Motorcycle intercom?

[kusaj]

Hey guys,
I am planning on investing into the intercom for me and my partner as we travel on the bike a lot,
would you have any suggestions what gear to look at and what is good and not?
thanks ahead
mario

[jimichelle]

happily married and enjoyed motorcyle riding together 23 years and then decided on an intercom they were split in 6 months

theres a time for riding and a time for talking
enough said

[Gremlin]

If you only want something for the two of you and the rides will only be a few hours, then you have the wireless options like scala rider plus it's competitors.

For wired you have Baehr (cream of the crop, price tag to match), and Starcom1 and Autocom. They're communications boxes, so for example, I have a GPS, Radar Detector and CB Radio plugged into my Baehr. For any mates using CB, we can then talk via CB, which is much less proprietary. Those boxes will also handle rider-pillion comms.

[Blackbird]

+1 re the Scala. You can either get boom mics or a thin pad mic which sits in front of the mouth on the inside of the helmet. Clarity is extraordinary. Don't buy it in NZ - if you have American friends you can get one delivered to them and then forwarded on as the price difference is huge. Check the Scala G4 out at Amazon, together with reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Scala-Cardo-Motorcycle-Headset-System/dp/B001KOFUQE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329195198&sr=8-2

BTW, my wife wanted me to get a comms set for years but I resisted. The only reason for the Scala is that I'm a member of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and it's perfect for training new Associates. Still wouldn't use one with my wife on the back :laugh:

[Flip]

I use a Blueant F4, bluetooth set up.

It works fine, both the music and voice quality is very good. Folks don't believe they are talking to me on the cell phone while I am on the road.

I tried out a wired system and did not like it.

[SPman]

Me and the missus are thinking of a comms system as well - mainly so I can yell "it's not a speed camera", everytime she hits the brakes when she sees a flash of light...sun off tin can, etc......:laugh:


if you have American friends you can get one delivered to them and then forwarded on as the price difference is huge just buy direct...Amazon use paypal and the dollars up around $1.07 US..........

[Gremlin]

Don't buy it in NZ - if you have American friends you can get one delivered to them and then forwarded on as the price difference is huge.
One problem though (if I have the right equipment), the warranty is not International, so it has to be returned there, if there are issues. While I was on a trip in the USA a couple fancied it, and I explained out all the details, they reckoned it was too hard, easier to buy in NZ.

Anyway, all personal choice.

[Blackbird]

just buy direct...Amazon use paypal and the dollars up around $1.07 US..........

The problem is that Amazon won't sell direct because of price point differences between the two countries. I've run into this with other items.


One problem though (if I have the right equipment), the warranty is not International, so it has to be returned there, if there are issues. While I was on a trip in the USA a couple fancied it, and I explained out all the details, they reckoned it was too hard, easier to buy in NZ.

Anyway, all personal choice.

Yep, there's inevitably a downside. However, I'm prepared to take the risk when there's a $300-$400 price difference involved!

[Hitcher]

The biggest problem with the Baehr gear, apart from the expense, is that there is only one dealer/installer located in Auckland.

I haven't seen Pinfolds advertising for a while. Not surprising. The kit they sold was utter crap. And it's a real pain having to connect and unconnect cabling when mounting and dismounting. That's one of the major advantages for helmet-based bluetooth devices.

Mrs H and I used Blueants for a couple of years for bike-to-bike and when Her Good Self was my pillion on tour in the USA and Canada. Battery life was our issue with these, until such time as microphone failure eventually kicked in.

Offput I have been by other offerings, largely due to the microphone encumberances most seem to have in what is already limited helmet interior space, exacerbated by these mikes getting snagged when helmets are taken on and off. Microphones don't like mechanical interference.

[Gremlin]

The biggest problem with the Baehr gear, apart from the expense, is that there is only one dealer/installer located in Auckland.
...
Offput I have been by other offerings, largely due to the microphone encumberances most seem to have in what is already limited helmet interior space, exacerbated by these mikes getting snagged when helmets are taken on and off. Microphones don't like mechanical interference.
There is a Baehr installer in Auckland? Tony has moved to Napier, but I also heard rumours he might have moved to Oz... must flick him an email and double check. Afaik, there is no installer in Auckland?

The key with the speakers is to have them properly installed in the helmet, basically recessed far enough into the helmet to give your ears some room... Richard at Botany Honda has been good enough to do that to my Shoei Multitecs. The installation of the comms box itself is relatively straight forward, depending on what stuff you're plugging into it, as there are specialised cables Tony used to make (and did for me).

[mazz1972]

The biggest problem with the Baehr gear, apart from the expense, is that there is only one dealer/installer located in Auckland.

I haven't seen Pinfolds advertising for a while. Not surprising. The kit they sold was utter crap. And it's a real pain having to connect and unconnect cabling when mounting and dismounting. That's one of the major advantages for helmet-based bluetooth devices.



