I ride a 2018 Street Glide. Black. Loud pipes. Big smile. The stock Boom! radio was fine, but it felt stuck in the past. I wanted CarPlay, better sound, and a screen I could read without squinting. So I swapped in a Soundstream Harley radio. The model with the 7-inch touch screen that keeps the bar controls. You know the one.
If you’re curious how the project looks from start to finish in a pro shop, here’s a step-by-step write-up of installing a Soundstream Harley radio that mirrors a lot of what I experienced.
My Setup, Just So You Know
- 2018 Street Glide (batwing fairing)
- Fairing speakers: Rockford replacements
- Small 4-channel amp under the fairing
- Soundstream head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (I use CarPlay)
- Factory handlebar controls still work
I keep a tiny T25 Torx in my tool roll. It has saved me more than once.
The Install: Not Hard, Not Perfect
I did this in my garage on a Saturday morning. Coffee. Old rock on a tiny speaker. The radio came with a plug-and-play harness. I didn’t have to cut the factory wires, which felt nice. The bracket lined up with the factory holes, though one screw fought me. I set the unit, clicked in the harness, and ran a USB cable into my left cubby.
If you’re doing this exact swap on a 2014-2023 Street Glide, check out this installation guide for the Soundstream HDHU.14si head unit for a bolt-by-bolt reference while you wrench.
For a broader look at other head units that riders are swapping in, the crew at Airtronics put together a no-BS roundup of several popular motorcycle radios that’s worth a skim before you buy.
If you’d rather let a pro handle the wiring, the crew at Airtronics can install the Soundstream unit and dial in your amps while you wait.
I also added the backup camera later. That part was snug. My hands are not dainty.
Let me explain the one hiccup. If you’re running a factory amp, you may need an extra harness or a clean signal feed. I had a little hiss at first. A better ground point and a quick gain check fixed it.
First Ride: Big Volume, Clean Voice
I hit the highway, helmet on, wind huge at 70 mph. The radio had no problem pushing the fairing speakers. Voices in podcasts sounded full. Music had punch. Not subwoofer punch, but strong. I could hear lyrics, even with the rumble. With the amp, it got loud without harsh highs.
Bluetooth worked fine, but I liked wired CarPlay best. It’s fast, and it just… works.
CarPlay That Feels Built for a Bike
Maps looked great. I used Apple Maps and Waze. Turn-by-turn was crisp, even when the sun blasted the screen. Calls were clear at city speeds. At 65+, calls were okay but not amazing. Wind is still wind.
And yes, Spotify on a long ride feels like cheating. I tossed on a 90s playlist and rode past the lake. I barely touched my phone. The bar controls did the work: volume up, track skip, mute. Easy.
Glove Life: Better Than You’d Think
The touch screen is a real one, not that mushy stuff. With my thin summer gloves, taps worked fine. With thick winter gloves, I had to slow down and press with purpose. I learned a trick: make bigger targets. I moved my most used apps to the bottom row.
Sun, Rain, and Weird Stuff
- Sun glare: Yes, it happens. Midday sun can wash the screen. Tilting the fairing helped some. Polarized sunglasses made it worse. I now carry a cheap non-polarized pair.
- Rain: I rode through a steady shower near the county line. No fogging. No water inside the screen. The buttons kept working.
- Cold mornings: Boot-up was a tad slower, maybe a few seconds. Not a big deal, just something I noticed.
Tuning the Sound Without Going Nuts
The EQ has bands you can bump up or down. I’m not a studio tech, but I cut a bit of 8k (those sharp highs) and bumped 60–80 Hz for a little thump. Crossovers kept the speakers happy. It felt simple after a few tries.
If you’re the type who likes squeezing every last watt out of a small system, you might dig this tale of experimenting with a CB radio amplifier in a Jeep—different vehicle, same obsession with clean power.
If you want to dive deeper into every menu, hidden feature, and EQ option, the Soundstream Reserve V2 owner’s manual is a solid read before you start tweaking.
If you’re picky, this radio gives you room to tweak. If you’re not, the presets are fine.
Little Things That Made Me Smile
- The boot logo is quick, and it doesn’t feel cheap.
- The backup camera helps when the lot is packed at bike night.
- FM radio pulls in my small-town stations better than I expected. Not perfect, but steady.
- I can charge my phone while I ride. No more low battery panic at the gas stop.
Stuff That Bugged Me (But Didn’t Ruin It)
- No wireless CarPlay on mine. Wired is rock solid though.
- With very thick gloves, the touch screen takes patience.
- Bright noon sun can wash the screen. A small shade would help.
- If you run a factory amp setup, you may need extra parts to avoid hiss.
- Start-up takes a handful of seconds. Not long, just not instant.
Real Moments That Sold Me
- Early Sunday ride: 45 degrees. I queued up a chill playlist, used bar controls, and never pulled my phone. Felt safe. Felt easy.
- Sturgis week: I took a side route with Waze on the screen. It warned me about a speed trap. Saved me a ticket.
- Rain on the way home: I flipped to a local weather station on FM, then back to CarPlay maps. The radio didn’t glitch once.
One side effect of having my music, maps, and calls dialed in is that I stop more often at diners and rallies—and that turns the bike into a rolling conversation starter. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn those chance encounters into something a little more, the folks at MeetnFuck just published a forward-looking guide to finding friends with benefits in 2025 that walks you through the newest dating apps, privacy tips, and etiquette for keeping things casual, letting you spark connections without missing a mile of highway. While drifting south on I-35, you might decide a quick detour is in order; riders headed through Central Texas know that Bedpage Round Rock is a handy bulletin board for finding everything from live-music hangouts to low-key after-hours meetups, giving you real-time updates so you can line up evening plans without wasting precious saddle time.
The Money Talk
I paid around the “nice helmet” price range. Not cheap. But cheaper than getting lost, or fighting old tech every ride. If you want modern features without hacking your fairing, this unit makes sense.
Who Should Get It
- Riders who want CarPlay or Android Auto, clean and simple
- Folks who use bar controls and don’t want to give them up
- People who ride in all weather and need a tough screen
- Weekend warriors who like a loud, clear mix without a trunk full of gear
Who Might Skip
- If you must have wireless CarPlay, look elsewhere or add a dongle
- If you’re super picky about sun glare and use polarized lenses only
- If you don’t want to fuss with EQ at all
My Verdict
The Soundstream Harley radio made my bike feel newer. It brought maps, music, and calls into one clean place. It’s not perfect, and I won’t pretend it is. But on a real ride—wind strong, gas station coffee in hand—it’s a joy.
Would I buy it again? Yep. I already did for my buddy’s Road Glide. I helped him install it, and he owes me tacos. Fair trade.
If you’re on the fence, ask yourself this: do you want your radio to feel like your phone, but safer and louder on a bike? If yes, this is the move.