I know the upgrade was worth it for me. Others may not?

The menu system has been a PITA to adjust to from that of the GT. I think the GT menu system is much more intuitive, but the GTS capabilities requires a more complex menu? Regardless, I'm gradually learning & adapting to the GTS' menus.

I have no regrets, other than wishing I was a bit quicker learning the GTS menus & capabilities.

 

Well I can appreciate that. Frankly when I got my first GT the learning curve was difficult. I literally spent hours just going through everything time and time again and also attended a Dealer training class! Then started teaching friends of mine that were struggling. The new GTS appears to me more like what I have in my car which has been super easy. But maybe not.

I appreciate your post. As prices come down and they run a special again I may do that upgrade.

 

It is an expensive head unit... but cheaper than a new bike lol I do like it much better than the GT for a bunch of little reasons... the unit in general responds quicker, nav works quicker and has "Posted Speed". I'm on a Road Glide, so sun glare was bad on the GT when the sun was over my shoulder, wasn't uncommon to have to use my hand to shade the screen. With the GTS I can always make out what's on the screen because it looks monochrome (I don't know what to call it) when the sun is shining directly on it. Also, I can reset the "Distance Since Last Service" every time I change fluids, so I can easily see how many miles I have on an oil change... without using the odometer's A or B, then invariably accidentally resetting it lol. I can not think of one thing I liked better on the GT... I have a great Kenwood in my Silverado, and it was about half the price... So thats the thing, its a HD branded head unit so its expensive, for a head unit. But even still, I do not regret doing the "upgrade"... No kids went hungry, the bills all got paid, so no big deal.

 

FYI, Just seen this in the classifieds here, in case it fits anyone’s needs
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-boom-gts.html

 

Ssitruc - looks like a good price. Perhaps someone can comment - but, I think the retrofit radio and the radio from a 19/20 are different.

The pullout radio may still need the Sounds cable - which I believe ran for about $450. Adding that to the $1300, you ae back at $1750. Then, you will have to deal with installing it in a 2019 to activate it, etc.

Sounds like it may be a good fit for someone that already has a 19 and needs this.

 

First off... I know nothing about that seller or his radio, so, I'm not advocating or anything...
That being said, I have heard of a few GTS head units that were sold and shipped as 76000834A or 76000829A (this guys post is the 3rd person I have heard of it), with those part numbers on the head units and the boxes. But when they were being installed had that same issue. They apparently were actually 76000834 or 76000829's. The difference being the "A" added to the part number for the ones sold since the end of 2019 when HD made them available for "retro-fitting" into the 2014-2018 bikes. All had their software corrected without sending the head units back, or switching them out.

I have also heard that the "fix" was that the software had to be updated on them to the software used in the "A"' head units. The dealer, I believe, will have to do this "updating" of the software, because it is not the same type of software updates we do ourselves periodically. The other problem is that it is so rare that most dealers look at you like you have three heads if you ask them about it. For instance, if you ask them "I bought a take out GTS head unit from a 2019 bike, how much would you charge me to update the software for me so it'll work in my 2016?".

I did my GTS upgrade before HD came out with the head units with the "A" on them, and I used a Soundz adapter... it works great and has been flawless in all aspects. But last fall when I did all this I went to have the head unit flashed after I installed it. You should have seen the service managers face when I explained that they would need to "borrow" a 2019 bike's ECM for the programming lol because at the time they had not heard of such a thing (I was the first in my area to put a GTS in a pre'19 bike) and they did not have "spare" '19 ECM sitting around in the shop as of yet. Long story short, I got them to do it and all worked out great... but getting them out of their comfort zone sometimes, to check into the possibilities of these things will really try ones persuasion skills.

If I was in the position that I may want to add a GTS head unit, AND IF this type of deal looked appealing to me, I would go talk to a service manager. See what they would charge, over the normal programming/authorizing of a GTS head unit (usually a 1 hour service charge, unless your dealer will do a 1/2 hour). Just be ready to have to try to get them interested in doing it, coaxing them, to get their curiosity going... because its likely they haven't heard of this issue (other than whispers) and getting them to make a call to find out what it takes or if it can be done sometimes is hard to do. But my first step would be taking to somebody at the dealer I'd be having the programming done by. If you got a good relationship with a dealer it might be a good deal, because I do believe it is possible because of the three issues I've heard of that were resolved. But... I'd have that sorted out BEFORE I bought the head unit.

I also agree, I would not do the Soundz adapter with this particular deal, because price wise it doesn't make sense compared to a new unit. As a matter of fact, this winter I'll be looking into all this for myself, as I plan to see if I can get one of my dealers to update my head units software so I can take the Soundz adapter off. The Soundz adapter works great, but if they'll do it, and cheap enough, I'd just as soon remove it if it is not necessary anymore... otherwise I'll just leave it on.

 

If the take out is from a '19 bike, it will be plug and play into an earlier year bike. It needs to be factory reset before removal and then the bike its installed into needs to be flashed to set the region. If it was a take out of a '18, as the individual stated it would need to be installed into a '19 or newer, have the software update done to it and then factory reset ( all done in the head unit) and then it can be installed in an older year bike. Doing this now with the latest available software version that anyone can download from the HD site will enable the radio for a previous model year and will not require the Soundz module he is correct with his comments in his sale. Yes the bike will still need to be flashed at dealership or an indy to activate the GTS radio.

 

Ssitruc and GlidingJoe - this is exactly why come here - you guys have tons of information and I want to learn all I can before putting some $2000 into my radio.

My bike is a 14 Ultra Limited and in great shape. I have put progressive shocks on the front and rear and have a CB and XM radio. So I really don't need a new bike. My boom works fine - but, I know my maps are out of date. That's the real reason I want android auto -so, I can use the new maps and traffic.

Currently using XM traffic to help - but, if I go android, I can eliminate that. Sounds like I am still trying to talk myself into this radio.

I checked the Harley site for the new kit - the number is 76000829A and it says out of stock. The radio for the road glide is also out of stock.

Hopefully with the new software, your dealer will be able to remove the Sound part - from what I heard, they are two completely different radios - so, without the new radio kit, it will nt work without Sounds. Now I say that with tongue in cheek - especially since Harley says the old XM will not work with the new radio while other folks her say they simply put it in and it works fine.

So, please let us know what you find out

 

you can easily update the older GTS to the new software so it will work in the older bikes. no module needed anymore

 

the GTS was not available in 18