Best XM radio for bike use?

[David_S]

What has been the most reliable unit for bike use. My third Roady (actually a roady II) has crapped out. I keep loosing the antennae signal. If I wiggle the wire the signal comes back. My last one lost the audio output from a bad connection inside so I'm assuming this one has the same problem but on the ant connection. Is there another unit that holds up better on a bike and to repeated connecting and disconnecting to switch between vehicles? I;m geting tired of having to replce the Roady every several months

[Les is more]

Jamie and I have both had the Sky-fi radios for two years. That's two 35,000 mile years of riding in hundreds of miles of driving rain and blistering desert heat. Once we wired them into the bikes we had no problems whatsoever. We killed a couple of power adaptors before that. They are covered by $3.98 plastic cosmetic cases which fit right over the cradle. They go on and off the bikes by simply removing them from the cradle, nothing else to unplug.

[TracerBullet]

Les,

I have been looking for something to cover my ski fi for a couple of months, to no avail.

what kind of cosmetic case do you have and where might I ask did you get it

 

thanx

 

sal

[rdsmith3]

What has been the most reliable unit for bike use. My third Roady (actually a roady II) has crapped out. I keep loosing the antennae signal. If I wiggle the wire the signal comes back. My last one lost the audio output from a bad connection inside so I'm assuming this one has the same problem but on the ant connection. Is there another unit that holds up better on a bike and to repeated connecting and disconnecting to switch between vehicles? I;m geting tired of having to replce the Roady every several months

 

The Roady 2 is now cheap enough (< $40) that you could buy another unit so you do not have to switch between vehicles. That is what I did. The connection jacks on these things are not that durable if you have to repeatedly remove and insert antenna, power and sound plugs.

 

Regarding the antenna cable, you can carefully use a small knife blade to bend in slightly the metal tabs in the plug. I did this and now the antenna cable has held firm over many bumpy roads.

[Les is more]

Sal et al,

 

This was just a clear, small, soft sided, zippered vinyl case from the local Walmart cosmetics area. We just made holes in the appropriate places.

 

You can see it here on Jamie's bike. At first i thought of it as a temporary thing until we felt like laying out the bucks for something "nicer." It has worked so well, that we're sticking with it.

 

[David_S]

"snip"

 

The Roady 2 is now cheap enough (< $40) that you could buy another unit so you do not have to switch between vehicles. That is what I did."snip"

 

That would require another monthly fee. With the cell phones, ISP & land line, Dishnetwork, etc. etc. I really don't want another monthly fee. I'm looking into the Audiovox XR9 but am considering buying another roady II from Best buy. For $80.00 I can get a Roady II with a 4 year service plan.

[TracerBullet]

David,

I'll add my two cents for the ski fi. After going through two roadies I felt there had to be something better.

I love the ski fi. It has a nice cradle to hold it. A lock to keep it there. Use it (trust me) All the connections go into the cradle so you never have to plug un plug.

 

Leslie, thanx for the pic of your cover. I am off to wally world

 

sal

[MattS]

For $80.00 I can get a Roady II with a 4 year service plan.

I would think something much newer/later/greater/better would be out well within the 4 years of that plan. Something to consider. (I'm thinking of a 376C to kill two birds with one expensive piece of hardware.)

[David_S]

For $80.00 I can get a Roady II with a 4 year service plan.

I would think something much newer/later/greater/better would be out well within the 4 years of that plan. Something to consider. (I'm thinking of a 376C to kill two birds with one expensive piece of hardware.)

 

I thought of that but then they either refund the full amount or replace it with a comparable unit. I also recently purchased a 2610 so I know Momma isn't going to authorize a new GPS XM combo! It would be a sweet way to go but lots of times I'll leave the XM at home for the family and take the GPS.

[Tool]

I have a Roady - well, two, actually - one for the bike, one for home. If I had it to do over, I would have gone with the SkyFi, mainly because of the cradle, which is MEANT to facilitate easy in/out connections, thus allowing more portability than the Roady. It is the main reason I got another Roady, so I wouldn't have to move it.

 

 

Why didn't I just get a SkyFI?? Truth = I got a deal I couldn't refuse on BOTH Roadys, so there. And the monthly charge for the second unit is discounted.