FIAMM Horn question
 

I ordered a pair of these:
http://www.thefastone.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=809823
off thefastone.co.uk, after reading good things about FIAMM horns. As the page I linked to shows, they're described as FIAMM horns.

I place the order and sure enough on my order confirmation email, they come up as:

Product ID: 809823
Product Name: Fiamm Horns
Quantity: 1
Unit Price: £17.00

I then recieved the order today, only to find I have a pair of "Shondie" horns, which to be blunt, look a bit tacky; poorly finished, no fitting instructions, even typos on the box. The sticker on the box says "FIAMM Style horns". I check the shipping details and sure enough, "FIAMM Style horns". This is the sort of cheap trick you expect from a prat on ebay, not a "proper" store.

Now, before I make a fool of myself by going ape**** over nothing, does anyone have any info on these, like that they are actually rebadged FIAMM horns or whatever?

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Fiamm Style is not made by Fiamm. Send em back, get your money back and go get a pair of genuine Fiamm horms from Halfords.

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Email sent. If they get funny/drag their feet about rectifying it, they're only down in Swansea, I'm quite prepared to ride down and a make a scene. I'm also sure Trading Standards and MCN would be most interested... ;)

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Send 'em back. It's distance selling, you have the right to return for any reason, you don't even need to depend on misselling.

And then, get your next set from Ebay, where they cost less ;) Or, they're a pound less at Halfords (sold under the Ring brand)

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

I was under the impression I don't have to send them back; thought they have to collect them?

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Figure of speech... They can ask you to return it and cover the costs I think, not too sure about that one though.

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

How about you look at your riding, maybe you don't need a louder horn at all.

In nearly 30 years I've had to use my horn for its correct purpose maybe 3 or 4 times. If you're having to use it so often that you feel a louder one is needed then it ain't the other traffic's fault.

I recently fitted a Stebel airhorn to a female friend's FZ6S, a real ****bag of a job because I had to split the compressor and horn and mount them in two different places. Sure she needs a loud horn, because her riding style puts her in the wrong position in relation to other traffic at just about every opportunity, and they don't know she's there until she hits the hooter.

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

In cases like that, I would always take a print of the web page as well as print it to file on your pc

that way if the web page description, which clearly is advertising Fiamm Horns, suddenly and mysteriously adds the word Style to the description, you can show the descriptions to all concerned

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Sorry, you're no doubt a much more experienced rider than myself, but I really don't agree with this. I know some riders vastly more experienced than me (and quite likely, yourself), including police class one riders who use their horn. I can understand you might think I'm using poor positioning and this is resulting in my needing to use the horn, but this isn't the case. I see you're in Bedfordshire, do you ride in London very often? Do you not use your horn there? What about when you're filtering and someone in a car could easily move forwards 2 foot and let you by, how do you get their attention?

Only 3 days ago, I needed to use my horn. A car coming the other way in a queue of traffic flashed a car from a side road out into my path. Fortunately I reacted as soon as the oncoming car flashed and started braking. I wasn't speeding and I managed to stop in time, with about 8 foot to spare. I was already in the best position (close to the kerb) even before the oncoming car flashed. The car was flashing out a van (which I had only just been able to see down the edge of a lorry and he certainly hadn't seen me). I sounded my horn and the van fortunately stopped only half way into my lane (so I probably could have gotten by okay). As it was, I managed to stop in time, but sounding the horn provided an extra level of safety.

The reason I want a louder horn is that at motorway speeds (and consequently car drivers are listening to the stereo loud, wind noise is masking the horn, etc.) on occassion, car/van drivers seem to have taken an unusually long time to notice the horn, even when it's a continuous blast. Twice I've had cars try to pull sidewards into my lane when I've been alongside and it has taken about 3 seconds for them to clock the horn.

Out of interest, do you have a loud exhaust on your bike? I have a (v. quiet)stock one on mine. I wonder if a louder exhaust somewhat negates the need to use the horn?

Re: FIAMM Horn question
 

Good thinking, done.