention to it, and some didn't which then meant I still had to take evasive maneuvers.

I found that by changing my riding style and where I rode I never needed to activate the horn.

I guess it just decided it is better for me to ride like I am invisible and not be where someone could merge into me. I have actually started creating custom avoidance areas and roads in my GPS so when I ask it to get me somewhere it avoids those shopping districts, etc. that I don't want to ride in anyway.
 
#25 ·
...I found that the times where I really needed the horn I was too busy braking or accelerating to get out of the way and no time to use the horn....
I use MY horns as a "critter avoidance tool", and used it that way this morning. Saw a white-tail doe a few hundred yards ahead, so I simultaneously got ON the brakes and ON the horn (which is a "Stebel clone" - a WOLO Bad Boy).

So far - they've all run away well before I got to where they'd been.

:thumb: - :thumb:
 
#24 ·
#27 ·
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top