NOTICE: These are tech pages explaining how I did these mods to my bike. In almost every case - |
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Jammin' with Blaupunkt
Updated - July '09
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Part I
Rationale
I used to say I'm a purist biker, the song from my Harley's Heart is all the music I need.
potato-potato-potato-WHACK-thunk-burble-
Hmmmm. I think I'd like to hear a chorus of Tube Snake Boogie instead. Seriously, I ran out of personal projects, this one has been on the
back burner, and I need a tax deduction (I'm in the motorcycle parts business), so it's time to hook up some tunes. This time I jumped in without doing my homework, and I took a beating. But I found out
some things that can save YOU money if you learn from my mistakes.
The Player
I started, first iteration in about '99, with a CD-based RioVolt SP250 MP3 player. Upgraded in 2003 to a HD-based 20GB Archos Recorder MP3 player. That player finally died in 2009 after 6 years of hard use and abuse - soaked many times. Then 2nd quarter '09 went to an Ipod Classic 120GB HD based player.
From the beginning I was looking for several hours of playtime between media changes; full function remote control; high vibration, voltage & temp variance tolerance at reasonable cost (means CD based with lots of anti-shock memory); MP3 and other format support, versatile controllability (including directory support and randomizing tunes); immediate availability; upgradable if possible; DC adapter; low power requirement usage, securable (small); good user reports; and removable for use off the bike, including personal use and with standard ports supporting adaption for other-vehicle use.
1999 - On the RioVolt: The only unit I found meeting my requirements was the RioVolt SP250. I found it using http://shopper.cnet.com/ at http://www.compuplus.com for $173.95 including shipping. I also ordered the LCD remote from Sonic Blue at http://www.sonicblue.com for $33.90 including shipping. And the Koss 4.5v. cigarette lighter adapter and the cassette adapter both from http://www.amazon.com (while the link works: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005KJWL/qid=101 5003601/sr=1-18/ref=sr_1_18/104-0844452-4631906 )for $25.57 delivered.
2003 - On the Archos:
I bought a 20Gb Archos MP3 player/recorder for my GL1800, at Costco, with all adapters/wires needed (plus a couple I didn't) for $300. It holds about 354 hours of CD quality music
(128kbps 44KHz) which you can organize into genre\artist\album format and create playlists using MusicMatch to play in whatever order you like. Mine velcros right onto my tank bib so I don't need a
remote, and it rarely skips. I externally powered it - which lasted for some time until the internal charger died. It played for 8 hours or so
before it needed a recharge. Thus unit was FAR more versatile than the RioVolt which it replaced.
I used my Archos 20 GB recorder/player on my Valk & on my wing.
On the wing, I built a vibration isolator mount for my Toy Shelf, which mounts on the bars. It rarely skips, but can under extreme vibration, especially if constant. On the Valk, I mount it on Velcro on the tank
bib. It rarely skips there. In both cases it feeds into the bike's 4-speaker audio systems. Several things are important about this unit, to avoid skipping: Replace the OEM batteries with good Ni-MH
batteries. Download and use the latest firmware from http://rockbox.haxx.se/ , and activate the read-ahead memory to
max from the firmware (which is 7 seconds). This is in addition to the vibration buffer supplied by the hardware. Turn on the unit, THEN plug it into external power. This enables the Rockbox charger which
is more advanced than the Archos, and charges while playing (the Archos charge doesn't). And lastly, DO provide external power to the unit - as the batteries run down it loses shock protection.
2009 - On the Ipod Classic: This player is much more resistant to skipping from vibration than the others. However the volume control leaves much to be desired, especially with gloves on. It also is very sensitive to feeding into too-low impedence inputs, particularly at high volume settings. The unit has very long battery life between charges - at least when new - I think it's 26 hours (can't say after many months of battery cycles). Rockboxx does not yet have firmware for it, though they do for several other Ipod releases. The battery is proprietary, and not meant for user service. Though with a little googling you can find plenty of info on where to buy and how to replace the battery - or have it done. I haven't needed that yet. I found I could not get the volume from it, that I could from the Archos, as input to the 400w Blaupunkt amp (below). I needed to lower the impedence it was outputting to, and raise the voltage - I needed a pre-amp.
