** Update 5/22/07 See Below!
** Update 5/25/07 See Below!
Well I finally took the plunge and installed my Hogtunes speakers today. These speakers are supposed to be vastly superior to the stock Harley Davidson speakers that come with the Harley Davidson Advanced Sound System.
You can check out the Hogtunes Speakers which are specifically designed for Harley Davidson Baggers by clicking here now.
I guess some would call this a simple installation, however for me, it was a new experience. I am a lawyer, not a mechanic. I really freaked myself out thinking about removing the front outer fairing on my Electra Glide for the first time, but I knew that in the end it would be a good learning experience, and that I would save tons of money rather than having a dealer do it.
I went to Sears to buy a really cool Craftsman socket screwdriver set that has 9 sizes of Torx bits, and a whole bunch of other bits, so I could remove the outer front fairing on my Electra Glide.
Before I started to remove the outer faring for the installation of the speakers, I put socks on the spot lights, and a soft cloth on the front fender to protect the paint on the faring and the fender, just in case it fell.
The front 3 screws on the outer front fairing use a number T27 Torx bit, and the inner 4 screws of the outer fairing use a number T25 Torx bit.
Before I proceeded to remove the fairing for the Hogtunes speaker install, I hit the kill switch on the bike so that the inner part of the fairing was not electrified. It is recommended that you disconnect the negative off of the battery before doing work; however, I knew the kill switch shortcut would work.
Removing the Electra Glide fairing was much easier than I thought. When I removed the top three screws in the front, I noticed that a washer was missing from the center screw on the top front of the fairing, and I also noticed a small crack on the lower part of the windshield. No big deal because you can’t see it, but it does piss me off that someone at the dealership forgot to put the washer on the screw, which resulted in a cracked windshield. I assume this was done when the Harley Davidson Advanced Sound System was originally installed on my Electra Glide by the dealer. I will eventually have to replace the windshield because of this stupid mistake!
Anyway, I got the fairing off. I immediately noticed that an inner fairing support bracket on the left side of the inner fairing, from the speaker to the center was cracked. (Harley Davidson Part Number 58938-96B) I have heard about a bug with these brackets cracking, but I really did not expect it on mine. Sure as shit the left bracket was cracked. Another part I now need to replace. The support bracket gives the fairing stability and is an important part. I really wish Harley Davidson would fix this known bug with the bracket. This is for another story. Pissed off again!
With the fairing off, I noticed a bunch of fine sand and dust on the inner parts within the fairing, probably because I live and ride near the Beach quite often. I used a California duster to clean out the inner fairing. I will use a high pressure air hose the next time I take the fairing off to replace the bracket, to make sure everything is nice and clean. I also checked all of the electrical connections to make sure they were tight while the outer fairing was off.
I removed the stock speakers with a T25 Torx bit on the socket screwdriver. I noticed that the dealer only installed the speakers with 3 screws instead of 4 screws. The 4th screw that was missing was on the bottom of the speaker, opposite to the bracket screw. I will ask my dealer about the missing screw on both of the speakers! They may not be necessary.
It took me a few minutes to figure out how to get the damm stock speakers out of the plastic bracket that holds them, and mounts to the inner fairing. The only way to get them out was to use a Flathead screwdriver and pry the side so it would pop out. I finally got the speakers out of the plastic bracket with a little effort.
I installed the left speaker first. Once I got the new Hogtunes speaker into the plastic bracket, I mounted it onto the bike. For some reason the top left screw was a bitch to screw in, so that the speaker box was flush against the fairing. I could see that if I used too much force I could break the plastic piece that the screw goes into, and need a new inner fairing! This could have been a very costly problem. Luckily I got it in ok. I did make sure that the speaker bracket was lined up against the inner fairing correctly. I did not have this problem on the right side. It went right on.
I then put the kill switch to run, and I put the bike in Auxiliary mode to make sure the speakers worked, which they did, so I proceeded to re-install the outer faring. Piece of cake!
This is the kicker, as far as sound; the Hogtunes speakers are definitely louder than stock, and have a better quality I think; “I think.”
