SoundStream WHD.9813 vs WHD.RG: Which Head Unit for Your 1998 to 2013 Road Glide?

Product Comparison · Harley Head Units

Upgrading the audio on a 1998-2013 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, SoundStream gives you two purpose-built options: the WHD.9813 and the WHD.RG. Both include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, handlebar control integration and 5V RCA outputs, and both work on a 1998-2013 Road Glide. The difference is fit and focus: the WHD.RG is built specifically for the Road Glide Sharknose fairing, while the WHD.9813 fits the factory radio opening and also suits other Harley Touring platforms. This comparison breaks down fit, screen, controls and sound processing so you can pick the right one.

Written and technically reviewed by Nathan Ford, Motorcycle Audio Australia. Specifications verified against current SoundStream product listings. Last reviewed July 2026.

Quick Comparison

The Core Difference: Fitment and Visual Style

This is the first thing to understand, because it affects everything else.

The WHD.9813 drops into the factory radio opening, the same hole as the original unit, edge to edge. It fits the Road Glide, Street Glide, Ultra Limited and Electra Glide. If you want the cleanest factory-style fit, or if you are not on a Road Glide specifically, this is the unit.

The WHD.RG is built specifically for the Road Glide Sharknose fairing. It is a larger-format screen that fills the entire face of that fairing opening, not just the radio cutout. The result is a more aggressive, Road Glide-specific look that is immediately distinctive. If the visual transformation of the Sharknose is what you are after, this is the unit. Neither is a compromise; they are designed for different priorities.

Screen Size and Resolution

Despite the WHD.RG appearing physically larger, the WHD.9813 has the bigger screen by diagonal measurement: 7.7 inches versus the WHD.RG's 7 inches.

The WHD.9813 uses a large, high-resolution Quantum Film LCD, one of the sharper displays available in a plug-and-play Harley radio that still fits the factory opening. The WHD.RG uses a 7-inch optically bonded QLCD at 1024x600, where the glass is bonded directly to the panel to reduce glare and prevent condensation.

On glare, in our experience the WHD.RG screen can look slightly brighter indoors, while the WHD.9813 uses a less reflective panel that reads well in direct sunlight on a moving bike. If you have dealt with glare on a Road Glide screen when the sun is over your shoulder, that is worth factoring in.

Layout-wise, the wider WHD.9813 fits more CarPlay icons across than the taller WHD.RG. A minor difference, but worth knowing if you navigate across apps regularly.

Source Options and Connectivity

Both radios cover the same core sources:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless or wired via USB
• AM/FM radio
• SiriusXM ready (SXV300 tuner required, sold separately)
• Bluetooth audio and phone
• USB flash drive audio playback
• RCA camera input with 12V trigger (compatible wireless camera systems require their own RCA receiver)

One practical note on SiriusXM: riders using these units in North America can add an SXV300 tuner, though SiriusXM can also be reached through its phone app via CarPlay or Android Auto where the service is available. (SiriusXM is not available in Australia.) Neither radio has built-in GPS navigation; both use phone-based navigation through Apple Maps, Google Maps or Waze via CarPlay and Android Auto.

Controls and Interface

The WHD.RG has illuminated phantom buttons on the faceplate for functions like volume, home, the CarPlay/Android Auto shortcut, day/night mode and settings. These are invisible when the unit is off and appear only when it is active, keeping the OEM look intact. Their fixed-position controls are easier to locate by position than the WHD.9813's hidden on-screen panel.

The WHD.9813 moves most functions to a hidden on-screen panel accessed by tapping the SoundStream logo (volume, brightness, mode, phone pairing, settings, power and mute), plus a large clock display that is a specific request from some riders. The trade-off is no dedicated buttons, but the screen real estate gain is significant.

Both radios include built-in handlebar control integration with no additional module required, and an IPX5-rated faceplate. Standard pre-programmed functions include volume, track, station, source and mute.

