| Author | Message | ||
     Taxman |
i have an MP3 player. and i'd like to take it out with me when i ride. i was wondering what you guys have found to be the best method when it comes to headphones. i tried the little ones that just stick in your ear but when i slide the helmet on they get pulled out. i'm half tempted to just mount a set of real speakers right in the helmet but i'm worried about how it might effect safety. | ||
| Bomber |
go the the aerostich website -- they've got a short piece on just this issue . . .. . I listen while on the slab, fully alert, but turn the tunes off on a good road, or if I'm draggin at the end of a long day . . . .. . | ||
| Josh_ |
the E3c work good but they touch the helmet which causes extra noise and make it painful full to put on and remove the helmet I just bought the ER6 which are smaller. Next step is to use a MixIt to integrated the XMRadio, ChatterBox, Escort 8500 and audible GPS. Anyone got a source for a headphone->Chatterbox adapter? | ||
| Swampy |
Ear plugs and a loud exhaust? | ||
| Hodakaguy |
I had an Autocom intercom system on my last BMW and it was great. (Autocom Pro-M1) I didn't really use the intercom much but the music input cord and the cell phone interface worked great plus it does bike to bike with the attachment of a radio. The sound is awesome! They guarantee clarity at above 100 mph. They are a little expensive but well worth it. You can be going down the road listing to music and a call comes in on the phone, without touching anything the music mutes, the cell rings once and then auto answers and you just start talking. Its so clear that people think your on a normal phone and don't even know your doing 70 down the highway. When the caller hangs up the cell disconnects and the music automatically comes back on without skipping a beat. I'm going to get another one of these systems for my S1, connect your mp3 player or CD player and your golden. The speakers fit really nice into the liner of the helmet, it took about a 1/2 hour to install the speakers into each helmet and then they stay in permanently. They say not to cut any foam ect when installing but I trimmed a very small amount of foam where the speakers sit just to make them recess into the helmet under the liner. You can't even feel them when they are installed right. Autocom's are very popular with the BMW crowd and for good reason. It's worlds above the chatter boxes and other intercom systems, the sound quality doesn't even compare to the Autocom. Here's a link to their site. They have since updated the Pro-M1 to a newer model and lowered the price. Here's a link to the Autocom site: http://www.autocomamerica.com/docs/home.cfm Just my 2 cents. Hodakguy (Message edited by hodakaguy on April 01, 2005) | ||
| Kinger |
I currently use some Koss earbud style headphones. They hurt my ears after a while under the helmet. I have also been looking into bike-to-bike communication. MCN has a good review for a cheap B2B system. Read the article here: http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/200403Communicators.pdf Here is the headset that they recommended: http://www.rocketquality.com/motorcycle_headsets.htm | ||
| Tank_bueller |
That Autocom stuff looks like the shiznit!!! The Easy-7-Advance looks just like what I have been looking for. I dont like the chatterbox type radios, which mount on the side of the helmet. Tom: Are the prices on the site pretty much it?, or would I find a better price at the local BMW dealer?? I love new toys!! tank | ||
| Danvetc |
While they are not cheap, they might save your hearing... Etymotic earphones are noise canceling and very high quality sound. They will hopefully keep you from cranking the volume too high resulting in permanent hearing damage. http://www.etymotic.com/ Charlie Daniell, DVM | ||
| Hodakaguy |
I would search the web for them first, they are also on e-bay all the time. For the most part your not going to find any great deals at the BMW dealerships. My Autocom worked perfect, I wish I would have kept it instead of leaving it with the bike when I sold it. Hodakaguy | ||
| Niceharleystuff |
I found this online. It looked like an interesting, inexpensive solution. Create Your Own Helmet Headsets! When I checked out the prices of helmet speakers, I decided to find some options. You can get good quality, light headsets pretty cheap these days, but most people have a couple old spares lying around the house. I took an old set of Sony headsets - the plastic head mounts were broken, but they delivered really good quality sound. Cut up the best ones you have, and go to it! I studied my helmet, and found that the ear cavities were clear all the way to the shell. I had some firm charcoal colored foam, which I'd been hanging on to. I cut two triangular pieces to fit snug into these cavities. I cut up the headsets, and removed the plastic housings. I also had some disk-shaped hard foam washers about a quarter-inch thick and just the right size to squeeze in the speakers. Covering them with the thin foam covers that come with the headsets, I mounted them into the 1/4-inch disks, hot glued the whole thing together. Then I hot glued them to the triangles. There are all kinds of separations between the cushioning in the helmet to run the wires.   | ||
| Tank_bueller |
I actually did "disassemble" a good pair of headphones, but that's all the fab I had to do. My HJC CL-14 has these cute little "pouches" built in for speakers which snap out with the cheek pieces. Installation was a snap(literally). As far as safety, the way they mounted allowed plenty of music without having to crank it all the way up, and I could still hear the wind noise from a passing car in my blind spot (note: I still have the stock exaust-xb9s) That was cool for a while, but being the gadget freak that I am, I want more. I want bike/bike, bike/car, or maybe even CB or cell phone communication, depending on the situation. I don't want much  Now that I've been checking out the Autocom site more, I'm leaning toward the Pro-7-sport, but that's a good chunk of change. Better start saving my pennies. tank | ||
| Robxb |
 you can try these. They are a pair of Oakley's called Thump. go to oakley.com | ||
| Cataract2 |
On the side of bike to bike communication. I've been hearing about Bluetooth units coming out soon. This way you could communicate with anyone regardless of brand. Anyone got any info on them? | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
