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[WildmanUltra]

Hello,So I just bought my 2015 CVO RGU and was thinking that I would install speakers into my lowers but then when I asked my friendly parts counter person about this I was told NO NO NO you can not do that.If you look at the HD audio chart it also shows that you cannot install speakers in the lowers. When I asked the parts person WHY??? they couldn't answer that part of the deal just said the catalog shows you can't and that was that.Other CVO's are allowed to have lowers installed into the lowers so why not the RGU? So I figured I would ask here and maybe someone in the know can explain it.

If I am understanding things correctly if I want to upgrade my system I would need to replace my current amp and speakers with a aftermarket system OR use ONLY HD products to upgrade? If it is something in the current amp that won't allow me to add lowers then my choices might be being made for me. What is making the newer bikes so expensive to upgrade?

[ultrarider123]

You can install speakers in the lowers but both will jut out into your knee/leg space due to the twin cooling radiators and fans that are in both lowers of your 2015 twin cooled 110.  Those radiators take up a lot of space where the bikes with lowers and NO twin cooling have room to mount.  Search the site and you will find some pictures from folks that have installed speakers in the 2015/2016 SERGU.

[grc]

Once again a dealership employee hands out lousy and incorrect information.

Try this link to Harley's own catalog, you will find that they offer parts to in fact install speakers in the lowers of a 2015 FLTRUSE:

https://www.harley-davidson.com/shop/parts/2015-touring-cvo-road-glide-ultra-fltruse#!pageSize=45|category=10704|showFacets=true|userSelected=category2

Click on Audio and Electronics on the left side of the page, then scroll down to the various speaker installation kits.

Jerry

[WildmanUltra]

Well I'm going to guess this is what the parts person is going by.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/app-content/eStore/Boom%20Audio%20Stage%20II%20Fitment%20Matrix.pdf

It shows that you can't install lowers in the CVO RGU.

If you have a regular RGU they do make a lowers speaker kit for it.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/store/boom%21-audio-stage-i-ii-fairing-lower-speaker-kit

[rayson56]

Check out the posts of RivRapter. He has some extended posts of how he did the speakers in his lowers.

[King Glide]

This is what I used.

[grc]

Well I'm going to guess this is what the parts person is going by.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/app-content/eStore/Boom%20Audio%20Stage%20II%20Fitment%20Matrix.pdf

It shows that you can't install lowers in the CVO RGU.

If you have a regular RGU they do make a lowers speaker kit for it.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/store/boom%21-audio-stage-i-ii-fairing-lower-speaker-kit

But, as my post shows, the catalog says the speaker kit and the installation kit for the lowers does in fact fit the FLTRUSE.  Also, the matrix you posted a link to shows the kits for the FLTRU, which also comes with Twin Cooling like the FLTRUSE.  Both bikes have Twin Cooling with radiators in the lowers, and that doesn't seem to be an impediment for the FLTRU so why would it be for the FLTRUSE?  This has all the earmarks of another left hand/right hand deal at Harley.  They've made mistakes about fitment for various CVO models going back as far as I can remember.  The aftermarket takes their cues from Harley and then tells people their part won't fit a bike that it clearly does fit.  For instance, the thread about lowering blocks not fitting the FLTRUSE per the vendors but in fact the bike has the same components in the rear as the FLTRU which the blocks fit.

If you really want to install speakers in the lowers, you can do it.  As for whether or not it would be worth the time and money, I'll leave that to the folks who have ridden one both ways to discuss.  In my experience adding more speakers in an open cockpit vehicle doesn't and can't fix the lousy acoustics of the listening area, so the return on investment isn't anything to write home about.

JMHO - Jerry

Btw, there is a legitimate issue with the later CVO RG's that come equipped with the Heavy Breather style air cleaner and what I believe people have been calling the Fang lowers.  Neither of those issues affect the 2015/2016 models.

[WildmanUltra]

But, as my post shows, the catalog says the speaker kit and the installation kit for the lowers does in fact fit the FLTRUSE.  Also, the matrix you posted a link to shows the kits for the FLTRU, which also comes with Twin Cooling like the FLTRUSE.  Both bikes have Twin Cooling with radiators in the lowers, and that doesn't seem to be an impediment for the FLTRU so why would it be for the FLTRUSE?  This has all the earmarks of another left hand/right hand deal at Harley.  They've made mistakes about fitment for various CVO models going back as far as I can remember.  The aftermarket takes their cues from Harley and then tells people their part won't fit a bike that it clearly does fit.  For instance, the thread about lowering blocks not fitting the FLTRUSE per the vendors but in fact the bike has the same components in the rear as the FLTRU which the blocks fit.

If you really want to install speakers in the lowers, you can do it.  As for whether or not it would be worth the time and money, I'll leave that to the folks who have ridden one both ways to discuss.  In my experience adding more speakers in an open cockpit vehicle doesn't and can't fix the lousy acoustics of the listening area, so the return on investment isn't anything to write home about.

