Mick's 2022 Road Glide Special — When the Demo Bike Does Its Job

Custom Build · Mick's 2022 Road Glide Special

Mick heard the MAA demo Road Glide, then built the same idea into his own 2022 Road Glide Special. The factory system came out, and in went a SoundStream HDHU.V2 head unit, a Precision Power MAA4.400 amplifier, MAS.654 fairing and MAS.694 saddlebag speakers with the HD14.SBS lid kit, and SoundSkins deadening through the speaker locations. Sometimes the demo bike does its job.

Mick's 2022 Road Glide Special had the factory audio, and he loves his music loud. The stock system was not keeping up, not at the volumes he wanted and not at the speeds a Road Glide is built to cover. The solution was not complicated: he had already heard what the right system sounds like, he just needed it on his own bike.

The Head Unit: SoundStream HDHU.V2

The factory unit was replaced with the SoundStream HDHU.V2, the same 8.3-inch plug-and-play head unit that sits in our own demo Road Glide. Wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, built-in iGo GPS capability (Australian maps available separately), Rally Mode broadcasting to riders on compatible receivers, and an IPX5-rated faceplate designed to withstand rain and direct water spray. Mick's unit was updated to the latest available firmware and configured for the bike before handover.

Amplification: Precision Power MAA4.400

The Precision Power MAA4.400 handles amplification across the full system, installed using the optional HD14.AWK amplifier installation kit: its mounting brackets secure the amp cleanly in the fairing, while we modify the SoundStream head-unit harness to give direct plug-and-play connections between the HDHU.V2 and the MAA4.400 without cutting the bike's factory wiring. The MAA4.400 is a compact four-channel Class-D amplifier rated up to 100W RMS × 4 into the four 4Ω speaker loads used here (150W × 4 at 2Ω). Each speaker has its own channel, with the front channels configured to suit the 75W RMS MAS.654 fairing speakers and the rear channels matched to the 100W RMS MAS.694 saddlebag speakers. It runs from the bike's standard electrical system without a separate auxiliary battery, provided the battery and charging system are in good condition, and it is tuned so the system sounds right at road speed, not just at idle in the driveway.

Front Fairing Speakers: Precision Power MAS.654

Precision Power MAS.654 6.5-inch speakers (75W RMS, 4Ω) replace the factory front drivers, finished with metal speaker grilles in place of the factory plastic for a cleaner, more durable look. The MAS.654 is strong through the midrange, where much of the vocal and instrument definition sits, helping the system stay intelligible against engine, road and wind noise. The MAS.654's tuning modules were removed as part of the tuning approach used for Mick's particular fairing and amplifier configuration, and the amplifier gains and high-pass crossovers were then set to suit the speakers.

Saddlebag Speakers: Precision Power MAS.694

Precision Power MAS.694 6×9 speakers (100W RMS, 4Ω) went into the saddlebag lids using the Precision Power HD14.SBS cut-in kit. The HD14.SBS uses a precision template to permanently cut Mick's existing OEM lids, avoiding the cost of replacement or pre-cut lids, and its mounting adapters position each 6×9 at the correct depth, with gloss-black grilles and waterproof quick-disconnect wiring completing the installation. A 6×9 driver brings significantly more cone area than a 6.5-inch, and that larger radiating area, together with the MAS.694's design and its own amplifier channel, supports greater mid-bass weight and body than the fairing speakers could provide alone, the difference between music that sounds present and music that sounds thin. At highway speed, when road noise is eating into the lower frequencies, that mid-bass is what keeps the system feeling full and balanced rather than just loud.

Sound Deadening: SoundSkins Pro

SoundSkins Pro was applied to the fairing speaker pods and the saddlebag panels to reduce unwanted resonance and panel vibration. By giving the speakers a more stable mounting environment, it improves perceived mid-bass control and reduces buzzing as playback level rises. The benefit becomes more noticeable on long runs, where riders naturally turn the volume up to overcome wind and road noise: reducing panel buzz and resonance helps the system stay cleaner and less fatiguing as playback level rises.

System at a Glance

The Result

Mick's reaction was immediate: "That's rockin." His Road Glide now has the same core system he heard on the demo bike: modern connectivity, dedicated amplification, and a four-speaker layout tuned for real road use.

Frequently Asked Questions

More reading: our guide to Stage 1 to 3 upgrades, and more completed customer systems in Custom Builds.

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