Can You Add Apple CarPlay To Your Motorcycle?

We live in a technology-driven world, and most of the time, those new-fangled gadgets trickle down into the motorcycles we ride. Often, that makes for faster, better, and safer bikes, but if the two-wheeled market has one blind spot, it’s the lack of native Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support in our infotainment systems. Instead, we are often forced to use many proprietary applications to accommodate mobile integration, and their performance leaves a lot to be desired. That leaves us asking, “Can you add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to your motorcycle?”

What’s The Big Deal? We’ve Got Mobile Integration Apps for Our Bikes!

They say the grass is greener on the other side, and when we look at our sister publication, AutoGuide, this is one of the few times we MOrons start to think there might be some merit to that quote. Still, they are trapped in their cages while we MOrons feel Mother Nature’s cool kiss against our skin – it’s why we’re far more dashing and flowery with our prose because we can actually smell the roses. Plus, we wear more leather. 

See, the automotive industry has wisely embraced seamless mobile integration, and most late-model cars, trucks, or SUVs provide that without a hiccup. Heck, one of the cheapest economy cars on the road today, the 2024 Nissan Versa S, with a starting price of $16,680, features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Even luxury motorcycles fail to get mobile integration right, with recent examples of this documented in our reviews of the 2022 BMW R 18 B and R 18 B Transcontinental and the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S. Motorcycle manufacturers try to reinvent the wheel with buggy applications that cause more frustration than they relieve. When we look at the other end of the pricing spectrum, entry-level-priced brands have their solutions, with the 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan throwing its hat in the ring that also struggles to deliver in critical ways.

On a positive note, the 2023 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ and 2024 Yamaha MT-09/ MT-09 SP are some of the few examples of manufacturers getting mobile integration mostly right. “Mostly” because, you still have to run two separate apps, but at least the system works. Still, if only there were a reliable, proven way to solve this issue and one that most of the license-holding market was familiar with…if only!

Adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Your Motorcycle

There are a few ways to add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to your current rides. The two most common solutions are these: Replacing your current head unit or adding a standalone unit.

With the sheer number of solutions in the marketplace, we can’t speak to the fine minutiae that relates to your specific application. So, we’ll cover the broad strokes but know that you can use ACP and AA with your current bike.

Upgrading Head Units

Many owners are happy with their motorcycles but want a little more out of their infotainment systems. Depending on the make and model of your bike, you may want to look for an aftermarket, plug-n-play upgrade for your head unit.

This is an especially popular solution with pre-2019 Harley-Davidson Touring models that don’t feature GTS units capable of supporting Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. These units are priced in the $500-800 range and, in most cases, offer far more functionality than the OE infotainment system.

Replacing the head unit will not compromise your ability to use factory hand controls, though your make and model may require an additional adapter in some instances. Our buddies at Dennis Kirk have everything you need to see your dash delivering a modern infotainment experience.

Adding Standalone Units

For some riders, their motorcycle may not accommodate a replacement head unit. This would apply to bikes equipped with analog clocks or more simplistic LCD instrument panels. In those situations, owners must get creative and look for a standalone infotainment unit that supports Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Brands such as Ottocast offer products allowing users to pair their mobile devices with a standalone infotainment unit and enjoy all the navigation and communication functionality you’d find in most automobiles today.

In a way, bolting another device to our bikes does take us back to when motorcycle riders often relied on standalone GPS units for navigation. In addition, you will also need a dedicated power source for these units, either a USB charging port or an equivalent 12-volt connection. While that might seem like a step in the wrong direction, we implore readers to review our experiences with most manufacturer-designed infotainment solutions – they often stink up the joint somethin’ fierce.

Motorcycles That Support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

There are a handful of motorcycles that do support the gold standards in mobile integration, and they all happen to fall on the touring spectrum. The 2018+ Honda Gold Wing models updated with the 2020 infotainment update support ACP and AA natively. In addition, the 2020+ Honda Africa Twin also provides the same features.

Moving to the American V-Twin market, 2019-2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide models equipped with the GTS Touchscreen head unit provide ACP and AA support. However, 2023+ H-D Touring models have dropped official support of Android Auto. However, much of the functionality remains if your device is plugged into the infotainment system via the USB connection. Lastly, the Indian Motorcycle’s 2020+ Ride Command infotainment system features Apple CarPlay exclusively.