seforeman Posted March 24, 2008 #1 Posted March 24, 2008 During this past December I had opprotunity to work at the Jacob Javits Center in the Yamaha booth as part of our STAR Touring group. The STAR Touring booth was located right between the 2 Ventures and the VSTAR 250/650. While there I talked to many possible future Venture owners about the bike. And everyone one of them spoke of the embarrassment of the cassette deck. So I decided that their had to be something better (MP3/ SAT Radio / Nav) than that old deck. On Venture site, someone had removed the Cassette player and replaced it with a glove box. So I decided that something was definately possible. I saw another user had replaced theirs with a Graphic EQ, but still thought something more useful. So I began to search. One criteria I was trying to maintain was not to modify the external portions of the fairing and if all possible retain the door to the cassette deck. The dimensions - are tiny. Now I found an MP3 player (Sansa) this would fit. Problem is I would only get about 4 hours out of the battery and it had no car power offered to it. Tried to see if any GPS would fit, no luck (smallest is a Garmin - 2.2" X 5"). Then I found it - a Satellite Radio - the AGT - Sportscaster - 1.6" High - 4.75" Wide. Now it still took quite a bit of modifications - but it works. I tried to make it look as factory as possible. Also at the same time - made a modifcation to my Hoppnel pouch to move my TomTom 720 to sit dead center (like the Gold Wing). This is also wired into the Aux. Now I have MP3, Bluetooth Phone and Spoke Navigation working in conjuction with the SAT Radio (via a splitter). Now - is it a perfect solution - probably not. Is it a better solution - I think so. Thought I would share it with you all. Stu
Freebird Posted March 24, 2008 #2 Posted March 24, 2008 Very nice job. I like it. I may do something similar with the Sirius. I'm not 100% happy with the equalizer that I installed. It works fine but no GREAT improvement.
Kregerdoodle Posted March 24, 2008 #3 Posted March 24, 2008 Looks Great!! But did you meen for your bike to be RED:rotf: Just kiddin..... nice work!!
BoomerCPO Posted March 24, 2008 #4 Posted March 24, 2008 Nice set up for sure......but if I did that I'd be the the one to ruin everything by slopping gasoline over everything!
Rick Butler Posted March 24, 2008 #5 Posted March 24, 2008 You know Stu, For some time now I have felt the location of the cassett player would be a perfect place to mount a set of small round guages (water temp, oil pressure, amp or volt and possibly a small tach). I think you might have room for a tach and a guage on either side, where you would probably end up taking the door off and making a guage blank on both sides of the fairing to give the assembly the most support. But from what you said about the glove box, I guess there is no adverse effect from just removing the cassett player, right? But would we loose the internal MP3 plug? Interesting, Rick
Freebird Posted March 24, 2008 #6 Posted March 24, 2008 Rick, You do not loose the auxillary input. It just unplugs inside the fairing and you connect their instead.
Brake Pad Posted March 24, 2008 #7 Posted March 24, 2008 This tape deck thing, way hasn't yamaha stepped up the plate and do something different. I know for a fact, hit a bump, the deck goes to Error. I had the XM , it only worked for 4 hours, no way to recharge it. are there mini CD players out there? I'm up for a change. not to mention new speakers
Freebird Posted March 24, 2008 #8 Posted March 24, 2008 I'm not sure what you mean about the XM only going 4 hours. I did have one that was a portable but even it had an adapter for 12 volt power. My others were all hard wired. I now use Sirius and also an IPOD. Both have adapters so they are powered from the bike.