The Autocom system supports bluetooth. I'm going that route!!! | ||
| Ethanr |
Apple makes a set of further-in-the-ear buds for about $30 at any CompUSA, etc. I bought a set for my iPod Shuffle (though I think the plug's a standard mini-jack) and have no problems getting the helmet on over them, whereas the standard ones would constantly get knocked out. Pretty decent sound and they block white noise almost as well as ear plugs. You just have to make sure not to crank the volume up so high that you can't hear traffic. | ||
| Coolice |
I have the Autocom Pro M1 and keep it in a fanny pak. It uses a 9v battery which usually lasts 2 days. Quality is excellent. I have used it it now for 5 years. I remove the headsets in 5 minutes, they velcro in. On the Buell I put the Autocom in my tankbag, connect to a sony fm radio, cell phone set to auto answer and good to go. Ya I now get a mp or satelite radio, gez I can't keep up. Anyway Autocom gets my thumbs up. And I have used it 2 up and the clarity is great, I even wear the formed ear plugs with it and I hear it fine. (Even at 100+) tried it! | ||
| Blublak |
Has anyone had any experience with the throat mikes? I was looking a few of them a while back, thinking they would take a lot wind blast out of the two way communication side of the earphone debate. Find the right speakers, a nice radio and a mic that didn't capture wind/engine noise.. could be a golden type solution.. | ||
| Ingemar |
I really LOVE music. I have never had the urge to listen to music while I ride though. Not even on long "boring" trips of several hours of highway. I love the sound of everything around me. For me it would interfere with the way I enjoy riding. | ||
| Jaredkuper |
You've never driven to Lubbock, have you Ingemar? My mp3 player saved my a--, after about hour 3 of a flat straight road I need something to keep me awake. I have in-ear sony headphones(~$30), but I'd rather get some hardcore $100+ ear-plug headphones. http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=13&subTopicID=64 Way pricey, but can you put a price on hearing? | ||
| Taxman |
if i get one brand of voice communication and a buddy gets a different kind. can we still chat? that is my worry. i like this auto com but a few of my friends may opt for something cheaper. i just want to make sure i can chat with them. the other features are nice. but i'd hate to have it not be able to do that. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Guys, listen to one of the old men on the Badweb, you need to be 100% focused and paying attention to everything around you when you ride. There's road debris, potholes, joggers, animals, minivans etc. etc. and they are all looking to take you out. I've got 44 years on bikes & I've never been hit or hit anyone on the street. Anyone who has ridden with me knows I'm a pretty hard charger, even for an old fart. You need to let the BIKE become an extension of your body, feel ITS rhythm and enjoy the ride! | ||
| Cataract2 |
Taxman, no, you both need the same brand communication unit to make it work. Different brands work on different freq. Sometimes even the models are different. I believe bluetooth units can talk to other bluetooth units though. Regardless of brand. | ||
| Jeremyh |
personally the only music i like to listen to while rinding is the sound of my bike. Also why would you want to kill one of your five senses while riding a motorcycle its bad enough that you can only really use 2-3 of the 5 to keep you alive on a bike. I think i would rather here a car honking at me than feel a car slam into me because i couldn't HEAR the HORN. | ||
| Rangerxb9 |
Well its not from a Buell site, but while i was looking at getting an R6 (silly me) going to get a buell of course, but found this super neat thread about music while riding, thought it might pertain here and could help out a few people, i know i plan on using this little trick.. http://www.r6messagenet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38756 Enjoy  | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Cataract2 and Taxman: Actually, you can use different radios together. I have a set of Motorola talkabout 5950's and a pair of Midland speakeasy ultra's. They work great together, but they must be set on the same channel(big#) AND interference eliminator code(small#). Most frs/gmrs radios have eliminator codes up to 38, but some (motorola) go up to 99 for "superior interference protection". Some have no eliminator code, so the radio with the code must be set to "0". (partially quoted from manual) The Autocom is not a transceiver. It is a (expensive) switching device with built in amplifier, and a rider/pillion communicator when used by itself. Depending on the model, you can add your own devices to be communicated through the headphones/mic such as: two way radio, cell phone, CB, cd player, mp3, etc. Sorry for the RANT!! tank | ||
| Kcfirebolt |
AUTOCOM The only way to go is my estimation. MOst of the good stuff has already been mentioned on this thread. Sound quality is great at 100 plus. The bike to bike and cell phone work great, and the ease of use is good to. Only one wire runs to the helmet to run the whole thing. One suggestion. My hearing is not the best and I know it has gotten worse since I bought the bike. Before I bought the bike, I used regular ear buds to listen to music. I usually had to play it very loud to drown out the bike. With the autocom, I use the speakers in the helmet which worked fine too but was also very loud. Earlier this year, I discovered Hearos concert earplugs, and if you use speakers in your helmet, I suggest trying them. Basically, they dampen sound at the high and low ends of the spectrum, but allow music and speech to get through. I hear very little bike or road noise, but I listen to the music at very reasonable settings, furthermore, I do not have to turn the music up when I go faster on the bike. The bike noise stays virtually constant. The downside is that it is harder to detect funny noises from the bike when they start. I think these earplugs will help slow the rate of decay in my hearing and if you're young with good hearing, I think you have to get ahead of the curve and protect what you have. Once hearing loss starts, there is no getting it back. Get the Autocom. It's expensive but I've seen guys spend a lot of time and frustration trying to gerry rig their own systems, and they never seem to work as well. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Another good review!!!!!!!! Gotta get me one. |