Maybe I have listened to too much loud rock and roll in the past and my ears are not what they used to be, but to be quite frank, I really cannot discern a noticeable difference.
I was thinking that the speakers would give me an unreal quality sound like my home or car stereo system, but they did not. I increased the bass, and rode around for a while with the stereo cranked up. They sound better than stock for sure, but I really will not know for sure how I feel about the speakers, until I get on the road with these things and crank up the tunes.
With all of the rave reviews about these speakers, I was expecting home or car stereo quality, but you really don’t get that with these speakers. They are better than stock, but I am not sure if the 100 bucks plus shipping is worth the difference.
If anything, at least I found a broken bracket when I opened the fairing.
At this point I cannot say one way or another how I feel about the speakers. So long as they hold up to the weather I will be OK with them. Maybe it is just me, but I did notice that the left side may be louder than the right side. I will check the connections again when I remove the fairing to replace the broken bracket.
Overall, I cannot really rate these speakers yet until I get them out in the weather and see how they hold up. The Hogtunes Speakers do come with a 20 year warranty, which is a plus.
The proof will be in the pudding. Let me get some miles on these speakers and I will tell you what I really think!
**5/22/07 UPDATE: I replaced the broken bracket in the fairing today. While I was replacing the steel bracket, I noticed that the magnet from the speakers was really holding onto the bracket, while I was installing it. If you look at the above pictures, you will notice that the Hogtunes speakers are beefier and have a much bigger magnet than the stock Harley speakers. I also installed a pair of Kuryakyn Premium ISO Grips.
After the installation, I put the Hogtunes Speakers through a little test. I turned the volume on the Harley Davidson Advanced sound system all the way up, and these speakers are very loud, much louder than the stock speakers. There was no distortion in the music whatsoever. I took my Harley for a spin around the neighborhood, and these speakers do sound good. They are in fact better than the Harley Davidson stock speakers. I have yet to take the motorcycle on a real long distance run since installing the speakers. That will be my last test to see if these Hogtunes speakers really are much better than the stock speakers.
I have not yet washed my motorcycle since the installation, nor have I ridden in rain or moist weather. Let’s see how these speakers hold up in the weather. Look for further updates as I gather more information.
**5/25/07 Update: I cruised Hollywood tonight with the new speakers. I have changed my opinion of the speakers. They rock and are much louder than stock. Obviously with a full face modular helmet on, the sound is not the same as it is without a helmet or a beanie helmet on, but these mama’s are much better than stock. No distortion at maximum volume. I will be riding again this weekend. If my opinion changes, I will let everyone know. As of now, I think the speakers were worth the 99 bucks!
By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007
Welcome, my name is 
To tell you the truth, I’m surprised you don’t get better quality with the new speakers. How’s your mustang seat working out? I just found out that my husband ordered me a mustang seat that should hopefully arrive the end of this week or early next. I can’t wait.
I put them in the front and the rear of my Ultra. I also added the amp. Wow! Not a home stereo, but nice for a motorcycle. Enjoy your sight.
I felt like you wrote that article for me. I too am changing my stock speakers (for the third time)since installing my radio. The stock speakers just don’t hold up. They cost the same as Hogtunes minus the shipping so I’m willing to try a different manufacture. I don’t have them yet, but if the sound is the same as stock but have better reliability… I’ll be happy! Oh yea, My bracket on the left side is also broken.
My father has an 02 Ultra Classic,his bracket was also broken.Your play,by play experience with these speakers,will be of great help to him. Thank You
Gregory,
I want to thank you for your posting. I was having a hard time deciding whether to spend the bucks on thses speakers or if they would add to my sound. (Since All HD stuff is HD (Hundred Dollars) .
But After reading your post I sprung for the good stuff and Im very happy and my club The Blue Knights Also really like them …
DB
Hi that is a great write up on installing the speakers. I am going to install my HD stero and been trying to fine how to remove the outer fairing. From your pictures it looks like the 3 on top for the windshield and is there 2 on each side. From the inner fairing I see some caps 3 along each side are these caps covering the screws? how many total to remove the out fairing. Any pointers you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lorenzo
Does anyone know the best speakers to put in the bike ?? the stock ones are really bad i have a 08 Street Glide. I dont care how much they cost . thanks
JagerDave Baltimore Md.
