Vetter fairing question- radio?

[Sojourner]

Hi all. My new to me bike has what I believe is a Vetter Windjammer IV fairing on it (it's a '79 XS1100 Special). I pick up the bike Friday, so I can't say for certain. I posted something in the review section about bolt-on handlebar mounted speakers. One of the guys replied about just adding a radio and speaker equipped fairing. So here's my question- my Vetter Windjammer does not have speakers or a radio. Was the radio and speakers built into the fairing? In other words, was it a molded-in option that my fairing just doesn't have? Is there a simple way to mount a Vetter speaker setup without mangling or maiming a 30+ year old fairing? Part of the charm of my new bike is it's a 70's bike (I was born in the 70's), so I'd like to keep it fairly period correct. Now I know my chances of finding an 8-track to stereo jack adapter are slim to none, but I could rig a cassette to stereo adapter (for my iPod) if I had a cassette player. So what's the deal with sound and Vetter fairings?



Then again, maybe with a little solder and some super glue I could hack the guts from a cassette adapter into an 8-track tape to make my own stero jack adapter. Now that would kick ass! Now to find an 8-track of Tubular Bells or something equally as cool...

[CatatonicBug]

The cyclesounds unit was specifically designed to bolt right onto the Windjammer. No "maiming" required. They pop up on ebay all the time, but some folks want way too much for them. The unit encloses a radio and 2 speakers, and has a mount on the right side for an antenna. You patch it into the existing wiring harness inside the fairing.

[motoman]

The CycleSound housings work great, specially when using a quality unit and speakers. Have one on my Venturer which is an Alpine(200W) pushing two Polk all weather speakers. Works very well, even at interstate speeds.

[Crusty Snippets]

Fairing

I have the Vetter fairing with the radio and speakers.
The fairing has a moulded section for the radio. The speakers may fit in to a regular fairing. I can take a photo if you like.

Uncle Crusty

[cywelchjr]

I have the Vetter fairing with the radio and speakers.
The fairing has a moulded section for the radio. The speakers may fit in to a regular fairing. I can take a photo if you like.

Hmmm, neither of my Vetter fairings have any moulded section for a radio. Are you sure it's a Vetter? I do however have a Cyclesound enclosure for a radio (with a non-working radio and a pair of speakers in it) sitting in my garage waiting for me to get off my butt and get a good radio in it and then remount it. Actually I think I have two, but I'm not sure where the second one is at the moment, as I got two fairings with my bike, and a radio enclosure for both of them.

[Sojourner]

cywelchjr- if you find that second CycleSounds enclosure and decide that it needs a new home...

Still need to find an automobile mounted 8-track player too.

[Crusty Snippets]

Moulded part

Just had a close look at the fairing.
The part that houses the radio and the speakers, looks like it will drop / fit in to a regular Vetter fairing. This has been mentioned above.
There is a thumb screw under the radio that probably locks the moulding in place. Probably an option for the fairing when purchased new.
A crashed bike with a damaged fairing, may not have damaged the radio / speaker housing.
My fairing and rear top box are Vetter, and the saddle bags are another brand but they all match the ugly red colour of the tank and side covers.

Uncle crusty

[Crusty Snippets]

Radio

The cyclesounds unit was specifically designed to bolt right onto the Windjammer. No "maiming" required. They pop up on ebay all the time, but some folks want way too much for them. The unit encloses a radio and 2 speakers, and has a mount on the right side for an antenna. You patch it into the existing wiring harness inside the fairing.

Yes, that is exactly what mine looks like.

Uncle Crusty

[rover]

vetter sound

When and if you get the cycle sound, you may have a slight clearance problem. I unmounted my guages and relocated to the BOTTOM of the bracket that holds them. This will give you enough room to extend the headlight adjuster (I used a 1/4" threaded rod and multiple nuts) to lock everything in place. Then you can mount a wood or metal bracket to the underside of the fairing, run the rod thru it, and you can easily reach the headlight up and down adjuster. I am now running a standard, I don't remember if I had a clearance prob with my special, as it has been in storage for 6 years. I bought it when it was a year old, has over 97K miles on it, and want to preserve it, as this machine has carried me over most of the U S A pulling a trailer. The only problem I ever had with it was the pickup coil prob when it was 3 years old.

[CatatonicBug]

There is a thumb screw under the radio that probably locks the moulding in place. Probably an option for the fairing when purchased new.

That thumb screw is actually what adjusts the height of the headlight beam. The cyclesounds housing is attached using 2 metal brackets on the upper outside corners that attach to the speaker grills, and 2 of the windshield screws on each side. The cyclesounds can be added onto any Vetter Windjammer fairing, as that portion of them was the same for all the models.

[CatatonicBug]

When and if you get the cycle sound, you may have a slight clearance problem.

That is only the case for Standards, with the square gauges. Specials don't have that problem. However, there is an optional plastic "shield" for the Standards that attaches to the top of the gauges, and prevents the reflection of the lights from the gauges onto the inside of the windshiled. That glare can be nasty at night.

[cywelchjr]

That is only the case for Standards, with the square gauges. Specials don't have that problem. However, there is an optional plastic "shield" for the Standards that attaches to the top of the gauges, and prevents the reflection of the lights from the gauges onto the inside of the windshiled. That glare can be nasty at night.

I don't think that my gauges have been repositioned at all, and I don't have any problem with clearance. I also don't notice any problem with glare from the gauge lights either. But then I do have a shorty windshield that most of the time I look over, but I can easily duck behind if desired.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Another cool trick I've seen a guy do w/ a cyclesound setup...

Get rid of the radio and speakers... use a small Mp3 w/ earbuds... that way the sound quality's even better, and the rest of the world isn't annoyed by the blaring loud radio...

Make some round blank plates to fit the speaker holes... then mount all kinds of cool gauges! Gives ya all kinds of new space. This particular guy even bought an altimeter and installed it! He got the idea from a passerby saying one day... "Wow! I've seen airplanes that didn't have that many guages!"

He replied, "You just gave me a great idea for a new guage!"
It worked, too. Turned out to be kinda cool when touring in the mountains.

JAT.

[CatatonicBug]

Get rid of the radio and speakers... use a small Mp3 w/ earbuds... that way the sound quality's even better, and the rest of the world isn't annoyed by the blaring loud radio...

Annoyed?? Whatta ya' mean? It's a public service I'm providing!

I use a bluetooth stereo headset for longer rides, when I don't know the radio stations in the area. It fits under my helmet perfectly. I tried the earbud thing, but I couldn't get them to stay put when I put on my full-face helmet. I do kinda like the idea of using the housing for gauges though! It would be kinda fun to come up with that setup.

[cywelchjr]

The MP3 with earbuds or the like is fine in states that allow them. Unfortunately I can't use them here, it gets you a big ticket. Even using earplugs which are actually legal can get you a ticket if you get an ignorant cop, of course you can get it thrown out in court, but you still have to spend the time going to court. Some riders locally have gone to carrying a copy of the statute in case they get hassled. Of course in some cases even that doesn't work, cause the cop will argue that earplugs are not "hearing protection" as referred to in the vehicle code, but that's only the real jerks.