2009 - The Pre-Amp
Searching for various pre-amps that would fit my need, I found I think the perfect pre-amp for this application - and many others in fact, so I bought another for my wing. The AmpliRider, found for $65 incl shipping 7/09, at http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplirider.html This unit serves the same function as the Kennedy Cell Set which I had already bought for my wing, and never bothered to install yet. For MUCH more $$$$. Kennedy wants you to buy seperate adapters for every connection at prices I just won't pay - I was going to hard wire everything, but now, I can just plug in all the mini-stereo plugs! It's a small amplifier, with all mini-stereo connectors except the power and ground which you hard-wire. It has 3 inputs that it will mix and output to the single output (you can use for say radar, GPS audio, and music), and a remote volume control you can put anywhere. Very well made, solid, looks like ABS plastic enclosures - compact and available with different wire lengths. I asked Gary for some extra short volume wires on the 2nd one I bought - now I'll use the longer wires for the wing and sell the never-installed Kennedy. The Wing install, had previously required a ground loop isolator to eliminate a buzz for the input from first a RioVolt SP250 player, followed by an Archos Recorder, and now the Ipod Classic. The input for the radar - and I suspect the GPS (though I didn't connect it - don't need a woman's voice nagging me where to turn), required an isolator transformer - radio Shack P/N 273-1374, $3.99, and a couple mono solder plugs and audio wire. (Gary just said, he will mention on the AmpliRider's website that isolation cables may be needed for some detectors, and that they are available prewired.) I also needed a mono wire with male mini plugs both ends, and a mono-stereo female-male (respectively) adapter plug to adapt the mono signal from the radar to stereo to import into the AmpliRider. Used here, the tunes have more than double the volume from before, and the sound is cleaner, and I have a volume knob instead of that useless slide-your-finger volume control on the Ipod. The radar signal is plenty loud, cannot be missed. Here's the AmpliRider and my volume control/Ipod/ voltage meter/power indicator install on my apron. These pics, when you click on them, are actual size on my monitor, set at 1280X1024 resolution. Not pretty yet. Maybe I'll do something about the looks - however I like it on the tank, makes it easy to read the screen with my old eyes and the tank has much less vibration than the handlebars - good for the HD in the Ipod. (My Archos wouldn't work on the handlebars, but crashed infrequently on the tank.)
The Speakers
I didn't want to do this from scratch, after all, this has to be a project others can do too. I only knew about two brands of speakers that were finished in chrome and suitable for a cruiser: J&M powered speakers, and Rumble Road which uses (the BEST) Blaupunkt speakers. J&M was ruled out due to negative posts about the product on the VRCC board, and higher cost. Knowing I needed to amplify the output from my MP3 player, I bought the amplified Rumble Road Premium speakers from the source at list price. I also got the 1" clamp kit with sound filter. I paid $300 plus shipping. Here is what I found out AFTER shelling out my dough:
The amplifiers they charged me $130 for, enclosed in the speaker, output 16 watts RMS per channel, 23W max. Here's one of the two amps you get for $130:
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(07/2009 NOTE - Blaupunkt has discontinued this speaker - I don't know what Rumble Road replaced it with.)
The speaker is a good one, Blaupunkt mid price graphite injected
plastic coaxials model PCXI402 (you can find it at http://www.blaupunkt.com ), acoustically inert, waterproof, rated
40WRMS each, 120W peak. IOW, the speakers are far better than the amps, and they are poorly matched. They put the same speakers in the "Limited" Rumble Roads for $130 less.
Here's what Blaupunkt says about matching power of amps & speakers:
"Matching the rms (continuous) power capability to that of the speaker is
important but it should be noted that 'under-powering' a system can often damage more tweeters than providing slightly more power than stated by the
speakers. If the speakers are rated to 50 watts rms, you can often run 60-80 watt rms amplifiers without concern IF the amps are not driven into clipping (deep distortion)."
You can't hear the Rumble Road speakers in the wind - which is pretty much whenever you're riding even with a windshield - if you ride topless, don't bother. Unless you increase the gain of your MP3's
to 100dB or so (I cranked em up to 102dB), which results in clipping on every tune. I just don't care to hear Sharp Dressed Man with the bass clipped. BTW, here's the web site where you can download
MP3gain, a program to normalize your gain so you are not constantly adjusting the volume - works really well: http://www.geocities.com/mp3gain/
I determined I had to remove the amps from my speakers and replace their function with an approximately 75WRMS per channel amplifier.