JMHO - Jerry

Btw, there is a legitimate issue with the later CVO RG's that come equipped with the Heavy Breather style air cleaner and what I believe people have been calling the Fang lowers.  Neither of those issues affect the 2015/2016 models.

Jerry I agree with you 100%. Why they would fit in the FLTRU and not the FLTRUSE doesn't make sense.

As to is it worth it? I don't know as I haven't been on a bike with speakers in the lowers. I was going to add them to my FLTRU but traded it for my CVO before I got a chance to do it.
From replies I have read it does help with the sound you hear but that was on the air cooled bikes. I haven't talked to anyone with a water cooled bike to know how it helps them.
Nothing is going to make our bikes sound great at 70+ MPH but there are things we can do to help. I just don't know if it will be worth the money it will cost to add them to my current bike.

The only explanation I can come up with as to why it works on the FLTRU and not the SE is maybe it has something to do with the Stage II system on the CVO's? I don't know if that is the reason or not. It will take more research on my part and is why I started asking here. I figured maybe someone else had already gone thru this GOAT ROPE. 

And as King Glide shows in his post the online store even shows the speaker kit that fits.
https://www.harley-davidson.com/store/boom%21-audio-stage-i-ii-fairing-lower-speaker-kit

[fastfreddy]

It can be done... you will have to add an amp and have radio flashed by dealer and that may be an issue for your dealer .... jus saying . I went after market and am very happy I did . No speakers in lowers but it was an option from soundz customz  also. I have seen both HDs and after market .... that’s why I used after market

[WildmanUltra]

Okay so I called HD up to ask them about this. This is a funny but interesting answer to the whole thing.

When HD was doing their testing and had added Stage II lowers and amp to the CVO RGU they found the added weight caused handling issues so it isn't a authorized or supported modification.
The gentleman I spoke with went and talked to other tech's and said that while you can do this on a RGU because the CVO's come with the Stage II system stock it isn't supported. So you can't get your radio flashed to support this mod if you do a Stage II lowers. If you do a Stage I lowers which doesn't require the additional amp you can do that. But again it isn't a supported mod.

Is all that clear as MUD?

Sounds like it will just be easier to go the aftermarket route while keeping the stock head unit.

[King Glide]

I would agree with you that if you wanted to upgrade to boom ll I would go after market. I added my speakers as boom l replacements when I made my tourpak quick detachable. I was getting “clipping” with just the front speakers connected so they plug into the tourpak wire connector under the seat.

[rayson56]

Sounds like it will just be easier to go the aftermarket route while keeping the stock head unit.


Talk to the folks at Biketronics, great systems, easy to work with, lifetime warranty and they are right on the Wa., Id. border.

[Major Tom]

G’day WildmanUltra,

I put the H-D speakers in the lowers on Lucille 15 SERGU. I bought them from a dealership & they did not come with any warnings or require a waiver signed to install them.

I haven’t noticed any impediment & I have long legs. I also call bullchit on them affecting handling. That amount of weight below Center if gravity would have no effect.

I put a J& M system on so I didn’t lose the saddlebag space for an extra amp & because they had a plug n play Bluetooth setup that works well for my needs.

Read the stereo threads ( there are heaps of them) to decide on aftermarket options if you go that way.

I ride locally with the music going through the speakers & tour with the music in the headsets. No problems hearing either way for me & I am partially deaf.

First pic is before speakers in the lowers



These are the best I can find on my phone that were taken afterwards.



Cheers Tom








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WildmanUltra]

Yes after looking at everything it will take to upgrade the Boom system with Stage II parts I am convinced that it will be easier and CHEAPER to just upgrade to a aftermarket system when the time comes.

I'm guessing I'll start with the stock RG speakers (fairing & tour pak) plus amp. Then when I recover from that I'll add lowers and last saddlebag lids. Then I'll have a 8 speaker system.

I was just relating the story as it was told to me. I find it funny also that they would claim the weight of 2 speakers and an amp could affect handling.

At this point I'm of the mind that I'll keep the head unit and add an amp speakers, brand to be determined later.

[OBB]

Okay so I called HD up to ask them about this. This is a funny but interesting answer to the whole thing.

When HD was doing their testing and had added Stage II lowers and amp to the CVO RGU they found the added weight caused handling issues so it isn't a authorized or supported modification.
The gentleman I spoke with went and talked to other tech's and said that while you can do this on a RGU because the CVO's come with the Stage II system stock it isn't supported. So you can't get your radio flashed to support this mod if you do a Stage II lowers. If you do a Stage I lowers which doesn't require the additional amp you can do that. But again it isn't a supported mod.

Is all that clear as MUD?

Sounds like it will just be easier to go the aftermarket route while keeping the stock head unit.

That gentleman doesn't know  squat about the systems and the years they came out. The SERGU did NOT come with the Stage II sytem. The SERG does. I upgraded the stock Stage I to Stage II a few years ago (found the parts on Facebook real cheap) and the 2nd amp is mounted under the tourpack.