Cortez Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 New poster here. I Just put down a deposit for a 2014 R1200RT for delivery in May, 2014. I got all the options except the stereo, which is $1200 more. I have never had a stereo on a motorbike - my old one was a GS. This bike has a GPS system where I should be able to bluetooth directions and music into my helmet if I want to. I guess one of the things I like about motorcycling is not being distracted, so I do not know if I would do that very much. Question is whether the stereo with external speakers is worth it? Is it something you can hear with a full face helmet? Any comments? Link to comment
Cortez Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 One more thing, I have until the end of January to add the stereo if I choose to. Link to comment
ltljohn Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 If you have never had one before and you did not miss it why get one now, $1200 will buy lots of gas for riding. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 New poster here. Question is whether the stereo with external speakers is worth it? Is it something you can hear with a full face helmet? Any comments? Welcome! External speakers, I struggled hearing them for years. Bluetooth helmet speakers are the way to go. Sena works great. Music through your GPS works fine too, and if you have a smart phone you can pretty much get anything you want to listen to, as you probably already know. Nice bike, can't wait to see one on the road! Pat Link to comment
LBump Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 If you have never had one before and you did not miss it why get one now, $1200 will buy lots of gas for riding. +1 Link to comment
Will Stagg Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Greetings and congrats. I did not have a choice on the stereo on my 2012R12RT it came equipped. Never had a radio on a bike before and figured I'd just remove it and use the space. But then I tried it out......with the Sirrius (free for 1 year) I have access to great music without commercials as well as news and weather. I don't use it when full concentration is required but long hours on slab it removes boredom. I ride with earplugs and can hear it quite clearly except times of extreme wind and or excess speed. I did find I could hear better when I discovered the "loud" button. Personally, I find external speakers less distracting than headphones allowing me to focus on the job at hand, that being operating my bike. Then again I don't use a GPS for the same reason. So for me at least, the radio was a wonderful thing that I wouldn't have chosen. Link to comment
Lemans Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 My RT purchased preowned came with the factory stereo/CD player. I hardly ever used it. Too hard to hear at any speed above city speeds with earplugs. My solution was to user Etymotics for music and protection both. Radar detector and GPS easily added with splitters. Save the 1200 to replace your shocks in a few years. There are other options to get Sirius/XM. Link to comment
Paul In Australia Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 That is a bit like asking whether a hooker is worth it. Short term versus long term cost? Up to you. Link to comment
johnlt Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 External speakers are useless at highway speeds IMO. I wouldn't bother with a stereo if you are not using helmet or in-ear speakers. Link to comment
TucTech Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 My 2012 RT came with the stereo and I expected it would never be used. However there are moments where I'm glad I have it Turn by turn instructions from my nav iv Traffic reports when I'm stuck in a jam Nice music when I'm parked For me, those three items make it worth having and using in a regular basis All the best with your 2014 Tuck Link to comment
Guest Kakugo Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I'll tell you what my dealer told me when I wanted to have the stereo option added to my RT: "I am warning you otherwise you will come here complaining after two weeks: it doesn't work at over 50mph". If a dealer tells you not to buy something that gives them a nice return... you have been warned. Link to comment
ully211 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Had it on my '02 RT ... 60K miles. Have it on my '09 RT ... 41K miles. I LOVE it ... and can hear it pretty much at all speeds by adjusting the windshield. Link to comment
Limecreek Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 New poster here. I Just put down a deposit for a 2014 R1200RT for delivery in May, 2014. I got all the options except the stereo, which is $1200 more. I have never had a stereo on a motorbike - my old one was a GS. This bike has a GPS system where I should be able to bluetooth directions and music into my helmet if I want to. I guess one of the things I like about motorcycling is not being distracted, so I do not know if I would do that very much. Question is whether the stereo with external speakers is worth it? Is it something you can hear with a full face helmet? Any comments? The radio option is worth it, but only if you use it through ear buds vs. external speakers. To do that you'll have 2 choices - Bluetooth or wired intercom. I tied my intercom (Autocom) in to the Alpine unit using an Autocom part number 2275. This way you retain all the functionality of the wonder wheel and the radio/Nav option, have an interface for a radar detector, bike to bike radio, etc. and retain the music quality of a hardwired system. Link to comment
Nathan Margolis Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I have a '13 RT with the stereo. For $1,200, frankly I may have sqwaked at the price and continued using iPod but all the '13 RTs came with radios and deletion option not there. Not sure what your dealer is talking about. I wear a Shoei RF 1100 full face helmet. With the lid down and factory screen, you can hear the exterior speakers just fine at speeds up to 65. Above that you can make out the song if you know it at 70 or so. Anything above 80, forget it. Did go to a Ztech windshield and made the cockpit much quieter and enjoy the radio at 75-80 just fine. Higher speeds, it was background noise. However, Sena bluetooth does work BMW now and a SHM-10 is just $154 at RKA and the bluetooth is absolutely wonderful in the helmet. Easy install to helmet and pairing is not bad at all. In my opinion is you are spending the $21K or whatever a '14 is costing and do not spend the $1.2K on audio system, you will regret it and may have a tough time in resell because most all the newer RTs have audio. I really, really enjoy the tunes, ability to plug in iPod, or music stick. And if you are hooked on Sirus, Sirus is free for one-year. I will renew Sirus for sure. Another good option is no radio and use bluetooth and your iPhone if you have lots of good music in storage. Give me a call if you have any questions and think I can help you with the pros and cons of radio or no radio. Name is Nathan Margolis at 713 831-6163 or 281 655-5643. Link to comment
bdfbeemer Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Not all 2013 RTs had the radio. There is a problem with the bluetooth in the alpine unit. Seems to be hit and miss. Three radios later and the dealer still says it sounds like s**t. I always knew it sucked. I don't use it unless in town and using the external sprakers. I use the gps as an mp3 player. It works well via bluetooth in the helmet. 2014 has a different unit. Hiope it works better. Link to comment
Shaolin Master Sergeant Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Had it on my '02 RT ... 60K miles. Have it on my '09 RT ... 41K miles. I LOVE it ... and can hear it pretty much at all speeds by adjusting the windshield. What he said. I have a K1600GTL. I don't expect audiophile sonics but I like how things work together with the wonderwheel. You can swap the speakers for something more efficient to get more volume out of it. At least that's how some K1600 riders mod their bikes. Link to comment
John in VA Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I had audio on my '06 RT, never used it. The antenna looked cool. I chose a new '13 loaded with everything except radio, and I'm still enjoying the savings. I test rode several RTs with radio over the years and found the control wheel annoying. I have long lanky hands but stretching my left thumb over the wheel to the turn signal switch was a chore -- even more so when trying to avoid touching it when the radio was on. Not a good layout for me. Maybe the '14 is different, but it looks similar. A small part of the savings went to a Sena to use with my iPhone 5S on a RAM mount, for when I get the desire to stream some music or turn-by-turn nav on rare occasions. The rest of the savings went to a 28L top case, a heated Corbin, barbacks -- and with some change left over for a lot of miles of fuel. Link to comment
Cortez Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 Thanks to everyone for their comments. Fairly even split on opinions. Although I am doubtful that it will really be worth it, I have gone all in and ordered the stereo. At the end of the day, I expect to keep the bike for 10 years, so that lessens the cost, in my mind anyway. And it is also a long time to regret it if I do end up wishing I had it. Delivery in early May. Will send a report after I ride it a month or so. Looks like it will be a fantastic machine. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Good move, gives you more options! Pat Link to comment
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