• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

That $#$%&!!! XM Radio antenna cord!

B

BobFV1

Guest
I guess it's good that XM gives you lots of extra cord with the antenna, but 23 feet! What do you do with all that cord on a motorcycle? Can you cut and solder-splice the cord, or use an inline crimp connector? I'm not sure if it's some special space-satellite wire or just plain old wire. Does anyone know of an after-market antenna for the Roady2 which can address this surplus-wire issue?

Thanks!
 
I know what you mean. I wrapped most of the wire up & zip tied it to a bundle of wires under the gas tank of the GS. I am sure they are allowing enough wire to accommodate installation into a car.
 
BobFV1 said:
Can you cut and solder-splice the cord, or use an inline crimp connector?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Do NOT cut the wire. DAMHIK, but it doesn't work afterward. One of the guys at the office explained it to me, but basically it has to do with wavelength of the signal, reflections, tuned antenna... blah blah blah ... eyes glaze over and well I just know now, don't do it. Really. Also try to avoid really tight turns on the wire, you don't want to break it. :thumb
 
Coiled up and tie wrapped:
15344583-M.jpg
 
If you're a very careful soldering sort of guy, the antenna itself can be dismantled and the shortened cable soldered back on to it. DO NOT interrupt the integrity of the cable (cut/splice) - but shorten it at one end all you want.

Sean Daly does it. Check the RT forums.
 
Coiled

Sean Franklin of CycleGadgets.com installed my Roady with a Hoon mount atop the brake fluid reservoir He coiled the antenna wire and secured it with a piece of double-sided Velcro, stuck to a piece of Velcro hook material on the underside of the mount.
Thanks for the tip about not cutting the wire. I'd been thinking about it.

:thumb
 
IndyGT said:
Sean Franklin of CycleGadgets.com installed my Roady with a Hoon mount atop the brake fluid reservoir He coiled the antenna wire and secured it with a piece of double-sided Velcro, stuck to a piece of Velcro hook material on the underside of the mount.
Thanks for the tip about not cutting the wire. I'd been thinking about it.

:thumb
Click to expand...

Indy - Thanks for the info - I did my own installation using the Hoon mount on the brake reservoir and my AutoCom in the glove box, and I used the cheesy little velcro they supplied to secure the wire bundle to the bottom of the antenna platform which is integral to the mount. The darn weight of the 23 feet of *^&#(_*&@#!!! antenna wire makes the thing come off all the time, so I am going to have to go to a more high-tech solution to retain the wire, like one of my teen-aged daughter's pony tail scrunchies!

I think I may take the tupperware off this weekend and run all that XM antenna wire around and around until it isn't in the way any more. Who knows, maybe I will turn my gas tank in to an armature and generate a DC field.......
 
Visian said:
Dude! Could you come down to Atlanta and wire my bikes? I purely suck at doing stuff like this.

I'll pay!!! :)

Ian
Click to expand...

I work for beer - but only in my garage here in AZ! Hey - what is that a picture of, is it some kind of tank bag with RAM mounts?
 
Please explain

Good grief! What is all that stuff in the tankbag? Please explain what we're seeing here.
 
Top center is the fuse block. Below that is the power thingie for the Valentine One. On the left hand side is the audio control for the V1. Outside the tankbag on the LH side (not pictured) is a Gerbing controller, which has its own power plug. Also not shown is a Littlelite map light and a Mix-It amplifier. I drew the line at a installing a blender for margaritas. What's nice about this setup is I disconnect two power plugs, unlatch the tankbag and take it all into the hotel room or tent.
 
What are you using as a stiffener or is the bag just that stiff to start with? Oh yeah how do the "antlers" affect the handlebars?

Thanks.
 
BradfordBenn said:
What are you using as a stiffener or is the bag just that stiff to start with? Oh yeah how do the "antlers" affect the handlebars?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Tom Roe (of Betty's Bikes and Buns) gave me inspiration for the for the set up. He's done the same thing to a few Iron Butt Rally entrants. Anyway, the tank bag is a Wolfman Explorer. The white liner is ABS and is cut, formed using a heat gun, and pop-rivited into place. The aluminum strap at the top stiffens it up a bit more. It gives the bag some structure and allows you to mount the goodies to it. The XM and GPS clear the handlebars just fine and believe it not I can see all the gauges and idiot lights. I'll post pics of the set-up on the bike when I get a chance.
 
Thanks. Now if I enter the Minnesotta 1K will you do that to my BigMak.

Almost forgot, what model bike is that on, cause what might work on a LT might not work on my RT.
 
I cut and spliced my wire down to 20". Works great. I don't believe there is a wave length matching issue with a receiver. I think this only applies to a transmitter. This all from my long ago Ham/CB days.

P1010008-vi.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Heated gear rant..
2 3
Replies
59
Views
3K
crna59
crna59
pauls1150
Adding Parallel Battery Cables
Replies
7
Views
2K
mikegalbicka
mikegalbicka
6
LED tail light installation - 1978 R80/7
Replies
5
Views
1K
stevenrankin
stevenrankin
gtgt_bangbang
Dances with Snowflakes; My Rear Wheel Hidden Balancer Story
Replies
5
Views
737
pauls1150
pauls1150
L
So you want LOUD helmet speakers?
Replies
12
Views
30K
mcwhirtj
M
Back
Top