When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a Biketronics kit in my 09 FLHT. Was working great but when I got the bike back from the shop last week the clock was reset. Figured that they either unplugged it or disconnected the battery so I didn't think much about it. A week went by and I went to turn on some tunes and the stereo is unresponsive. Now the handlebar controls will turn the radio on, switch between sources (CD, tuner, USB), skip/rewind songs, and adjust the volume, but the face-plate of the radio will not work at all except the "off" button. I have tried everything (disconnected the stereo and reconnected it, disconnected the negative battery wire for 15 minutes, pushed the reset button), but nothing works. I asked the co-owner of the shop that worked on my bike but he said they didn't touch the radio. Was gonna call BT in the morning but thought someone here may have encountered this before. The head-unit is Sony CDX-640UI.
I had almost the same thing happen to my sony marine radio,while washing with splashcover on and being careful not to soak fairing I got a few drops of water in side cover and it shorted detachable face.
Did you figure anything out? I have exactly the same problem after I changed to a different satellite antena. I didn't bother testing the setup since it was only an antena exchange. However, I did wash the bike after I put everything back together. I'm wondering if I got some water in the face? Supposed to be a marine radio - wtf?
If you can't even get a "few drops" of water on your stereo what good is it? My HK may not be top of the line, but I've ridden in some downright thunderstorms and have never had a problem (yet).
iam now on my second radio from Biketronics and having the same problems with it. Both radios would work great for a while then start to act up. None of the controls work right, i cannot shut the radio off, hates water, blah blah blah. I have called Biketronics and they are helpful but never really addressed the problem to resolution. As far as getting wet, if they sell a radio for a bike, marine or therwise, it should be able to withstand water. I have given up on the tunes. If it works it works, if not, oh well.
I don't know which radios you have that have problems, but I had a Biketronics/Sony set-up on my bike for 4+ years without any problems and the bike got drenched in heavy rains while parked more times than I can remember.
As for the DIN-size "marine" head units, the only thing different about them is a coated circuit board--the faceplates are the same as non-marine versions--at least those from most vendors.
The only maintenance I did on my Sony head unit was to occassionally wipe the contacts on the unit and faceplate with a Q-tip dipped in alcohol.
I have a BT/Sony setup and the only issue I have had is the radio constantly runs through its setup program while I am riding. Doesn't affect the function one bit, just will switch from bass-treb-front-back-ect. BT checked my module out 2 winters ago and said it had to be an issue with the controls on the bike. I just don't worry about it anymore. Bryan
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.