2014–2025 Harley Tri Glide Ultra Audio Upgrade Guide

July 12, 2026

Model Guide · Tri Glide Ultra

Upgrading the audio on a Tri Glide Ultra starts with identifying the exact year, the Boom! Box generation, the factory speaker zones and whether the bike has been modified. This guide covers the 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra, the two Boom! Box generations, factory speaker sizes in the fairing and Tour-Pak, amplifier mounting and integration, DSP tuning and how to plan an upgrade.

Important model note: The Tri Glide Ultra runs two different Boom! Box generations. 2014-2018 models use Boom! Box 6.5GT, and 2019-2025 models use Boom! Box GTS. Both are pre-Skyline systems and do not use the Skyline OS / A2B integration path. The 2025 Tri Glide Ultra is the last Boom! Box-generation touring trike: Harley's redesigned 2026 trike range moved to Skyline OS on different models (Road Glide 3, Street Glide 3 Limited and CVO Street Glide 3 Limited), which are covered in a separate guide.

CVO exception: This guide primarily describes the standard Tri Glide Ultra. The 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide uses a higher-spec factory-amplified four-speaker system and must be treated separately. The 2020 and 2021 models use four Boom! Audio Stage I speakers with a four-channel 300-watt amplifier, while the 2022 CVO moved to Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate Stage I. Do not use the standard radio-powered Tri Glide upgrade path for a CVO without confirming its factory amplifier, speakers and wiring.

Quick answer

A standard 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra has four factory 5.25-inch speakers: two in the Batwing fairing and two in the King Tour-Pak speaker pods. Purpose-built 6.5-inch speakers are a common upgrade, but the upgrade size is not the same as the factory speaker size. It uses Boom! Box 6.5GT (2014-2018) or Boom! Box GTS (2019-2025), integrates like other Boom! Box Touring bikes and does not need an A2B interface. The amplifier mounts to the trike frame rather than in a saddlebag, so amplifier hardware is trike-specific.

Choose your trike: 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra (this guide) · 2023-2025 Road Glide 3 · 2026 Skyline trikes

Factory audio specifications and model-year boundaries checked against Harley-Davidson technical material, 1 September 2026.

Jump to: 6.5GT vs GTS · Speaker sizes · Amplifier mounting · Upgrade paths · FAQs

Boom! Box 6.5GT vs GTS on the Tri Glide Ultra

Before choosing parts, identify which Boom! Box generation your bike has, because it affects the radio interface and the correct integration approach:

Model and platform	Factory starting point	Integration approach
Tri Glide Ultra, 2014-2018	Boom! Box 6.5GT; four factory 5.25-inch speakers in the Batwing fairing and King Tour-Pak, radio-powered	6.5GT / Boom! Box integration; no A2B interface required
Tri Glide Ultra, 2019-2025	Boom! Box GTS; four factory 5.25-inch speakers in the Batwing fairing and King Tour-Pak, radio-powered	GTS / Boom! Box integration; no A2B interface required
CVO Tri Glide, 2020-2022	Boom! Box GTS; four upgraded factory speakers in the fairing and Tour-Pak with factory amplification	CVO-specific amplified integration; no A2B interface, but factory amplifier and wiring must be addressed

Any EQ, filtering, clipping or volume-dependent behaviour in the factory system should be measured rather than assumed, because it varies with the radio and configuration. Harley's own Rockford Fosgate installation documentation illustrates the split: it requires a Digital Technician II flash on Boom! Box 6.5GT applications when its amplified speaker configuration is installed, while Boom! Box GTS applications require current radio software. An aftermarket system should still be assessed according to its actual radio configuration and measured output rather than assuming every bike needs the same flash or correction device.

What About 2009-2013 Tri Glide Models?

The 2009-2013 Tri Glide Ultra Classic uses the earlier Advanced Audio platform with four factory 5.25-inch speakers: two in the fairing and two in the Tour-Pak pods. The 2010-2011 Street Glide Trike uses two 5.25-inch fairing speakers and no factory rear speaker zone. These bikes have a genuine pre-2014 5.25-inch mounting arrangement, so fitting 6.5-inch speakers requires the appropriate adaptor and sufficient depth.

For the older radios, controls and integration, see our 1998-2013 Batwing Touring audio guide, and for parts confirmed for that platform, shop 2009-2013 Harley trike audio. Model-specific radios, harnesses, mounting kits, controls and complete audio systems are not interchangeable between the pre-2014 and 2014-and-later platforms, so match those to your exact year. Individual speakers, amplifiers or processors must still be checked for physical and electrical compatibility.

