Over the holidays, I purchased and installed the SONY XAV-AX5000 PLUG & PLAY BUNDLE W/ METRA 95-HDIF INNER FAIRING | '99 - '13 from FatHead Cycles.

Here is a link to the page

https://fatheadcycles.com/collection...13450437230634

I am not affiliated with the company nor do I have any bias either way. Just thought I would post my thoughts as this is an expensive upgrade that may have some of you on the fence as to whether to buy it or not.

I am in Ontario Canada, and ordered the above kit from FatHead Cycles. The payment transaction was simple, and the kit was shipped the next business day. It arrived on my doorstep 4 days later. Not bad in my opinion.

There are installation videos on FatHead's site as well as a couple YouTube videos as well. I did some research before I started to be as prepared as possible.

I purchased the unpainted version of the fairing because I wanted the "Factory look" after installation. The fairing came as ordered Unpainted. Here is where it gets tricky.

The 'Raw' plastic of the fairing is black, with a semi-sheen to it. It is shinier than the factory fairing and the 'shine' is very uneven. This is not a defect, but just a characteristic of the plastic itself. I decided that I would not be happy with that look, and painted the Inner Fairing with Marhyde Black Satin Paint. It now matches the ignition Switch panel perfectly.

You can leave the plastic Raw and Unpainted if you like, but I am not sure how well it would hold up from the UV Rays. The Black Satin paint will prevent premature fading.

Before you paint the part, clean in thoroughly (Twice) with soap and water, then follow with a wipe down with Rubbing Alcohol. Next, sand the surface with Grey ScotchBrite, Clean again with alcohol. Prep/Prime surface with Plastic Adhesion Promoter. 2 Light coats. Follow immediately (after 10 min flash time) with 3-4 coats (med/light) of Black Satin.

I should add, before prepping for paint, I checked the part for fitment of the gauges and removed any plastic flash that was bothering me.

The Fairing installed as advertised. I purchased two new rubber seal strips from my local Harley Dealership (5 bucks each) to complete the installation.

The wiring plugged in perfectly, and the Handlebar Stereo Controls work fine (Vol +, Vol -, Mode, Mode+, Mode-).

Just a side note, the Inner Fairing is built for 6.5" front speakers, so the Factory Fairing speakers will not work......Aww damn....Lol.

I have tested everything in my garage, but have not been on a ride yet......winter ya know....I will post more as soon as I ride.

 

good review, but what about pictures?

 

Some pics as requested!

Before, After, during sanding etc...

 

looks great. for a batwing... (lol, j/k)

 

Thanks for posting the pics. I had thought about going that route one day but I don't like the hump at the top of this unit. I have the three pouches along the top of the inner fairing and use them a lot. I figured that raised part would do away with them. Also I get caught in the rain a lot. Have you addressed water resistance in any way?

 

Thanks for the info. I bought mine on Black Friday but haven’t installed yet. Did you have any fitment issues with the inner fairing? I’ve heard that can be challenging but curious if you had that issue? Getting my bike painted soon so I’m waiting til disassembly to address it. Thanks again for the info, looks great! Like the radio?

 

I must admit, I am not a fan of the hump either, although, I totally understand why it has to be there. As far as water resistance, FatHead Cycles installs a membrane type material over the top of the stereo incase any water drips down from the windshield area. I have not had a chance to test out the water resistance though.

 

i did not have any fitment issues with the inner fairing, but it is a fairly big job removing it. It is quite doable, just take your time and take lots of reference photos so that you know where everything goes when it comes time to reassemble.

I have not ridden the bike yet (Winter...Lol), but the radio gets good reviews, and seems to do exactly what i require. I really like Apple CarPlay. One downside to the radio is that you can not change the background image (or wallpaper) to a custom one and must use the ones that come with the stereo.

 

Glad to hear about fitment. I’ve swapped out the inner fairing before, so I know what you’re talking about lol. As for radio background, ask around in the Audio section, I bet someone there knows how to do a custom background. Or ask Fathead. I’m sure they’ve been asked that before. Thanks for the info!

 

Trying to get a hold of op. I'm in Ontario, thinking of installing this kit on my bike. Wondering how close you are and if I can see it installed in person. I need to know if it looks better in person than in pictures. Because I don't love the layout.