Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

XM Antennae Location

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 12:34 PM
  #1  
gvrider's Avatar
gvrider
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Default XM Antennae Location

This post is directed to those who have the H-D XM module connected to the H-D Harmon Karmon sound system.

For those of you who got bad reception with the antennae mounted on top of the radio unit inside the fairing, and relocated it outside of the fairing, did that improve the signal? Where did you place the antennae?

If anyone has any pictures of the antennae in its new location, please post. I am considering relocating my XM antennae outside the fairing, because of the bad signal, but am concerned with how it may look.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jim
 
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 12:48 PM
  #2  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

On my evo, I had the antenna mounted on the tourpak.

worked great, even with a soft bag full of clothes on top of it.

see if your poor reception is related to position, such as riding North, where your body may block the signal from the satellite.

I eventually moved the antenna to the top of the radio ( when i swapped to a newer system) and it continued to work fine there...


Mike
 

Last edited by mkguitar; Jun 6, 2012 at 12:51 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 01:20 PM
  #3  
camsmith's Avatar
camsmith
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 733
Likes: 8
From: Georgia
Default

Yes it helped 100% moving it outside the fairing. I made a tiny notch for the wire and mounted it behind my black windscreen on top of Hog tunes tweeter pod (also black). Almost always has three bars now and not really noticeable with everything being black.
 

Last edited by camsmith; Jun 7, 2012 at 06:28 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 01:20 PM
  #4  
Texas Fat Boy's Avatar
Texas Fat Boy
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
Default

I never had much trouble with the antenna mounted inside the fairing on either my 2008 or my 2009 Street Glides.
There is a bracket that goes on the left side, above the cigarette lighter (not on top of the radio).

But when I transfered it over to the 2012 Screamin Eagle Street Glide in was unusable.
So I mounted it outside in between the windshield bags. It now works better than ever before.

You can't see it, unless you are looking for it.





 

Last edited by Texas Fat Boy; Jun 6, 2012 at 01:22 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 02:01 PM
  #5  
gvrider's Avatar
gvrider
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Default

Originally Posted by mkguitar
On my evo, I had the antenna mounted on the tourpak.

worked great, even with a soft bag full of clothes on top of it.

see if your poor reception is related to position, such as riding North, where your body may block the signal from the satellite.

I eventually moved the antenna to the top of the radio ( when i swapped to a newer system) and it continued to work fine there...


Mike
Thanks Mike.
I had mine installed last Friday and during the ride with the HOG chapter over the weekend it was showing "No Signal" most of the time heading in a NW direction. Very frustrating.
 
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 02:01 PM
  #6  
gvrider's Avatar
gvrider
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Default

Originally Posted by camsmith
Yes it helped 100% moving it outside the fairing. I made a tiny notch for the wire and mounted it behind my black windscreen on top of Hog tunes tweeter pod (also black). Almost always has three bars now and not really noticeable with everything being black.
Good feedback. Thanks.
 
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 02:06 PM
  #7  
gvrider's Avatar
gvrider
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Default

Originally Posted by Texas Fat Boy
I never had much trouble with the antenna mounted inside the fairing on either my 2008 or my 2009 Street Glides.
There is a bracket that goes on the left side, above the cigarette lighter (not on top of the radio).

But when I transfered it over to the 2012 Screamin Eagle Street Glide in was unusable.
So I mounted it outside in between the windshield bags. It now works better than ever before.

You can't see it, unless you are looking for it.





Thanks Texas Fat Boy. That looks great! I can barely even see it. I wouldn't have thought about mounting it there, but I think that is where I want it mounted.
That antennae really doesn't look bad at all. That is the one that came with the H-D XM Module?
So, your coverage is good with it located there?
 
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 02:14 PM
  #8  
Texas Fat Boy's Avatar
Texas Fat Boy
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
Default

Originally Posted by gvrider
Thanks Texas Fat Boy. That looks great! I can barely even see it. I wouldn't have thought about mounting it there, but I think that is where I want it mounted.
That antennae really doesn't look bad at all. That is the one that came with the H-D XM Module?
So, your coverage is good with it located there?
Yes that's the antenna that came with the HD-unit for the HK radio.

I bought a bigger antenna at Radio Shack before I moved my original one outside the fairing, but I could never get a signal on the HK headunit that it was hooked up. So I put the original small one back on and moved it outside the fairing and it works great now.

The antenna is magnetic on the bottom and the cross piece the bags are mounted to is metal. So it sits there perfect.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 04:00 PM
  #9  
JJHOG's Avatar
JJHOG
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh
Default

If you have the metal windshield trim piece and you try to mount your XM antenna on top of the radio towards the front so that the antenna was underneath the metal trim then chances are that trim piece interferred with your reception.

I have the metal trim but mounted my antenna on the radio but as close to the back of the radio as possible and I've not had any reception problems.
 
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 04:06 PM
  #10  
gvrider's Avatar
gvrider
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Default

Originally Posted by JJHOG
If you have the metal windshield trim piece and you try to mount your XM antenna on top of the radio towards the front so that the antenna was underneath the metal trim then chances are that trim piece interferred with your reception.

I have the metal trim but mounted my antenna on the radio but as close to the back of the radio as possible and I've not had any reception problems.
Thanks JJ. The H-D tech had said H-D Techline told him that could be the case, and they recommended I take it off. My reaction to that was not favorable, because I paid a lot of money for that lighted piece and I am not going to remove it. They should mount it somewhere that piece doesn't cause interference.

I have decided to mount it outside the fairing. I don't think it will look bad, and I will get the best signal by doing this. Perhaps I shouldn't be so picky, but when I pay good money for something I want it to work correctly.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:34 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE