Marine Radios
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 223
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From: ILLINOIS
Marine Radios
I am installing a radio in my 07 FLHTP-I , my question is are Marine radio's necessary or will a regular one do as long as I have some type of weather proof cover over the face plate?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,893
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From: USA
I have chose a marine unit. I have thought of all the obvious reasons for doing so, in a harsh environment when driving though a rain storm or parking in one. Have a garage, and its cool, damp and dark most the times, not good for anything with bare metal (have learned to hate chrome). Would be another toxic combination for a standard auto unit that just sits in a dash and gets dried out as all crazy from the window being a green house!
My unit has additional conformal coating on ckt boards and its a good unit, I keep a front cover over its operating panel. On of those up down door deals. It appears to work well, and the back side (interior of fairing) I have devised a water barrier to keep dripping water off the stereo equipment / speakers / XM modules with a piece of neoprene rubber. Its also set up in a manner that it allows cooling for the components as well as water protection. Sorry for no pictures of the set up inside the fairing.
But back to your question, IMHO .... Yes, a marine unit is in order. I'm running a Sony CDX-F50M. Only draw back with mine is the volume control is a bit a PITA to use with gloves on since its a round ****.
Good luck with your choice.
My unit has additional conformal coating on ckt boards and its a good unit, I keep a front cover over its operating panel. On of those up down door deals. It appears to work well, and the back side (interior of fairing) I have devised a water barrier to keep dripping water off the stereo equipment / speakers / XM modules with a piece of neoprene rubber. Its also set up in a manner that it allows cooling for the components as well as water protection. Sorry for no pictures of the set up inside the fairing.
But back to your question, IMHO .... Yes, a marine unit is in order. I'm running a Sony CDX-F50M. Only draw back with mine is the volume control is a bit a PITA to use with gloves on since its a round ****.
Good luck with your choice.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,830
Likes: 8
From: Retired and living in the mountains of NE PA
I don't believe they're absolutely necessary, but, having said that, I purchased and use a marine unit on my Electra Glide.
Ram: Get a Biketronics control module and you'll never have to worry about that round volume control **** again!
Ram: Get a Biketronics control module and you'll never have to worry about that round volume control **** again!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,449
Likes: 46
From: Roswell, GA
No, you don't need a marine headunit. I've used a non-marine Sony headunit for 3 years and it's been drenched while parked more times than I care to remember and hasn't missed a beat.
A true marine unit won't fit in the space provided, and it will have sealed controls, etc. The ones with the circuit board coating don't provide any water protection for the front of the headunit. The biketronics installation kit I purchased included an adhesive cover for the headunit to prevent water dripping into the headunit.
If you can get one with the coating in black, why not? When I researched this 3 years ago, the colors offered were white and gray which I passed on because I wanted black to match the inner fairing.
+1 on the Biketronics control switches. Personally, I consider the hand controls of the headunit a safety feature because I don't have to look at the headunit or take my hands off the handlebars while riding to change mode, stations, volume, etc.
Owners of EG Standards who add a headunit have exactly the same issues we do with police models, except for the handlebar controls issue.
Give biketronics a call and see what he has to say about the necessity/desirability of a "marine" headunit. You may want to order their installation kit in any event.
Good luck with your research and choice.
A true marine unit won't fit in the space provided, and it will have sealed controls, etc. The ones with the circuit board coating don't provide any water protection for the front of the headunit. The biketronics installation kit I purchased included an adhesive cover for the headunit to prevent water dripping into the headunit.
If you can get one with the coating in black, why not? When I researched this 3 years ago, the colors offered were white and gray which I passed on because I wanted black to match the inner fairing.
+1 on the Biketronics control switches. Personally, I consider the hand controls of the headunit a safety feature because I don't have to look at the headunit or take my hands off the handlebars while riding to change mode, stations, volume, etc.
Owners of EG Standards who add a headunit have exactly the same issues we do with police models, except for the handlebar controls issue.
Give biketronics a call and see what he has to say about the necessity/desirability of a "marine" headunit. You may want to order their installation kit in any event.
Good luck with your research and choice.
Last edited by Harleypingman; Mar 15, 2009 at 08:39 AM.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 653
Likes: 1
From: Outer Banks of Insanity, IL
I went with a normal head unit on mine. Many have posted on other threads about this question. Unless your going thru a car wash or constantly getting sprayed, a marine unit is not necessary, but that's your choice. Think about the fairing as your riding in rain, it is blocking most of the spray anyway.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: Niagara Frontier, NY
I added a regular Sony GT520 from Biketronics. I got caught in two downpours, once using the protective cover and once without, plus a couple of light rain days and haven't had any problems. I don't spray water on the inner fairing when I wash it either.
-Bill-
-Bill-
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Los Altos, CA/ Sonora, CA
My boyfriend just installed a marine grade sony (CDX M50IP) into my 07 streetglide....We used the hawg-wired adapter so I could use the bike contols.
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Hawg wired's cradle is the best install out there medic, very very well engineered sp? You can not go wrong with it. As far as a marine unit, your stock harley radio is not a marine unit, you can install anything you like, I have not been able to make a kenwood or pioneer unit quit after punishing them the way I do, which I promise no one will do to audio components what I do, to see if they will last.