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Please view our
list of frequently asked
questions that may assist
your particular needs.
If you still need assistance,
please contact
us.
General FAQs | Rumble Road FAQs | CrankCase FAQs
• How
would you characterize
the sound quality of Rumble
Road speakers?
• Do
Rumble Road speakers perform
well at highway speeds?
• What
types of audio devices
can I hook up to Rumble
Road speakers?
• Can
I use any personal stereo
with the Rumble Road speaker
system?
• Can
I get full volume from
my MP3 player?
• Can
Rumble Road speakers be
used with a conventional
AM/FM car stereo?
• How
big are the speakers?
• Do
the Premium (amplified)
and Limited (non-amplified)
models use the same speakers?
• How
does the integrated amplifier
work? Where is it located?
• Can
I install Rumble Road
speakers on my bike's
handlebars without drilling
holes?
• If
my bike has a windshield,
can I still mount Rumble
Road speakers on the handlebars?
• Where
can I place my personal
stereo, CD player, cassette
player or MP3 player?
• Where
can I place my car stereo?
• Are
Rumble Road speakers connected
directly to the battery?
• Can
I install two sets of
Rumble Road speakers on
my bike without overtaxing
the battery?
• Can
I use a power adapter
to run my personal stereo
off my bike's power system
instead of using the batteries?
• Do
I need a noise filter
to reduce interference
from the engine?
• I installed a noise filter along with my amplified speakers but still get a humming noise and low volume from the speakers. How can I troubleshoot?
• Are
there electrical grounding
issues associated with
the black Rumble Road
speakers?
• Are
Rumble Road speakers waterproof?
• Are
Rumble Road speakers prepackaged
with mounting hardware,
or do I have to order
hardware separately?
• What
kind of hardware is packaged
with the black Rumble
Road kit?
How
would you characterize
the sound quality of Rumble
Road speakers?
MHI’s high-output,
high-fidelity Rumble Road™
stereo speaker system
produces crisp, powerful
sound even at highway
speeds. The current-generation
Premium amplified and
Limited non-amplified
systems deliver powerful,
clear audio response.
The Premium produces 46
watts peak power per channel
into highly efficient
4-inch
RCA coaxial speakers. For both models,
our quality speakers are
large enough to create
good bass response. In
particular, the Premium
model's custom amplifier
and overall packaging
generate an impressive
range of sound.
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Do
Rumble Road speakers perform
well at highway speeds?
A number of MHI customers have given us highly enthusiastic
feedback as to how good Rumble Road™ speakers sound, even
at highway and autobahn speeds. Customers consistently give
us positive feedback in this regard. In fact, many riders claim
that Rumble Roads have made them "leader of the pack";
other riders fall back so they can enjoy the Rumble Road™
speakers! To them, we say, "Wouldn’t you rather have
your own?" It’s worth noting that this is not home
theater, and proper perspective is a good thing. Please keep
in mind that these are 4" speakers subject to the whims
of wind — the higher the volume, the greater the distortion
level. But, for the size, Rumble Road speakers pack a great
punch.
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What
types of audio devices
can I hook up to Rumble
Road speakers?
Easily installed on handlebars,
spotlight mounting bars,
forks or crashbars, the
current-generation Rumble
Road™ Premium speaker
system with integrated
amplifiers works with
virtually any portable
stereo radio, or MP3,
CD or cassette player
featuring a standard 3.5mm
mini-plug headphone jack.
For the relatively few
devices manufactured with
the newer 2.5mm stereo
jacks, adapters are available
from electronics stores.
If your motorcycle or
ATV is already equipped
with a conventional car
stereo setup, we recommend
MHI’s custom non-amplified
Rumble Road™ Limited
speaker system.
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Can
I use any personal stereo
with the Rumble Road speaker
system?
