Sorry for the delayed reply, haven't been on the forum in a while.

What you'll need to do is purchase a Rider Communication Kit (part number in my OP but verify that it works with your bike), follow the instructions and plug that into your infotainment system inside the fairing, then purchase a H-D compatible Sena Freewire and connect it to the headset port on the end of the Rider Communication cable. No soldering or wire splicing required for what you want to do. Connect the Freewire to 12 volt power by the method I've outlined in my OP or however you wish. You have to have both the headset cable AND 12 volt ignition switched power for the Freewire to work and turn on and off when you switch the ignition on and off. If you're not confident in your ability to install the cable, take it to your dealer and have them do it. You don't have to install the Freewire in an exposed location or in the cubby; once I was confident that it was working correctly, mine is now mounted inside my fairing on the top surface of the infotainment system with double-sided tape. If you do mount the Freewire inside the fairing, don't forget to pair the Freewire with your headset before you install it, otherwise you'll be taking your outer fairing off again to do that. Instructions are available on Sena's website.

You'll probably need to visit your dealer to have infotainment features turned on through their diagnostic software as some features such as intercom and microphone input are probably not activated in your system by default. You'll need them to use Voice Command or talk on the phone via the infotainment system and it won't hurt anything to have it done. For example, I hit the Voice Command switch on my left grip to start a phone call and then tell the infotainment unit what contact to call. My dealer went ahead and turned all of the features on at no charge. Then you can use the infotainment system's setting to route music to the speakers or headset as you desire.

To connect your phone and use Android Auto, the easiest way is to plug the phone into the USB cable found in the media cubby on your fairing. My phone doesn't fit in there so I ran a USB cable into my tour pak and plug the phone in there rather than have it out on the handlebars in the weather. I tried a Motorola wireless Android Auto adapter but it didn't work very well and finally wouldn't connect my phone to the bike's infotainment system at all - you might have better luck with some other adapter if that's what you want to do.

Unlike the J&M dongle, the Freewire has microphone input into the bike's infotainment system - that's why he can't transmit on his CB radio. I just wasn't satisfied with not being able to use voice commands - I also wanted the system to be attention-free except for plugging the phone in and to be able to call the wife via Android Auto (who now answers the phone with, "this is the garage door opener!" BTW) to have her open the garage door for me when I'm coming home because I'm too lazy to get off the bike and do it myself and have run out of garage door remotes. If you don't care about voice commands or talking on your cell phone through the bike's infotainment system, the J&M dongle will work for you and doesn't seem to require a separate power connection; otherwise for your purposes they're not to different in terms of installation.

If you run into any other questions, please don't hesitate to send me a PM as I'm not on this forum that frequently lately. I'll be happy to help wherever I can.

 

I've not heard about the Freewire having problems with mic impedance. I think your 2023 Ultra has the same infotainment unit as my 2022 Street Glide; the SG just doesn't come with wired headset ports and your Ultra does. Mine works correctly with voice commands. There's a little bit of echo from the voice input that I hear when I talk on the phone but the person on the other end doesn't hear it so it may be an artifact of the Sena 50S, the Freewire or the infotainment system; I haven't been able to isolate it or find a setting to eliminate it. I don't hear it when using voice commands and it doesn't appear to affect them either. You can test it without doing a complete install by connecting the Freewire to the headset port on your dash and the 12V port on your fairing. I initially installed the Freewire in the cubby but eventually moved it inside the fairing as it and its power connection don't take up much space and I didn't have any problem splicing an additional headset cable into the system to connect the Freewire and still leave a headset port on the dash free for a wired headset.

Now that you've mentioned Bluetooth interference, I wonder if that's why the Motorola wireless AA dongle I tried didn't work well. My solution was to install an extension on the infotainment system's USB cable and eventually run it to the tour pak just because I didn't like having the phone mounted on the handlebar. I don't have much help for you on that issue.

 

Thanks for that info I'm more tempted to pick up a freewire to try out now.

When I tried to run a USB cable to the tour pak my phone kept disconnecting so I had to move to a wireless puck. I'm wondering if a different cable would work. Do you have a link to the one you tried? It might come in handy if I ever pursue this.

I wouldn't mind getting a fully featured bluetooth headset in case I even have a need for it, but for now nobody I ride with uses one. I still have friends that have CBs so I would like something that would work with that if I ever found a module at a good deal.

 

I have not had any problems with mine.

AINOPE USB Extension Cable,USB Extender,USB 3.0 Extension Cable, Male to Female Cord High Data Transfer Compatible with Webcam,USB Keyboard,Flash Drive,Hard Drive,Printer,10FT,Black

 

I use the following three items from Amazon:



And so that I didn't have to plug the USB cable into the phone in the tour pak after starting the bike I installed this USB on-off switch inline with the media USB cable and mounted it in the media cubby:


Hope that info helps!

 

Lots of great tips.

I don't understand why you would need the USB On-Off Switch. My cable is in my trunk. I have a splitter in the trunk so I can run my phone and my flash drive for music.

Sometimes, I plug the phone into one part of the splitter. Other times, I keep my phone in my pocket and plug my wireless adapter into the splitter.

I go out to the bike, turn the switch and let everything boot up. Are you running into problems if the phone boots up before the bike?

Just curious

 

That is exactly why. For some reason I can't fathom, unless I connect the phone to the USB cable after the infotainment system is up and running the infotainment system won't start Android Auto. When I had the phone on the handlebars it wasn't an issue but not so much once I moved it to the tour pak. BTW, the splitter is a good idea; I have one also for the same reason.

 

Interesting.

Try this and see if it makes any difference.

Before getting on the bike, open your phone and start a route somewhere.

Now, go out to the bike, turn the key on and plug the phone in. See if everything boots up OK.

When I have my wireless adapter connected, once I turn the bike on, it begins to boot up - same time as the bike. Sometimes, it does not connect. When this happens, I just open my phone and it starts.

 

Interesting stuff. I wonder if these GTS head units are just a little picky and won't behave the same way twice. After all the wiring I've already run I'm almost leery about packing in more. My frame rails are full (that's where I ran it at first) and unbelievably the wiring through in the center was packed tight as a Dixie hat band from the factory. Just running two eighteen gauge speaker wires through it for my 6x9s made it bulge. I guess the dealer was full of it when they claimed the Rushmore bikes had 60% less wires.

How do y'all have the splitters set up? After giving up on the long USB cable I put a small USB hub in the media cubby so that I could keep the Android Auto puck plugged in with a flash drive with my music on it. Are y'all putting splitters in the tour pak? If so what type?

 

I am running my splitter in the tour box.