(07/2009 Note - this was true years ago - may not be now. I understand they increased the output of their little onboard amps.) Conclusion on the Rumble Roads: If you're about to get these
speakers, buy the cheaper "Limited" ones which have the same speakers and plan to amplify your tunes another way. Get their clamp kit with filter, good value there too. The chrome, hardware and
speakers are fine, whether the Premium's onboard amplification will result in something you can hear depends on the line out voltage of your player - the RioVolt SP250 outputs 0.57v. at max volume - too
little for these amps to boost effectively. (Of course you increase the output voltage by raising the gain of the music files, but the wimpy amp in the player together with the wimpy onboard amps will be
operating at max effort resulting in clipping. How picky are you about the quality of your music?)
BTW, if you REALLY want to pinch pennies and you like the Rumble Road speakers, you can get what appears to be the exact same speaker housings at J.C.Whitney at http://www.jcwhitney.com/item.jhtml?ITEMID=21363 that's SKU # 06ZX4689P if the link breaks. They are Harley spotlight housing assemblies for $21.95 ea plus shipping. But then you need to make rubber gaskets around the rim of the speaker inside and out, and find some kind of screen, and the speakers themselves - I don't think you'd save much money for the effort of locating the parts.
The Amplifier
UPDATE 2008:
The T-amp died, and Tripath Technologies has gone belly-up. The
other makers using Class T technology - Panasonic and Sony - have quit; I suppose because the defunct Tripath owns the patent. Shoot.
Well, gonna have to settle for a traditional amp. After some digging
around, looked at all brands and performance and size specs, I arrived back at Blaupunkt with their small Class-D
Blaupunkt THA275PnP Plug-N-Play 2-channel amp. You can read the specs at http://www.crutchfield.com/p_023THA275P/Blaupunkt-THA275PnP .html?tp=115
If that link breaks just use Crutchfield's search or even google. It's a popular amp. They call it a 400-watt amp, which they get as it's max power if you bridge it to run a single speaker sub. I
was surprised at the quality of the sound. I like it better than the T-amp - it definitely does make more power. The case is slightly smaller and it's sealed - no vent holes so dust etc stays out. You need
to allow some air to get to the case for cooling. It has hi-pass, low-pass, and voltage input adjustments, as well as lots of connectivity options. Sounds better through my 4 Blaupunkt 75wrms
speakers than the T-amp. Richer bass, less distortion throughout the tonal ranges of my tunes. Surprised me. But then I'm not a highly-techy audiophile, I just know what I like. Besides, I only run
the tunes while riding; it's not like I judge the sound in a anechoic chamber - Deerslayer has pipes. The best price I found, was matched by several online stores at $149.95 with free shipping. I ordered it from http://www.midwestelectronics.com/ as they bragged they are the "official Blaupunkt online store with the entire inventory". Just in case it's needed for warranty.
Retained as archival info - from 1999:
Now I need an amp. Well Blaupunkt makes great stuff. Yeah it's pricey but it's the best. Can I justify paying 3 times what I'd pay if shopping for
just price? Well these ARE the tunes on Deerslayer. What does Blaupunkt have to say?
(from
http://www.blaupunktusa.com/amps/amps_index.html )
"With constant demands for higher power, today's amps need to run cooler with
increased output, and fit into smaller packages for easier installation in today's vehicles. The answer to this dilemma is the new Class 'T' design from Tripath Technologies.
"This new technology allows Blaupunkt amps to provide all of the sonic advantages of conventional Class AB designs, combined with the high power efficiencies and low
heat dissipation of Class D designs. With this newly patented, single-chip solution we are able to generate 2-4 times the power from a comparable sized amp, but with far
less heat. And it runs so cool it can even be encased in a plastic housing. Looks cool, runs cool!
"
"Audio amplifiers take power from the car battery and convert it to audio power. Although much of the energy output is sound, a considerable amount of power is lost as heat. Such heat loss must typically be dissipated via large heat sinks, thus creating heavy metal amps with a large footprint.
"In the audio world, Class 'D' amps have recently helped reduce this wasted heat, allowing them to use a smaller enclosure, but their poor fidelity limits them to bass reproduction only. In contrast, conventional Class 'AB' amps march on with their high fidelity, but poor efficiencies. Therefore, the need still exists for an amp with high fidelity, but with low heat and a small chassis.