seforeman Posted March 25, 2008 Author #9 Posted March 25, 2008 Correct Freebird - I hardwired the XM. The MP3 player I have also would fit (barely too), however no way to charge it or realistically replace the music. I also checked Sirus - but could not find a radio as small as the Sportscaster. The actual inside dimensions are 1 3/4" by 4 7/8" however it narrows slightly smaller in the front due to the over-engineered flip front door - of which their are two latches and a gear mechanism (for the slow open ??) and a spring. Rick, if you can find gauges with an od of 1.6" or less - you could get two - maybe three - or maybe - a nice alternative - A digital tack and volt meter - both really needed as well? Like I said - most pragmatic solution - rebuild the box - and come up with an alternative to the door gear latch mechanism. Stu
Rick Butler Posted March 25, 2008 #10 Posted March 25, 2008 Yeah Stu, I don't know what I was thinking about when I said three. I just got back from a short ride where I realized that this space could only support two guages. However you are right about the possibility of using digital guages if you could find the right ones. I was thinking round to better complement the speedometer. Rick
n5zhm Posted August 2, 2009 #11 Posted August 2, 2009 I just finished replacing my old cassette player on my 2007 RSV with the Pyrimid Graphic Equalizer and I must say I couldn't have done it without the great instructions on this forum. It looks good and works good too. It took me about 14 hours from start to finish. Of course I got side tracked a lot as usual when trying to find tools and things that I haven't used in years but it got done. I will say there is one thing not mentioned in the article. I had to grind off 2 small ears on each side of the equalizer (about 1/8") so it would fit into the face plate, but other than the instructions were great. I made a few substitutions by using electrical tape to wrap the outer case instead of shipping tape and I used a electric coping saw to cut out the face plate. It is a great idea though and it is something that I am actually using. Thanks Gary
ablumny Posted August 3, 2009 #12 Posted August 3, 2009 I just finished replacing my old cassette player on my 2007 RSV with the Pyrimid Graphic Equalizer and I must say I couldn't have done it without the great instructions on this forum. It looks good and works good too. It took me about 14 hours from start to finish. Of course I got side tracked a lot as usual when trying to find tools and things that I haven't used in years but it got done. I will say there is one thing not mentioned in the article. I had to grind off 2 small ears on each side of the equalizer (about 1/8") so it would fit into the face plate, but other than the instructions were great. I made a few substitutions by using electrical tape to wrap the outer case instead of shipping tape and I used a electric coping saw to cut out the face plate. It is a great idea though and it is something that I am actually using. Thanks Gary Pictures?
Sideoftheroad Posted September 19, 2009 #13 Posted September 19, 2009 Now it still took quite a bit of modifications What modifications did you have to do? Wife has been asking for XM/Sirius lately and thinking about it for a x-mas present. Might just get 2 receivers.
KiteSquid Posted September 21, 2009 #14 Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) The dimensions - are tiny. Now I found an MP3 player (Sansa) this would fit. Problem is I would only get about 4 hours out of the battery and it had no car power offered to it. What Sansa model are you referring to???? I have a C250 that I power using a 12V to USB converter and use a second USB cable I got from SanDisk to power it as it has a proprietary plug on it... Edited September 21, 2009 by KiteSquid
seforeman Posted September 21, 2009 Author #15 Posted September 21, 2009 Thats the same one - and I found the same cable. There are 2 revs of this product - the older ones can only take a 2 Gig mini SD card max. The later versions can take an 8 Gig SD mini card (10 GB total). The power cable on the end is a bit large but you could fit it in the space.
seforeman Posted September 21, 2009 Author #16 Posted September 21, 2009 This thing looks pretty cool - not sure of the faceplate dimensions - but could remove the cover and mount this - then wire it in - gives Sirus and IPOD / Aux in Interface. I like the compass module too. Would be neat to intgrate - take the cassette out and simply have this chrome face plate. The radio is a bit redundant. http://www.dragonflycycleconcepts.com/kenwoodspecs.htm Stu
Tom Posted September 21, 2009 #17 Posted September 21, 2009 This thing looks pretty cool - not sure of the faceplate dimensions - but could remove the cover and mount this - then wire it in - gives Sirus and IPOD / Aux in Interface. I like the compass module too. Would be neat to intgrate - take the cassette out and simply have this chrome face plate. The radio is a bit redundant. http://www.dragonflycycleconcepts.com/kenwoodspecs.htm Stu She does look pretty good! http://www.dragonflycycleconcepts.com/images/products/lcdstereo/6x9SpeakerSaddlebagTrio2.jpg
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