Guest Donnie1967 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 One thing about my GoldWing that I really liked was its stereo system. Alas, it's not gonna fit in the Interceptor cockpit... and I'd have to mount the speakers somewhere, it just wouldn't work well :fing02: In-helmet speakers: Do they make them? Are there any good kinds? As far as stereo goes, I would either use my Zune, or some other MP3 player. Of course if you have your MP3 player located somewhere on your body, you aren't going to be able to adjust it whilst moving... What about bluetooth/wireless communicators? J&M bluetooth headsets? http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=JMBT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 One thing about my GoldWing that I really liked was its stereo system. Alas, it's not gonna fit in the Interceptor cockpit... and I'd have to mount the speakers somewhere, it just wouldn't work well :fing02: In-helmet speakers: Do they make them? Are there any good kinds? As far as stereo goes, I would either use my Zune, or some other MP3 player. Of course if you have your MP3 player located somewhere on your body, you aren't going to be able to adjust it whilst moving... What about bluetooth/wireless communicators? J&M bluetooth headsets? http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=JMBT I have a wired remote for my iPod that clips to my jacket. I can pause, adjust volume and skip forward/back with my gloves on, using some ear buds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I use a cheap MP3 player, with a high quality headphone amp, custom interconnect(I make them myself, along with the amp), and in helmet speakers (I use ear plugs). I have found that the MP3 player alone wasn't strong enough, so the amp was added. I don't like in ear phones as they wear uncomfortably, and I prefer plugs. Here is a pic of my setup. MP3 player at top, blank spot for GPS in the middle, and amp can be seen below. The Red cable was a nice touch I thought: Helmet speakers can be had from www.helmetaudio.com, from ebay, or like I did...tear apart a set of slim headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BonusVFR Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 Stereo....no problemo I use a Zumo, Amplirider, earphones on the VFR. All with wires.....hate batteries! Not sure I will be doing anything exotic on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Oz Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 My Zumo 550 plays mp3's into my Etymotic ER-6i ear canal 'phones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 None, I'm a purist. I want to experience the sounds that are going on around me. It helps with ATGATT, and avoiding actually having to use the gear. All part of being physically aware of your surroundings in an urban environment. I can see using sounds on a droning distance tour, however, and thats where I break out the Sansa 250 and SkullCandy earbuds. Unfortunately, I don't get to distance tour enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BusyLittleShop Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 Moozic Non stop... I went with custom molded ear plugs with tiny Sony digital speakers... they cut 30db of wind noise and allow every note of the music through even at low volumes... perfect... I added a light weight Xact Sirius satellite receiver... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I use the scala rider Q2. If you have a IPOD you can blue tooth your IPOD to the headset so you have no wires from teh MP3 Player to the helmet, the scala rider has helmet speakers. If you are looking to control your IPOD there is multipule remotes out there for the IPOD one of them is called the monster, it is a wireless IR remote that is waterproof, I have a few friends that have the remote mounted on a RAM mount. Keep in mind that in order to bluetooth the IPOD there is a adapter that you have to plug into the bottom of the player, the same goes for if you want to use the remote. Bad part is that you cant have best of both worlds so you can either bluetooth and control the player manuley, or have a wirless remote with the MP3 player pluged into the Scala. Hope this makes sence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 My stereo comes in V4 configuration only. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiralGray Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I use a StarCom1 system that I carry in my tankbag. My iPod is hooked up to it with the wired remote hanging out of the tankbag so I can pause, skip tracks, or adjust volume. I also have my Zumo 550 hooked up to it for navigation information, and it's paired via Bluetooth with my phone so if I absolutely had to I could take/receive a call (after pulling over of course). If I wanted to there's still an input port left over for a radar detector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer NorthernVFRDave Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 I use the scala rider system as well, with a bluetooth transmiter plugged in to my Zumo 450, if you have a 550 its got BT and will send MP3s to your headset. But with the Scala systems you'll need to wear ear plugs to cut the wind noise down so you can hear the tunes. Even with all this I have no issue hearing traffic around me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeremy556 Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 I won't go more than 45mph without earplugs of some kind. I use ER6s earbuds because they block out external noise like an earplug and have excellent sound. I tried earplugs and helmet speakers initially, but they just didn't sound good through the earplugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ECX585 Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 None, I'm a purist. I want to experience the sounds that are going on around me. It helps with ATGATT, and avoiding actually having to use the gear. All part of being physically aware of your surroundings in an urban environment. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer elizilla Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 I have an Autocom Active-Rider installed under the seat of my VFR, along with a PIE LD-1 line driver amp. I routed an audio cable under the tank up to the bars, it comes out right next to the clutch master cylinder. I have several Sansas to choose from, that I velcro to the top of the clutch master cylinder and plug into that cable. The one I use for audio books is exactly like the one Tightwad has pictured above, but the two newer ones that I use for music have larger capacity and better sound. The amplifier is necessary because the Autocom is designed to use stereo output that comes at higher volume, like from a car stereo like what people install in Goldwings. Sansas and iPods don't put out enough power. Also, I wear earplugs at all times, and I run my helmet speakers loud enough to punch through the earplugs. It actually sounds remarkably good like this, not muffled at all. I think the Autocom may be boosting the frequencies that are most attenuated by earplugs. The headset has speakers and a mic that work very well. They do require me to be wired to the bike. I have a couple of extra headsets that I install in various passenger helmets. The other thing about the headsets, is that positioning of both mic and speakers, is absolutely critical. If you don't install the headset into the exact right spot in the helmet, you will not be happy with the results. I have a push to talk switch installed on the handlebars. I use the vox to talk to passengers, and the PTT to transmit over the radio. I have two different