Antenna

[novatz]

My 2010 wing did not have a NAV system. I added my own XM radio and GPS.

Have a skeeter beater on the garage door and the antenna hit the top when entering or exiting. Wound up snipping about 6 inches off the top to avoid.

My 2015 wing has the complete NAV system. Hitting the door with the antenna again.

Question - what will happen if I snip off that six inches? Where is the XM antenna located? Will I negatively effect the XM or the GPS? Not really worried about anything else.

Thanks in advance.

[Viking]

Pretty sure your antenna is for AM/FM radio. The XM Antenna is in/under the dash of the bike, and the NAV is incorporated into the unit. This is my understanding at least. Anyone with more knowledge, please chip in. If you have a CB radio, I would not be snipping that antenna, as a CB is also a transmitter and you would throw your adjustment off pretty badly, possibly to the point of frying some transmit chips.

[joeincalif]

How about just reaching back and lower the antenna before you enter the garage? Or maybe just replace them with a smaller rubber antenna.

[GoldWingrGreg]

Where is the XM antenna located? Will I negatively effect the XM or the GPS? Not really worried about anything else.

Thanks in advance.

Your XM antenna sits on the underside of the visor. The visor is the black piece between the meter panel and the windscreen. The antennas that point upwards attached to your trunk are for CB (left one) and radio (right one). If you chop those off, your CB and radio receptions will be affected.

[novatz]

Done. Snipped a couple of months ago and put an electrical connection on the end just for kicks. No problems.

[kwthom]

The plastic tip is to mitigate the puncture hazard and has no effect on static build up.

A metal tip on the end of an antenna actually has a purpose - static dissipation. The air traveling across the ball is at a slightly different speed than the rest of the antenna and that difference of static potential causes the static charge to flow toward the ball where it is dissipated into the airflow. This typically happens at speeds greater than 40MPH or so - all depends on air humidity and temperature.

[wing rider 2012]

The plastic tip is to mitigate the puncture hazard and has no effect on static build up.

A metal tip on the end of an antenna actually has a purpose - static dissipation. The air traveling across the ball is at a slightly different speed than the rest of the antenna and that difference of static potential causes the static charge to flow toward the ball where it is dissipated into the airflow. This typically happens at speeds greater than 40MPH or so - all depends on air humidity and temperature.

Correct, they're called "corona balls" and they serve a purpose, they prevent the corona discharge at the tip of the antenna.

[tamathumper]

Photo of an actual* Goldwing antenna at 40 mph, at night.

*actual in the sense that this is an act u all fell for...