Product Comparison · Amplifiers & Speakers
Cicada Audio and Rockford Fosgate are two of the Harley Touring audio brands we're asked to compare most often. Rockford Fosgate's Harley-specific Power series is a proven option from a long-established mobile audio manufacturer, sold mainly as staged Stage Kits that suit you if you want a defined, matched upgrade path with the major components supplied as a system. Its Power-series speakers, amplifier and wiring kits are also available individually. Depending on your motorcycle, factory radio and selected kit, installation may include a radio flash or other factory-radio configuration. Cicada Audio isn't exclusive to Harley-Davidson, but it has a strong Harley Touring integration range: alongside complete systems, it sells individual amplifiers, speakers, DSP options, model-specific amplifier racks, grilles and pre-terminated harnesses. That makes it well suited to staged upgrades, bi-amp layouts and custom systems you want to grow over time. For a straightforward, predefined package, Rockford Fosgate is a solid choice. For a custom, staged, DSP-based or bi-amp build, Cicada is generally the more flexible platform.
How Do Cicada Audio and Rockford Fosgate Compare on Paper?
| Rockford Fosgate (Power series / Stage Kits) | Cicada Audio | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Long-established global mobile audio manufacturer with a dedicated Harley-specific Power series | Serves motorcycle, powersports and marine applications, with a strong Harley Touring integration range |
| Format | Mainly matched Stage Kits (speakers, amplification and installation hardware together); Power-series speakers, amplifier and wiring kits also sold individually | Complete systems plus individually sold amplifiers, speakers, DSP, harnesses and racks |
| OEM radio integration | 2014 to 2023 factory-radio Stage Kits require the Boom! Box radio to be flashed; the 1998 to 2013 kits replace the factory radio, so no flash | Varies by model. FLX500.4 and FLX700.4 include VOX turn-on for many 2014 to 2023 Boom! Box installs; FLX1000.4 has REM/DC-offset only |
| CVO fitment | CVO-specific Stage Kits for select 2015 to 2022 CVO Street Glide and Road Glide (radio flash required, ABS lids only). Confirm against the compatibility chart | CXX57.2 (5×7 inch bag-lid speaker) runs coaxial or bi-amp for compatible Boom! Stage II wiring. Designed for 1998 to 2023 factory 5×7 locations; on 2014 to 2023 CVO the lid basket may need modification |
| Representative speaker construction | TMS65/TMS57: carbon-fibre-reinforced polypropylene cone, Santoprene surround | CXX57: Kevlar cone, N45H neodymium motor, PEI dome tweeter (other Cicada ranges use different cone and horn designs) |
| Amplifier | TM400X4ad 400W 4-channel (Class-ad) in the 2014 to 2023 Stage Kits. Check the specific kit for what's included | FLX series, sold individually, output varies by model: FLX1000.4 is 254W x4 RMS @ 2Ω, FLX1400.4PRO is 350W x4 RMS @ 2Ω |
| Harness ecosystem | Application-specific wiring and installation hardware supplied per kit; some radio configurations, expansions or model variants may need extra parts | Wide catalogue of amplifier-input, speaker-output, CVO bypass, DSP, power and model-specific harness and rack options |
Does a Rockford Fosgate or Cicada System Need a Radio Reflash?
It depends on the specific kit, your motorcycle and your factory audio system, for either brand. Rockford Fosgate's 2014 to 2023 factory-radio Stage Kits, including the CVO kits, require you to flash the Boom! Box radio for the intended speaker and amplifier configuration. Its 1998 to 2013 kits replace the factory radio with a Rockford source unit, so a factory flash isn't part of that path. Cicada's turn-on options vary by amplifier model: the FLX500.4 and FLX700.4 list REM, DC-offset and VOX (signal-sensing) turn-on, while the current FLX1000.4 listing shows REM and DC-offset only. VOX affects amplifier turn-on only. It lets a compatible FLX amplifier switch on from an incoming audio signal without a separate remote wire, but it does not correct the factory radio's EQ or configure the Boom! Box outputs. Whether a flash is required or recommended is a separate question, set by the radio, factory audio package, available outputs and how the incoming signal is corrected or processed. A Cicada system can sometimes run without a flash where the required analogue outputs are already available and the installer accounts for the factory signal through amplifier settings, a DSP or another integration method; that should not be attributed to VOX alone. A radio flash should never be described as universally unnecessary on either brand. For the full picture, see our guide to why flashing your Harley radio matters.
What About 2024+ and Skyline A2B Touring Models?
The 2023.5-later CVO and 2024-later standard Street Glide and Road Glide use Harley-Davidson's A2B-based Skyline OS audio architecture. A conventional high-level amplifier connection is not sufficient on these bikes: aftermarket amplification needs the correct digital-audio interface and vehicle-specific harnessing. Cicada's current complete 2024+ system, which MAA carries, uses a NAV-TV ZEN-H interface and Cicada-specific harnessing to extract and route the audio. That ZEN-H is Cicada's solution, not a universal requirement: Rockford's own current 2024+ Skyline kits integrate through Rockford's own hardware rather than the ZEN-H. MAA's stocked Rockford Harley range currently covers up to 2023, so for a 2024+ Skyline build, confirm the exact interface and harness with MAA before you order.