"Class 'T', invented and patented by Tripath Technologies, provides the best of both worlds with high quality sound, yet low heat dissipation. Due to the remarkably low heat generated we can design very small, hide-away boxes but also creatively shape the external housings from plastics or other materials. With heat losses of only 1/3 to 1/4 of an 'AB' design, Tripath opens up a whole new application world for compact, small design, attractive amps."
Hmmm. Running cool with great sound is a plus.
How big is that sucker?
Internal amp (W x H x D) 6.8 x 1.8 x 5.8 inches (172 x 46 x 147 mm)
Small. VERY small for a 200watt (max) amp. Just slightly more than the room available behind the battery.
Will it work with the 0.57v. line-in voltage from the Rio Volt?
Input signal voltage control range 0.3 - 6.0 vrms
I couldn't find it online. Looks like Blaupunkt only sells though dealers. Get ready to bend over. Found a local dealer and paid $200 + tax. Then I found it online for $139 at http://store.yahoo.com/millionbuy/blppa275.html . A Blaupunkt 2X75 WRMS class "T" amp for just a few bucks more than the junk 2X16WRMS amps from Rumble Road. DOH!
It almost fits in the battery tray - couldn't be any bigger.
Cost
If you don't screw up like I did, the big items listed above are about $553. That's with getting the Rumble Road Limited Speakers (same Blaupunkt PCXI402 speakers inside) from the factory at
http://www.mhinstruments.com/ - no doubt they are available somewhere at discounted retail for substantially less, though Hal at the VRCC doesn't carry them. There are miscellaneous other costs,
electrical clips, heat shrink tubing, wire, etc. - figure $40 should be plenty.
Time
I took a weekend, but I enjoy this sort of thing so I took my time, made sure I was thorough.
Materials
- 1" - 3 piece clamp set from Rumble Road (included in above prices)
- a universal relay
- 3-pos center off switch
- 10-ga, spool of 16-ga wire
- at least one inline fuse holder, and another or hook into your fuse block if you have one.
- heat shrink tubing
- female spade connectors
- ring wire adapters
- wire ties
- electrical tape
- Some kind of tank apron
- Cigarette lighter adapter
- RCA plugs to 3.5mm mini stereo plug adapter
- screws to match tap (for ground connections to frame)
- 1 pkg of 2 "Bass Blockers" from Pacific Accessory Corp, model BB-85 MSRP $12, or similar, large capacitors
Tools
- small Phillips & Stanley screwdrivers
- small Torx driver
- tap & die set
- electric drill, #6 steel cutting drill bit, bit to match tap
- Dremel with plastic cutting bits (e.g., rotary files), steel cutoff wheels
- soldering equipment
- heat gun or hair dryer or bic lighter
- needlenose pliers
- wire stripper
- 1/4" drive metric socket set and 6" extension
- s.a.e. combo wrench set
- s.a.e. allen wrench set
- lift (optional but sure is nice)
Process
This one took me longer because I had to clean up the rat's nest I had made with previous electrical projects. I had been meaning to get a fuse block and do that, but I never found one, and I just kept adding mods until the space under my seat was a mechanic's nightmare (in fact, Aurora Honda refused to fix my bike after I took out two mule bucks with it). This was the install before I put in the amp. Nightmare:
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Once you have a clear space to work with, you'll need to make more room for the amp. This means getting out the Dremel and carving out the back of the battery box where the tools and owner's manual goes:
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Archival again:
The bottom corner of the case is going to be exposed to crud thrown on it
from the wheel. Uncool. Well fortunately, the Blaupunkt is in a MACHINED BILLET ALUMINUM CASE - wow, that's part of the quality
you're paying for. It has a cover on the end and on the top. OK, well I'm gonna seal the corner area with Permatex #2. Coulda used silicone but I want to be able to take it apart.
We'll come back to the amp install.
You need a way to turn it on. You could trigger the relay from the ignition, but what if you want to listen to tunes with the bike off? BTW, you can't do that for a long time, powering a 200 watt amp unless you set up an external power supply like an onboard battery charger . But you probably WILL want some tunes in camp, so ya might as well plan for it. (I have a 12 v. 6 watt solar panel just looking for an application. Hmmmm.) I set mine up to be powered by a relay, which is selectively triggered by either the ignition, or manually. That is, the 3-pos switch has one outer post soldered to the accessory circuit - light green/red (or the running lights - brown or brown/white - if it's handier) and the other end to +12v. via fuse from the battery. The center post of the switch then goes to trigger on the relay. Load on the relay goes to the cigarette lighter socket, and also to the trigger line on the amp.
