Harley bagger audio in Carson

Harley since the early 2000s

Audio MotorSports has been building Harley-Davidson systems since the early 2000s — hundreds of bikes. The install methods and the wiring are ours. They got tighter over those years.

How the bags get drilled

We drill in a three-step pattern — small, big, small, big — at an angle so the connection solders at the bottom. Open the bags and you see no wiring and no connections. You can pack the bags without tearing up the install.

Speakers and the disconnect

Spacers are carpeted and drilled precisely so there are no air leaks. The bags are the bass enclosure. Two 6x9s and horn tweeters sit on one soldered line. That line has a quick disconnect — one unplug and the bag comes off completely.

Street Glide and Road Glide

That quick-disconnect method is how we do Street Glide and Road Glide. On newer bikes we cut and shave the handles and hardware so nothing scratches your hands in the bag. Lock ties keep the speakers from moving. The work lasts — bikes we did ten-plus years ago are still hitting, no issues.

Road King and Softail

A Road King and a Softail have no fairing and no place for the amp on the bike — windshield bikes, so the pods do the talking. The amp lives in the bag on a special quick disconnect. We build a carpeted board that mounts on the lid screws — the board is not screwed into the bike. The amp sits on that board with screws, washers, nuts, and lock ties so it stays put.

Two plugs: one for power and ground, one for speakers, remote, and signal. The Bluetooth adapter lives on that same board — less wiring, fewer RCAs, one plug in the back. Clean Road King and Softail setups.

Hertz Neo or DS18 on a bagger?

DS18 is the cheap one. Huge magnet, hard and sharp, loud — not an acoustic speaker. Fine if you only want it to scream. Hertz Neo is the motorcycle speaker. Weatherproof, small magnet so it fits a bag and an AMS pod, and it stays clear when it is loud. It costs more. You hear the music, not just noise. That is what we put in the pods.

Hertz Neo or Cicada on a bagger?

Cicada is a serious motorcycle brand. People speak well of it. It also costs more than Hertz, and the magnet is huge — it eats most of the space in the lid. We ran them side by side. Hertz was louder and cleaner. Better performance in the bag. Hertz Neo is weatherproof, small neo magnet, so you keep the space. That is the one we recommend.

Harley lid speakers, through 2026

We have the cutouts for the new Harleys, all the way up to 2026. If you want audio in the bags without going crazy, we cut your original bag lids, add two speakers and an AMS quick disconnect, and the lids still look clean. Hertz makes a Neo kit for this. Weatherproof. That is the one we recommend.

Which bikes do you build for?

Road Glide, Street Glide, Road King, and Softail. Glides get the fairing amp. Road King and Softail have no fairing — windshield bikes, so the pods do the talking. No Sportster, Dyna, Indian, or metric. Richard manufactures AMS pods in-house since 2003. A pair starts at $649, chrome or gloss.

Where does the amp go on a Road Glide or Street Glide?

On Road Glide and Street Glide builds, the amplifier mounts inside the fairing. Doing it correctly means pulling the gas tank — there is no shortcut. Shops that skip the tank pull are mounting power somewhere it does not belong.

Do you pull the tank on a Road King or Softail?

Road King and Softail share a layout. No shark-nose or batwing. No fairing. Windshield bike. The pods do the talking. The amp lives in the bag on a carpeted board. Quote the year and we will tell you how the amp sits on your bike.

Will this hold up in the rain?

Yes. We use weatherproof-rated speakers and amplifiers built for outdoor motorcycle use. Fully soldered connections. No crimps. The system has to live in LA drizzle, Long Beach marine air, and Orange County heat — not a garage queen.

Hertz Neo or DS18 on a bagger?

DS18 is the cheap one. Huge magnet, hard and sharp, loud — not an acoustic speaker. Fine if you only want it to scream. Hertz Neo is the motorcycle speaker. Weatherproof, small magnet so it fits a bag and an AMS pod, and it stays clear when it is loud. It costs more. You hear the music, not just noise. That is what we put in the pods.

Hertz Neo or Cicada on a bagger?

Cicada is a serious motorcycle brand. People speak well of it. It also costs more than Hertz, and the magnet is huge — it eats most of the space in the lid. We ran them side by side. Hertz was louder and cleaner. Better performance in the bag. Hertz Neo is weatherproof, small neo magnet, so you keep the space. That is the one we recommend.

Harley lid speakers, through 2026?

We have the cutouts for the new Harleys, all the way up to 2026. If you want audio in the bags without going crazy, we cut your original bag lids, add two speakers and an AMS quick disconnect, and the lids still look clean. Hertz makes a Neo kit for this. Weatherproof. That is the one we recommend.

Do you upgrade the head unit on a Street Glide or Road Glide?

Factory radio is the bottleneck. We upgrade the head unit on Glides. Diamond Audio builds Harley motorcycle radios — we are a dealer and we carry the line. Sony and Soundstream are in the shop too. Come hear them, or watch the Harley radio videos on Audio MotorSports YouTube.

How much are AMS pods?

AMS pods start at $649 a pair, chrome or gloss, built in-house since 2003. About three weeks. Hertz Neo is the speaker we put in the pods.