Roady XT Problem

[rickmoen]

A question for experienced XM radio users: I just got my new Roady XT mounted, activated, and ready to go. However, during a 100 mile ride the receiver kept lifting out of its cradle - killing power to the unit. (Vibrations on a Beemer?) I "squeezed" the receiver back into the cradle and it would play again, but about 10 miles later, it would lift up, power gone, squeeze, power returns, etc. I stopped and got some velco strips, thinking that might keep the unit in its cradle - no luck! Is this unusual? What do you experienced XM riders do. I don't want to tie it down, but ...... Thanks in advance. Rick

[twilmotte]

Not sure this will help, but ... one of the guys at Cycle Gadgets (where I bought my Roady 2) advised me against buying the XT because of the very problem you are having. He said if I bought the XT, I would have to fashion some type of strap to hold the unit in it's docking cradle. His advice to me suggests it's not a problem with your unit, but a Roady XT design problem. BTW, he also said Delphi doesn't care about the motorcycle market for Roady sat radios and it wouldn't do any good to talk to them. Bottom line: Someone in this forum probably has figured out an ingenious solution to this problem and hopefully will help you out with a suggestion to make yours work properly on your bike. If not ... better buy a Roady 2 before they are all gone and maybe use the XT in your car? Good luck.

[rickmoen]

Thanks for the input. That raises another question. I see that there are still Roady 2's available on eBay. Do these have the same problem of lifting out of the cradle or do they have a different or better designed cradle? What about the current SkyFi2 model? Anyone successfully using this one? I'm a bit more cautious about just buying a unit and hope it works. Anyone using a Sirius unit? Thanks again. Rick

[David_S]

I'm running an Audiovox XR9. It sits in a cradle but the cradle has a latch that locks the unit in. I got lucky and bought three of them for $49.99 with a $50.00 rebate. Their still available for around $40.00 with rebates. I went through several Roady & Roady II. I had problem with the connections probably because I moved them to different vehicles and they don't hold up well to being plugged and unplugged a lot. A lot of people have had good luck with the skyfi cradle setup.

[IT_Mike]

Rick, the Roady2 doesn't utlize cradle connections. Three separate plugins are found on the left side.

 

Mike

[Illini]

A question for experienced XM radio users: I just got my new Roady XT mounted, activated, and ready to go. However, during a 100 mile ride the receiver kept lifting out of its cradle - killing power to the unit. (Vibrations on a Beemer?) I "squeezed" the receiver back into the cradle and it would play again, but about 10 miles later, it would lift up, power gone, squeeze, power returns, etc. I stopped and got some velco strips, thinking that might keep the unit in its cradle - no luck! Is this unusual? What do you experienced XM riders do. I don't want to tie it down, but ...... Thanks in advance. Rick

 

Rick had the same thing happen to me kept lifting out of the cradle. I took it back and upgraded to a roady 2 (Yes I know the Xt is the newer of the two models) which works fine. I even zip tied the xt to the docking cradle and it kept going off. Dump it quickly and go for any model that does not use a docking/cradle set up to power up. If the connections (Antennae and power cord do not plug directly into the receiver stay far away the bikes vibrations will disconnect the dock/cradle types.

[David_S]

Dump it quickly and go for any model that does not use a docking/cradle set up to power up. If the connections (Antennae and power cord do not plug directly into the receiver stay far away the bikes vibrations will disconnect the dock/cradle types.

 

Too broad a statement if you haven't tested them all. While the XT may suck the XR9 cradle setup works great and when I was asking around I heard from people who have 10's of thousands of miles with skyfi's on bikes using the cradles. While the Roady I & II work a great many people have had problems with solder connections on the boards. If your leaving the unit on the bike it's great but if it's removed a lot the chances for failure increase. Go with a Roady if you choose but don't think that all units that use a cradle won't work. I use my unit on the bike and in my car so the cradle setup is awesome IMO.

[rickmoen]

I bought a used (in great condition) XM SkyFi2 on eBay. This unit has a lock to hold the receiver in the cradle. Seems to work just fine, so far. The Roady XT has been relegated to car use until I take up trap shooting. I wouldn't recommend the Roady XT for motorcycle use unless somehow modified so the receiver stays in its cradle.

[David_S]

Rick I was talking to a guy this weekend who has been using a skyfi for a few years. He did have it bounce out once when he hit a very large pothole. Now he just runs a large pony tail tie around it for safe keeping. He said he has had zero problems with it loosing connection in the cradle.

[rickmoen]

Thanks for the heads-up on that. I think that something could be rigged as a safety "chain" and still be kept out of sight. Thanks again. Rick

[rdsmith3]

Maybe something like a camera lens cap leash would work

 

[Beemeroil]

If you have access to bike tubes, cut them to wide bands and use them to secure anything in docking stations. And by the way don't rely on the locking mechanism alone. Guess why I needed an additional means of securing the radio to the the dock.