*****EDIT: Added pics. They are in a response below*****

Clarion NZ503
got the 99-9600 Metra kit and the AWSC-1 interface.

First: no mounting instructions came with the stereo whatsoever.
Second: the metra kit only came with minor instructions... nothing about the harness...

The clarion doesn't seem to fit the dash kit. Ok...I trimmed the sides of the opening. I can get the HU in the opening now, but what's with the gaps between the bezel and the dash kit? That looks like *** and will let in all manners of dirt and moisture. I'm guessing they are for clearance of the slide out sleeve that came with the radio, but we don't need that sleeve for this install, do we? If so, there's going to need to be a lot more clearancing.

The screws that came with the stereo are too short to attach it to the kit. The kit only came with screws to attach itself to the bike. So there's another trip to the store and I haven't even gotten to the bike with it yet.

Now as far as the harness that came with the install kit... the wires labeled for the speakers, battery, switched power, and ground all attach to the corresponding wires on the radio I assume? So this means the front speaker outs are what's already on the bike? What if I plan to use the RCA outs on the HU instead? Do I even need to hook up the speaker wires from the Metra harness to the HU?

Sigh...

 

Never used the Metra kit. I used the Scosche HD7000B kit and PAC SWI-RC steering wheel adapter and it was easy peasy. Everyone here recommends that Metra kit. I never knew it would have those issues. I say send it back and go with the Scosche kit/adapter from amazon. You can get both for about $100. My clarion went in in about an hour start to finish...then another 10-15 minutes to program the SWI-RC. I hope you get it figured out.

Here's what I used: Go to middle of the page to see the combo for $63.94.

 

you still need to use the sleeve otherwise nothing locks your head unit into the install kit.

If you're not using speaker level inputs then you do not connect the speaker leads on the harness, only power, ground, battery, remote

 

I used the same kit and didn't use the sleeve that came with the HU. I don't have any gaps. Screwed the Metra kit housing onto the HU. I had to screw it in through the channel in the housing. My stereo had a bunch of screw hole sockets in the side of it so it was easy to do. Is the gap your getting between the HU and the Metra housing? Mine was a snug fit. THere was also a trim type surround that came with my kit that would seem to close the gap you're talking about. I didn't have to use it. A couple of pictures of your issue would really help.

 

To OP... there is a sticky thread in the audio section regarding the hookup and programming of the Axxess... you running an external AMP or running speaker outputs of the Clarion?

 

I am using a RF amp, PBR300x2, and planned to use the RCA outs from the Clarion. So I don't need to connect the speaker wires from the metra harness to the radio speaker wire outputs, correct?

Here some pictures to better explain my questions in the original post. This first three shows the gap I am talking about between the snap-on bezel for the radio and the metra install kit:





Here is the sleeve I don't think needs to be used, but is apparently why the bezel has gaps in it:



Here's the screws that came with the radio, as well as the metra install kit. The larger ones came from Metra...and they are only for securing the kit to the bike. The smaller ones don't even come close to being long enough to go through the side of the kit and reach the threads on the radio. That's the hardware store trip I mentioned in the OP.



And here's one I hadn't mentioned yet... the 16(?) gauge yellow battery 12v+ wire (skinny one) is from the metra harness. The thicker (12(?) gauge yellow 12v+ wire is from the radio. There's a 15A fuse on the thicker one. There's no way the thin one will safely carry a 15A load, were it ever to see one. Should I just not connect these two together, and instead pull constant power from the battery to the radio (since I'm going to be doing it for the amp anyway)?



These questions should at least get me to the point of installing the radio in the bike. I'll look into the rest of the handle bar wiring and programming after I get that far

Thanks in advance for any help you guys offer