I purchased a 2020 road glide special and i love being able to plug in my android via the usb and use google maps on the display. however, I'm thinking of purchasing a standard helmet bluetooth connected device for making and receiving calls. do any of you have any hands-on experience doing this? I'm leery of ordering it because i wonder if you're able to have your android plugged into the usb to utilize the android auto features while at the same time using your android bluetooth connection to make calls with the helmet headset. thanks!

 

I'm not sure, but I think Android 11 plus the latest release of Android Auto would allow wireless (bluetooth) operation.

 

You need the Harley WHIM or the Sena Freeware.

Without them you phone plugged into the bike and android auto on the audio goes to your bike. You will hear the phone caller over your bikes speaker but they won't be able to hear you.

 

thanks! I'm going to contact sena and get their scoop on how it all works. looks like the price between freewire and hd's product is about the same. you heard if one system is better than the other?

 

I have a buddy with the Harley WHIM. He had some problems getting all working initially, but I think everything is good now. One downside to the WHIM, if you use a non Harley branded Sena headset the music is not in Stereo, just mono. With the Sena Freewire you get stereo with either Harley or Sena branded headsets.

The Sena plugs into your 7 pin wired headset jack on the tank. Unless you want to pull that out and relocate it I think the wires are a PITA. There is a company around somewhere that makes a wiring harness you unplug the 7 pin connector behind the fairing and wire in the Freewire.

 

thanks to all for the replies! i'm going to share some info that will likely come in handy for others. i wanted a concrete answer once and for all, so after no luck with my dealer and still a little uncertainty on here, i began making calls to harley corporate. surprisingly, i made contact with an executive assistant who then tracked down one of the primary engineers for the infotainment system. i'll only include his first name here; matt.

man, huge kudos to this guy for calling me back the next day!! real customer service these days is something rare. he spent some time on the phone with me explaining all of this in great detail. here's the nutshell version. yes, you can plug your android phone into the bike's usb cable in order to run android auto on the bike's display AND you can simultaneously use a wireless bluetooth headset in your helmet for making and receiving calls, hearing any audio from the android auto, etc. but there's some caveats. yes, he knows some people use sena's firewire device, but he couldn't say with any certainty that it would always work properly because it's not a product they've done any testing with. his recommendation if you wanted something tested and reliable (yeah, it's obviously a harley product, but i felt like the guy was being straight up with me), then you need to purchase the harley WHIM. he said you do have to remove part of the fairing to plug it in and something about running the access port under the tank to under the seat. i haven't even begun to dig into all the info he sent me, but that's what i recall from the conversation. once that's installed, you have to visit a dealer in order for them to flash the infotainment system to recognize the WHIM. once that's all done, you're almost there. he also said there are a couple of bluetooth systems they do recommend because harley has done testing with those. i'm going to include all the info below that he sent me. as far as that firewire device and other bluetooth systems, he said yeah, they might work out for you but might not. that's the roll of the dice you have to decide if it's worth gambling on or not. otherwise, you stick with the WHIM and their bluetooths if you want a system that's been tested to work right.Wireless Headset Interface Module (WHIM) – P/N 76000768:

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...ule/p/76000768

This is the module that will allow a headset to pair to it and that module then communicates to the radio.



WHIM Install Instructions: https://serviceinfo.harley-davidson....e&locale=en_US



Here are a few headset options that we offer that would work with the WHIM and your bike. I personally use the 20S EVO and really like it.



Boom! Audio 20S EVO Bluetooth Helmet Single Headset – P/N 76000736A

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...et/p/76000736A



Boom! Audio 30K Bluetooth Helmet Single Headset – P/N 76000838

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...set/p/76000838



Here is a link to the Boom! GTS Radio Owner’s Manual that walks through the functions of your radio including operation of a wireless headset:

https://serviceinfo.harley-davidson....ce=BOOMBOX_GTS



Here are a few of our YouTube videos that can help give you some information and get you started:

GTS Radio Overview:
20S EVO Features Video:
How to Pair 30K Headset:
How to Pair 20S EVO Headset:
Ride Planner and GTS:
Updating Your Radio Software:


For all Software Updates and other information on our Infotainment items including manuals you can go to www.h-d.com/infotainment-support

 

I know that's what it takes to work, but it just chafes me the wrong way that I buy a $25,000 motorcycle and then I have to spend $300 on a Whim, $300 on Harley's brand Sena headset, take the time to install the Whim or pay my dealer $200 to do it, pay the dealer to flash the radio so it will recognize the Whim. Then I have to snake my hands into the little cubby to grab the USB port, then try and jam my phone and the USB cable back into the cubby and the little door won't close because Harley can't understand the size of modern phones. Oh but then the apps I want to use like Rever and my weather app don't work with android auto.

When I had my Sportster I was very happy running apps on my phone on the handlebars and using my Sena headset.

With my 2019 Ultra Classic I just put a Ram mount on my handlebars so I can see it and use my Sena headset. I'll use the bikes radio for music if I want it. Work just as well and saves me $750.

My wifes car was $25,000, I just plug my phone in and Android Auto works just fine.

 

yeah. I'm with u fully on this one. i likely won't spend the money after i sit and ponder on this longer. and you're exactly right, why should someone have to spend this kind of money for something that should just be part of the purchase package? i spent 30k on my latest harley and it's hard to justify all this additional expense, and install work, just to connect my phone to my headset while using android auto. I'm guessing what I'll do is just not mess with android auto while needing to have access to my phone and vice versa. and your door comment. hah! I've wondered the same thing. i can barely even get mine in that compartment. I'll spend the money on something else...like putting the vent doors back in the fairing that they decided to remove for some reason for 2020!!??

 

At least my 2019 has the vent door.

 

lucky. for the life of me, I don't know why you'd design a full fairing yet decide to leave gaping holes in it. maybe it works for riders in the south, but not the midwest. we ride till the bitter end. literally.