just grab a cheapie at the local autoparts store and rig a pushbutton to it. as long as its in range of your thumb it'll pass (you can tape it there for the test ugly but effective)
direct power from the battery would make em work if they were good.

 

Nope, you tested them right...they failed.:mrgreen:

 

so the horns are 12v DC and I can run right from the battery to the switch to get past the riding test for my license? I'm wondering now if the horns are bad but there is still power to the switch....

 

Check your wiring at the horns with a multi-meter... when you push the horn button, you should get 12V+ across the two wires that connect to the horn(s). If you do... then just swap them out with $6 cheap-o's like RustDeamon suggested. As long as you're not upgrading to an air-horn or something that draws a lot of power (AND you're getting power to the horns) with your stock wiring... there is no reason why you can't just swap out for working units.

Tracing the wiring for your horns (if you don't get 12V on the test) can be a bit cryptic on these bikes... just look at the wiring diagram The green/white striped wire is your "hot" wire for the horn, and it DOES have a separate fuse which is just for the horn... might check that while you're at it, as well as check for corroded connections or grounds?

 

so in theory I should be able to start the bike and use a multimeter and touch both of the copper contacts inside the horn switch and I should have 12v DC measured there.

 

The easiest place to test would be the two leads at the horns. Turn bike on, touch meter probes to the two wire ends going to the horns and push horn button. Should be battery voltage.

 

Thats only easy if I had three hands. I can't hold both probes and hit the horn button at the same time. I can easily use the probes in the switch since the plastic button is missing and touch both contacts that the plastic button would press down to make them contact each other.

 

Ok, I managed to test the wires at the horn end and they are reading voltage there. So now I am on the hunt for decent sounding, inexpensive replacements.

 

just a quick suggestion, if you haven't already replaced the horn. There is a small phillips head screw on the back of the horn, turn the key on and find a way to push the horn button and give that screw a turn in either direction then the other, usually, that fixes the horns. Just a quick, free idea.

 

I'm pretty sure these horns (on the '84 and '85) don't have the adjustment screw.

According to the Honda Service Manual and my Clymers...

"To test the horn, connect a 12V battery to the two pins on the horn. If the horn sounds, it is good, if not, replace it."​

 

You can also test them with a 9V battery. If they are good, you won't get a blaring horn honk, but you'll get a buzz. If they're bad, you won't even get a spark.

Alligator clips are a great addition to your toolkit.