Increase the power output
of your GL1800 Stereo without installing a power amp

If you own a 2002-2005 Goldwing GL1800, and you use the stereo, you are no doubt very disappointed in the sound quality of the stereo Honda gave us. Despite the sophisticated features of the radio, the sound quality does not match that sophistication. The internal amplifier is low on power, and high in distortion.

I love music, but frankly, I rarely even turned on the stereo for the first 6 years. The stock Goldwing stereo is so bad that I simply couldn’t enjoy the music. I would rather have silence. I didn’t want to do an external amp. Storage is already at the premium on a motorcycle, and I use every square inch of it on a trip.  And my CB and tools are in the rear cubby hole. All the options out there would have had an affect on the primary purpose of my bike, which is TOURING! This is not to mention that an external amp would not solve the distortion problem. The amp would just make the audio and the distortion louder.

As an audio technician, I knew that the stereo could sound better, so I put it on the bench  and tried to figure out why it sounded so bad. My only intent was to improve my own radio. But the results of my mod far exceeded anything I expected. After years of reading all the complaints about the stereo that were similar to my own complaint, I decided that this might be something others would be interested in. The response has been phenomenal, and the result is this website.

This may sound like snake oil. But if you read through this site, you will realize that it isn't. There is nothing magical about the upgrade. No smoke and mirrors.  All I do is modify the circuit board to accept a higher quality, higher power amplifier IC, the same amp that is used in thousands of high end aftermarket car stereos.  I merely enable the radio to sound the best it can sound.

Owners of 2001 and early 2002 Goldwings, please read.

Most of the 2001 bikes do not need the upgrade, and have been excluded from the upgrade program. These radios already have a high power amplifier in them.

Most of the 2002 bikes DO need the upgrade. But there are a few early ones do not.  Unfortunately, the only way to tell which radio you have is to remove it and have it in your hands. It cannot be identified by the VIN number of the bike. In most cases, the radio can be identified by its serial number.

See this page for info on 2002 radios, and how to identify what you have.

About Me and this Website

I am a fellow Goldwing owner just like you, not some big company with a constant eye on the P&L statement. This website was created due to overwhelming interest in my power amp upgrade by the members of the GL1800Riders.com forums.  My goal is simply to help  fellow Goldwing owners improve their sound systems and help them get their radios repaired without spending a fortune. This isn't work to me. It is doing something that I enjoy.