Custom Motorcycle Audio Builds

Custom builds

Designed around your bike, your riding and the result you want.

From clean amplified upgrades to complete DSP-controlled, multi-speaker and subwoofer systems, every project begins with the rider and the complete system — not a preselected parts list.

Tell us about your build See how the process works
Is a custom build right for you?

A custom build makes sense when your goals, existing equipment, motorcycle platform or installation requirements cannot be properly addressed by a standard package.

It may not be necessary when your goal can be met by one of our matched, model-specific systems without fabrication, specialist integration or a staged design. We will tell you when a packaged solution is enough.

Before you decide

Hear a system first

Specifications can describe the equipment. They cannot show how a complete system will perform against wind, road and engine noise.

DemonstrationA properly designed and tuned system, in front of you

Hear a properly designed and tuned motorcycle-audio system before deciding what is right for your bike. Contact us to arrange a demonstration at our Brisbane workshop.

A demonstration gives you a useful reference before we design your system. It may confirm what you had in mind — or show that a different level, balance or type of system would suit you better.

Workshop visits are by appointment, so we can give each rider and motorcycle the attention required.
The difference

What makes a build custom

Not the price, and not the size. A build is custom when the design decisions have to be made for your bike specifically.

01Designed around the rider

Goals, riding, music, luggage and budget.

Two riders with the same motorcycle may need completely different systems. What you listen to, how far you ride, whether you carry a passenger, how much luggage space you are prepared to give up and what you actually want to change all shape the design before any equipment is chosen.

02Designed as one complete system

Source, speakers, amplification, DSP and electrical planning.

A good speaker connected to the wrong source, amplifier or enclosure can still produce a disappointing result. We consider speaker position and usable frequency range, sensitivity and impedance, amplifier power at the actual operating load, DSP requirements, and the motorcycle’s charging capacity as one design rather than a sequence of purchases.

Every component should have a clear role in the finished system.

03Integrated around the motorcycle

Platform-specific fitment, factory features, wiring and serviceability.

Factory radios, handlebar controls, fairing space, speaker locations and weather exposure all affect what is possible. Our preference is purpose-built adaptor harnesses, reversible connections and non-destructive integration wherever the bike allows it.

Purpose-built harnesses, correctly sized cable, proper fusing, grounding, weather protection and serviceable connections are considered during design — not left to whatever is quickest during installation.

04Built for requirements a package cannot cover

Fabrication, specialist bass systems, staged builds and existing equipment.

Some requirements simply fall outside a matched kit: enclosure or lid work, midbass and subwoofer systems that need real planning, builds designed to be expanded in stages, or a bike that already carries equipment which needs assessing before anything else is decided.

Capabilities

What we build

Described by the result rather than the parts. The final recommendation is determined during consultation.

Clean amplified rider systems

A properly powered front stage with correct integration and setup. The most common starting point, and enough for many riders.

High-output highway systems

Built to stay clean and controlled at road speed, where wind and road noise are competing with the system.

Multi-speaker DSP systems

Front, lower and rear stages with independent channel control, crossovers, equalisation and time alignment.

Midbass-focused systems

For riders whose complaint is a lack of weight and impact rather than simply volume. In the right system, stronger midbass can be one of the most noticeable improvements.

Saddlebag subwoofer systems

Genuine low end, designed around the luggage space you are prepared to give up and the electrical capacity available.

Full custom and demonstration builds

Fabrication, enclosure work and show or competition systems, planned around the bike rather than adapted to it.

The process

How the process works

The same approach set out in The MAA Way, applied to a single build.

1

Understand the rider

What you ride, how you ride it, what is wrong with the current system and what you want the finished system to do.

2

Inspect the bike and existing equipment

Radio, factory amplifier, speaker locations, prior modifications and anything already fitted that may be retained.

3

Design and quote the system

Source, speakers, amplification, DSP, wiring and electrical requirements planned together, then quoted.

4

Install and integrate

Clean, serviceable, non-destructive integration wherever the bike allows it. Removed parts are protected, labelled and stored until refitted.

5

Commission, tune and test

Source output, gain structure, crossovers, speaker interaction and operating limits set correctly, then verified.

6

Handover and support

How to use the system, its safe operating range, what should stay unchanged, and how to reach us afterwards.

On measurementWe use measurement where the system requires it

Source output, gain structure, speaker interaction and system response can all affect the result. We use the appropriate measurement and testing tools to verify the system rather than relying only on assumptions.

The commissioning method suits the system. A straightforward amplified upgrade and a six-speaker DSP build do not need the same procedure, and we would rather match the work to the build than apply one checklist to everything.

Scope

What’s included

The exact commissioning and support scope depends on the system. These are the areas a build can cover.

Consultation and system design
  • Understanding the bike, the rider and the intended result.
  • Speaker position and role within the system.
  • Amplifier power and channel allocation at the actual operating impedance.
  • Whether DSP is recommended, what control the system needs, and whether it should be built into the amplifier or added separately.
  • What can be added later if the build is staged.
Installation and integration
  • Purpose-built adaptor harnesses and reversible connections wherever the bike allows it.
  • Correctly sized and fused power and ground wiring.
  • Routing away from heat and moving parts, with weather protection.
  • Secure, serviceable mounting.
  • Removed parts protected, labelled and stored until refitted.
DSP and tuning

We strongly recommend digital signal processing for amplified systems, particularly multi-speaker and custom builds. It may be built into the amplifier or installed as a separate processor.

Where a system is suitable without DSP, we explain that option and its limitations.

  • Input and channel levels.
  • Crossover frequencies and slopes.
  • Equalisation.
  • Speaker polarity and phase relationships.
  • Time alignment where appropriate.
  • Output limiting and speaker protection.
Electrical assessment

Amplifiers do not create power. They draw it from the motorcycle.

  • Charging-system capacity and battery condition.
  • Existing electrical accessories.
  • Cable size, fusing and grounding.
  • Expected music draw and voltage stability during operation.

A larger battery can improve reserve capacity and voltage stability, but it does not create additional charging output. In some cases the correct first upgrade is electrical, not audio.

Testing

Where practical, completed systems are operated for an extended period and checked across different music, operating levels and conditions before handover.

  • Clean operation at the agreed source level.
  • Noise, interference and grounding.
  • Thermal behaviour and voltage stability.
  • Amplifier protection or shutdown.
  • Speaker distress.
  • Rattles and mechanical problems.
  • Correct phone connection and factory control operation.
Handover
  • Pairing your phone and confirming your normal music source.
  • The safe operating range of the system.
  • Bass and level controls, and which settings should remain unchanged.
  • Battery and charging limitations relevant to your build.
  • What clipping, speaker distress or electrical problems sound like.
Documentation and support
  • A record of the major equipment installed.
  • System and tuning information retained by MAA where applicable for future support.
  • Warranty arrangements for the products supplied.
  • Future upgrade planning, so a staged build stays coherent.

The level of support depends on what was purchased and who completed the installation. We aim to make that scope clear before the project begins.

Recent builds

Three builds, three different briefs

Custom does not always mean extreme. These three builds show how different riders, motorcycles and goals lead to different system designs.

Mick's 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special after a four-speaker amplified audio upgrade

Amplified rider systemMick’s 2022 Road Glide Special

What he wanted: 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. He had heard the demo bike and wanted the same result on his own.

The system: SoundStream HDHU.V2 head unit, two Precision Power MAS.654 6.5-inch speakers in the fairing, two MAS.694 6×9s in the saddlebag lids, and one MAA4.400 four-channel amplifier — a channel per speaker. No DSP, no subwoofer.

The design decision: cutting Mick’s own OEM lids with a precision template rather than buying replacement or pre-cut lids, which kept the cost down without changing the finished appearance.

Read the full build →

Michael's 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide with a four-speaker Cicada Audio system

Remote multi-speaker DSP systemMichael’s 2018 Street Glide

What he wanted: more volume, stronger mid-bass and better sound quality than the head unit’s internal amplifier could deliver. It began as a two-speaker conversation and grew from there.

