Mod my horn for easier reach

[Brando]

The relocation of the horn button has made riding safety very difficult for me lately. I have joint arthritis in my left thumb and at crucial times, I've been unable to reach quickly enough for the horn or I hit my blinkers instead. I'm scheduled for surgery to get my hand fixed but it's not for another month. I'd like to continue riding until then but not being able to reach the horn is a big concern for me when commuting to and from work.

Are there any known mods, DIY or aftermarket, that help riders with reach problems? The only device I've found so far is LifeSaverHorn (https://www.lifesaverhorn.com/home), which is a great idea, but it is made to fit only Harley motorcycles. I'm surprised there isn't anything available for other motorcycles and scooters. I imagine a device like this would be helpful to me even after my surgery; I'm sure it will take time and therapy to get full range of motion back in my thumb joint again.

[you you]

The relocation of the horn button has made riding safety very difficult for me lately. I have joint arthritis in my left thumb and at crucial times, I've been unable to reach quickly enough for the horn or I hit my blinkers instead. I'm scheduled for surgery to get my hand fixed but it's not for another month. I'd like to continue riding until then but not being able to reach the horn is a big concern for me when commuting to and from work.

Are there any known mods, DIY or aftermarket, that help riders with reach problems? The only device I've found so far is LifeSaverHorn (https://www.lifesaverhorn.com/home), which is a great idea, but it is made to fit only Harley motorcycles. I'm surprised there isn't anything available for other motorcycles and scooters. I imagine a device like this would be helpful to me even after my surgery; I'm sure it will take time and therapy to get full range of motion back in my thumb joint again.

Might have to be something homemade using plastic sheeting glued and self tapped to the existing horn.

Would your hand be up to it though?

[Brando]

The relocation of the horn button has made riding safety very difficult for me lately. I have joint arthritis in my left thumb and at crucial times, I've been unable to reach quickly enough for the horn or I hit my blinkers instead. I'm scheduled for surgery to get my hand fixed but it's not for another month. I'd like to continue riding until then but not being able to reach the horn is a big concern for me when commuting to and from work.

Are there any known mods, DIY or aftermarket, that help riders with reach problems? The only device I've found so far is LifeSaverHorn (https://www.lifesaverhorn.com/home), which is a great idea, but it is made to fit only Harley motorcycles. I'm surprised there isn't anything available for other motorcycles and scooters. I imagine a device like this would be helpful to me even after my surgery; I'm sure it will take time and therapy to get full range of motion back in my thumb joint again.

Might have to be something homemade using plastic sheeting glued and self tapped to the existing horn.

Would your hand be up to it though?

A friend of mine just suggested using Sugru to mold an extension to the horn button that is closer to my reach. I had never heard of Sugru before but I just checked out their website and some "lightbulbs" have turned on in my head.

Would my hand be up to it? As far as creating something, I have helping hands available to me.

[Jge64]

You could take the whole thing away from the handlebar, and just mount a foot switch at the top of the floorboards. Add another horn underneath the plastic.

I guess more people use their horn that I certainly do, in three years of riding the PCX, I don't think I've ever used it.

[Brando]

You could take the whole thing away from the handlebar, and just mount a foot switch at the top of the floorboards. Add another horn underneath the plastic.

I guess more people use their horn that I certainly do, in three years of riding the PCX, I don't think I've ever used it.

I don't like using my horn unless absolutely necessary. Since I started riding again, in San Francisco commute traffic, I use it almost every day. For what? Cars encroaching my lane, cars pulling out of parking spaces into my lane, cars attempting to switch into my lane at a stop, and last but not least, when drivers are looking at their phones instead of the road and the traffic around them. These are also the reasons why I never split lanes anymore even though it's legal here. Too many people looking at their devices. It's not worth it. The only times I have split lanes is when cars are already at a stop and I have safe clearance to get in between and ahead of cars before the light turns green.

[homie]

...............

[you you]

You could take the whole thing away from the handlebar, and just mount a foot switch at the top of the floorboards. Add another horn underneath the plastic.

I guess more people use their horn that I certainly do, in three years of riding the PCX, I don't think I've ever used it.

Same here.

[Brando]

...............

Is that for real? Horn in the middle of handle bars?

[tomtomclub2005]

That thing in the middle of the handlebar sounds like a really bad idea. I usually find i want to horn at the same time as breaking hard because some idiot is doing a foolish thing in front of me- no way i would loosen my grip on the brakes even for a fraction of a second in that case. I agree with OP that the horn switch is badly located - even without arthitis...

[homie]

I pasted it, not real, just messing with ya
By the time I find the horn on my bikes the reason i needed it has passed. Best just focus on the threat and forgive the oblivious. I always thought a healthy squeeze on the left grip would be an excellent invention for bikers concerning the horn. Now go make your millions

[Mel46]

The horn button in the wrong position has been a complaint for as long as I have been on this forum. In fact, I noticed it the first time that I rode a PCX. I think some members have even written to Honda about the issue. Until a solution can be found, I think about all you can do is get a bigger horn, which doesn't solve to button problem but sure does give you satisfaction when you do press that button. :-)

I installed a Bad Boy Air Horn under the black dash cover, connected the wires to a relay, using the original horn wires to trigger the relay, and connected the main wires needed for the air horn directly to the battery. Now, when I remember where the horn button is, I scare the heck out of those drivers drifting into my lane because they are texting while driving. :-)

[you you]

I pasted it, not real, just messing with ya
By the time I find the horn on my bikes the reason i needed it has passed. Best just focus on the threat and forgive the oblivious. I always thought a healthy squeeze on the left grip would be an excellent invention for bikers concerning the horn. Now go make your millions

Sounds good at first but what if you are braking really hard or counter steering

[homie]

horn.jpg (105.62 KiB) Viewed 952 times

I think i've designed this fix for you guys before. Stick this type of pressure switch under the left housing and wire it to the horn. Simply use your left thumb knuckle to press the switch... never miss a chance to blow your horn again Somebody help me find this switch in 12v and in the proper size. I'll test its user friendliness but I have to tell you there isn't much doubt this would work nicely.

