Gear

MC Tested: Denali SoundBomb Split Dual-Tone Air Horn

Are you tired of laying on the stock horn and basically getting ignored?

May 2, 2016

This is the business end of the SoundBomb, a plastic air-horn assembly that tells snoozing drivers to wake the hell up.©Motorcyclist

After riding my 2013 Kawasaki Versys 650 for a few months, I was tired of laying on the stock horn and basically getting ignored. I’m not sure if people couldn’t hear me or just decided to ignore me because the stock horn was not intimidating. I got cut off on the freeway a couple times and laid on the horn; both times the drivers just drove off without even giving me a second glance. I knew it was time for an upgrade.

Enter the Denali SoundBomb Split Dual-Tone Air Horn, $55 (twistedthrottle.com). Motorcyclist Editor in Chief Marc Cook was kind enough to do the install for me, and my first impressions of the unit were strong. Aesthetically it fits great with the black frame of the Versys, looking like it belongs. Aside from the brand name, it doesn't even look like an aftermarket part. Installation seemed fairly simple; anyone with basic tools could install it themselves.

Installation is straightforward but requires some thought about where the components can go; the SoundBomb likely will not go where the stock horn was mounted.©Motorcyclist

Cook reports: “It’s a simple installation on the Versys 650 because there’s enough room under the left-side plastic cheek just outboard of the fuel tank for wiring and the air pump. Because the horn pulls more amperage than the stocker, you’ll need a relay. Twisted Throttle sells a plug-and-play wiring kit, but I happened to have a relay on the shelf. After a bit of head-scratching, I decided to install the pump under the plastic and hang the horn element just below the left frame rail, with the bell facing out. All together, it took about 90 minutes to install, start to finish.”

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As soon as it was installed, we fired the bike up and hit the button. Holy cow! It sounds like a yacht. Now when I ride, I feel much safer. The Denali is so extremely loud that I can’t help but giggle under my helmet when I hear it. All I need is a small tap to warn drivers and tell them I’m coming, and boy do they notice me now!

The wiring for the horn and the compressor itself all fit alongside the Versys’ fuel tank, hidden by the plastic cheek.©Motorcyclist

After a few weeks of using the Denali, I still love it. Even after riding through a few recent rain storms, I haven’t had any problems with it. It still works just as loud and as well as the first week it was installed. Considering the low profile look, ease of installation, affordable price point, and effectiveness of the horn, I highly recommend this addition for anyone looking to up their horn game.

Denali SoundBomb Split Dual-Tone Air Horn
Price: $54.99
Contact: twistedthrottle.com

MC Grade: A
An inexpensive horn with bellowing great power. Being in two pieces can make installation easier.