The system: his existing SoundStream WHD14+ retained, two Cicada CHX65.2 pro coaxial horns in the fairing, two Cicada CXX8.2 8-inch drivers in replacement saddlebag lids, and a Cicada FLX700.4PRO with onboard DSP running the front and rear as separate stages.

The design decision: the amplifier’s onboard DSP allowed the fairing and saddlebag stages to be controlled independently, with the profile prepared before shipment so Michael could complete the installation at home.

Read the full build →

MAA demo bike, a 2021 Road Glide Special with dual powered saddlebag subwoofers

Subwoofer buildThe MAA demo bike — 2021 Road Glide Special

The brief: a substantial performance upgrade that keeps a factory-style appearance, preserves the original Harley loom, retains the factory charging system and runs with no auxiliary battery. Explicitly not an SPL build.

The system: SoundStream Reserve V2, two Precision Power HD14.654 6.5-inch speakers in the fairing, two MAS.694 6×9s in the saddlebag lids, an MAA4.400 four-channel amplifier, and two HD14.SBW powered saddlebag subwoofers.

The design decision: the subwoofers drop into stretched OEM saddlebags with no fibreglass fabrication and no cutting of the bag to fit the enclosure. Bass pressure escapes through the HD14.SBV vent kit — fifteen hydrophobic-mesh vents per bag. The honest trade-off is that each unit takes up most of a saddlebag.

Read the full build →

Diagnosis and rescue

Already have a system that doesn’t sound right?

Sometimes the equipment itself is suitable, but the source, integration, setup or wiring is holding the system back.

AssessmentWhat we can look at

  • Signal and source analysis.
  • Gain structure and crossover problems.
  • Polarity and speaker interaction.
  • DSP retuning, including systems tuned elsewhere.
  • Noise, hiss and grounding faults.
  • Unsafe, unsuitable or unserviceable wiring.
  • Which components can be retained.

We can assess systems installed elsewhere, identify the likely causes and explain which parts can be retained, corrected or should be replaced.

Diagnostic and assessment time is charged separately. Once we understand the existing system, we will explain what can be retained, what should be corrected and the practical cost of proceeding.
Fitment

Bikes and customers we support

Harley-Davidson Touring is the core of what we do. Other platforms are considered individually.

MotorcyclesHarley-Davidson Touring first

  • Road Glide.
  • Street Glide.
  • Ultra and Limited models.
  • CVO Touring models.
  • Tri Glide and other Harley-Davidson trikes.
  • Road King and other custom touring builds.

We also work with Indian Motorcycles and consider suitable custom projects for other touring platforms.

CustomersHowever you want the work done

  • Riders bringing their motorcycles to our Brisbane workshop.
  • Riders installing equipment themselves.
  • Customers working with a local installer.
  • MAA dealers and installation partners.
  • Customers planning complete custom builds.

Initial planning and system design can be completed remotely before a bike is transported, so an interstate rider is not committing to freight before knowing what the build involves.

Before you book

What to expect

The practical details to understand before booking.

  • Every custom build is quoted individually, based on the motorcycle, equipment, installation requirements and intended result.
  • Workshop visits and installations are by appointment.
  • Timing depends on parts availability and the scope of the project.
  • Diagnostic and assessment time is charged separately from installation work.
  • Customer-supplied equipment is considered case by case and must be assessed before the booking is accepted. We may decline products that are unsuitable, incomplete, damaged, unsupported or incompatible with the intended system. The scope of installation, tuning and warranty support will be confirmed before work begins.
  • Interstate bikes are welcome. Transport is arranged by the customer unless otherwise agreed with MAA before booking. We can recommend transport providers where appropriate.
  • Initial planning can be completed remotely before a bike is transported.
  • The level of ongoing support depends on what was purchased and who completed the installation.

Tell us what you ride, how you ride it, what is currently fitted and what you want the system to do. The more detail you give us, the better the recommendation — but a few lines is enough to start.

Tell us about your build Read The MAA Way

Motorcycle Audio Australia
Sound That Rides