OK, so I've got an old outdated bike, 1992 FLHTC with an original radio that now occasionally started displaying the word "failed" on the screen and the audio stops when this happens. Quick little background to go with it.

1. I'm pretty sure I'm developing the beginnings of a flakey voltage regulator. It will peg the gauge unless I turn on the headlight and passing lamps and then seems to not go over 14-15, idles at 12ish or a little less with all the lights on. Process of elimination steers me toward the VR based on some quick tests.

2. Radio recently started pulsating/flashing what looks like the LH side of the display backlighting when first started irregardless of what the volt gauge does. Pulsating/flashing will stop after about 10 minutes and seem normal until it has sat overnight.

3. I recently went from bluetooth earbuds from my phone, to using a tape adapter in the radio and ran an audio cable to listen to music through the radio. Cheapy tape adapter from WalMart.

So . . . is this an internal radio problem creeping up, (yes, I searched the forum and googled it but couldn't find the issue with the word "failed"). I did do a hell of a lot of reading though.

Second, since I don't really ever use the radio, has anybody ever went with a "hidden receiver" radio, (seceretsound sound is one I found), or just a small amp with speakers, (such as Boss), and used only an MP3 player for music. Boss brand looked a little cheap & cheesy.

The seceretsound had what looked like a decent looking wired control that with a little fabrication might be able to be worked into/on/in the old radio opening.

Or should I just put a storage pocket in the dash and use bluetooth headphones 100% of the time?

 

Any answers to this question, knowing the VR problem exists, are simply guessing. Your VR "could" very well cause this issue but you won't know until you get that taken care of first before trying to troubleshoot another electrical component.