Changing out the Stero.

[Guest]

I am using a Scosche FM-MOD01 FM modulator (located under the false tank, power taken from the accessory terminal) and an iPod. It sounds great! You have to find a location to mount the switch that turns the FM modulator on, that is the most challenging thing about installing it. I also installed a Scosche IPNRFC Wireless Remote, which is equipped with a charging passthrough. This is advertised as a car remote, but the remote mounts perfectly on your handlebars on the left side, in front of the brake master cylinder, which supports it and keeps it from slipping back when you press a button. The remote works well and controls the iPod well, the passthrough allows you to connect a charging cable to keep the iPod charged. The only thing that is visible on the bike is the remote, and it blends pretty well on the left handlebar. Everything else goes in the left fairing pocket (iPod, remote pickup, charging cable) or under the false tank (FM modulator). Scosche has since released a newer version of their FM modulator, the FM-MOD02.

I wouldn't mount a CD-player, that is yesterday's technology, going the way of the cassette and 8-track. A 6-CD changer only holds about sixty songs, with maybe one third of that, or 20 songs, that you actually like (unless you want to go through the effort of burning six CDs with all good music). The rest of the songs on " factory" CDs will just be "B-sides" that you really don't care for. A 4GB iPod will hold about 1000 songs, and ALL of those can be songs you actually like, you select just the music you really like from the comfort of your computer, then sync those to the iPod. Each additional 4GB of iPod capacity is worth approximately 1000 more songs.

It would be great if some electronics whiz could figure out where inside the oem Panasonic stereo to connect (solder) a 3.5mm jack, which could then be installed in the oem stereo by drilling a small hole for mounting the jack. A simple 3.5mm jack installed in the oem stereo would be the simplest and therefore best solution to the problem of how to connect an iPod/mp3 player. Or maybe a jack could be attached to the CB connector? Anybody up to the task of figuring this out?