With the amplified version of Rumble Roads — the Premium
model — you can use virtually any personal radio, or CD,
cassette or MP3 player equipped with a standard 3.5mm mini-plug
headphone jack. As noted above, for the relatively few devices
manufactured with the newer 2.5mm stereo jacks, adapters are
available from electronics stores. Products with "floating
ground" amplifiers, such as very low-end FM radios, may
not work optimally with Rumble Road™ speakers.
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Can
I get full volume from
my MP3 player?
MHI’s fourth generation of Rumble Road™ Premium
stereo speakers features new higher-gain, integrated amplifiers,
which translates to more volume pumped through the system’s
high-end speakers and better performance when paired with low-output
MP3 players and other audio devices. We increased our proprietary
amplifier’s voltage gain
by more than 60 percent — from 20 to 33. A low-output
MP3 player produces about half a volt, so volume from these
devices is lower compared with other, higher-output personal
stereos that easily produce twice as much. MHI’s upgraded
design now provides ubiquity, ensuring full-power output from
virtually any device and making MP3s sound better, even at highway
speeds.
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Can
Rumble Road speakers be
used with a conventional
AM/FM car stereo?
MHI’s non-amplified
Limited model works with
any conventional AM/FM
car stereo system (either
common ground or bridged)
to provide high-quality
sound on the go or while
parked. Based on the successful
Rumble Road™ Premium
amplified speaker system,
the non-amplified Limited
speakers are easily installed
on handlebars, spotlight
mounting bars, luggage
bars, forks or crashbars.
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How
big are the speakers?
The domed, spotlight enclosures
that house Rumble Road™
Premium and Limited speakers
are approximately 4.75"
in diameter and about
3" deep. The raw
speaker is 4" in
diameter.
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Do
the Premium (amplified)
and Limited (non-amplified)
models use the same speakers?
Both the Rumble Road™
Premium and Limited systems
use RCA speakers,
but different models.
Both models
deliver powerful, clear
audio response.
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How
does the integrated amplifier
work? Where is it located?
MHI’s custom-built
amplifier mounts behind
each speaker assembly
within the spotlight enclosure
and provides all the power
needed to drive the speaker.
Dual-bridged amplifiers
built into each speaker
produce high-fidelity
sound reproduction at
impressive volumes and
low distortion.
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Can
I install Rumble Road
speakers on my bike’s
handlebars without drilling
holes?
Yes, handlebar mounting without drilling holes in the bar is
possible with clamps available from MHI. Mounting hardware is
available on our accessories
page.
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If
my bike has a windshield,
can I still mount Rumble
Road speakers on the handlebars?
Many of our customers mount Rumble Road™ speakers just
inside the windshield, on the handlebars. As a guideline, allow
for the 3" depth of the speaker enclosures, which are approximately
4.75" in diameter, and a standard 3/8" mounting bolt.
By turning the mounting clamp opening so that it faces the seat
versus the windshield, you can typically gain an additional
two inches of clearance. Clamps of various sizes are available
on our accessories
page.
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Where
can I place my personal
stereo, CD player, cassette
player or MP3 player?
You can place your audio
player just about anywhere
within easy and safe reach,
on your bike or in your
pocket. Check out our
universal
stereo mounting kit,
featuring black hardware
and a clear Lucite tray
to hold your favorite
personal stereo. Maintain
the custom looks of your
bike without worrying
about your stereo taking
a walk. Designed for 7/8"
to 1" bars, MHI’s
mounting kit allows for
quick removal at three
points so you can be on
your way with minimal
delay. Alternatively,
you might use Velcro®,
two-way tape or similar
means of affixing the
device to your bike, or
simply place it in a windshield
bag.
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Where
can I place my car stereo?
Depending on its size,
a conventional AM/FM car
stereo may be mounted
in one of the storage
compartments, or saddlebags,
outfitted on some bikes.
One of the cleanest installations
we’ve seen features
Rumble Road™ Limited
speakers together with
a remote-controlled marine
radio placed in a saddlebag.
Click
here to view an installation.
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Are
Rumble Road speakers connected
directly to the battery?
