Satellite radio install

[702scottc]

I'm considering purchasing a satellite radio kit, any recommendations on what to buy and how to install it would be appreciated.

[waituntilthebeep]

I can't give you an exact answer as my bike came with the sat gear installed factory. Obviously a mobile kit is the way to go but you have to consider keeping it out of the rain. I know there are kits to keep a standard control head dry. I found a couple on amazon....
https://www.amazon.com/SIRIUS-Satellite ... ingdocs-20

You can also get a marine setup from Sirius as well but it is way clunky visually. One of the issues you have to tackle is to put the antenna on a ground plane plate so it gets good reception. The stock systems have them under the antennas for sat radio and GPS and they are tucked inside the dash panel assy. I believe there is an article on here about externalizing tghe stock antennas and that covers ground plane plates?maybe?

I assume that you have the aux mic plug in the left side fairing pocket? That would be your audio in and you'd have to wire in an aux power circuit for the audio head. None of it is really a plug and play option but it's not terribly complicated.

Find This Item on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052RTDZE?tag=goldwingdocs-20

[Wayne]

The best advice I can give is to purchase a Sirius receiver. Even thou SiriusXM is one company they use different satellites for the two services. The Sirius Satellites are orbiting in a figure 8 pastern in the northern hemisphere and the XM is geostationary in the southwest. Another problem is that since they merged the aftermarket receivers are all made by Audiovox and durability is not as good as they were previously. Sierra sold and installed several hundred of the Sirius units when they were offered by Clarion, Directed, and others. Once the two merged and the durability and warranty of the units for motorcycle use became less than what Sierra wanted to offer customers so the sale and installation was stopped.

[Snowmoer]

Here is what I did with my 1500. You could do the same with your 1800. Make sure the radio cradle has an Aux. out. You can then run a Aux. wire from the cradle down the handle bar and into the bike radio Aux. input in the left pocket. Or, you can do with I did and get the FM modulator from XM and run the signal through the Antenna jack.

Here is a store that I used to get parts when I put my system together over 10 years ago. http://store.xmfanstore.com/index.html Look under the motorcycle parts and they have a motorcycle kit with radio.

You can also look at yard sales and thrift shops. I have found a few of the Sky fy II radios real cheep. The one in my photo is 12 years old and has traveled between my bike and work truck over 100K miles. I have a water proof cover that I put on when it rains.

[WingAdmin]

The SkyFi is a great bike radio, because it has a sunlight-readable LCD, that is also lit up at night. It also has buttons that are separate from one another, easier to work with gloves on. I too have a waterproof cover for my satellite radio, it is a ziploc bag and an elastic band!

[raven41951]

Consider where you will be riding. If you have a good cell signal in most of your riding area, consider adding internet access. I use my cell pone (iPhone6) with the Siriusxm app and have good (not great) reception for virtually all of my local riding area. I also have 18+ hours of music on the phone so I have tunes when there is no satellite reception. The iPhone is either in my pocket or the front left storage pocket where there is power and an aux input cable to the sound system. Works for me 99% of the time, so far.

[NKYWinger]

I used an XM Roady II; never had an issue with fading in and out.... I have it in a RAM mount on the right handlebar.

[702scottc]

You all have given me some good ideas and advice, thank you. I'll just stick with internet radio on my phone for now.