Will the 06 and newer HK radio work in a 05, handle bar switches and wot not

 

Not unless you change your wiring harness.
Then I'm not so sure, either.

As it stands, the answer is no.

 

Yes, the HK radio can be installed in an '05 and it will be a plug and play installation; your handlebar switches will work. I installed the HK radio in my '04 EG a year ago, along with the HK CB/Intercom and Boom Audio Music and Intercom Kit, p/n 77108-09 and everything works as designed for '06 and newer bikes.

Here's the thread describing the installation with pictures:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...tra-glide.html

In order for the Automatic Volume Control (AVC) to work on the HK radio in your '05 you will need to make one simple wiring change which is described in the link above. Basically, the bike speed in your bike is supplied by the Vehicle Speed Sensor to the radio; on the '06 and newer bikes the vehicle speed is supplied as serial data from the ECM. You'll simply cut the wire supplying the VSS signal and splice a wire at the speedo supplying serial data vehicle speed to replace it.

If you want to add XM, CB, etc., you'll need to make another simple wiring/connector change that is described in the above link as well so that you can use the non-Ultra overlay harness, p/n 70169-06, that is used on the '06 and newer bikes to add these accessories. Basically, you're replicating the bike's interconnect harness to match what's on the '06 and newer bikes.

The 23 wire, base audio connector, that plugs into the back of your OEM radio is the same one used on the '06 and newer bikes with the exception of the vehicle speed wire. So simply replacing your OEM radio with a used HK radio is a simple plug and play swap. It's only if you want AVC that you have to make even the simple wiring change.

There was a thread posted back in mid- '05 or early '06 after the '06 models came out with the HK radio on cvoharley.com in which the guy talked about getting software changes, etc. in order to get the HK to work on an '05 SEEG and ultimately concluded (wrongly) that the swap wouldn't work. When I did the swap on my bike in Oct. '09, I saw that thread and that incorrect information repeated many times, but simply compared the '04 wiring diagrams with the '06 wiring diagrams and concluded they were essentially the same with the two wiring changes noted in the above link and went ahead with the swap using the HK radio from an '09 Ultra.

One final point. If you install a brand new HK radio, it will need to "calibrated" by the dealer or someone with the software to do this which is to basically tell the HK radio that it's operating in the US, Canada, etc. as the case may be. If you are installing a used HK radio, it's already been calibrated and will work fine as a direct replacement for the OEM radio in your '05.

Unless you are planning to add CB, rear passenger controls and/or intercom, the aftermarket head units coupled with the Biketronics (or Hawg-wired) interface modules for handlebar control of the head unit provide a better solution since XM and Ipod integration are expensive propositions with the HK head unit and the HK head unit.

Good luck with your project; PM me if you have any questions.

Carl

PS: I have no idea where BadPiggy got his information; perhaps he'll reply. I know of two guys who contacted me about installing the HK and add-on accessories on their '04 and '03 EG's and both had the same experience I had using the information posted in the link above. The guy with the '03 couldn't have AVC because his bike didn't have serial data for the speedo.

 

I had no idea it'd work.
I got my info from somewhere I probably shouldn't have gone and asked...a dealership service manager!
Go figure.

I stand corrected, Carl.

Now, let me pose this question to you...
How far back will the newer radios retro-fit?

And thanks for setting me straight.

 

BadPiggy, can't say for sure how far back the HK can be retrofitted, but probably as far back as 2000 or whenever HD included the casette tape slot in the OEM radios supplied by Radio Sound since the base audio connector and handlebar switches are probably the same.

Just compare the wiring diagrams for the handlebar audio switches and base audio connector (the 23-wire connector that plugs into the back of the OEM radio and is part of the interconnect harness) of the recipient bike with that of an '06 or newer bike, as well as the part number for the 23 wire connector for the recipient bike and '06 or newer bike.

Carl

 

Awsome I had almost given up on the idea, I plan on trying to find a good used radio your info has been most helpful. Thanks and Merry CHRISTmas

 

Will fit back to '98

 

Many of us used to go by that write-up about failure that Ping mentions, but obviously he has better info. One thing that has held me back from the swap are the reports of HK failures. Has that changed with the newer made units/newer software?

 

Beemervet, Tony @ Iron Cross Audio worked in the service/repair department at HK until HK closed it and subbed the repair work to a third party. He worked on HK OEM head units from HD as well as others, e.g. BMW. According to Tony, HK made running changes (e.g. more solder to prevent vibration damage to circuits and better water protection) to the units supplied to HD as recurring problems appeared. In that respect, an HK head unit from '09 will be different than one made in '06.

Also, HD recently issued an assemly line change and made it available to current bike owners that addresses contact between the radio chassis and the bolts used to secure the handlebars. HD concluded that some radio failures were due to the vibration transmitted from the bolt heads to the radio, so the bolt heads were shortened to avoid contact with the radio chassis. The contact didn't occur on all bikes, but it occurred with enough frequency for HD to shorten the bolt head.

Personally, had I not wanted the clean CB installation offered by using the HK head unit, I'd have been happy to retain my Sony/Biketronics aftermarket system and avoid the expense of the HD products which, from a value standpoint (especially XM, Ipod, etc.), are grossly overpriced compared to available aftermarket products.

Carl

 

Pingman,

I have a 01 FLHTCUI with a cassette deck that recently stopped working and I've been looking at upgrading to a CD player/radio. From what I've found the HK's have one plug on the back of the radio that is different than the Radio Sound cd/cassette decks on 05 and older models.

I'd really like to get an HK and put it in my bike but both plugs on my 01 are about the same size and the HK's seem to have one plug that is the same as mine and one that is considerably wider.

I don't doubt your knowledge, I just don't see how it could be plug and play when one of the plugs is a different size. Thoughts?

thanks, Matt