Rumble Road™ speakers
can be wired either directly
to a 12-volt battery,
through a user-supplied
switch and fuse, or to
another switched and fused
12-volt source on your
bike. Most of our customers
wire the speakers to an
existing 12-volt accessory
line, headlight power
line or other switched
accessory on their bike,
based on the generalized
instructions provided
in our installation manual.
Your local automotive
sound shop or motorcycle
dealer should be able
to help you find a suitable
power source and properly
install the system.
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Can
I install two sets of
Rumble Road speakers on
my bike without overtaxing
the battery?
You certainly can! Some
of our customers have
cleverly installed "quad"
mounts — a pair
on the handlebars and
an opposing pair astride
the passenger seat. If
you still can’t
quite picture it, this
approach is beautifully
illustrated by one of
our customer testimonial
montages. Each pair of
Rumble Road™ Premium
speakers draws 5 amps
peak from the battery.
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Can
I use a power adapter
to run my personal stereo
off my bike’s power
system instead of using
the batteries?
Yes; however, some personal stereos used in this configuration
may produce ground noise amplified by the Rumble Road™
Premiums. This noise is characterized as a high-pitched whine
and occurs whether the engine is on or off. A ground loop isolator
(available at most electronics stores) may be inserted between
the audio device’s headphone output jack and the input
to the speakers. This remedy eliminates any ground loops —
and the resulting noise — between the two systems.
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Do
I need a noise filter
to reduce interference
from the engine?
If you experience sound distortion caused by engine interference
when your bike is running, you can easily and affordably install
a noise filter. Noise filters are available on our accessories
page for your convenience. This filter greatly attenuates electrical
noise or whine produced by some motorcycle electrical/ignition
systems. One filter works for both Rumble Road™ speakers
in the system. A noise filter is automatically included with
all orders for complete speaker kits.
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I installed a noise filter along with my amplified speakers but still get a humming noise and low volume from the speakers. How can I troubleshoot?
A hum is indicative of a bad ground – typically the signal ground. Try double-checking the signal ground from your stereo
player, including all black leads connecting the player to the speakers. If the problem persists, you may have installed the speakers at a weak ground point. To remedy, try jumping a wire from the bike;s negative battery terminal to the mounting bolt of each speaker. If this results in increased volume, you may need to wire in a good ground.
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Are
there electrical grounding
issues associated with
the black Rumble Road
speakers?
The powder-coating process creates insulation properties that
could restrict the flow of power to your Rumble Road™
speakers. MHI encloses ring lugs with each boxed pair of black
speakers. To ground the speakers properly, insert one of the
two ring lugs supplied on the uncoated mounting stem of each
speaker, and ensure that the wire is attached to a solid ground.
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Are
Rumble Road speakers waterproof?
Rumble Road™ speakers are water-resistant but not waterproof. The speakers feature injected plastic cone material and are sealed tightly within the spotlight enclosure with heavy rubber washers. The tight mesh of the stainless steel grille covers also helps keep the system dry. MHI has conducted extensive, successful tests for water resistance, and customers have not reported any weather-related malfunctions.
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Are
Rumble Road speakers prepackaged
with mounting hardware,
or do I have to order
hardware separately?
MHI gives you the option
to order either way. For
both the amplified Premium
and the non-amplified
Limited series, you may
purchase the speakers
by themselves if you plan
to mount them using your
own hardware in your own
custom installation. Alternatively,
you may order the speakers
as part of a complete
kit (Premium+ or Limited+)
that includes two mounting
clamps, a noise filter,
wiring and wire dressing.
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What
kind of hardware is packaged
with the black Rumble
Road kit?
To ensure as consistent a look as possible, MHI completes the
black Rumble Road™ kit with matching black clamps and
nuts. In addition, two of the four supplied washers are black.
The built-in threaded mounting stem is uncoated metal and is
not conducive to powder-coating; the uncoated stem is used to
ground the black speakers.
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