Bugs behind speaker covers
- Stretch56
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:57 am
- Location: East Peoria
- Motorcycle: 1996 1500SE and a 1987 Suzuki 700 Intruder to play with.
Bugs behind speaker covers
I hope I have a simple question! 07 gl1800, CSC Cobra trike. How do the bugs continue to get behind the speaker grills? Do they enter through the scoop vent on the front of the fairing? Where does the air from that vent go? Sorry I guess that was 3 questions!
- tamathumper
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:02 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Motorcycle: 2003 GL1800A
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
In tens of thousands of miles I've never had a bug get behind a speaker cover, you must have a bad case of audiophlies.
'03 GL1800A - Warning: fopen() [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: Sense of humor not found on line 2
- DenverWinger
- Posts: 2109
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:20 pm
- Location: Denver, CO
- Motorcycle: (s)
1980 GL1100 STD Vetter (2005-)
1993 GL1500 Aspencade (2017-)
1983 Trav-Lite Camper (2010-)
Past rides
1972 CL350 (1980-1988) sold
1978 Suzuki GS550 (1985-2005) sold
1977 GL1000 (2002-2006) sold
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
That's Funny!

There are 10 types of people in the world, those that understand binary numbers, and those that don't.
♫ 99 Little Bugs in the Code, ♪
♪ 99 Bugs in the Code. ♫
♫ Take one down, Patch it around, ♪
♫ 127 Little Bugs in the Code. ♫ ♪
~Mark

♫ 99 Little Bugs in the Code, ♪
♪ 99 Bugs in the Code. ♫

♫ Take one down, Patch it around, ♪
♫ 127 Little Bugs in the Code. ♫ ♪

~Mark
- newday777
- Posts: 2214
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:21 pm
- Location: Milford NH summer/fall & Oceanside, CA winters(N San Diego) with lots of miles riden between
- Motorcycle: 2008 Cabernet Red. Level 4
1983 GL1100A Wineberry 36,000 miles
1975 CB750 K5 Planet Blue 7,800 miles
1976 CB750 K6 Anterris Red 25,000 miles
Past rides
1999A Restored from PO neglect & sold at 19,000 miles
1999SE Totaled by cager at 105,000 miles
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
I get them in my speakers also. You are not alone in this.Stretch56 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:41 pm I hope I have a simple question! 07 gl1800, CSC Cobra trike. How do the bugs continue to get behind the speaker grills? Do they enter through the scoop vent on the front of the fairing? Where does the air from that vent go? Sorry I guess that was 3 questions!
They can come in the front brow hole and the side vent holes and meander(wiggling and air pressure pushed) into the speaker crossover tunnel then into the speakers.
- newday777
- Posts: 2214
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:21 pm
- Location: Milford NH summer/fall & Oceanside, CA winters(N San Diego) with lots of miles riden between
- Motorcycle: 2008 Cabernet Red. Level 4
1983 GL1100A Wineberry 36,000 miles
1975 CB750 K5 Planet Blue 7,800 miles
1976 CB750 K6 Anterris Red 25,000 miles
Past rides
1999A Restored from PO neglect & sold at 19,000 miles
1999SE Totaled by cager at 105,000 miles
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
Maybe we should start up a new forum section to help each other cope with it. Seeing as you are good at the diagnosis, you can lead the group therapy sessions......
- kwthom
- Posts: 408
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:36 am
- Location: Jaynes Station, AZ
- Motorcycle: 2016 GL1800
- Contact:
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
...or, ride in an area with no bugs.
One of the (few) positive things about riding in cold(er) temperatures.

One of the (few) positive things about riding in cold(er) temperatures.

