Satellite Radio SiriusXM

[Danaman]

I have a 2004 Midnite Venture and I want to install a satellite radio. It has to be a Siriusxm because I just got a Siriusxm subscription for my truck and I would transfer the subscription in the summer to the motorcycle. I also live in Canada. What would you recommend and what do I have to purchase for the install. Pictures or advice would be great.

 

Thanks

Dana

[bongobobny]

I am presently using the built in XM on my Garmin but I have used the cheap receivers in the past. Hook up is easy as pie either plugging into the aux jack on the tape deck or splitting the fairing and installing a Y connector where the factory plug and jack are for a neater looking installation...

[Kirby]

I , too, have been toying with this idea. Will be watching this thread.

[SilvrT]

Get a universal auto mount and mount your radio to the bike.

 

Get a "Y" splitter cord and tie that into your amp ... then get an extension cord for that and run that to your radio

NOTE: you can also sync with an unused FM station instead of the above.

 

Mount the 12v - 5v convertor behind the fairing and run the cable to the radio. You can wire that into the Aux power outlet behind the fairing.

 

You can then listen to the Sirius thru the AUX setting of your stereo.

 

I have some pics somewhere ... when I get a chance I'll find and post them of what I did.

[Danaman]

Is one better than another as I see there is a Onyx, Starmate and Stratus? They show they come with vehicle kits that include a docking kit? How to you mount these to your motorcycle. Does the radio stay okay in the docking station while you are moving or can you just get a radio without the docking station and use a different mounting system. Picture please and advice.

 

thanks

Dana

[flynvy5]

Dana,

The first question is how is it mounted in the truck? If it is built in then you may have to get another subscription for the bike. Years ago they had a family plan where you could have multiple radios. It didn't add much to the cost.

[SilvrT]

Is one better than another as I see there is a Onyx, Starmate and Stratus? They show they come with vehicle kits that include a docking kit? How to you mount these to your motorcycle. Does the radio stay okay in the docking station while you are moving or can you just get a radio without the docking station and use a different mounting system. Picture please and advice.

 

thanks

Dana

 

I use the Stratus model.

 

I mount mine using a flat-topped (generally used for a camera) RAM mount.

 

The docking station is glued to the flat top with the ball mount from the Sirius kit.

 

I built a bracket for the antenna that is mounted to my Sat Radio mount on the other side of the handlebar. I ran the satellite feed from the Radio down the left handlebar, into the inside of the fairing and back up to the bracket on the right handlebar.

 

Only problem I've found is over time the radio contacts with the docking station loose connectivity and require a squirt of electrical contact cleaner.

 

Didn't get a chance to look for my pics last night but will over the weekend.

 

This is how I do it on my Victory.

 

On my RSMV, I used the dash vent mounting bracket from the kit, clipped it to the speaker grille and held it there with a couple small zip ties. Worked great.

[Brenda H]

For starters, SiriusXM are one company and have been for several years now but they started out as separate then merged a few years ago. The situation is annoying to those of us who have both Sirius and XM. Most sat radios in vehicles these days are built in to the vehicle's radio system, not a separate radio as they used to be. We have been Sirius customers for many years as the hubby got tired of trying to find a Golden Oldies station on FM when we're traveling cross country. We have a portable Sirius radio that I use on my RSV and also in our F350 which is old enough that the vehicle installed version was not available. What is annoying to us is that both of our cars, a Hyundai and a Nissan, are under license to XM. End result is that some of the Sirius stations that are available to XM users for an extra charge [one of which is the Nascar channel which we listen to] despite the fact that Sirius XM is now one company, we have to pay that additional charge. OK now to get off my soapbox!!

 

As for the radios, the Onyx is considered to be XM while the Stratus and Starmate are Sirius. With some channels still being specific to either one brand or the other, you need to check their programming to decide which one you want. Our portable unit is an older model Stratus but I prefer the Starmates and it will be replaced with one when it dies. There used to be a motorcycle specific mount for the sat radios [check eBay there might be a few still out there] as the antenna for a standard portable unit is way too long for use on a bike unless you wrap up the excess cable some way as I've had to do with mine. The standard antenna is a about 1 1/2 in. or so square and is magnetic. I just set mine on the gas tank where it has clear access to the sky and go on from there. I've not had the chance to see if it would work installed inside the front fairing as I also use it on my RSTC and the truck. The motorcycle specific mount kits had a metal plate that would attach to one of the brake reservoirs to mount the antenna which has a much shorter cable than the standard ones. I also have a universal RAM mount that will hold the radio, my cell phone, and anything else of a similar size. The mount has a rubber tipped metal framework in the shape of an "X". This can be adjusted as to the size and orientation of the object being mounted. The "X" framework is spring loaded so it stays pretty tight.

