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[NORSEMAN]

I've been riding my 2016 SGS CVO for over a week, and I must say the reception on the XM and FM sucks.  I had a hidden antenna in my 2012 FLTRX (Garmin with XM installed), and the reception was a thousand times better in my old scooter.  Is this common or is there an issue with the new bat wings, or do I have an issue with my new ride?

[Gunny4Sawx]

From all the chatter I'm hearing it's a very common problem in new bikes. I would pull the fairing cover and relocate the antennas first.

[Joel]

Yup same problem with mine. When riding south to work no problem,
When riding north back home it cuts out alot, early morning is better.
I will be pulling the outter fairing off soon. Relocate ant. and report back.

[NORSEMAN]

I took the bike in for the 1K service, so I asked the HD service guys if they would check it out for me under warranty.  I'm no stranger to the hidden antennae under the fairing, but the reception is so bad on this one.  Practically useless. 

[joey t]

my 2016 SE street glide is the same way.  I really don't even want to subscribe to sirius/xm because the reception is sooo poor.  Already had it in for service and they relocated the antenna with zero improvement.  Why can I drive my car with no cutting out at all and the motorcycle cuts out constantly

[grc]

my 2016 SE street glide is the same way.  I really don't even want to subscribe to sirius/xm because the reception is sooo poor.  Already had it in for service and they relocated the antenna with zero improvement.  Why can I drive my car with no cutting out at all and the motorcycle cuts out constantly

I'm pretty sure your car has the XM antenna mounted on the roof, if it's like all the ones I'm familiar with.  That makes a big difference.  Then the actual receiver/module can make a difference as well.  Good units buffer a significant amount of data before playing it, so short disruptions of the satellite signal to the antenna are unnoticed by the user.  Ever notice in your car that the music keeps playing for awhile after you pull into the garage or a tunnel?

When you say they relocated the antenna, did you watch what they did or did they just tell you they relocated it?  I'd be interested in where they relocated it, if they actually did so.  IMHO the best place to relocate it is out of the fairing and attach it where it can get an unobstructed view of the satellites.  More than a few people around here have done that.

Jerry

[Road Dad]

There is a big difference between a car and a motorcycle. Cars are normally made of steel so when you put the antenna outside you have a huge ground plane. Not so on a bike.

Fiberglass should not be am issue for radio signals either. My antenna is relocated and sits on top of the stack but still under the fiberglass fairing. I get great reception and the same blind spots as I get in my Yukon XL.

[grc]

There is a big difference between a car and a motorcycle. Cars are normally made of steel so when you put the antenna outside you have a huge ground plane. Not so on a bike.

Fiberglass should not be am issue for radio signals either. My antenna is relocated and sits on top of the stack but still under the fiberglass fairing. I get great reception and the same blind spots as I get in my Yukon XL.

Harley doesn't use fiberglass.

Last time I checked Sirius and XM recommend roof mounting the antenna when adding their service to a car that didn't come with one, and specifically state not to install it inside the car.  It doesn't have anything to do with ground planes, it is the best location for line of sight transmissions between a satellite and the antenna.  If you doubt my word, feel free to go to their site and search for installation instructions.

If you spend a lot of time in parts of the country where they don't have a bunch of terrestrial repeaters for the signal and have to rely on direct transmission from the satellite, the exposed roof is the best option.  The hidden antenna's cannot match the reception of the exposed versions under those conditions.  What's true for cars is also true for bikes.  And btw, if burying the antenna in the dash of a car, which would be similar to Harley mounting theirs in the fairing, was just as good, why do you suppose the automakers spend a lot of money running cable from the receiver in the dash all the way to a roof mounted antenna?  I spent over 35 years in the auto business, and I can assure you we were constantly searching for production cost reductions.  Even a reduction of a few cents per unit, spread over the millions of cars and trucks we built, was serious money.  Consider how many dollars, not cents, we spent on that long cable and the labor to route it.  We put the antenna on the roof for a reason.

Anyway, believe what you want, but there are many folks on this site who have moved their satellite antenna out of the fairing and every one I'm aware of has indicated it was an improvement.  Oh, and btw, those hidden AM/FM antennas don't work as well as the exposed ones either.  Anyone who knows anything knows exactly why Harley buried the antennas inside the fairing.  It's another of the many tradeoffs they make where they sacrifice function for the almighty STYLE.  In other words, we don't care if it doesn't work as well, as long as it looks good.

Jerry

[NORSEMAN]

In other words, we don't care if it doesn't work as well, as long as it looks good.

Harley does a pretty good job within the constraints they've placed on themselves - which is to match what their core customers expect.  Even incremental changes are met with consternation by some.  Yes, they prioritize style over function in some cases, but that's what they think their customers want. 
The buried SXM antennae in my '12 FLTRX was fine - just as good as my modern car.  I added the Garmin GPS and added the satellite module/antennae.  It sat just under the fairing on top of the radio.  I had expected this new motorcycle to obtain as good a signal as my old Harley, but it's abysmal.  Not even close.  Either the SXM antennae location was an afterthought and sub-optimal, or there is something off with the installation.  As HD made such an emphasis on the improved infotainment, I find it hard to believe they didn't test and optimize the setup.  But, who knows...??

[SDCVO]

 My reception was horrible, put the antenna between the windshield and top of dash tucked in and it is now terrific. Even works in my garage which my car does not.

[joey t]

SDCVO, do you think you could post a pic of your antenna?

[windjammer]

The FM on my 15 cvo ltd is absolutely worthless in the rural northern WI no reception at all.

[SDCVO]

SDCVO, do you think you could post a pic of your antenna?

Can hardly see it

[SDCVO]

Can hardly see it

Outside where you definitely can barely see it

[Bobs14Limited]

Harley did come out with a new updated XM antenna that goes in the same location under the batwing. My dealer got one for me and it made a vast improvement in reception. New part number ends with an "A"