I have an 06 Street Glide and the fairing shakes like crazy at an idle. Could that have something to do with that bracket you found broken? Does that bracket hold the fairing from shaking?
Steve Corey Fall River Massachusetts
Thanks for the information Stan, I have been on the fence concerning what speakers to install in my 04 Ultra. I have put two sets of Harley (junk) speakers in mine with the second set being the HD upgrades of which are now blown. I too had the broken bracket you spoke of, must be a manufacturing defect. Maybe Harley should do a trend on it and perhaps, fix the problem. I think they have fixed the speaker issues with the new bikes with the upgraded system. Think I’ll give the Hogtunes a try.
Hey Norm, First let me say how excited I am having found your blog… I’m 44 years old and like you have ridden and owned many different bikes over the years. I presently own a 05 Ultra Classic. I have been searching the web for almost 3 years looking for folks that enjoy working on thier own bikes while saving money at the same time. Like you I am not a mechanic, but am willing to learn (with a little help). Your blog is just what I have been looking for! I am looking forward to installing my tour pak rack, detachable rack, relocation bracket, and new speakers. Your detailed descriptions and clear photos are great. I enjoy reading each of the articles too. In others words, Thanks Bro!
Love my hog tunes on my road glide.Sound great, always have tunes going on. Have had the hogtunes in my road glide, great sounds when riding thru the mountains
I found your comments very interesting , as I have just bought a 98 Electra Glide Standard with no radio . I had a local back yard Harley guy put a radio and speakers in for me . Sony cdx-gt620ip . The radio seems to be pretty nice 45 watts x 4 . But man the speakers sound like shit , so after only two days I`m redy to up grade them . Unfortunatly I don`t know what he put in for speakers ? I think I`m going to try the Hog Tunes . I like what I`m hereing . Does anyone know the wattage on thom and ohms ? I`m getting conflicting reports on whats better 2 ohms or 4 ohms . Your thoughts ?
John Silver Creek NY
DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE UPCOMING DETACHABLE BATWING FOR ROAD KINGS?
Having same problem deciding which system to buy. I’m looking at the Hogtunes kit to have my Classic set up like the Ultra with the rearpods on the tour pak..Harleys upgraded good one is $600.00 compared to Hogtunes one for $350.00..they do have some differences…Harleys is ampflied to all four speakers,gives sound control in rear pods, U get 4 new speakers and plus more wattage. Hogtunes have U use your front 2 speakers in the rear and put their 2 Hogtunes speakers in front with the amplifier only supopling the front 2 plus less wattage…HELP
After reading the blogs about these speakers, I ordered front and back for my 05 Ultra, the set I had in (upgraded from OEM), the right front died and I needed new speakers. They came in the mail on Friday the 13th, I installed them that night (30 minutes total time) for all 4. Saturday off I went, 350 miles in all riding speeds and road conditions. What a Difference, great sound. I will recommend that you fade your stereo a tick and a half to the back, when you do this you truly have surround sound. what a nice addition to my bike, 70,000 miles now and with the 20 year warranty, I believe I will change engines before I change speakers. Nice job folks, Love the SOund.
I too am looking at installing Hogtunes speakers, I have several friends that have them and swear by them. I have an 04 Ultra and the cd player is sticking, I am kicking around changing out the stereo.
As for the brackets being broken, there is a pair that are horizontal that secure the speakers, these generally break when the pair that are vertical located on each side of the stereo are broken. Remove 1 of each of these brackets and go the hardware store and buy L channel, find which is closer to the shape of each stock bracket, you may have to modify a little but it is much CHEAPER and STRONGER than the stock brackets. A parts mgr at my local H-D dealer gave me this tip. The modification is not difficult at all.
do they make a faring to fit on a fat bob 08 with a stereo in the faring does hogtunes make such a thing and how much is the cost and who do i contact
Thanks for the speaker info. I’ve been thinking of putting the hog tunes speakers in myself. Taking the front fairing off scared the bejezuz out of me. I had the lower weather strip fall out last fall and took the fairing off last Sat to put it back on. I was getting a squeak. It turned out that one of screws that hold the fairing on was missing and one that holds the inner fairing on was cross threaded. It looks like I can install these speakers without too much difficulty. How about the amp? do I need that?
