Muffled Speakers on Urban Touring 250

[Mooney Pilot]

I noticed that the speakers for the radio are installed directly on to the plastic with no holes to let the sound out.  No wonder you can hardly hear the radio!  :roll:  Can anyone share what they have done to be able to hear them without having the speakers exposed to the weather?   Thanks, Charlie

[Phil12string]

There are weatherproof grills/speakers availalble to replace the crappy TANK speakers, like the ones here;  http://www.caraudiodeals.com/product_info.php?products_id=87.  I've read that some people have put these in their scooters with excellent results.  They are weather-resistant, meaning that unless you plan on riding during a monsoon, they should be fine.  You would have to drill through to mount the new speakers, which would at least get the sound to you.  I had my front cowling off when my alarm horn lost it's grip and fell through the front wheel well.  The OEM speakers are tiny cone speakers with small magnets, the cheapest of the cheap.   Replacing them would be easy, adn is on my list of things to do..

[Iron Mike]

Here's a link to the speakers I'm considering. http://alloutdoorspeaker.com/pro685341.html I suggest using a true marine speaker for the best weather protection and I think the smaller 3" size and low profile weatherproof grills will fit better in the stock location. The lower wattage (30 watts) may work better with the stock crappy radio.  I'd also recommend using marine silicone to seal around the edge of the speaker grills.  

Speaking of radios, on the Tank 150 I found the radio can be relocated vertically against the back wall of the underseat storage in the recessed area.  I used the same brackets and screws. It fits great and frees up a lot of room.  Also when I was inside the front cowling, I discovered a red LED on a wire from the remote volume control.  Why a light in the cowling where no one can see it?  I drilled a small hole above the volume control just large enough to poke the LED through and sealed the backside with marine silicone sealer.  Works great!

[Iron Mike]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered the new 30 watt speakers (linked above).  These are sealed 3 1/2" marine speakers supposedly tested by NASA but I just can't see them putting them on the space shuttle.   :wink: . I installed them this weekend and the improvement is dramatic.  The speakers fit well and improved volume and fidelity will show you just just how crappy the stock stereo really is!  Ok, the sound is much improved, but it's clear that to improve any better will require a better stereo.  As others have pointed out, You can't hear much anyway while going down the road.  However, I do find it nice to listen to the radio while stopped at my destination.  Running the stereo with the scooter off doesn't seem to be a big draw on the battery, but I usually plug in at home anyway, nor am I clear wether it's a problem leaving the ignition on while the engine is not running.  

I also put an old VW beetle horn in while I had the cowl off.  WOW!  Easy fit and MUCH louder!  That's a cheap upgrade everyone should do.  I also took the opportunity to readjust the headlights upwards---another timely improvement.

[bbj500]

you could always put in a power booster and speakers in the trunk like me!
take a look:  http://www.jacarmotorsports.com/gallery/bbj500-JOHN?page=1
i put in a 40 watt power booster and 100 watt speakers, i can hear the music at 60 now!

[Iron Mike]

Smart idea installing speakers in the trunk!   :idea: Do you run into any problems powering the amp and bigger speakers?  

The more I ride with my radio/speakers, the more I like it.  But honestly, the music is not worth much above 50 mph.  Most of my riding is urban commuting, so getting up to 50 doesn't happen often.  Generally, it keeps me entertained in slow rush hour traffic.  I think I may watch for a good deal on a better quality marine stereo with a waterproof remote that I can mount up front and consider a second set of speakers in the trunk like yours.      (BTW, I like your eagle too!  I'm looking for an M1 Abrams for my front fender! :lol: )

I originally bought the Tank 150 for my daughter to use at college.  After riding it around in a parking lot, she decided it scared the hell out of her and gave up on the whole idea---sticking me with a scooter!  I re-discovered how much fun 2-wheel travel can be.  (My wife thinks this was my plan along)  MY scooter runs suspiciously well---still waiting for something to go wrong--and now it sounds great too.