The WHD.9813 adds one useful feature: programmable long-press actions on the audio and mode-select handlebar buttons. Through the settings menu, with no computer or external module required, you can assign each long press to home screen, CarPlay/Android Auto, radio source or camera input. If you have a backup camera and want fast access to it, this is a practical addition. The WHD.RG does not have this feature.

Sound Control

Both radios include balance/fader, digital EQ, high-pass and low-pass crossover filters, independent front and rear crossovers, and subwoofer output control (level, crossover point and phase). The main difference is EQ depth.

EQ: The WHD.RG has a 13-band EQ with plus or minus 12 dB of adjustment and one custom EQ slot alongside presets. The WHD.9813 steps up to a 15-band EQ with two custom EQ slots. That means you can store separate profiles, for example one for music and one for spoken audio, without rebuilding your settings each time. The preset EQs on both radios boost the signal more than is useful at higher volumes, so the custom slots are what you will actually use.

Crossovers: Both the WHD.RG and WHD.9813 offer independent front and rear high-pass crossovers, so you can set appropriate crossover points for different speaker sizes front and rear on either radio. If you are adding an external amplifier with its own onboard crossovers, which is the right approach for any serious build, you will be setting crossovers at the amp anyway, but the head-unit crossovers remain useful for system-level control.

Button lighting: The WHD.RG lets you change the illumination colour of its phantom buttons. The WHD.9813 has no faceplate buttons, so this setting instead controls the background display theme.

Both radios include 5V RCA preamp outputs for front, rear and subwoofer, the correct foundation for adding an external amplifier.

Shared Features Worth Knowing

• IPX5-rated faceplate: protected against direct water spray when correctly installed, suited to an exposed fairing.
• Plug-and-play installation: unbolt the factory radio, bolt this in, connect to the existing harness. No cutting or splicing required.
• Both radios include a USB cable that can be routed to either side of the fairing (53 cm on the WHD.9813, 66 cm on the WHD.RG). Neither has a built-in GPS receiver or GPS antenna; navigation is handled by your phone through CarPlay or Android Auto.
• 2-ohm and 4-ohm speaker compatible: works with factory or aftermarket speakers directly.
• Built-in Class A/B amplifier: both have a 2-ohm-stable Class A/B amp (the WHD.RG is rated at 200W peak; the WHD.9813 does not list a comparable peak figure). Either can drive upgraded fairing speakers directly, but for clear, undistorted audio at 100 km/h with a helmet on, an external amplifier is the next real step, and both provide 5V RCA outputs specifically for this purpose. See: Cicada Audio amplifiers for Harley Touring.
• Custom backgrounds can be loaded via USB on both models.
• Pre-2006 bikes with factory rear speakers may require a connector adapter, because the radio uses the newer, larger rear speaker connector.

Which One Should You Choose?

The simplest rule: choose the WHD.RG if you want the Road Glide-specific look with the screen filling the entire Sharknose and dedicated illuminated buttons. Choose the WHD.9813 if you want the larger, sharper screen, a 15-band EQ with two custom slots and programmable handlebar controls.

WHD.RG, right for you if:

• You want the Road Glide-specific screen filling the entire snout
• You prefer dedicated illuminated buttons over on-screen controls
• Your system is straightforward and one custom EQ slot is sufficient

WHD.9813, right for you if:

• You want the factory-opening fit with the larger screen
• Screen clarity and anti-glare performance in direct sunlight matter to you
• You want a 15-band EQ with two custom slots
• You want programmable long-press handlebar controls
• You may fit this radio across different Harley platforms, not just a Road Glide

Both are well-built radios. SoundStream has been producing Harley-specific audio long enough that fit, finish and integration are solved problems on either model. The decision comes down to the look you want and how much EQ control you need at the head unit level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

• SoundStream WHD.SG vs WHD.9813 vs SG.V2: Which Head Unit for 1998-2013 Batwing Touring?
• Stock Harley Radio vs Aftermarket Head Units
• Upgraded Your Harley Head Unit? Here's What to Do Next
• What Is Apple CarPlay and What Can It Do?

Motorcycle Audio Australia. Sound That Rides.