Bryan
A friend who has used Hogtunes for several years on his bikes just replaced the stock speakers on my ’02 Electra Glide Classic with Hogtunes speakers…amazing difference. I had no idea how easy these speakers were to change, so I let Jim do it!!! The Fairing support brackets were broken on both sides. He said he has seen this on several bikes, including two of his own. I just bought this ’02 last fall as a second bike, it only has 7000 miles on it and both of these brackets are broke! I spoke to a local Harley Service Dept. They know how often these brackets break, and if not fixed can lead to alot bigger problems. And they expect you to fork out $50 these cheap potmetal brackets that will break again in a year! Your better off fixing them yourself, and end up with a stronger bracket.
if you want the best sounding speakers in you harley davidson, well son there is no question about it HERTZ 5.25 130 are the best as they are loud and clear as there is no other in the market today
i have a 2004 ultra elec glide i put some hog tune speakers in and amp, work fine at first than had problems dealer call radio sound thatmakes the radios in that year first thing is that the shock speakers are 8 ohmsthe internal radio is damage so wacth out
I completed the set recently by purchasing and installing the HOG Tunes Tweeter Pod. If you want full realistic sound you must,I repeat must complete your set. Now trust me, I have a $15K paint job and many extras on my bike. (look at it on the Nov/Dec 08 cover of HOG Tails), I say this so you know. You can install the POD yourself. Great templates are provided. One hour max. Great sound even at higher speeds. Totally impressed.
I had Hogtunes speakers in my 06 Street Glide for over 35,000 miles and loved them. Sold the bike last week and got an 09 and going to put Hogtunes in it too. Was lookin for the website and/or a deal and happened to read a few comments on my search page is how I ended up here.
Just want to say, I dont think you will find a company with any better customer service than Hogtunes. I had a speaker develop a buzz, called Pez and he had me a new one on the way to me the same day, no hassle. Switched it out when it arrived and been jammin ever since. That kind of customer service is rare anymore!
Has anyone replaced a stock antenna with any sort of hidden antenna? If so, whose and how does it compare? I have an ’09 Electra Glide that I’m upgrading…
Go to West Marine or another Marine store. They have an antenna for around 9 bucks. It’s basically a piece of wire cut to the correct length and soldered to a short piece of coax and then to a antenna connector (The part that plugs into the radio). I have been using it for several years now. I just routed the wire along the inside top of the cowl back and forth and wire tied it to the existing wire bundles. They sell the same set up for 15 bucks or more. Don’t pay that for it, even the West Marine by my house had the more expensive one, and they are both the same,just a different company and it’s packaging.
Mark
Hey Norm only having three screws holding in your original speakers is normal, as mine from the factory came that way, I guess they think the bracket is in the way. I also agree that these speakers are a great add-on. I am currently working on making my Tourpak detachable on my 10 ultra, but am having difficulties with the amp under the tourpak rack, am getting close to solving,but still need to do some research.
Are most of you using the HD radio. I am thinking of getting the Biketronics kit with the Hogtunes speakers for my 2009 Electra Glide. Biketronics has the Sony radio, anyone with experience with this system
I have the Biketronics kit with the sony radio and hogtunes speakers on my 02 ultra. It is well worth the money to upgrade to this system! the sound is twice the output over the Harley system. Harley is only 17watts x 2 max and the sony is 52watts x 4 output! The hogtunes speakers are rated at 50watts & 100 watts peak!!
just ordered a pair HT speakers for my ’09 street glide. i’m not a mechanic so i was a bit apprehensive getting off the fence until i read norm’s write up. thanks norm! speakers should be here by next week. can hardly wait!
