Question for yous who ride. What handlebar speakers are best for a mc? Have a '12 Road King Police and looking at ways to listen to tunes without earbuds. A Bluetooth setup is best as I am using music apps off an android.

Looking at the kuryakyn road thunder but don't really trust the reviews and it's pricey to the point I might as well go to a shop. As most of us my hearing is poor but I typically had no issue with systems in fairings ('01 Wing and '07 Street Glide).

Pipes are stock so it's not loud.

Any suggestions?

https://www.sena.com/us-en

Been using speakers in helmet from Sena for 10 years.

Turn it up to 5000 RPM...

Check out Sinister Sound. Put this system on my Ultra Classic last year and it is quite amazing. www.sinistersound.net

Thanks but should add I have no fairing, don't wear a full face helmet and my neighbors will kill me if I get straight pipes

quote:

Originally posted by Belwolf:
Thanks but should add I have no fairing, don't wear a full face helmet and my neighbors will kill me if I get straight pipes

Your neighbors are likely to kill you if you hang essentially a boombox on your bars. Road for a long time and like Prefontaine noted, I used a Bluetooth helmet setup so I didn't need to blare music all over to listen to some tunes while I rode.

I just use bluetooth earphones. I have a phone mount on the handlebars and plug the phone into my power port. I only use the earphones on long rides. The earphones are music only. I dont take calls when I ride.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I used a Bluetooth helmet setup so I didn't need to blare music all over to listen to some tunes while I rode.

+1. I have Bluetooth helmet speakers and microphone so it serves double duty as a handsfree phone. Much better than ear buds or putting speakers on handlebars.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
https://www.sena.com/us-en

Been using speakers in helmet from Sena for 10 years.

I've been using a Sena for several years now. It was the best money I ever spent on a motorcycle accessory.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Your neighbors are likely to kill you if you hang essentially a boombox on your bars.

I agree.
You don't want to be that guy.

as a motorcyclist since the early 90's

Ive never felt the need to blare music you can't really hear while riding, everyone else around you can though... look at me, look at me

I feel the same with the waterskiing boats by me also

to each their own..... integrated bluetooth speakers or headphone inside the helmet would be my suggestion

just my opinion

Cardo Packtalk Black with 45mm drivers placed under the fabric covering the styrofoam pads inside the helmet. There are little round cutouts for speakers in most modern helments. The unit clips onto the edge of the helmet and can be controlled with a gloved hand.

I have speakers on my machine, and they are not useful. Even with a fairing.

If you change your mind the Sena is a good product and they have provided great customer service the few times I needed it. I was always ambivalent about Harleys but since moving to the Midwest I have come to despise many HD riders. If it’s not straight pipes then it’s the mega stereo blaring over the straight pipes. It is now unpleasant to sit outside at the coffee shop downtown some nights.

There are times when the attention that you seek will not be the attention you receive.

Of the 34 people that I know,
None of them go outside or
wait inside to hear someone else's loudspeaker blasting either songs or speech.

I agree with the guys recommending earphones of some sort, either wired or Bluetooth. Even with the systems that have auto volume control, the sound quality gets pretty bad over about 45 mph and is really bad at faster highway speeds.

I can't offer any suggestions because I never listen to anything other than my machine while riding, but would suggest wearing earbuds for those who do.
A friend has a Road Glide with radio and speakers but apparently to hear it over the wind, traffic, and motorcycle itself he has to play it loud. One (the only) time riding with him with that bike I could hear his music while following on my bike, through my full face helmet and wearing earplugs. In all honesty I was embarrassed at all the looks and since then when he mentions taking our Harleys out on a ride I beg off. I was raised that if others can hear your music it's too loud.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ridewv,

I haven't ridden a motorcycle in decades. But I would not want to be riding one and listening whatever on headphones or speakers at the same time.
As to the sound systems, there is a guy that lives back behind me that has a couple of Harleys with the loud pipes and a loud sound system. Every friggin' Sunday this peckerhead heads out and then comes home later with the music blaring and he has to accelerate for the noise and then back off and then accelerate again for more noise when he shifts.
Really irritating....

Harley dealer here. You're largely wasting your time with handlebar mounted speakers. They aren't big enough or powerful enough to be heard properly at any reasonable speed, especially with no fairing. We all wear full faced helmets and use Bluetooth audio (Sena or Scala). They even make Bluetooth kits for half helmets. Half helmets are barely useful in any real collision, I've had the honor of using every bit of my full face helmet multiple times throughout my lifetime, and it's super handy in the rain or with bugs and rocks.

Those booming motorcycle sound systems are one of those things which proves a motorcyclist to be a jackass of poor character.

Same as "loud pipes save lives" - yet only certain riders need them...

Loud pipes and blaring distorted music are not very endearing characteristics. In fact, some people might think you are overcompensating for some shortcomings somewhere else.