[iceman]

Is this a Honda scooter thing compared to other makes? It's never bothered me nor been an issue as I came to scooters 1st during CBT training and the PCX, and seems easy enough to learn unless constantly switcing between bikes with different layouts.
Maybe Honda believe it's easier to just reach your thumb across horizontally than reaching down or such.
I believe the horn is used alot in some countries due to bad driving/riding and congestion (always hear horns going off in TV series featuring India and Thailand - not sure that's day to day life)

[Old Grinner]

This is how the horn button, turn signal switch, and Hi/Lo Beam switch is arranged on my new 2018 Zuma 125. It's what I'm used to. It's the way it's been on all the previous machines I've owned/ridden. I can find it in a split second whether I'm wearing Winter riding gloves or no gloves. . .it's a conditioned response to danger where I reach for that noise maker. If my helmet shield was totally fogged up I could still hit it on the mark.

It seems that Honda has changed the layout sometime recently. . .but I'm not sure how recent. I could never get comfortable with it. Kept hitting the horn button by accident when I went to use the turn signal switch and got no horn (when I needed it in a hurry) because I hit the turn signal switch. Make sense? It's a topsy turvy world sometimes but I don't need the confusion when I ride.

I did submit an inquiry to Honda about the horn button location and seat comfort issues. Their response to my inquiry was that they sent my questions and concerns off to the appropriate department. . . basically for some kind of review I guess. As I've said before I hope some good comes of it. I'm just going to leave it at that. . ..

100_5122a.jpg

[Brando]

This is how the horn button, turn signal switch, and Hi/Lo Beam switch is arranged on my new 2018 Zuma 125. It's what I'm used to. It's the way it's been on all the previous machines I've owned/ridden. I can find it in a split second whether I'm wearing Winter riding gloves or no gloves. . .it's a conditioned response to danger where I reach for that noise maker. If my helmet shield was totally fogged up I could still hit it on the mark.

It seems that Honda has changed the layout sometime recently. . .but I'm not sure how recent. I could never get comfortable with it. Kept hitting the horn button by accident when I went to use the turn signal switch and got no horn (when I needed it in a hurry) because I hit the turn signal switch. Make sense? It's a topsy turvy world sometimes but I don't need the confusion when I ride.

I did submit an inquiry to Honda about the horn button location and seat comfort issues. Their response to my inquiry was that they sent my questions and concerns off to the appropriate department. . . basically for some kind of review I guess. As I've said before I hope some good comes of it. I'm just going to leave it at that. . ..

100_5122a.jpg

Thank you all for the shared input. I really appreciate it. I wanted to be clear that although I have found the new location of the horn a little hard to get used to, the motivation for my original post was mainly due to my left thumb's limited range of motion at this time. The information shared is still very helpful because who knows what range of motion I will end up with after my surgery. I'm also not the type to lay on my horn; I just use it in short bursts to alert drivers. Ironically, I hardly ever use my horn when I'm driving my car.

[Brando]

horn.jpg

I think i've designed this fix for you guys before. Stick this type of pressure switch under the left housing and wire it to the horn. Simply use your left thumb knuckle to press the switch... never miss a chance to blow your horn again Somebody help me find this switch in 12v and in the proper size. I'll test its user friendliness but I have to tell you there isn't much doubt this would work nicely.

Hmmm, very interesting. Are the original designs still on the boards?

[Brando]

The horn button in the wrong position has been a complaint for as long as I have been on this forum. In fact, I noticed it the first time that I rode a PCX. I think some members have even written to Honda about the issue. Until a solution can be found, I think about all you can do is get a bigger horn, which doesn't solve to button problem but sure does give you satisfaction when you do press that button. :-)

I installed a Bad Boy Air Horn under the black dash cover, connected the wires to a relay, using the original horn wires to trigger the relay, and connected the main wires needed for the air horn directly to the battery. Now, when I remember where the horn button is, I scare the heck out of those drivers drifting into my lane because they are texting while driving. :-)

I was looking at this Denali Soundbomb Mini Horn (https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/den ... -mini-horn) as a replacement for the stock. It's loud enough but I still have to confirm if it will fit nicely without modifications in my PCX.

[you you]

I’m interested in the boards. How are they fitted?

[Brando]

I pasted it, not real, just messing with ya
By the time I find the horn on my bikes the reason i needed it has passed. Best just focus on the threat and forgive the oblivious. I always thought a healthy squeeze on the left grip would be an excellent invention for bikers concerning the horn. Now go make your millions

Sounds good at first but what if you are braking really hard or counter steering