Tri Glide Ultra Speaker Sizes: Fairing and Tour-Pak

The standard 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra left the factory with four 5.25-inch (133 mm) speakers, two in the Batwing fairing and two in the King Tour-Pak pods. Harley's published specification lists them at 25 watts per channel from the radio, and describes 6.5-inch as the available accessory upgrade. Purpose-built 6.5-inch Harley speakers can fit the original fairing and Tour-Pak housings, but this does not mean any generic 6.5-inch speaker will fit. Basket profile, mounting pattern, depth, terminals, grille clearance and impedance must suit the exact position, so confirm the mounts, grilles and wiring for your year before ordering. For factory speaker sizes across every Harley Touring era, see: What Size Speakers Does My Harley Have? Factory Speaker Sizes by Year and Model.

The Two-Zone Challenge on a Tri Glide Ultra

The Tri Glide Ultra runs two speaker zones: the front Batwing fairing and the rear King Tour-Pak. The factory Boom! Box provides a basic front/rear fade, but the four speakers still operate as a linked factory system, without the independent per-zone EQ, crossover, channel routing and delay control available from a multi-channel DSP or DSP amplifier.

A trike can also produce a different rear noise environment because of the two rear tyres, drivetrain, larger rear bodywork and passenger position. The actual noise floor varies with tyres, road surface, exhaust, helmet and speed, and where it is higher, independent front and rear tuning becomes particularly useful for keeping the system balanced at speed.

What a Speaker-Only Upgrade Can and Cannot Change

A correctly matched speaker upgrade can improve clarity, efficiency, weather resistance and usable output, particularly where the factory speakers have deteriorated. Retaining the factory radio also keeps the original intercom, passenger controls and communication functions intact. What a speaker-only change cannot do is add amplifier headroom, provide independent DSP control over the fairing and Tour-Pak zones, or correct a source configuration that is limiting performance. Where significantly more output is the goal, speakers, source integration and amplification should be planned together.

Learn when a Harley radio flash, line leveller or DSP input correction is the right solution.

How DSP and OEM Integration Help

The factory signal can be measured and then conditioned using a suitable DSP, DSP amplifier or integration device. Beyond the factory front/rear fade, a processor with enough channels lets the fairing and Tour-Pak zones be tuned separately, with independent level, equalisation, crossover control, channel routing and time alignment.

Time alignment can manage arrival-time differences between the fairing and Tour-Pak speaker locations for a chosen listening priority, usually the rider, or provide a compromise for two-up use. It cannot perfectly align every seating position simultaneously. A DSP cannot repair a source signal that is already clipping, restore dynamics removed by source-level compression, or change a speaker's physical direction. The source's maximum clean volume and usable response must be established during setup.

DSP Tuning for Harley Baggers (Explained Simply)

Where Does the Amplifier Mount on a Tri Glide?

A Tri Glide does not have the saddlebag amplifier locations used on two-wheel Touring models. Harley uses dedicated trike amplifier installation hardware, with the amplifier mounted to the trike frame beneath the seat area. An aftermarket build likewise needs a trike-specific mounting solution that provides secure mounting, wiring access, cooling and serviceability.

Do not assume that an amplifier rack or wiring kit intended for a Street Glide or Ultra Limited will transfer to a Tri Glide. The available space, cable routing and mounting hardware are different. Higher-output systems should also include an electrical-load review: an upgraded battery may improve reserve capacity, but it does not increase the charging system's continuous output.

Upgrade Paths: Choose by Your Goal

Path 1: Front Fairing Improvement

Confirmed direct-fit fairing speakers with the existing radio and amplifier configuration checked. Suitable for a modest, clean front-stage improvement without a larger build.

Path 2: Amplified Front Stage

Fairing speakers with an external amplifier or DSP amplifier, correct source integration (radio flash or input correction), trike-specific amplifier mounting and a proper gain and crossover setup.

Path 3: Upgrade the Tour-Pak Rear Zone

Matched Tour-Pak speakers on their own amplifier channels, managed by a DSP or DSP amplifier with enough outputs to run the fairing and Tour-Pak zones independently (typically four channels or more). Matching the rear speakers to the fairing in sensitivity and tone matters for two-up riding and for balancing against road noise.

Path 4: Full Multi-Zone System

Fairing and Tour-Pak speakers, optional subwoofer, sufficient amplifier channels, a DSP for routing, level control, integration and tuning, and an optional aftermarket head unit where the platform supports it. A subwoofer requires a suitable enclosure or custom installation location, dedicated amplification and an electrical-load review. A Tri Glide has useful rear body volume, but that does not make every enclosure safe or acoustically suitable.

Replacing the Boom! Box can add modern features and cleaner aftermarket outputs, but retaining handlebar controls does not automatically retain the factory wired intercom, rider and passenger headsets, passenger audio controls or CB functions. List every factory feature that matters before choosing a replacement radio and integration module.

Stock Harley Radio vs Aftermarket Head Units

Tuning for Road Noise and Two-Up Riding

Where a trike produces more road noise, and where the rider and passenger sit in different positions, independent levels, crossovers and EQ help balance the fairing and Tour-Pak zones. Time alignment can then be configured for a chosen listening priority, typically the rider, or set as a compromise for two-up use. One fixed delay setting cannot perfectly align both seating positions at once, so a DSP that supports multiple presets is useful: one preset for solo riding and another for two-up touring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What radio is in my Tri Glide Ultra?

2014-2018 Tri Glide Ultra models use Boom! Box 6.5GT, and 2019-2025 models use Boom! Box GTS. Both have a 6.5-inch screen; the GTS has a flat glass face with no physical buttons, while the 6.5GT has a plastic bezel and buttons. Confirm your exact year before ordering integration parts.

Does a 2018 Tri Glide have the 6.5GT or GTS?

A 2018 Tri Glide Ultra has Boom! Box 6.5GT. Boom! Box GTS was introduced for the 2019 model year, so 2019 and later Tri Glide Ultra models use GTS.

What size speakers are in a Tri Glide Ultra?

The standard 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra has four factory 5.25-inch speakers, two in the Batwing fairing and two in the King Tour-Pak. Purpose-built 6.5-inch speakers are the common upgrade, but fitment (mounts, grilles, wiring, depth and impedance) must be confirmed for your exact bike.

Can 6.5-inch speakers replace the factory 5.25-inch Tri Glide speakers?

Purpose-built 6.5-inch Harley speakers can mount in the original fairing and Tour-Pak housings on the 2014-2025 platform. A generic 6.5-inch car speaker is a different matter: basket profile, mounting pattern, depth, terminals, grille clearance and impedance all have to suit the position, so confirm the specific product for your year rather than treating the trike as a generic 6.5-inch application.

Does a Tri Glide Ultra have rear speakers?

Yes. The Tri Glide Ultra has a factory rear zone in the King Tour-Pak in addition to the fairing speakers, so it runs a four-speaker system across two zones.

Where does an amplifier mount on a Tri Glide?

To the trike frame beneath the seat area, using trike-specific mounting hardware. A Tri Glide has no saddlebag amplifier locations, so racks and wiring kits designed for a Street Glide or Ultra Limited do not transfer across. Plan the mounting, cable routing and cooling as part of the amplifier choice.

Does a Tri Glide Ultra need an A2B interface?

No. The 2014-2025 Tri Glide Ultra uses the Boom! Box integration platform (6.5GT or GTS) rather than Skyline OS / A2B, so it does not require an A2B interface. An A2B interface is only needed on the newer Skyline OS trikes, which are different 2026 models.

Does a 2024 or 2025 Tri Glide use Skyline OS?

No. The two-wheel Street Glide and Road Glide moved to Skyline OS for 2024, but trike generations break at 2026. A 2024 or 2025 Tri Glide Ultra is still a Boom! Box GTS bike and integrates like the earlier GTS models, with no A2B interface involved.

What is different about the CVO Tri Glide audio system?

The 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide is factory-amplified. The 2020 and 2021 models run four Boom! Audio Stage I speakers on a four-channel 300-watt amplifier, and the 2022 model moved to Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate Stage I. Its factory amplifier, speaker impedance and wiring form part of the system, so it needs a CVO-specific plan rather than the standard radio-powered Tri Glide upgrade path.

Will an aftermarket head unit retain the Tri Glide's intercom and passenger controls?

Not automatically. Retaining the handlebar audio controls does not guarantee retention of the rider/passenger intercom, wired headsets, passenger controls or CB functions. Confirm every factory communication feature you need before selecting a replacement head unit or integration package.

Do 2009-2013 Tri Glide audio parts fit 2014-and-later models?

The model-specific radios, harnesses, mounting kits, controls and complete audio systems are not interchangeable, because the pre-2014 platform uses different radios, controls and integration. Individual speakers, amplifiers or processors must still be checked for physical and electrical compatibility. See our 1998-2013 Batwing Touring audio guide for the earlier models.

Shop this setup

Upgrading a Tri Glide Ultra? Fitment depends on the exact year and Boom! Box generation, so confirm your bike first.

Not sure what fits your bike? Contact Motorcycle Audio Australia with your year, factory radio and current speaker locations, and we'll confirm the right parts.

Plan your Tri Glide audio system

Riding one of these? Tell the System Builder your model and year and it will match the whole system, from speakers and amplification to wiring, trike-specific mounting and Boom! Box integration, and price it. The 2020-2022 CVO Tri Glide starts as a custom build, because its factory-amplified system is planned around the existing amplifier and wiring.

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