Helmet mods

[Sycophant]

Anyone (else) modified their helmet to install speakers or anything of the sort?

I just ripped apart some cheap headphones and installed the speakers into my helmet. They provide quite good sound and hardly affect my ability to hear my bike and other traffic.

My next effort will be to reverse engineer my Nokia headset and patch it into my speakers and install a helmet mic.

Also I my to do list is an inline volume control that I can clip onto the handle bars.

[wkid_one]

Two things:


if you want car audio, buy a car (or gold wing)
why would you want to answer your phone on a bike??


There are enuf distractions and things to concentrate on on a bike, without adding to the noise.  What phone call is soooo important it can't wait until you stop?

[Motoracer]

I installed speakers before but I found my self riding more dangerously due to the nature of the music perhaps... I took them off now because I decided riding the bike on its own was interesting/exciting enough for me.

I am however in the process of installing a CD/MP3 player (connected to earphones in the helmet) on my scooter. I think it will come in real handy when sitting at 50 all the way to work and back.

[Marmoot]

I even rarely use my stereo in my cage..........
But speaker would be handy for radar detectors, though.... :o

[Jackrat]

I ment a guy just resently who had a helmet speaker for his radar,I had a radio/tape deck on my first Harley,set the cruise control, crank up the sounds an sit back,great for OZ but don,t know about here,probably end up in a ditch I reckon. :o :D :niceone:

[Slim]

Nothing done to my helmet, except for the application of rabbit ears. :D

I use Sony Fontopia In-Ear phones which are superb, with my Minidisk in the tankbag.

http://www.techbuy.com.au/images/P35987.jpg

[wkid_one]

I have a helmet speaker for the radar detector - works a treat

[Sycophant]

If I do the phone thing, it will be for the sake of proving I can :) I barely receive calls as it is, and answer them only some of the time...

Still it'd be nifty. And If I do it, I'd like to make it dual purpose for a PRS radio (if I get one).

[Big Dog]

I spoke to an audiologist one about this so i could mofify my old k1 helmet (1 hour ech way commute). He recommended fitting them just behinnd the ear flap. this works well and allows you to wear ear plugs. (this does make your music king of bassey though) I ended up ripping it out though as the wire was a pain in the arse.

[Marmoot]

It would be great for bike-to-bike radio comm as well. The only trouble is how to windproof the microphone........

[Big Dog]

Originally posted by Marmoot
It would be great for bike-to-bike radio comm as well. The only trouble is how to windproof the microphone........

Uniden do a throat mike. I'm told emergency services in aus use them under a high collar or scarf. they work off vibrations not audio. Like they use in special services on movies etc. With practice you can use them without making and audible sound!:beer:

[Sycophant]

For microphone placement, I was initially thinking of putting it right at the front of the helmet in front of the chin. It seems that less wind would circulate around there.

These are ideas I will continue playing with I guess.

I tried using my normal phone headset on my bike once, just to know if it worked. Up until about 50k I was fairly audible, I am told. After that, the phone was unable to handle noise cancelation. The headset is one of those types that hangs down on the earphone lead - so it was totally exposed.

[Sycophant]

Just had a quick look into throat mics - this company (http://www.bluekangarootechnologies.com/) provides them, for mobiles and two-way radios.

They are between US$30 and US$60 and feature an extended PTT switch on the radio versions that can be run down the arm - it seems.

I want one.

(Update: And here they are in NZ: http://www.amalgamate2000.com/sales/throat_microphones.htm)

[Firefight]

Originally posted by Big Dog
Uniden do a throat mike. I'm told emergency services in aus use them under a high collar or scarf. they work off vibrations not audio. Like they use in special services on movies etc. With practice you can use them without making and audible sound!:beer:

We tried them in the fire service, to give us hands free comms, while wearing breathing apparatus, , they worked well, just took a bit of getting used to, got a few unwanted transmissons, from time to time, stuff like " Fuc# the boss, why is he out there, and were in here"etc. :eek: Ambo bike paramedics had a simalar system, can't remeber how they worked, logan may know I guess bike cops have same thing ?

firefight.

[Marmoot]

I had a bike intercom about 6 years ago and the microphone was quite good as it has a hood around it shaped so the wind does not get to it much. However, apparently the wires are quite inviting to rabbits as well and proved to be quite delicious to chew on, so, bye bye intercom.

I've tried voice-activation and I haven't found a way to prevent it from continously transmitting when doing over 150kph, even when I buried the mic inside the helmet foam padding.
So, I think PTT is still the best way to go. I also believe bike cops use PTT system (Logan?).

But still, when you're doing 150kph and want to warn "cop cop cop" there will only be "GUSSSHHHH!!!!" when you push the button if you don't have proper windproofing.

P.S.
The throat mic......are they good for Darth Vader impersonation? :D

[Lou Girardin]

I fitted a small piezo speaker from Jaycar, about the diameter of a 5 cent piece, hooked up to the detector. as for phones, music, intercoms - why?
If you sing badly and no one can hear you, is it still bad?
Lou

[Coldkiwi]

I've fitted a 30mm speaker into my KBC galaxy helmet for using the radar. Hid it behind the plastic cheek pad holder and drilled some holes to help the sound get through and past my ear plugs (mandatory for anything longer than a 10min ride).

