The owner of this cool 2016 BMW Motorrad K1600GTL visited Extreme Audio in Midlothian to inquire about upgrading the stereo system. The bike comes with a basic sound system, but as is the case with most factory-installed stereos, it doesn’t play loudly enough. Working with the client and his resources, we designed an impressive upgrade that would deliver the clarity and output he wanted.
BMW Motorcycle Stereo Upgrade
This is the third K1600 we’ve worked on recently. These bikes come with a pair of 5.25-inch speakers in the front fairing. We usually use a set of Polk Audio MM-Series speakers in these locations, and the system sounds really good. This client had found a set of larger speaker pods from a source in Russia. The new pods will accept 6.5-inch speakers, so we installed a set of ARC Audio MOTO602V2 coaxial drivers in the bike.
We chose an Alpine KTA-450 Power Pack amplifier to drive the speakers in a two-channel bridged configuration. The power pack amplifier fits nicely under the factory radio module in the center of the bike and provides about 100 watts of power to each speaker. We connected the inputs of the amp to the speaker outputs on the factory radio, so the system functions just as if it had been installed at the BMW Motorrad factory in Berlin, Germany.
As always, all the wiring is wrapped in automotive-grade cloth tape to protect it from damage and to keep it organized, and we used stainless-steel fasteners to mount the speakers and amplifiers. Our goal is to match or exceed the assembly processes used by each and every vehicle manufacturer to ensure that our upgrades will look and sound great for years.
Richmond’s Motorcycle Audio Experts
With the speakers and amp installed and everything configured to work with the factory radio, the client returned to Extreme Audio to hear the new stereo system on his BMW K1600. He was thrilled with the rich, warm sound from the larger speakers and was very happy with his investment. If you want to improve the performance of the stereo system on your motorcycle, drop by Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville or Midlothian. You can also reach our team using the contact form on our website or by giving us a call. We hope to hear from you soon!
Hi
I have a 2014 K1600GTL interested in upgrading the basic sound system. What would I be looking at cost wise?
Mark, Thanks for the comment. Give Brian at our Mechanicsville location a call or shoot him an email. 804-559-3589 or brian@extremeaudio.org
This is very cool. I’m wondering why you did not install a marine-grade amplifier? Although the amp is well protected in the location you put it, water can still get up in there…
In this case is was more of a cost and physical size constraint. We have another going up on the site soon that we used a Rockford powersports amplifier in one of the saddlebags. More power, better protection, etc.
How much would it cost to upgrade using stock 5.25” box? And how long would it take to do the job? Thank you.
Good Morning! I would suggest contacting Brian at our Mechanicsville location. He’s the most versed on the BMW motorcycles. brian@extremeaudio.org or 804-559-3589 Thanks!
Awesome upgrade. I’ve been disappointed in the stock sound system since I got my 2015 GTL.
You mentioned your Clint found larger speaker boxes from a source in Russia, any information on the supplier or how I can acquire some for my bike?
Matt
We actually just received some of them a couple days ago. We plan on starting to stock them in house, because ordering them from Russia can add 3 or 4 weeks of shipping time with clients wanting it done quickly. Best bet would be to get with Brian at our Mechanicsville location, as he know all the ins and outs of the different speaker and amp combos. brian@extremeaudio.org or 804-559-3589 Thanks!
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Great to hear that you are stocking them. Im always a bit uneasy about doing business with Russian companies.
I think found them on E-bay but the photos of the speakers both installed and before installation that are on the post are sketchy and don’t show much detail of fitment. Is it possible for you to post some more telling photos?
FYI: I know of 3 close riding friends with GTL’s who are unhappy with their sound systems. We have all been stymied in our attempts to upgrade these without taking up a luggage compartment or bolting something on the bike that looks unprofessional. With a bit of advertising, Im fairly certain you could package and sell upgraded systems all around the world for this bike. Online, the only motorcycle sound system upgrades are all about Harley Davidsons – thousands of them – nothing for BMW’s. frustrating!
Personally I have modified my bike with a higher quality 4″ speaker fitted into the existing speaker box but the improvement in should is minimal.
Sincerely,
Matt
We’ve definitely experienced that here as well. We’ve done quite a few of them from out of town once people found out we worked on them. We certainly missed the chance of taking pictures of a bunch of them. Here’s one that we did take pictures of though. https://www.extremeaudio.org/bmw-touring-motorcycle-upgrade-for-stafford-client/