My 2021 S2S has a rocking stereo now!

[Joel The Biker]

I hope the factory amp is that easy to get to it n my wife's 2016 RTS. Planning on upgrading her amp as well. Will most likely swap speakers as well.

There is no separate amp in the 2016 RT. Totally different system than the one on my 2021RT. I do not know of any way to add an amp to that radio without major surgery. You would need to intercept the signal to each speaker and add an amp in between. I upgraded the speakers on my 2014 and it made a huge difference.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The radio is altogether different in the pre-2020, maybe pre-2018s RTs. There is no separate amp. Read BlueKnight's posts about upgrading speakers. He says the factory radio has plenty of power as is. Just need better speakers.

For reasons I can't fathom, the 2018 hasn't been able to be improved by a SPEAKER swap ( some here have tried ) ... it makes no sense to me .... However the 14 thru 17 models that has the separate Amp, were easily improved by a speaker swap .... good luck .... Mike

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I do not know of any way to add an amp to that radio without major surgery. You would need to intercept the signal to each speaker and add an amp in between.

The 2021 - 2017 models have an output on the radio for the optional CB. The audio volume in the headsets is controlled by the handlebar controls and by the passenger volume control. This leads me to believe that the output from the audio to the optional CB has variable line level outputs for both front and back. The CB outputs are used for the optional Bluetooth audio dongle, which is probably just for the front audio. I don't know why these outputs could not be used to input into an amplifier.

Finless Bob did a lot of research on the output of the audio and came up with the harness needed to connect the Sena SM10 BT adapter to the audio. He hasn't been active on here for several years but I believe he can be reached on FB. Also, Motorcycle Dave has, or at least did have, the harnesses Bob came up with for the SM10. That harness could maybe be used to feed an auxiliary amplifier.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The 2021 - 2017 models have an output on the radio for the optional CB. The audio volume in the headsets is controlled by the handlebar controls and by the passenger volume control. This leads me to believe that the output from the audio to the optional CB has variable line level outputs for both front and back. The CB outputs are used for the optional Bluetooth audio dongle, which is probably just for the front audio. I don't know why these outputs could not be used to input into an amplifier.

Finless Bob did a lot of research on the output of the audio and came up with the harness needed to connect the Sena SM10 BT adapter to the audio. He hasn't been active on here for several years but I believe he can be reached on FB. Also, Motorcycle Dave has, or at least did have, the harnesses Bob came up with for the SM10. That harness could maybe be used to feed an auxiliary amplifier.

" Finless Bob " also had many posts telling everyone that my 2 Ohm JBL speakers ( 5.25 F & R ) would either fry my speakers, the head unit or both ..... .... 64,000 mi. later and they still work Fantastic ...... Mike

[Kpcau1]

I added a 400 watt Rockford Fosgate amplifier and bypassed the factory 20 watt per channel amp. I made my own wire harness and it is all plug-n-play. Now 1/4 volume is like being at a concert! Am I the only person to do this on the spyders with the new dash? Oh , and no more parasitic battery drain. Problem solved.

What did you use to build the harness?

[Joel The Biker]

What did you use to build the harness?

I purchased a factory amp($300) and disassembled and destroyed it just to get the plastic part where the factory harness plugs in. I then inserted my own prongs with wire soldered on into each hole of the plastic harness piece. Everything was epoxied in for durability and waterproofing. The wiring was labeled during the process, so I knew which wire went to which speaker. All of this can be seen in the photos of the harness.

[spyder17f3t]

Hey there Joel The Biker. I just picked up a 2017 Spyder F3-T and would love to bypass the factory amp and put in an aftermarket. Can you please tell me where the amplifier is located? Thank you so much.

[safecracker]

it is under the right hand passenger hand grip.