 

One thing, if your vehicle radio is a built in, how can you transfer the subscription to a portable?? Also if your car is licensed to one or the other, you may not be able to transfer the subscription to a portable radio of the other brand. Despite being one company, SiriusXM is apparently still trying to keep most of the two companies' business separate from the other. The last time I had to deal with their customer service, I asked when they were going to stop doing that and couldn't get an answer. Also annoying!

 

I love my sat radios and for all extents and purposes, I don't listen to anything else unless it's one of my audiobooks .

[Pegasus1300]

I transfer my Satellite from the Spyder to the car to the truck to the office. I have a docking kit for each place. On the back of the docking station you will see four screw holes. I mounted a RAM ball back there the one with the triangle shaped base using the 2 screw holes that lined up. That base stays on the bike. On the RSV I had a ball that bolted to the brake reservoir on the right handlebar also From RAM and one of their posts,the short length one. I ran a cord down to the AUX port on the cassette deck a power cord to the accessory plug and the antenna under the tank,seat and back to the top of the trunk(no rack).That used up most of the excess antenna wire so there wasn't much to bundle up under the passenger seat. It worked really well and it was nice to play thru the helmets.

[Danaman]

Thanks for all the replies I sure appreciate. Brenda H you answered one of my questions regarding which radio. I called Siriusxm today and they told me that I have the XM package so I now know that I need to purchase a radio that supports XM if I want to transfer my subscription from my truck to the motorcycle in the summer. They said it will cost me $16 to transfer from one radio to the other. I would still like to see some pics of the installations and mounts. Thanks again.

 

Dana

[Barrycuda]

I transfer my Satellite from the Spyder to the car to the truck to the office. I have a docking kit for each place. On the back of the docking station you will see four screw holes. I mounted a RAM ball back there the one with the triangle shaped base using the 2 screw holes that lined up. That base stays on the bike. On the RSV I had a ball that bolted to the brake reservoir on the right handlebar also From RAM and one of their posts,the short length one. I ran a cord down to the AUX port on the cassette deck a power cord to the accessory plug and the antenna under the tank,seat and back to the top of the trunk(no rack).That used up most of the excess antenna wire so there wasn't much to bundle up under the passenger seat. It worked really well and it was nice to play thru the helmets.

 

I also have a separate docking station as I like to just transfer the radio from car to bike. Very simple. For your RSV, as others stated you can run the wires and listen through aux port. TSSradio sells a shorter 4 foot antenna which is what I use for my bike. I used a bracket made by RAM for the holding part of the docking station and velcro a strip on the brake reservoir cap and a piece of metal, then zip tied the metal w Velcro on the reservoir to keep metal from shifting during motion. This is where I placed my antenna. I will send a pic bc I know it's hard to understand, but if you wanted a portable one without having to plait the fairing etc, this is an easy way. BTW, mine is on a wing, but same principle for RSV....

[Danaman]

Just to clarify. My sat radio in my truck is not portable, it is a car stero. I will be purchasing a portable for my RSV. I have contacted SiriusXM and they say it will cost me $16 to transfer my subscription from the truck to a new portable on the motorcycle.

[rickardracing]

I have an Onyx portabe that I swap between my 4Runner and my bike. Ram mount on the bike and I just chuck it in the center console in the 4runner.

[Pegasus1300]

I used to pull the radio/RAM mount and detach the wires when I transferred but I found that in time the antenna did not mount solidly enough to keep a solid connection.That is when I went to multiple RAM mounts and just moved the radio. I did not know about TSS and their short antenna but thanks to Barrycuda I will be using this on the Spyder and saving myself a lot of grief removing tupperware.

[SilvrT]

I would still like to see some pics of the installations and mounts. Thanks again.

 

Dana

 

I planned to do this over the weekend but got busy with other things and forgot. Tonight is co xMas party so will get at it Tuesday evening. Sent a reminder to home PC from work.

[Larry1963]

Somebody needs to come up with a way to get rid of the cassette deck and put in a XM radio.

I had a Goldwing, it had XM radio and navigation, When the XM radio was paid up, you got weather radar and it would work with the navigation system and you could know where the storms are.

[Rick Haywood]

I have a 2004 Midnite Venture and I want to install a satellite radio. It has to be a Siriusxm because I just got a Siriusxm subscription for my truck and I would transfer the subscription in the summer to the motorcycle. I also live in Canada. What would you recommend and what do I have to purchase for the install. Pictures or advice would be great.

 

Thanks

Dana

 

This is what I have. Plugs into aux jack. I opened up the fairing and ran a spliiter of the jack and ran the aux cord up the handlebars so I didn't have to leave the cassette door open.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIRIUS-STRATUS-6-SATELLITE-RADIO-VEHICLE-KIT-SV6TK1BC-/191750749437?hash=item2ca53c3cfd:g:vOoAAOSwT6pV3FCB