Reference Series

The technical background behind every recommendation we make.

Power, impedance, gain structure, DSP, speaker placement and electrical capacity — explained for motorcycles rather than for cars. Read these and you will know why a system is designed the way it is, not just what is in it.

Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3: How to Think About a Harley Audio UpgradeReference

Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3: How to Think About a Harley Audio Upgrade

Stage 1, 2 and 3 Harley audio upgrades explained, from a speaker swap to a full DSP-tuned system.

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What Is Android Auto and What Can It Do?Reference

What Is Android Auto and What Can It Do?

What Android Auto does, and why it's a genuine safety and usability upgrade on a touring Harley.

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What Is Apple CarPlay and What Can It Do?Reference

What Is Apple CarPlay and What Can It Do?

What Apple CarPlay does, and why it's a genuine safety and usability upgrade on a touring Harley.

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Best Speakers for a Harley Street Glide: The Complete Upgrade GuideReference

Best Speakers for a Harley Street Glide: The Complete Upgrade Guide

The best Cicada speaker upgrades for Harley Street Glide fairing and saddlebag positions, by year.

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Best Speakers for a Harley Road Glide: The Complete Upgrade GuideReference

Best Speakers for a Harley Road Glide: The Complete Upgrade Guide

The best Cicada speaker upgrades for Harley Road Glide fairing and saddlebag positions, by year.

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Cicada CXXM vs CM-X Mid-Bass Speakers: Kevlar or Carbon Matrix?Reference

Cicada CXXM vs CM-X Mid-Bass Speakers: Kevlar or Carbon Matrix?

Cicada CXXM Kevlar vs CM-X carbon-matrix mid-bass: how they compare and which suits your build.

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Do You Need an Amplifier for Harley Motorcycle Speakers?Reference

Do You Need an Amplifier for Harley Motorcycle Speakers?

How much power your factory radio really makes, and when a Harley amp is the upgrade that helps.

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Are Motorcycle Audio Systems Waterproof?Reference

Are Motorcycle Audio Systems Waterproof?

What IP ratings really mean for motorcycle audio, and why mounting position matters as much.

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How to Match Speakers and Amplifiers for Your Motorcycle: RMS, Sensitivity, and Impedance ExplainedReference

How to Match Speakers and Amplifiers for Your Motorcycle: RMS, Sensitivity, and Impedance Explained

How to match speakers and amps using RMS, sensitivity and impedance, explained simply.

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8 Motorcycle Audio Mistakes Most Riders Make (And How to Avoid Them)Reference

8 Motorcycle Audio Mistakes Most Riders Make (And How to Avoid Them)

The eight Harley audio upgrade mistakes we see most often, and what to do instead of each.

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What Size Speakers Does My Harley Have? Factory Speaker Sizes by Year and ModelReference

What Size Speakers Does My Harley Have? Factory Speaker Sizes by Year and Model

Factory Harley Touring speaker sizes by year, model and position, and what fits in their place.

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Why 2023.5+ Harley Audio Upgrades Need an A2B InterfaceReference

Why 2023.5+ Harley Audio Upgrades Need an A2B Interface

Why 2023.5+ Skyline OS Harleys need an A2B interface before you can add or replace an amplifier.

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