Connecting Mini to Harley Davidson Road Glide

[moneyclamp]

I've just purchased a Harley Davidson Road Glide and it has an Aux input for an mp3. It's the size of an earphone jack. Does anyone know the best way to connect my Mini for the best sound?

Thank you...

[bhb399mm]

use the Sik Imp (http://www.sik.com/imp.php) for a line out. if you have a dc cigarette plug, you can also power your mini. if not, you could modify the Imp to plug into another dc accessory outlet, or not use the charge feature at all. you'll also need a 1/8" Stereo to 1/8" Stereo cable (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=42-2387) to run from the Imp to the aux input on your head unit.

[moneyclamp]

Thanks, I just purchased a male to male cable from Dr. Bott. It does have a dc plug so I can power up, too. I'm set.

[bhb399mm]

i'm not familure with harley's, but be sure the dc plug is the same as a cig plug from a car. my BMW 1150RT has a dc accessory plug, but it isnt the same as one from a car. anyway, if its not the same as a car plug, it can be modified very easially.

[moneyclamp]

Thanks, it is the same. I appreciate it.

[animalchin]

im curious on how your planning on having the ipod mounted.

[moneyclamp]

There are a couple of compartments next to the radio that it will fit in, or I can velcro it to the lid of one of those compartments to have access to the controls.

[mehmet]

i've always wondered this, how do you bikers listen to music? is it through your helmet or what? And if it is, how is it legal, as it's illegal for car drivers to use headphones while driving.

Sorry might be a stupid question but i've always wondered.

[bhb399mm]

yeah, you can either have headphones in your ears, or have tiny headphone like speakers in your helmet. i'm not sure if its legal or not (it probably isnt) but many 'bikers' have helmet mounted walkie talkies to comunicate with their friends, which also have an audio input.

[moneyclamp]

No, this has speakers in the fairing. You can actually hear them quite well. You don't want to wear earphones, as that totally isolates you from the outside world. It's dangerous enough, but on 2,500 mile trips, it's sure nice to have some music now and then.

[bhb399mm]

yeah, my 115-RT has speakers in the fairing too, but i've never used them. i don't even have a radio (its a $200 option from BMW that i never needed).

[moneyclamp]

There are a lot of things I don't need, but there are a lot of things I love. This is my second 2,500 mile trip in 45 days. As well as a lot of other things, I love motorcyle trips and music. The two of them together is more fun than I can stand. And they always turn into more fun...

[bhb399mm]

where are you riding to/from? i recently did 9 days from my home in socal thru southern utah, yellowstone and yosemite. it was awesome!

[moneyclamp]

That is a great ride! I'm picking up the bike in Boston, going up through Maine, then back down the East Coast through parts of Florida, back up through Louisianna, then home to Austin. Can't wait...

[animalchin]

thats cool. so the speakers are on the bike and if i was pulled up next to you id could hear them? also doesnt your back get sore?

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by animalchin
so the speakers are on the bike and if i was pulled up next to you id could hear them?

yeah, just like if you had your music loud in your car with the windows down

Originally posted by animalchin
also doesnt your back get sore?

yeah... i'd say max miliage on a bike is 370 per day.. maybe 400 if you need to. moneyclamp and my bikes are touring bikes, they're ridden sitting up, not hunched over like on a sport bike which helps alittle. our bikes are made for riding long distances.

[moneyclamp]

Only if you pulled up next to me at about 80 mph. It has an automatic variable volume, depending on speed and wind noise so when I'm at a stop light, I'm about the only one that can hear it. It also has a volume control on the right hand grip.

No, the back doesn't get as sore as sitting at a computer, plane flight, etc.

[fjl307]

I recently completed 2 motorcycle trips. We bought a Road GLide in March at Texan Harley Davidson in Conroe, had some work done to it such as a 95 kit and a 2 in 1 exhaust. Picked it up in June and rode all the way down the Gulf coast to Veracruz Mexico. About a month later, we rode across Mexico over to the west coast to Ixtapa/Zihuantenejo. Unfortunatly, I didn't have my iPod then. On our trips though, we mounted our GPS using velcro and plugged it in the 12v port on the fairing, we put the extra cord in the fairing compartment. It worked really good. I will probably get an iTrip or something so I don't have to have another cord (aux) going over the fairing. Anyways, I have a few pics, its too bad I couldn't get a shot of how the power cord goes into the fairing compartment, then back out to the 12v outlet.

The longest distance I've covered was accross Mexico. We left at 6am from Veracruz, went to Puebla, Cuernavaca and Acapulco then up to Ixtapa. The only time we stopped was for gas and at toll booths. We reached over 800 miles after 16 hours of riding.

[moneyclamp]

That sounds like a great trip. Actually, the system is set up perfectly for an ipod. I got a male to male connector that attaches to the dock on the bottom then runs to the aux. input, then a plug into the cigarette lighter. It works perfectly. I went all over Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, upstate New York, PA., etc. etc. It was about 3,800 in 7 days and had a blast. I'm impressed that Harley Davidson did such a good job in making the ipod hookup so easy. I also put the in 95" kit and Rhinehart pipes. I'll probably get Screamin' Eagle heads and dress it up a bit, but it's a great bike. It cruises easily at 85 or 90 with plenty of power left and, as you know, you can ride all day and feel like you just got out of a recliner.

[moneyclamp]

In reply to the statement that 370 to 400 miles per day is about the max: I've done 1,000 miles in one day this year and 600+ at least 5 times. 370 miles is an afternoon.

[fjl307]

What color is your Road Glide? They are very nice bikes indeed, very comfortable! The fixed fairing is something different, you don't see very many Road Glides out there, especially in Mexico where the dealers down there don't sale them.

[moneyclamp]

It's black with the silver stripe, although I'm thinking of getting it painted this winter just to customize it a bit. They are great handling and very stable bikes. How about yours?

[fjl307]

Originally posted by moneyclamp
It's black with the silver stripe, although I'm thinking of getting it painted this winter just to customize it a bit. They are great handling and very stable bikes. How about yours?

Well it's actally not mine, it's my fathers. I spend my summers when I don't have school down in Mexico with him.

[Jess]

I want a Road Glide so bad but I dont have that kinda money! Just like the one in the picture but all Black and without the box on the back!

[Jess]

moneyclamp, if you ever get that Ipod installed post some pictures please

[moneyclamp]

The pictures wouldn't do you much good, but it works perfectly. You simply put the ipod in the compartment on the left side of the dash, plug the power cord into the cigarette lighter, and plug the male to male cord into the "aux" plug on the radio. It couldn't work better!

[thundergroove]

I ride every day to work. I just put my iPod in my inside jacket pocket and my earbuds float loose inside my helmet. I can hear traffic and can adjust the volume on my headphone cord if needed.

I have speakers mounted inside my helmet but they only plug into my communicator (Chatterbox). The earbuds are loose because they fall out of my ears when my helmet goes on, is safer that way too I guess.

Jealous of the Road Glide, the wife and i plan to get one someday when we have the cash.

[moneyclamp]

yeah, I love the Road Glide. I have a Softail, too and bought some Sony "in ear" plugs for the mini for that bike. They stay put, in the helmet and I can still hear traffic. They're only $30, and they're pretty good.

[BackDraft307]

MoneyClamp, I have a Harley Ultra Classic come in the spring and I was woundering what kind of Radio did you HOG come with. The new bikes have an Harman/Kardon in them. It has a jack on the lower right corner of the radio face plate. Do you have any pictures of your set up now that you have it finished. I sure would like to see how you set up yours.

Thanks

BD307