My HD radio has become just that, just a radio. Which means that while riding out in the country and I can rarely find a radio station that's worth a flip. I want to stick a new stereo in that slot with a connector for MP3, which is pretty much every radio on the market right now.

Question, will any single din radio fit in the slot? Can I use the weather cover that's on the current radio to cover a new unit? Do I really need a marine, weather proof radio or can I use any car stereo?

Money is tight right now so, I'm hoping that I can run to Walmart and get something well under $100.00 bucks. I had a radio on a goldwing back in the day and it was a 40 watt and did quite nice. I suspect I can get quite a bit more wattage than that for well under 100 bucks. After the first of the year I will probably be able to spend more on a stereo. Good enough is good enough in my book. This bike is for riding, not showing. I mainly want FM and a plug for an MP3 patch cord. I don't need or want much else in a stereo.

 

I don't know what year you have. I had any 89 took the old radio out put a Sony in around 179 bucks. But pretty sure any din unit would work. I was able to use over. What I did for the wiring was looked at the schematic for your then the schematic for the radio splice in make It work. Might have to use a longer bolt to hold on the cross bracket. (Again this was 89) only down side is the controls on the handle bars won't work. Wasn't a problem for me. And you can find Amal flash drive to store music on it to play. I recommend to upgrade speaker well in the fairing too. Just my .02 cents


Mine wasn't a marine quality radio either.

 

Advanced auto parts has a decent radio for forty dollars. It ain't gonna be a glove like fit but it will work.

 

What year and model is your bike?

Have you thought about just using an MP3 player or even your cell phone with headphones?

Personally, I don't listen to music while riding because I am listening for approaching danger or for sounds of mechanical failure. Besides, my exhausts sounds pretty sweet.

 

Not sure year of your bike but i have a cassette deck in mine, just bought one of the cassette adapters that has the wire off it to plug into my phone. Remember that ****? Olden days!

 

I installed and mp3 amp on my bike and hooked it up to the fairing speakers with out a radio. The downside is that I have to use the volume control on the player. I installed it behind the fairing and just have the wire coming through the empty radio box and fairing bag (flht). You can get an inline volume control, but I didn't like the way it mounted to the handlebar.

 

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.

 

Depending on your fairing, you may have to do some cutting of the metal plate or not. 86's have a metal plate that the old **** style radios fit into. I had to cut that out to fit in a regular single DIN radio. Dunno about 88's. But besides that, yeah, go for it.

 

That's what I would have said, it takes all of my attention just to ride.....

 

Ex. stereo installer from back in the day.
I still think the din opening is standardised and any din unit will fit .
If your looking to get by until a later time and reception is your only current problem with the original unit , i will suggest these procedures...
Check for a good ground at the antenna mount point as corrosion occurs there.
Check were the ant. cable connects to the back of the radio and look for corrosion .
Last check is to use a multimeter to test the ant. cabel for ground continuity , ant. to plug in continuity and short in cable.
If this helps you should have original reception .