Harley-Davidson Boom! Box GTS

The GTS gates factory Apple CarPlay and the USB port behind a paired Bluetooth headset — no headset connection, no CarPlay, even with your phone plugged in. The GTS Bypass tells the radio a headset is present, so CarPlay and the USB port work without one.

Not from the factory. The Boom! Box GTS won’t start CarPlay or open the USB port until a Bluetooth headset is paired, which leaves riders in an open-face helmet — or no helmet at all — with a factory CarPlay system they can’t actually use. The GTS Bypass unlocks CarPlay and USB with no headset required.

It’s a small plug-in jumper that taps the GTS’s headset circuit and removes the paired-headset requirement, so factory Apple CarPlay and the USB port work the moment you plug in your phone. It doesn’t add Android Auto by itself — it opens the radio’s own CarPlay and USB so a Media Box or Piglet has something to plug into next.

No. The headset lock is unique to the factory Boom! Box GTS. Aftermarket units from brands like SoundStream, Rockford Fosgate, Boss, Diamond Audio, and Aquatic AV run their own CarPlay with no bypass needed — see the full aftermarket radios lineup.

No. The 2014–2018 Touring lineup ran the Boom! Box 4.3 or 6.5GT radio, which never had factory Apple CarPlay — the GTS and its CarPlay didn’t arrive until the 2019 model year. A bypass alone does nothing on a 14–18 bike because there’s no factory CarPlay behind it yet.

Yes — owners of 2014–2018 Touring models can retrofit a 2019+ Boom! Box GTS radio, which brings genuine factory Apple CarPlay with it. Once the GTS is in, the headset lock shows up exactly as it does on a factory 2019+ bike, so you’ll still want the GTS Bypass to run it without a paired headset.

Instead of retrofitting the factory GTS, you can fit an aftermarket CarPlay head unit built for your Touring bike — no bypass needed, since aftermarket units carry no headset lock. Browse the aftermarket radios hub or go straight to a brand like SoundStream, Rockford Fosgate, Boss, Diamond Audio, or Aquatic AV.

Not from the factory — the Boom! Box GTS ships with Apple CarPlay only. Android Auto comes after the GTS Bypass opens the USB port: plug in a Media Box or a Piglet and Android Auto runs through your existing GTS screen.

The bypass only unlocks factory CarPlay and opens the USB port; it doesn’t add Android Auto on its own. Plug a Media Box or Piglet into that now-open USB and Android Auto appears right on your Harley-Davidson touring radio’s screen.

Both add Android Auto through the same unlocked USB port, so it comes down to what else you want. The Media Box adds Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Music, podcasts, and SD-card or USB-drive playback, while the Piglet adds Mirror Link and AirPlay screen mirroring.

Yes — that’s the Media Box’s territory. Once the GTS Bypass opens the USB port on your GTS-equipped bike, the Media Box adds Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Music, and podcasts right alongside Android Auto.

Android Auto itself still routes through your phone’s connection, but the Media Box plays music and video straight off an SD card or USB drive, so your own library isn’t pulling cellular data every mile — a real advantage if you load your own media instead of streaming everything.

Android Auto shows Google’s ride-focused interface — maps, calls, messages, music — while Mirror Link (and AirPlay for iPhone) mirrors your phone’s actual screen onto the GTS display. The Piglet gives you both, so you can switch to whichever view suits the app you’re running.

Yes. Retrofit a 2019+ Boom! Box GTS radio, run the GTS Bypass to open its USB port, then add a Media Box or Piglet — or skip the factory route entirely with an aftermarket head unit from the aftermarket radios hub that has Android Auto built in and needs no bypass.

No — the GTS Bypass only removes the paired-headset lock on CarPlay and the USB port. Your Boom! Box GTS keeps its factory navigation, SiriusXM, and AM/FM/Bluetooth audio exactly as they were.

Yes — the GTS Bypass and a Media Box or Piglet all run through the factory GTS screen and handlebar switches, so your Harley-Davidson keeps its stock dash appearance and controls with nothing permanently modified.

Yes — the GTS Bypass is a plug-in module that connects into the factory GTS wiring without cutting or re-flashing anything, so it can be removed and the bike returned to stock if you ever sell or service it.

It’s a plug-and-play job behind the fairing on any GTS-equipped Harley-Davidson — the GTS Bypass harness connects in place of the factory jumper, with no cutting or splicing required.

Yes — the GTS Bypass only removes the requirement to pair a headset before CarPlay and the USB port activate. If you still like to ride with a paired Boom! Audio headset, you can; the bypass just stops it from being mandatory.

The GTS Bypass is a removable, non-destructive plug-in harness rather than a permanent change to the radio, which is why many riders prefer it to cutting into factory wiring — if warranty is a concern, a dealer can simply unplug it before a service visit.

If you like the factory look, handlebar controls, and navigation your Harley-Davidson already came with, the GTS Bypass is the cleaner, cheaper path — it unlocks the CarPlay and USB port you already paid for. Swapping to an aftermarket unit from the aftermarket radios hub makes more sense if you want a bigger screen or wireless CarPlay and don’t mind losing the factory face.

Yes — on a 2019–2023 Street Glide or Road Glide, factory CarPlay only wakes up with a paired headset, so an open-face rider is locked out entirely. The GTS Bypass removes that lock so CarPlay and the USB port work whether or not you’re wearing comms — for many riders that alone is the whole reason to fit it.

The GTS Bypass leaves the factory Boom! Box GTS in place with nothing permanently modified, so the bike still shows and sells as stock. An aftermarket head unit from a brand like SoundStream or Rockford Fosgate may look and sound better, but it’s a visible, harder-to-reverse swap a future buyer might not want.

A GTS Bypass plus a Media Box or Piglet is typically a fraction of what a full aftermarket head unit and its install run, and you keep the factory navigation and stereo tuning your Harley-Davidson came with.

Yes — the bypass doesn’t touch the GTS’s factory navigation, SiriusXM, or amplifier; it only opens CarPlay and the USB port. For an open-face rider covering real miles that’s often the whole fix, and a Media Box loaded with an SD card adds offline music and video for camp stops without burning phone data.

No — CarPlay video and streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube on a Media Box are parked-only, the same as in a car; they lock out video while the bike is moving. Navigation, audio, and voice commands still work fine underway.

Yes — that’s exactly what the GTS Bypass is built for: no headset paired, no intercom group, just the CarPlay map on the dash where you can glance at it. It’s a common reason riders fit it before group rides on a Street Glide, Road Glide, or CVO Touring bike.

If you’re keeping a 2019–2023 Touring or CVO, or a trike through 2025, the one GTS Bypass SKU pays for itself in headset-free CarPlay over years of riding. If you plan to trade in soon, it’s worth knowing the bypass leaves the bike stock, with nothing to undo first.