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Maybe it goes without saying, that all electrical connections are soldered and shrink wrapped if appropriate, NEVER crimped. Wires are wrapped when appropriate either in a loom or electrical tape, and wire ties are used profusely to ensure wires are kept out of harm's way. Placement of the 3-pos switch on Deerslayer as follows:
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The other switch powers my compressor.
Mounting the speakers: If you like how I mounted them, you need a spacer to get the housings up enough to clear the clamps. I used a 1/4" drive 11mm deepwell socket as it had good chrome - just cut it up with a high speed 4.5" angle grinder with cutter wheel while it was chucked in the drill press to ensure a square cut. Also opened up the center a little - might be easier if you aren't quite so well tooled to just use a bit bigger socket, though tool steel is very hard, you'll still need to cut it with an abrasive wheel - ain't Dremels grand? Best thing since peanut butter.
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Another mod needed - Blaupunkt says you gotta use 16ga wire for 50watts. But that won't fit through the post hole. Needs to be opened up. I gradually increased the hole size in .0050" increments until I found the smallest hole I could get the wires through - you need a #6 (.2040")drill bit.
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BTW, if you don't already do this, I've found Wire Pulling Lubricant works great when you need an inert lube for insertion - it's wax based and won't deteriorate rubber etc.; I like it better than silicon spray.
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The PA275 amp will overdrive bass into these speakers - to prevent bass distortion which sounds like crap, but also can blow out the
speakers, block frequencies below 85Hz from reaching the speakers using a large capacitor on the positive lead, close to the speaker. You can fit it inside the speaker housing if you place it as I did: Pacific Accessory Corporation is at 
NOTE: This may not be necessary with the Blaupunkt PA amps, as they are settable for Crossover mode - high pass, full range, and low pass, with settable limits for high pass = 50-250Hz (above this limit will be passed through), and low pass = 50-250Hz (below this limit will be passed through). However, if you set the crossover to anything but full range, you will not be able to connect say a pair of 6X9's in addition to the tweeters and use them at full range. I'm experimenting with this - with some tunes, even with the capacitors and set for full range some bass still gets through and distorts - the deep bass notes in Ruby Tuesday, for example.
OK, so route the 16ga speaker wires along the frame, away from other conductors so you don't induce noise in your tunes. The big wrapped wire on the right, by itself is the speaker wire loom.
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Notice the Blaupunkt speakers have different sized connectors.
I found the following in the Blaubox Computer Aided Woofer Enclosure and Crossover Design Program manual:"Polarity is simply the (+) and (-) leads on the speaker. If you apply a DC voltage to a speaker with the + lead of the battery touching the + lead of the woofer, the cone will try to fire out of the basket if it is wired in the standard convention. Phase is the relative relationship having two or more drivers with the cones moving in the same direction. If they are out of phase, they will try to acoustically cancel one another. At low frequencies, the wavelengths are so long that if polarity is not observed on two speakers, cancellation will definitely occur."
So definitely pay attention to keeping the polarity the same between the speakers.
- I used a piece of stainless I had laying around to make two 4" X 1" X 1/8" flat mounts
- 2-SS bolts and chrome acorn nuts, sized as needed for your application
- 2-RR Limited speaker/housings
- 2-Bassblocker capacitors
- 5 feet of 16ga wire
- female spade clips, small and medium unless you reuse the ones in the RR kit
- shrink tubing
- solder, flux
- subset of the above
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Now to mount the remote. The line is too short. The RioVolt LCD remote is a proprietary wire and plug with 10 conductors - a PITA to extend and I couldn't find any extension segments available. So I concluded the best solution was to make a clean looking mount with a tank apron. I just happened to have one a buddy gave me, so I used it. Some careful cutting with a razor and a little piece of Velcro loop on the bottom of the clip to prevent it from damaging the nice paint job on my I/S tank was just the ticket.
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Be sure to route the wire and tape it down (duct tape - which I HATE, since some folks ruin otherwise reusable packing materials with it - works good here).
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Install the relay as I mentioned above. Fuse the power to the battery terminal - I use 20 amps here so the cig adapter can be used for other stuff too - I don't smoke anymore -man am I glad that monkey's off my back. Trigger from the center post of the switch, Load to the switch term on the amp and also to the power side of the cig adapter. Of course ground the other term of the cig adapter.