Effective 09/29/2021, in a self-imposed "social media detox" - focusing on offline social interactions and actions.
- newday777
- Posts: 2214
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:21 pm
- Location: Milford NH summer/fall & Oceanside, CA winters(N San Diego) with lots of miles riden between
- Motorcycle: 2008 Cabernet Red. Level 4
1983 GL1100A Wineberry 36,000 miles
1975 CB750 K5 Planet Blue 7,800 miles
1976 CB750 K6 Anterris Red 25,000 miles
Past rides
1999A Restored from PO neglect & sold at 19,000 miles
1999SE Totaled by cager at 105,000 miles
- GoldWingrGreg
- Posts: 892
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:18 am
- Location: Zephyrhills, Florida
- Motorcycle: 89 GL1500
03 GL1800
04 GL1800(abs)
05 GL1800(abs)
07 GL1800(abs) - Contact:
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
They get there because you are riding thru their air ... their area. If you don't want them, go ride somewhere else.Stretch56 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:41 pm I hope I have a simple question! 07 gl1800, CSC Cobra trike. How do the bugs continue to get behind the speaker grills? Do they enter through the scoop vent on the front of the fairing? Where does the air from that vent go? Sorry I guess that was 3 questions!
- keithg64
- Posts: 762
- Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 9:47 pm
- Location: Geneseo, IL
- Motorcycle: 2007 Gl1800HPNA Blue
2000 GL1500 Pearl Coranado Blue -sold
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
During our bug season I get quite a few bugs behind my speaker grill too. My guess is that they come up from the fork area and some go through the the wind tunnel under there and some get sucked into the speaker grill area. A couple times a riding season I take the grill out and them them bugs out. I wonder if installing tunnel fillers if that would help.
It's not what you buy, it's what you build.
- tamathumper
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:02 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Motorcycle: 2003 GL1800A
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
Truth be told, I can't tell the difference between audiophlies and tune bugs.
'03 GL1800A - Warning: fopen() [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: Sense of humor not found on line 2
- newday777
- Posts: 2214
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:21 pm
- Location: Milford NH summer/fall & Oceanside, CA winters(N San Diego) with lots of miles riden between
- Motorcycle: 2008 Cabernet Red. Level 4
1983 GL1100A Wineberry 36,000 miles
1975 CB750 K5 Planet Blue 7,800 miles
1976 CB750 K6 Anterris Red 25,000 miles
Past rides
1999A Restored from PO neglect & sold at 19,000 miles
1999SE Totaled by cager at 105,000 miles
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
You'd better get studied up.....tamathumper wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:55 pmTruth be told, I can't tell the difference between audiophlies and tune bugs.
-
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:43 am
- Location: Rosemount, Minnesota
- Motorcycle: 2006 Gl1800 Premium Audio
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
Living here in MN we have lots of bugs, and in the late spring and summer they get very thick at times. That being said I've never had the speaker covers off on my 1800, my1500 I did have the covers off and I don't recall ANY bugs in the speaker covers. Yes, different bikes and different covers, but similar situations?? Just seems odd to me!!
Bob
Bob
Bob Payette
06 Gl1800 Dark Cherry Red
Trying to break it in, only 75k on the clock!
I'd rather be riding than working!!
06 Gl1800 Dark Cherry Red
Trying to break it in, only 75k on the clock!
I'd rather be riding than working!!
- joeincalif
- Posts: 876
- Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2014 10:39 am
- Location: Fresno, Ca
- Motorcycle: 1997 Gold Wing SE
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
If you run your fingers under the speaker area on the dash you can feel an opening. Shove a piece of foam up there. \

IF YOUR BORN ONCE YOU WILL DIE TWICE
IF YOUR BORN TWICE YOU WILL DIE ONCE
- C-dub
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:29 pm
- Location: DFW, Texas
- Motorcycle: 2016 Goldwing Audio/Comfort/Nav ABS
Previous bikes:
2005 Hayabusa
1999 Suzuki Bandit 1200S
1979 Suzuki GS850G
1983 Suzuki GS1100E
1981 Honda XL250
1975 Suzuki GT185M
1970 Suzuki TC90 dirtbike
Re: Bugs behind speaker covers
While riding through the Texas Hill Country a while back during the migratory season of butterflies we ended up with those things in just about everything including behind the speaker covers. Several of them. It was amazing. My wife was very saddened at the though of us hitting so many of them.
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargeant Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016.
Patriot Guard Rider
Patriot Guard Rider