2020 RTL with a VERY loud speaker, static only, no music- anyone else? Any troubleshooting advice? Ideas for better access to speakers?

Hey everyone,

Last week we towed our 2020 RTL on an open trailer, behind our RV (in the rain), for 5hrs and had a potential vacation spoiler once we got there.

On the second day of riding the bike, when the key was turned on (bike not started) there was extremely loud and constant static coming from the stock lower front speakers. Turning the volume down/up had no effect. The static was intermittent over a few seconds and the loudness of the static fluctuated. The noise was so loud we could plainly hear it with helmets on and from a distance from the bike. Nothing I tried had any effect (volume, fader, balance, etc.).

So as to not ruin our trip, I popped off the speaker grills and finally managed to remove the 4 torx screws holding the speakers in so I could get at and unplugged the wires on both speakers. Problem temporarily solved/avoided.

Now that we're home again I wanted to find an easier way to get at the speakers I guess by removing whatever I need to gain better access from above to try and troubleshoot the cause of the problem.

I searched this forum and elsewhere but couldn't find anything to help with removing the upper dash panels and/or anyone who had a similar problem regarding the constant static issue. Saw lots of issues with "static" but nothing like what we experienced.

Would appreciate any advice on the potential cause of the issue, troubleshooting ideas, and any clues on how/what to remove in order to gain better access to the speakers.

Thanks !!
Steve

Good point on the issue being the source of what's driving the speaker noise as opposed to the speakers themselves. Haven't hooked up
the speakers since coming home, partially since it's such a PIA to to get at the torx screws without being able to remove the top surrounding "panel covers" (small torx bit and needle nose pliers at an angle... geeez )

We did quite a bit of driving in rain (and actually mountain snow) with the speakers unhooked while on vacation. Been a few days since being home so I'll hook em back up and see if the issue is water.

Thanks!!

Just thought I'd update this issue... I hooked the speakers back up the other day and there's no more static! So whatever the source of the current to the speakers causing the static was, it must have "dried out". Which is kinda scary, since I can't image that will be the only time we trailer (or drive) the bike in wet conditions.

Hooking the speakers back up was a bit challenging (though educational) since I ended up pulling all 3 main tupperware pieces off both sides so I could get at a push pin that allowed me to "pry up" the dash housing piece around the speaker, all so I could fish back out the wires I had disconnected. At least now I know how to get at things like the oil filter, air filter, ECU, etc. for future maintenance and mods.

Bought the bike new in 2020, but had some (now resolved) medical issues since then, so we only have about 1,500 miles seat time so far. Looking forward to a lot more riding and mods going forward!!

Excellent suggestion on pulling the fuse ... duh ... thx ! ... will check out the receiver connections as well.