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Wire the amp per the manual - power via 30 amp inline fuse, good ground, 10ga wire. Use the RCA-3.5mm mini plug adapter to input from the sp250 to the amp. Get your sp250 power via the DC adapter you got from Amazon - I wired mine through a noise filter just in case. So far I haven't found a dust case that would work, so I put the player in a baggie. It's out of the weather, but not out of the dust. I'll blow it out regularly.
Well I got my rat's nest cleaned up. And all my previous mods run through a fuse block - got that at NAPA, they carry them now. TWENTY FIVE FRIGGIN BUCKS!!! For a piece of plastic with a few tabs on it. My Grampa is turning over in his grave.
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There's a lot of other stuff in this space - Can you figure out what it is? Find-a the pope-a in the pizza!!! Where's Waldo? OK it's much better than it was - certainly organized now, but very busy.
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Coming soon: I'm lookin for serious jammin. So I just received two Blaupunkt ODX694 4-way 6X9 overdrive coaxials, 40Hz-22KHz with two voice coils, 20oz. magnets, rated at 300 watts max, 75+75 WRMS. They are designed to be powered as full range from one amp into one terminal set, with a 2nd booster coil for the woofer driven by a low-pass amp into a 2nd terminal set. Checking the specs, the best amp to drive the woofer coils is another PA275, so that's coming too. It will be mounted inside the Mustang passenger pillion, as cooling is not an issue with these T-amps. The first amp will be wired with each channel to one front PCXI402 coaxial in parallel with one rear ODX694 full-range coil, driving 2ohms impedance at 125 WRMS / 2 = 63WRMS per speaker, with the crossover set at full range. The other amp will be wired unbridged to the woofer coils with crossover at low-pass and bass boosted 10dB. The speakers will be housed in custom glass closed boxes sized for optimum bass - 0.69 cu. ft = 19.5 liters per Blaubox. I will adjust fade as needed by aiming the speakers. This sounds like a lot of load for the electrical system - but it's not, per Blaupunkt's specs, unless you crank it way up. Of course I will be using my other electrical loads more sparingly - e.g., I won't be running all 350 watts in front lighting at once, already installed. I'll write it up with an addendum here, for any other audio nuts to use. WEEEEE, more chromatherapy!!!!!!
For those who sneer at my vibrating my bike... let's just say I REALLY like my tunes, I'm pretending it's a Harley, the babes like it, and if the snobs don't (or do) I may just ride beside them and vibrate their bikes too. I like it, and that's all that counts to me.
Does it work?
This puppy ROCKS! I turn it down now in town, but on the road - people know I'm beside them, just like loud pipes! New motto:
Maybe I shouldn't say that. After all, I'm in the loud pipes business...
Part II
Rationale
Operating on the theory that "More is better", I installed another pair of RR Limiteds on the back of the bike. This resulted in 2 ohms per channel instead of 4, supported by the PA275 per it's specs. The amp is now outputting 250watts total at full power. I also installed a CompuFire 1325watt alternator and replaced the battery which was getting weak - I think I sulfated it by draining it down too many times. Fade was achieved just by aiming the speakers. Actually works pretty well - with no loss of volume from the front, the amp is working twice as hard to drive the speakers with half the impedence.
Cost
About $180 more
Time
Another day if you take your time.
Materials
Tools
Process
More of the same. Changes: Make a piece of flat stock to mount the speakers from, drilled to bolt to one of the forward mounts of the luggage rack if you have one, or to the sissy bar support, as appropriate. Make the stock long enough so the speaker will be below whatever you carry on the rack, and also will clear your luggage lid if you have that. Run the wires behind the luggage mount rails, secured with wire ties. Install BassBlockers same as for the front speakers. These speakers are supposed to be waterproof per Haig at MH Industries, but Blaupunkt says mount them where they will be dry. Personally, I intend to stay out of the rain, and cover the speakers with baggies when they would otherwise get wet.
All technical mods described here are merely reports of what I've done. You may attempt to replicate them at your own discretion and risk if you choose. Horseapple Ranch, LLC and Mark Tobias will in no way be responsible for the results of your attempting to perform these mods on any motorcycle, regardless of the outcome.
All content on www.horseapple.com copyright 1999-2006 Mark Tobias except "Riders Say", "Dyno Day", Vallejo and Shop Manual and Alternator Review pages, and SWF and MP-3 files and
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