How Do CVO and Bi-Amp Speaker Options Compare?
CVO fitment depends on the exact model year and speaker location for both brands, so check the specific product before you order. Rockford Fosgate offers CVO-specific Stage Kits for select 2015 to 2022 CVO Street Glide and Road Glide models (check the compatibility chart); these retain the factory radio, so they require a flash, and the saddlebag portion fits ABS plastic lids only. Cicada's CXX57.2 is a 5×7 inch bag-lid speaker with a 2Ω woofer, a 4Ω tweeter and a switchable built-in 6dB crossover, designed to run either as a standard coaxial speaker or bi-amped as a direct replacement for compatible Boom! Stage II wiring. It is designed for 1998 to 2023 factory 5×7 locations, but fitment still needs checking: Cicada notes that on 2014 to 2023 CVO the lid basket may require modification for direct fitment. Confirm your exact year and location with MAA before choosing a system.
How Do the Two Brands Handle Weather and Vibration?
Both brands build for the same conditions: heat, vibration, UV and moisture inside a fairing or saddlebag. Rockford Fosgate's Element Ready TMS65 and TMS57 speakers use a carbon-fibre-reinforced polypropylene cone with a Santoprene surround. Cicada's Rain or Shine CXX57 uses a Kevlar cone, an N45H neodymium motor and a PEI (polyetherimide) dome tweeter; other Cicada ranges use different cone and high-frequency designs. These are material choices for the specific speakers being compared, not a performance ranking: without comparative measurements, neither construction can be fairly claimed to sound better or outlast the other in Australian conditions.
Which Amplifier Range Gives You More Flexibility?
Rockford centres its Harley range on matched Stage Kits, built around the TM400X4ad 400W 4-channel amplifier on the 2014 to 2023 systems, but its Power-series speakers, amplifier and installation hardware are also available individually. Cicada's FLX range is sold as individual components across several output levels, so match the specific model to your build rather than assuming one output figure across the whole range: the FLX500.4 and FLX700.4 include VOX turn-on, the FLX1000.4 is rated at 254W x4 RMS at 2Ω, and the FLX1400.4PRO steps up to 350W x4 RMS at 2Ω. If you're staging a build, buying the amp now and adding speakers or a DSP later, Cicada's broader mix-and-match catalogue of amplifiers, standalone DSPs, bi-amp speakers, racks and harnesses gives you more room to configure and grow the system.
Which One Should You Choose?
For a supported model where Rockford offers a complete matched Stage Kit, Rockford may be the simpler package: a defined upgrade path with compatible speakers, amplification and installation hardware selected as a system. For a custom build that retains or reworks bi-amp wiring, uses a standalone DSP, changes amplifier channels or is expanded in stages, Cicada's component and harness range generally offers more configuration flexibility. Either way, confirm the exact kit or component against your bike's year and model before you order.
FAQ
Is Rockford Fosgate a bad choice for a Harley?
No. It's a well-established mobile audio manufacturer with a dedicated Harley-specific Power series and matched Stage Kits. It's a good fit if you want a defined upgrade path with the major components selected and supplied as a system.
Do I need to modify my bike for either brand?
It depends on the specific kit and your bike. Rockford Fosgate's 2014 to 2023 factory-radio Stage Kits, including the CVO kits, require the Boom! Box radio to be flashed; its 1998 to 2013 kits replace the factory radio instead, so no factory flash is involved. For Cicada, some FLX amplifiers can use factory speaker-level signal and VOX turn-on on conventional 2014 to 2023 Boom! Box models, which can simplify wiring, but VOX only handles amplifier turn-on: whether a flash is needed still depends on the radio, outputs and how the signal is processed. Check the specific product page for your exact bike before you order either brand.
Can I mix Rockford Fosgate speakers with a Cicada amplifier, or vice versa?
Yes. The brand names don't have to match, but the speaker impedance, RMS capability, crossover requirements and wiring architecture (coaxial or bi-amp) must suit the amplifier channel, and the number of available channels has to work for the layout. Differences in sensitivity and frequency response may also need level adjustment or DSP tuning. A matched kit simplifies component selection, but the radio configuration, fitment and installation still need to be correct for the motorcycle.
Which is better for a CVO Street Glide or Road Glide?
It depends on the exact model year and speaker location. Cicada's CXX57.2 is a 5×7 inch bag-lid speaker built to run bi-amped for compatible Boom! Stage II wiring, which makes it a relevant option for applicable CVO bag-lid upgrades, though on 2014 to 2023 CVO the lid basket may need modification for direct fitment. Rockford Fosgate offers CVO-specific Stage Kits for select 2015 to 2022 CVO models, which retain the factory radio and require a flash. Check the compatibility notes on the exact product before you order either brand.
Not Sure Which System Fits Your Build?
Talk to MAA about matching Cicada or Rockford Fosgate components to your exact Harley Touring model.
Get In Touch →Browse the full Cicada Audio range or the Rockford Fosgate range to compare more options.