radios, one FRS/GMRS for talking to other riders, and a CB for talking to trucks when I take a long trip on the slab. I route the radio lead out from under the seat and keep the radio in my tankbag. The Autocom unit can also be configured to work with phones, GPS, and radar detectors, though I have never used any of these. It has an override system where phones and radios mute the music, and radar detectors mute everything. It has side tones so when you are speaking you can hear your own voice sounding normal and that way you don't end up talking funny. I'm told by friends who use Autocoms with phones, that the Autocom can't send the ringing to the headset because the phones don't transmit that sound on the headset. So it just automatically answers, and your cue that this has happened is that the music volume drops by half. If you're not playing music, then you can get sudden startling voices in your head, saying "hello? hello?". I've been very pleased with my Autocoms. I used to just have one, and I set it up in a tankbag to move between the bikes. But in a tankbag, it's a huge jumble of cables and stuff. It's nicer to have it permanent mounted in the bike, and the prices have come down to about a third of what they were when I got the first one. So now I own three of them, one for each bike. Unfortunately, Autocom is in the UK, and rumor has it that the US distributor of Autocom, Top Gear Accessories, is quitting. So I don't know how available the stuff will be, in a few years. Hopefully they'll find a new US distributor. I've got so many pieces and parts that I can probably keep using my stuff forever, but if you're new to Autocom you should probably get all the things you might need right now, or prepare to wait for stuff ordered from the UK in the future. Here's a picture of the stuff I have under the seat of my VFR. The Autocom unit is on the right, and the amp is on the lower left side. One the upper left is my accessory fuse box, which is switched to the bike via a relay. There's a ferrite choke wrapped in red wire stuffed in near the Autocom, that's the power lead. The VFR is electrically noisy and the choke reduces this noise somewhat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeremy556 Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 All part of being physically aware of your surroundings in an urban environment. Well, there's the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Elizilla: Impressive! That's a lot of wires in a small space. Will you help me finish wiring my house? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Popsrcr Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 I tuck an ipod in my jacket with wired earphones. I just got a Scosche Bluetooth remote that I'm going to mount to the steering...probably just velcro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiralGray Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I had an Autocom Pro-3000 that I bought in about 1998 or 1999 that I used for years. When I crashed in '05 I sold all my motorcycle-related stuff, including the Autocom. My buddy is still using his 10-year-old Pro-3000 (although the mic quit on our last ride). Unfortunately, Autocom is in the UK, and rumor has it that the US distributor of Autocom, Top Gear Accessories, is quitting. So I don't know how available the stuff will be, in a few years. Hopefully they'll find a new US distributor. I've got so many pieces and parts that I can probably keep using my stuff forever, but if you're new to Autocom you should probably get all the things you might need right now, or prepare to wait for stuff ordered from the UK in the future. It's not a rumor. This is the reason why, when I got back into riding, I went with the Starcom1 unit instead of buying another Autocom. Also, feature-for-feature, the Autocom was about $100 more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer elizilla Posted June 24, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2009 Elizilla:Impressive! That's a lot of wires in a small space. Will you help me finish wiring my house? Pete Be careful what you ask for. I am completely out of control. You should see how I set up my garage, with separate color coded circuits for tools and lights, and a 220 circuit for the welder I don't have yet. Or my basement server rack, with the multiple dedicated circuits and UPS setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Many years ago (when I had my Hurricane) there was a CBR 1000 Hurricane that I would see around Lawrence, KS that had a car stereo fibreglassed onto the front of the tank. I know your initial impression. Believe me, this looked factory as could be. The guy had built up the fibreglass, painted and pin striped it to match the factory paint. To the sides of the unit were small speakers about 4" or so in diameter. This was back before CD, so it had a cassette. I wish I had a photo of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 All part of being physically aware of your surroundings in an urban environment. Well, there's the problem. Jeremy, you have that absolutely correct, sir. The tires are square, too...dammit! I prolly should just give up and get a Fury. :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeremy556 Posted June 25, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted June 25, 2009 All part of being physically aware of your surroundings in an urban environment. Well, there's the problem. Jeremy, you have that absolutely correct, sir. The tires are square, too...dammit! I prolly should just give up and get a Fury. :biggrin: Screw that, just do like me and quit your job, leave everything behind, and move close to the mountains. Deal's Gap and the Cherohala are part of the normal day ride, and you'll break your mongoose in half and have to get a Fuel Ex8 to replace it on the local trails. Plus you can sell all your used tires to your Florida buddies for near what you paid when they are showing cord on the sides and still have 80% tread in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vifferluv Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I typically just wear earplugs, however if I were to listen to music while I ride, I would use what BLS posted. PM user 'wera803' for more info about custom earplugs/headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Screw that, just do like me and quit your job, leave everything behind, and move close to the mountains. Deal's Gap and the Cherohala are part of the normal day ride, and you'll break your mongoose in half and have to get a Fuel Ex8 to replace it on the local trails. Plus you can sell all your used tires to your Florida buddies for near what you paid when they are showing cord on the sides and still have 80% tread in the middle. Dude, I'm liking the philosophy. But, I gotta' earn a living so I can replace my newly rounded tires when they're due. My Florida buddies can't support me on tire sales alone. I'm thinking Dahlonega, yeah, maybe Riders Hill. I could sell exotic motorcycles to well-to-do Atlantans out for a weekend excursion. Plus, I'd be within striking distance of all the tasty roads surrounding the Gap. SWEET! This is sounding like a career possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wera803 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Some other threads that talk about the same thing for you............ http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=46807 http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45178 http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=40665 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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