Not trying to toss stones but, ride a Harley Triglide for a while and you'll find the Goldwing is quiet as a church mouse. When I rented a 2012 GL1800 before I bought mine my wife couldn't believe the difference between it and my 2010 Triglide which had 50 state legal mufflers. After a freeway run at 80 mph I ask her what she thought, she said damn buy one I can hear the stereo loud and clear for a change.
I bought one and wow talk about deathly quiet compared to the Harley, I just got done making an 80 -85mph run with a full face helmet in gusting wind and I could hear the stereo with the volume turned up only to 11. Have you adjusted the (Can't remember the name) it causes the volume to automatically increase or decrease based on speed. The default from the factory is off, I have mine set on high which really gets the music cranking when your running 80 mph. As for carrying on a conversation, I can at lesser speeds. Any other time I use the Intercom.