replace HD radio
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Vine Grove KY
Sorry, I have a 1988 FLHTC. The speakers still sound quite good. The AM/FM works for the most part. The reception isn't great so out in the country I usually don't have any good choices. My wife has a 300 watt stereo on her bike that's AM/FM and MP3 on a thumb drive. That really works well with plenty of volume and it was under $100.00 bucks. But, I can't imagine any realistic way to make that work on my bike. I was looking at stereos at Wallyworld and I think I could get a great stereo and new speakers for a shade over $100.00 bucks. I'd like to get it all done before the 11th of October as I have a big ride that day and would enjoy the tunes.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
Last edited by falconbrother; Sep 30, 2014 at 10:10 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Vine Grove KY
I went by Auto Zone on the way to a meeting and their 50 dollar stereo was on sale for 40. It looks perfect. It's a 200 watt radio and digital media including thumb drive, SD card and media connector but, no CD player which I wouldn't need anyway. I also bought two new 4 inch speakers. The whole thing was $72 bucks. I'll start on it tomorrow. My plan is to fill up an SD card, which I already have, with great jams and just leave it in the stereo. If I can figure a way to add two more speakers it's wired for that. I have seen the two rear speaker boxes for Ultras on sale and they are not terribly expensive. They mount to the tour pack, but you already knew that.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,202
Likes: 3,089
From: NW AR
A CD player is useless on a Harley anyway. I have not heard of one that will play when the motor is running.
Play with the demo. Make sure the buttons are actually FM radio presets. I once bought a cheap radio/CD/MP3 player. The buttons looked like a preset but didn't work as one. The MP3 section was fantastic. It would play anything. The AM/FM portion was the worst radio I have ever used. Worse than a $20 radio from the 70's. They used the $0.05 radio on a chip instead of the $0.50 radio on a chip and basically created a brick.
Play with the demo. Make sure the buttons are actually FM radio presets. I once bought a cheap radio/CD/MP3 player. The buttons looked like a preset but didn't work as one. The MP3 section was fantastic. It would play anything. The AM/FM portion was the worst radio I have ever used. Worse than a $20 radio from the 70's. They used the $0.05 radio on a chip instead of the $0.50 radio on a chip and basically created a brick.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 115
From: Boston, MA
I went by Auto Zone on the way to a meeting and their 50 dollar stereo was on sale for 40. It looks perfect. It's a 200 watt radio and digital media including thumb drive, SD card and media connector but, no CD player which I wouldn't need anyway. I also bought two new 4 inch speakers. The whole thing was $72 bucks. I'll start on it tomorrow. My plan is to fill up an SD card, which I already have, with great jams and just leave it in the stereo. If I can figure a way to add two more speakers it's wired for that. I have seen the two rear speaker boxes for Ultras on sale and they are not terribly expensive. They mount to the tour pack, but you already knew that.
That is the exact radio I bought for my son's ride. The only complaint I had is that there wasn't a way I could figure out how to leave the clock on the screen.you press the button and it tells the time for like 5 seconds and then goes back to the radio station. The thing is loud to boot.
Tom
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
Got the stereo installed. It sounds amazing. The original HD speakers are still in the fairing and they sound great so, I might take the speakers I bought back. I really was unaware that the sound could be so crisp and nice. Tomorrow I'll turn the volume way up and make sure those speakers are still good before I decide for sure. It looks like switching the speakers out is a piece of cake. I did have to find a longer screw for the back but, I already had the perfect screw and I found it in all my misc crap in a few seconds. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I would also mention that over time I have fallen out of love with the volume and channel switches on the handlebars. On my old 1983 GoldWing I didn't have that. I actually prefer doing everything right on the radio. I get more distracted trying to twist my hands around to use the switches on the handlebars. I won't miss that part at all.
And, while I was in there I replaced the bulbs in my instrument cluster.
I would also mention that over time I have fallen out of love with the volume and channel switches on the handlebars. On my old 1983 GoldWing I didn't have that. I actually prefer doing everything right on the radio. I get more distracted trying to twist my hands around to use the switches on the handlebars. I won't miss that part at all.
And, while I was in there I replaced the bulbs in my instrument cluster.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,590
Likes: 444
From: Ohio
Be careful cranking that thing up. If you hear any distortion, stop. It may sound like bad speakers (OEM speakers are crap), but it could be the amp and you will fry it. I'd go ahead and put the new speakers in first.
Road Master
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 827
Likes: 59
From: Canada
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
I'll take a picture tomorrow in daylight. My phone camera (Android) is garbage in low light. I kept the rubber seal that was around the original radio. The new one is slightly smaller. It went into the single din hole very easy, in fact, a little loose. I wrapped a little electrical tape around it, not very much, and it fit nice and snug, perfect in my book. The new radio is a little shorter and way lighter. As someone else suggested, I did need a slightly longer screw from the brace behind the radio to the back of the radio. I put just a dab of blue locktite on the threads. That radio doesn't move a bit. I cut the two plugs I needed off of the old radio and soldered in the new harness so the new radio just plugs in to the old harness. I didn't need the biggest connector which is for the handlebar controls.
If I decide to install the new speakers that looks like it will be easy. I saw three phillips head screws. The connectors will plug right on to the new speakers. It's a less than one beer job.
There was nothing hard about installing a new stereo in the HD fairing in the existing hole. It was really very simple and I really didn't need the schematic from my shop manual at all. The HD radio has three connectors, a wire from the speedo and the antenna. The power is red, black and yellow. Very easy to figure that out. Right speaker is red solid and white red stripe, left is same but orange. That's the whole deal.
Having the SD card option is awesome in my book. I love that part. I loaded it up with late 1960's to early 1970's music.
If I decide to install the new speakers that looks like it will be easy. I saw three phillips head screws. The connectors will plug right on to the new speakers. It's a less than one beer job.
There was nothing hard about installing a new stereo in the HD fairing in the existing hole. It was really very simple and I really didn't need the schematic from my shop manual at all. The HD radio has three connectors, a wire from the speedo and the antenna. The power is red, black and yellow. Very easy to figure that out. Right speaker is red solid and white red stripe, left is same but orange. That's the whole deal.
Having the SD card option is awesome in my book. I love that part. I loaded it up with late 1960's to early 1970's music.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
I get that the image quality here ain't great. But, it's a camera phone and a work light. Cant do nuthin with a redneck.
Here's the old girl last weekend down near the coast on a PGR mission. Covered several hundred miles this day. I love this old Harley.
This is a picture I took yesterday that shows the back of the instrument cluster. Replacing bulbs is extremely easy once you get to the back of the cluster.
Last edited by falconbrother; Oct 2, 2014 at 10:22 PM.