If you've ever hit the highway and felt like your music was getting lost in the wind, adding a tour pak subwoofer might be the smartest move you make for your bike's audio system. There is something incredibly frustrating about spending a fortune on high-end fairing speakers only to realize that, once you cross 60 mph, all that "punch" you heard in the driveway completely vanishes. That's where the tour pak comes into play. It's basically a giant, empty resonance chamber just waiting to be turned into a bass box.
Getting decent low-end on a motorcycle is a whole different ballgame compared to a car. In a car, you're in a sealed cabin; on a bike, you're fighting wind, engine noise, and open air. If you want to actually feel the kick drum or the bass line while you're cruising, you need to move some air.
Why the Tour Pak is the Perfect Spot
Most guys start their audio journey with the fairing speakers. That's fine for clarity, but even the best 6.5-inch speakers can only do so much. Then they move to lid speakers, which help a lot with the "soundstage," but still don't quite hit those deep frequencies. The tour pak is the final frontier.
Because it's a large, enclosed space, it acts as a natural housing for a subwoofer. You aren't just mounting a speaker to a plastic flap; you're creating an enclosure. When you install a tour pak subwoofer, you're utilizing that internal volume to create the back pressure a sub needs to really perform. It's the difference between hearing a "thump" and feeling it in your spine.
Choosing the Right Size for Your Space
When it comes to picking a sub for the pak, bigger isn't always better, mostly because you still probably want to carry a helmet or a jacket every now and then. The most common setups usually involve 8-inch or 10-inch woofers.
An 8-inch sub is a great "stealth" option. You can often mount these in a way that doesn't completely eat up your storage space. They're snappy, fast, and great for rock and roll. If you're more into hip-hop or anything with a really deep low-end, you might want to look at a 10-inch sub. It moves significantly more air, but keep in mind, it's going to take up a bigger chunk of your "trunk."
Some guys even go crazy and run dual 8s or dual 10s. It sounds incredible, but at that point, you're basically turning your tour pak into a dedicated speaker box. If you're a long-distance tourer who needs every inch of luggage space, you'll have to find a balance between boom and room.
Ported vs. Sealed Enclosures
This is a big debate in the bike world. A sealed setup is generally easier to do. You just mount the sub, ensure the pak is airtight, and let it rip. It provides a very tight, controlled bass.
A ported setup, on the other hand, involves cutting a hole (a port) to allow air to move in and out. This can make the tour pak subwoofer significantly louder, which is great for highway speeds. However, tuning a port is tricky. If the port is the wrong size or length, it'll sound like garbage. Most casual DIYers stick with sealed because it's harder to mess up.
Dealing with Vibration and Rattles
Here is the thing no one tells you: tour paks are made of fiberglass or plastic, and they weren't exactly designed to be speaker cabinets. When you drop a high-powered sub in there, the whole thing is going to want to shake itself apart.
Before you even mount the speaker, you've got to think about sound dampening. Using something like Dynamat or a similar butyl rubber liner inside the pak is a lifesaver. It adds mass to the walls of the tour pak, which stops them from vibrating and making that annoying "buzzing" sound. Plus, it helps keep the sound energy inside the box where it belongs, rather than letting it leak out through the thin walls.
Also, check your hinges and latches. A tour pak subwoofer will find every loose bolt on your bike. If your latch is even a little bit loose, it's going to rattle like a can of spray paint. You might need to add some foam weatherstripping to get a tighter seal when the lid is closed.
Powering the Beast
You can't just wire a sub to your factory head unit and expect it to work. Subs are power-hungry. You're going to need a dedicated amplifier, and it needs to be a "Class D" amp because they're more efficient and run cooler—two things that are very important on a motorcycle.
Finding a place for the amp can be a challenge. Some people tuck it inside the fairing, while others mount it right inside the tour pak next to the sub. If you put it in the pak, just make sure it has a bit of breathing room so it doesn't overheat on those long summer rides.
Pro tip: Make sure your charging system can handle the extra load. If you're running a big amp for your fairing, another for your lids, and a third for your tour pak subwoofer, you might be pushing your stator to its limits.
The Installation Process
If you're handy with a drill, you can probably handle this yourself. Most kits come with a mounting ring that reinforces the area where you cut the hole. This is crucial because you don't want the weight of the sub hanging purely off the thin plastic of the pak.
- Template First: Always use a template before cutting. You only get one shot at this.
- Wiring: Use high-quality, marine-grade wire. Vibration and moisture are the enemies of electronics on a bike.
- Sealing: Use a good gasket. If air leaks out from around the rim of the speaker, you lose all your pressure, and your bass will sound "thin."
- Testing: Don't bolt everything back together until you've tested it. There's nothing worse than finishing a job only to realize a wire came loose.
Is it Worth the Loss of Storage?
This is the million-dollar question. If you're a solo rider and you use a luggage rack or a back-seat bag for your gear, then adding a tour pak subwoofer is a no-brainer. The upgrade in sound quality is so massive that you'll wonder how you ever rode without it.
However, if you and a partner go on two-week trips and that tour pak is usually stuffed to the gills with clothes and gear, you're going to have to make some choices. Some manufacturers make "shallow mount" subs that take up less room, but you're still losing some volume.
Honestly, once you hear that full-range sound at 80 mph, most people find a way to pack lighter. There is just something about having a full, rich soundtrack to your ride that makes the miles go by faster.
Keeping it Weatherproof
Since the tour pak is generally "outside," you have to worry about the elements. Most subs designed for motorcycles are "marine grade," meaning they can handle a bit of splash or some humidity. However, you still don't want a puddle sitting on your cone.
If you're worried about rain, look into hydrophobic mesh or "sock" covers. These allow the sound to pass through but keep the water out. Also, make sure that when you run your wires into the pak, you use rubber grommets and a bit of silicone sealant. You want the sound to be the only thing "leaking" out of that box.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, a tour pak subwoofer is the ultimate "flex" for a motorcycle audio system. It's the difference between a system that sounds "good for a bike" and one that sounds "good, period." It fills in those gaps that wind noise usually steals, giving your music a depth that fairing speakers just can't touch.
Sure, it takes some work, and yeah, you might have to leave one extra pair of shoes at home to make room for the magnet, but the first time you're cruising down a backroad with your favorite track hitting just right, you'll know you made the right call. Just be prepared for people to stare at you at stoplights—because they definitely will hear you coming.