fitting an aerial

Drill the required size hole using a spade bit or hole saw. No big deal, just go slow. I used a hole saw.
 
Hi do you know what parts to take off bike to fit the aerial to front fairing.Also when earthing the aerial what is the handiest point to earth from, Many thanks Andrew from Ireland
 
Yes, an aerial does require a fairly large hole and do it right as there's no going back. Make sure you put your wind shield in the lowest position before you drill...like I DIDN'T. It's almost OK...about 1/4" lower would have been perfect. Also, research antennas that don't need a chrome telescoping pole to work. I assume you're talking about mounting an AM/FM antenna. Earthing (grounding)... I don't know about that. I just took the antenna wire and plugged it into the right spot on the radio. The wire was pretty long and I could have gotten a second plug, cut the wire...but I just coiled it up and tied the coil to a fairing frame support with some plastic tie wraps. I mounted the radio in the left fairing oven (pocket) and installed 4X6 speakers behind the grills that Mother Honda thoughtfully put in the fairing. Installed is too easy a word. I had to Dremel out some plastic, bed the speakers in epoxy paste, and custom make a fiberglass protective cover for the back of the speakers. If you do go to all the work of taking out your dash, consider installing a Gear Position Indicator behind the window where the Neutral, Oil light, etc. are. And as long as everything is torn up, stick a bright red LED block in the small right vent to give you a visual indicator when your radar detector 'lights' off and a Smartire (if you can find one) read-out in the left vent. Since you've knock all of that before lunch, you might want to take the afternoon to install HID bulbs and their ballasts...or, at least, brighter bulbs...oh, and a Stebel Nautilas horn upgrade is easily done...and just to top off a busy day, maybe install a cigarette lighter outlet and a SAE outlet in the right fairing box.
Phew! You'll just have to wait until tomorrow to install the wiring for your RAM ball mounted Garmin Zumo, a charging indicator light, a battery condition gauge, wiring for your fork mounted driving lights, and a Speedo Healer speedometer correcting gadget. Of course, then you need to run all this wiring back to a fuze block mounted on a MCL fuze block plate...and while you're back there, it'd be a good time to wire up the brake light modulator you've been wanting...for safety. And it was the morning and the evening of the second day. Gosh, you've still got Staintune mufflers, a Corbin Smuggler...electrified, of course so you can recharge you bluetooth helmet speaker unit, your iPod, your air mattress blower-up pump, your iPhone...I could go on, but it's late here in California.
Just think of your aerial as a first step down a long road...enjoy...and ride safe!

John
 
What kind of aerial? What is the radio you're trying to hook up? Any idea of the frequency it operates on?

Aerials have different characteristics depending on what frequency they're made for. And differ in how large and effective a ground plane "earth" connection they require. Most guys I've seen have used a bracket hanging off the rear luggage rack - I've never seen anyone drill a hole in the ST's fairing (although there are some BMW specific antennas I've seen like that). Some VHF/UHF antennas are even small enough to mount underneath the fairing - the plastic being mostly transparent to RF.

Lots of choices - drilling the fairing would be a last resort for me...
 
He's talking about the Honda antenna that's part of the RDS radio that wasn't available in North America. If I remember correctly, it mounts on the left side of the upper cowl near the windshield and the cable runs down to the left glovebox. Can't tell you much more than that, though.

--Mark
 
Example of aerial fitted to fairing here. I've also seen them fitted to the mirror pod.

I believe Keith_UK has a Hondaline radio on his, maybe you could PM him and ask advice. He may even have the owner's manual.
 

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Thanks Hound the pictures you sent are the set up i am looking for.I am driving a european st1300 and when i bought the st it had a aerial mounted on the rear but i want to change it to front mounted version as in the picture hound sent me.I have bought the aerial ( official honda st1300 product ) on the web from a honda uk shop but it comes with no instructions and before i start drilling into plastics i wanted to see a picture of how it looks ,it comes with a earth cable i presume thats needed as the aerial will be mounted onto plastic the rear one does not need this as it is bolted onto the metal bar coming from under the top box.Again thanks guys for your input should be interesting setting it up on the fairing.
 
Hi Andrew, are you fitting a Factory radio? I've only seen 1 bike in NZ with a radio - was told the factory radio setup was around
$NZ2000, so my keeness wained! I'd be keen to follow your project here, all the best!
 
Hound the aerial in the photo ( blue st1300 ) is the exact aerial i am trying to fit.I recieved the aerial in the mail today and it comes with a few extra washers do i need to use everything to fit the aerial as it comes with NO instructions and i am baffled as to where the other pieces go.Many thanks Andrew.:confused:
 
Not my blue ST in the picture, sorry, just a pic I found to try and help. No luck asking Keith?

I can only suggest common sense with washers - sandwich metal ones with rubber ones (if included) against plastic bodywork to absorb shock, etc.

Extra washers are often included if a component can be fitted in various locations requiring slightly different installation.

Why not post a pic and maybe we can take some educated guesses?
 
Keeeeeeeeef! :p:

I'm not bad ta! Just been reading about your adventures Down Under.

The Dogfather (my dad) left yesterday for a week around Cornwall. I warned him he'd get into trouble if he got the cream and jam the wrong way round on the scones...

Hope you're well, shame you won't be at BritSToc next week. Please pass on a Hound hug to the delightful Miss Ellen.

Woofs --
 
Hound said:
Keeeeeeeeef! :p:
Hope you're well, shame you won't be at BritSToc next week. Please pass on a Hound hug to the delightful Miss Ellen.
Woofs --
Click to expand...

I'll do it tonight Houndy .. :D

WOOF WOOF!

Next weekend? We're off to the annual Spring HU Meeting next Thursday (23rd) for the weekend in Ripley, Derbyshire; so we'll be 'up country' in any case (take this to mean anywhere north of Plymouth!) Greg Baker is doing one of the presentations at the Meet, on basic bike maintenance. Always good.

Luvs to all the BritSTockers

KEEEEEEEEEEF
.. and 'er indoors
xx
 
Hi I fitted one a couple of years ago and from memory: The oem aerial as per the image of the blue bike. has a long cylindricle washer with a lip. you drill the hole the width of the cylinder as the lip fits to the out side of the plastic fairing panel. which strengthens the whole fairing panel. Before you start drilling make sure you line everything up with the screen fully down. There is also a front nose fairing support that you will have to avoid to enable you to gain access to tighten the 8mm nut.. I made a template out of thin cardboard and taped it on to the panel. You will have to remove the complete left hand side panel. with the hole drilled stick the aerial base and the plastic base washer with the threaded bolt through the hole, from underneath you fix the aerial cable washer, another washer and the 8 mm nut. I used masking tape to hold the aerial and washer so it was easier to tighten the 8mm nut with the one hand, before you tignten the nut completely you will have to attach the aerial stem and tighten it in place ,....watch not to overtighten. sorry I don't have any images
 
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