on the subject of brackets breaking, are the ’09 models still prone to this?
i would be interested to read your write up about the sony. one could never have a good enough system! did you keep the hogtunes speakers, or did you swap them out, too? be curious to know how the sony does in some weather.
i finally got the hogtunes speakers and installed them yesterday. and thank goodness i did not have any broken brackets inside the fairing.
i tested the speakers with the built-in MP3 player on my GPS, and my first impression was the speakers weren’t all that good. i was hearing distortion at just above mid-volume. so i’m like what the heck?! these speakers should no way be over-powered by the stock amp/receiver.
so i got back home from riding and decided to play a CD for the first time with these hogtunes. whoa! what a difference! cranked it up and the speakers were really loud and solid! couldn’t even turn it all the way up since it just got way too loud for me. so i’m all WTF! the CD sounds great but the MP3 player plugged into the AUX port sounds like crap at higher volumes.
well, to make a long story short, after much messing around with the MP3 player i found out that i had the output level at 90%, which in turn (i think) is over-driving the amp/receiver, which causes the distortion at high volumes.
so, i played around with the output level and i did not hear any distortion when i had it at a maximum of 50%. problem solved! the only drawback is that the MP3 player does not play nearly as loud as when listening to a CD.
bottom line – hogtunes speakers are way so much better than stock.
norm, does your new sony head unit have and SD card slot for MP3 files. if it does, i may seriously consider upgrading.
Will pass on this info to my brother. He could definitely use the hog tunes speakers. His Harley needs it bro. Good to learn about these speakers. Thanks for the tips and the information.
Thanks for the comments Stan. As I said in the article the jury is still out on these speakers. When I get on the open road and open her up I will see what the difference in the speakers is! Now I have to find a new left side bracket!
Norm
The speakers do seem louder and are most certainly heavier, but I can’t really hear the difference yet. When I take her out on the road for a good long trip we will see. Like I said in my article, my expectations where higher than what I actually got. I was expecting super good quality sound. Don’t get me wrong, they sound good, but not what I was expecting.
I have not taken the Mustang out on a long ride yet. I have always loved the Mustang Saddle on my other bikes, but it might not be the right solution for me on the Electra Glide. I will know on the first couple of hundred mile trip I take.
With my other Mustang Saddles you felt like you were in the seat, on this one I do not get that feeling. Furthermore, on my other Mustang Saddles, I got back support from the actual seat and the front part of the passenger pillion. I don’t get that support with this seat. I just took a look at a picture of my old Suzuki Intruder 1500LC with the Mustang on it. The difference in back support is very noticeable.
Time will tell on the seat, and with the speakers!
Norm
Ernie I have come to the conclusion that they do sound better. Time will tell as far as reliability.
Get that bracket fixed ASAP as it can cause the speaker to pull out of the plastic mounts that they screw into!
Norm
No problem Sean, glad to have been a help. Tell your dad to get a couple of extra brackets. They are cheap and apparently they have a tendency to break.
Norm
No problem Gregory. They really are better. No distortion at maximum volume!!
Norm
No problem Lorenzo!
Just like the article say’s there are 3 screws on the front which also attach the windscreen, and only 4 on the inside. The screws on the inside are not covered by anything and do not have caps.
The difficult two are the ones where you have to turn the wheel of the motorcycle all the way to the left to get the bottom right screw out that only be accessed at the very bottom, and visa versa.
It is not hard at all. If I can do it, you can too. Make sure you leave one of the windshield screws in part way and take it off last so you do not drop the fairing when you take it off. You will have to pull the fairing off part way to unhook the headlight assembly. The headlight comes off with the fairing. The wiring stays on the bike!!
Put it on in reverse order!
Good Luck,
Norm
James you may not have read my updates to the article, but I now highly recommend the Hogtunes speakers! They are much better then stock.
Norm
The answer is yes and yes. Open up your outer fairing to see if your bracket is cracked!
Norm
Big John I don’t know who Stan is! My name is Norm!
There is an aftermarket bracket available for the fairing that will not break. Unfortunately I lost the link. I think the guy wanted 50 bucks for a set.