I've tried music in headphones while I ride... ONCE.. and never again. Realised I was riding like pants made out of mince and had to pull over and turn it off. Like lou says.. you can sing tunes yourself as you go.

Maybe I have a very one track mind but if I'm pushing fairly hard through corners the last thing i need to concentrate on his some random song in my head. Filling it up with determining braking and exit points, gear changes, throttle control, body positioning and scanning for people pulling out keeps me quite busy enough!

[marty]

Originally posted by wkid_one
Two things:


if you want car audio, buy a car (or gold wing)
why would you want to answer your phone on a bike??


What phone call is soooo important it can't wait until you stop?

the one that says - 'well i'm waiting for you in my undies - where are you????'

[Lou Girardin]

Then why are you out riding? Prioritise!
Lou

[Car Dodger]

If I'm listening to Mettalica, I ride mean and dont give way to anyone.

If its Neil Dimond or Bob Seigar, then I trying to get home to see my lady.

If its Simon & Garfunkel then I give way to everybody

If its Backstreet boys then I need to be Shot.

[Coldkiwi]

I'd love to listen to P.O.D when out for a thrash but I'm quite certain I'd get thrashed going through a fence.

anyway.. here's a pic of my helmet with the cheek pad removed so you can see the speaker.

 

[wkid_one]

Originally posted by Lou Girardin
I fitted a small piezo speaker from Jaycar, about the diameter of a 5 cent piece, hooked up to the detector. as for phones, music, intercoms - why?
If you sing badly and no one can hear you, is it still bad?
Lou

Oh - I soooo agree.  I have the jaycar 10mm speaker - works a treat.

The last thing I would want is to be hanging off the side of the bike - and the phone to ring or my mate go - 'shit watch out!' through an intercom.  Surely you ride your bike to get away from shit like that??? 

The idea of riding a bike well is to REMOVE distraction - not increase it? 

If you want music, someone to talk to and a telephone - buy a car

 

[georgedubyabush]

Originally posted by Car Dodger
If I'm listening to Mettalica, I ride mean and dont give way to anyone.

If its Neil Dimond or Bob Seigar, then I trying to get home to see my lady.

If its Simon & Garfunkel then I give way to everybody

If its Backstreet boys then I need to be Shot.

You must have som fuckd up mix tapes man:shit::D

[Redstar]

I bought a mini stereo FM radio from Dick smith for 10$ and thought this is the way to go I can wire myself for sound and bugger if the reception was not premo, but then in practice it cut in and out and drove me mad cause I couldnt tune in on the move so all that static made me sycho so i pulled it day one, and besides I can sing 15 songs fully and with such sweetness it even makes me cry. you should hear my"house of the rising sun" its a f**kin ledgend thou I do say my self:rolleyes:

[k14]

Yeah, ditto redstar. Except my favourites include dirty deeds by ac/dc and enter sandman by metallica. Dont know if i could compete with you, but i keep myself happy :D

[wkid_one]

My on board dialogue consists of:

'fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkk corner, shit, ouch......brake......feck you over cooked that one......feck - that car wasn't there before' - no room for singing

If I do sing - I sing the Muppets theme song however.

[Car Dodger]

Originally posted by georgedubyabush
You must have som fuckd up mix tapes man:shit::D

Nah, just a little radio that doesnt stay on channel properly. Besides there nothing wrong with a little diversity.:rockon:

[Big Dog]

The only music I've ever been able to tolerate on a bike consists of cd's, Thorogood, for town riding, Aerosmith for cruising, house or Thrash, to thrash. The fact I don't own any house or thrash anymore may be because I drive a nana or it could be the other way around.


Reality is stopping to change channel or cd (tapes fick up feed back of the alternater unless you buy a sheilded walkman) when ever you change style is f*&cken annoying. Not to mention the ringing in your ears at the other end (confined noise causes tinitis at twice the normal rate).

[Rapt]

I heard about someone disconnecting the warning tone on their radar detector and installing an LED instead....If it's just an open/closed circuit then it shouldn't be a problem and the visual effect of the LED would make most people react quicker then an audio warning.....if u believe all the audio/visual response literature...

I believe the LED was mounted inside the helmet just above the forehead....from memory...at night the LED reflected off the visor but not enough to detract from the field of view etc...

Could be worth investigating....

[Lou Girardin]

I've got an LED as well. The problem is that it is hard to see in bright light and if I move it closer to my line of sight, it's annoying at night.
Lou

[figjam]

Are you guys are talking about H.A.R.D Helmet Assisted RADAR Detector?
http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=HARD

[Gixxer]

Originally posted by wkid_one


If you want music, someone to talk to and a telephone - buy a car

 

F#$k off , I LOVE to listen to my music all the time, on the bike, at work, getting it on. I ride with my sounds on alot and never once lost it.

may be because i don't ride as hard as some ( from what i have read )and this maybe why I have not lost it on the bike, I say If you feel the need to install some sounds then go for it. .

Anyway, has anyone in Aucks seen a couple of dudes with mohawks on there lids, one blue and one pink? I think they look massive.