replace HD radio
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
replace HD radio
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.
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.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Vine Grove KY
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.
Mine wasn't a marine quality radio either.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,857
Likes: 17,908
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
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.
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.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,125
Likes: 1,753
From: In The Woods, PA
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.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
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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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
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.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,426
Likes: 3,554
From: Texas
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.
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.
That's what I would have said, it takes all of my attention just to ride.....
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
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.
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 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 .