Norm
Thank you for you kind words Bobby. Believe you me, there is plenty more to come!
Norm
John I am no expert but I will tell you what I think I know. First off, the ohms is the impedance of the system and is very important for sound quality and volume. It depends on the stereo you installed.
You need to get the manual for the stereo to see what ohm (“impedance”) system you need. Then you need to get speakers to match the same impedance.
I have a stock Harley advanced sound system. I am not sure what the wattage output is, but with the Hogtunes speakers it kicks ass. It is not as good as my home stereo, but it does not sound like shit or what you are talking about. I am quite sure it would sound even better with an amplifier, because an amplifier gives you better sound quality, and more volume at lower volume settings. Your speakers need to get enough juice to work properly. Piece of crap speakers are not the same. In other words you may need an amplifier, it depends on the speakers you have installed!
There are several brands of speakers out there for the Harley. I heard some guys are using Marine speakers as well. Unfortunately, it has been a long time since I wrote this article and did research. You will have to check around.
Norm
Not yet. I have a friend whose friend works at Harley Davidson in Milwaukee. Shhhhhhh
I will see what I can find out!
Norm
As you found out Bryan, taking the fairing off is not as bad as it seems. Just make sure you put a towel on your fender and socks on your light bar if you have one.
You do not need the Amp. The stock Harley system is just fine. As a matter of fact it is more than loud enough to cause you hearing damage at high volumes.
You cannot go wrong with the Hogtune speakers.
Norm
I have heard the same thing Mike. There are even some guys on the net selling a very strong version of the bracket. So far mine are OK since the replacement and I ride long distances real hard if you know what I mean. We will see how it goes.
Norm
Never heard of them. Do you have a link?
Ya you have to make sure that you use the Hog Tune speakers with the correct impedance.
Norm
Yes read my main article. I got my hidden antenna from Crutchfield online, it was actually an amplified antenna for cars. Go to their website and do a search.
Norm
You may just want to call a dealer like Chicago Harley where I got all of my parts. They most likely already have the solution.
Good Luck,
Norm
I am using the Harley Davidson Advanced Sound System. However, I have seriously thought about going with an aftermarket stereo solution. In my opinion the Harley system’s technology is way behind what it should be. However on the upside, I have ridden through rain, had my motorcycle sit in rain overnight, etc., and the system keeps working. I guess in the end that is the main thing! I have ridden 10’s of thousands of miles and the Harley system keeps working.
Norm
I have looked at the Biketronics kit. To be frank, the Electra Glide is the first motorcycle I have ever had with a stereo. When I ride, I use a full face modular helmet with ear plugs now because of my tinnitus or ringing in the ears.
The only time I can really hear my stereo on the road is when I am going low speed.
I weighed to cost v. benefit of changing out a perfectly good system for a better system (not too sure about how the Biketronics Sony stereo works in bad weather). I decided to keep the stock system and go with better speakers.
Now if in the future Bikertronics comes up with a lower cost solution that includes a built in SD card or mini hard disk for my entire music collection, then I may re-evaluate my decision.
For now, the stock Harley Davidson advanced sound system with the Hogtunes speakers is sufficient.
Norm
I have heard that Harley Davidson came up with a fix on the 2009 models. I recently had to change out another bracket and indeed the new one looks like it is reinforced. On another note, I have swapped out the Harley Davidson Advanced sound system for a Sony Stereo with all of the modern goodies. I will review it soon.
Norm
Well Dan I have been working on the review of the new Sony system. It will be posted soon. Stay tuned.
Norm
No it has a usb port for a thumbdrive. All digital, no aux port. No distortion at high volumes.
Norm
I have an 2004 Electra Glide Standard,Sony System,Installed Updated HogTunes 2 weeks ago all I can say is WOW,Super Clear Sound And LOUD
I like the pictures in your post, especially the one with the horse crossing picture.
Thanks; that is one of my favorite spots in the hills of Chatsworth, CA.
Norm
This is great that you could install them yourself. I have run into plenty of speaker sets that were such a pain.