We've had our Pinfolds stuff for years now. Yes you get what you pay for, and we have had to replace the PTT buttons a few times, but overall it has been great for bike to bike coms. We've stuck with it because we often ride in a group and we all have the same system, and the range with 2-way radios is way better than the bluetooth systems.

Pinfolds seem to have rider-pillion systems as well, and some bluetooth. Worth a look anyway http://www.amalgamate2000.com/sales/index.htm

[Gremlin]

We've stuck with it because we often ride in a group and we all have the same system, and the range with 2-way radios is way better than the bluetooth systems.
If you're using UHF CB Radios, then other systems will allow you to connect them up...

Emailed Tony, he's still in Napier.

[Maha]

happily married and enjoyed motorcyle riding together 23 years and then decided on an intercom they were split in 6 months

theres a time for riding and a time for talking
enough said

Yip I can hear it now...

''Honey I need a piss''
''Fuck you just had one 20 minutes ago after that coffee''
''No, that was a shit''
''Well, cant you just hold it in for another 20-30 minutes''?
''Do you want a blow job later or not''?
''Fucking alright then, fuck fuck it''
''I can hear you''
.................................................. .... (silence)

[steve_t]

Did Hitcher just write "unconnect"? :shit::innocent::corn:

[Buyasta]

Did Hitcher just write "unconnect"? :shit::innocent::corn:

Did I just hear a muffled gunshot off in the distance? :blink:

[ckai]

Well I'll be buggered...

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unconnected (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unconnected)

[steve_t]

Well I'll be buggered...

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unconnected (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unconnected)


Yeah, unconnected is a word. Unconnect though...

[Hitcher]

Did Hitcher just write "unconnect"?

Just checking that people are still awake.

[BMWST?]

Just checking that people are still awake.

the meaning also seems different

[kusaj]

thanks for the ideas fellow riders
i decided to buy SENA, from senabluetooth, picked it up new on ebay for 310 us, and its still somewhere in the post, will write how we like it and if we are still together :)):brick:

[Blackbird]

thanks for the ideas fellow riders
i decided to buy SENA, from senabluetooth, picked it up new on ebay for 310 us, and its still somewhere in the post, will write how we like it and if we are still together :)):brick:

Who did you find who was willing to ship it to NZ directly, or did you get a friend to send it on? Most suppliers expressly say they won't ship to NZ (because of regional pricing differences). It looks like a nice unit.

[kusaj]

Who did you find who was willing to ship it to NZ directly, or did you get a friend to send it on? Most suppliers expressly say they won't ship to NZ (because of regional pricing differences). It looks like a nice unit.

Hi there, the place is called GM cycles, gmcycles.com, they have account on ebay and have no problem to ship to nz. sena is selling the intercom for 400US, GM gave me a deal for 310US including postage. And also had no problem to write down lower value for customs to bypass paying import tax.
I did it few times and its always no problem for them to do so.
I wasn't sure how they can sell the same product for 100US less but they are an official dealer of SENA company's partner, so it should be ok. lets hope so :eek5:

[Blackbird]

Thanks so much for the info - that's a great price and there doesn't seem to be much difference spec-wise between the Sena and the Scala - both score plenty of brownie points. At that price, you've tipped the balance towards Sena :clap:

[kusaj]

the intercom arrived, it took about 7 days from the US. 385NZD all up. Had to try it straight away. Its simple easy to work with while riding and piece a cake to connect to anything. Different kind of beeps navigate the way through so its simple to turn it on/off connect to the second intercom or the phone, as far as I went. The sound quality is perfect, mounting onto the helmet easy and you can clip it off the helmet when not riding. comes with wall charger, carcharger even it shouldn't be charged in cars, only on bikes, so when i get new bike i will place one charger slot in.
only thing i have to figure out is how to modify helmet to hide the speakers. they are about 4-5mm wide and my helmet is fairly tight so they annoy the ears a bit especially on longer trip. we were onbike about our and my ears weren't happy. mic is fine, and has sturdy flexible stem so you can mould it to the helmets shape. its cool. really easy to connect with phone and pick up calls.
thats about it. definitely worth the money.
there is way more specs and review on the net but as far as I tried it I LIKE IT!
cyu

[Blackbird]

the intercom arrived, it took about 7 days from the US. 385NZD all up.
cyu

Thanks so much for the heads-up about the direct supplier - ordered mine at the weekend. I presume you could bend the boom mic enough that it wasn't pressing against your mouth directly? What sort of helmet have you got? Mine's a Shoei XR1000. If you can't get enough clearance for the speakers, would you use iPod-type earbuds which have a 3.5mm connection? I'll make permanent connections in my helmet but the other one will be used for various riders taking the IAM advanced riding training so I'm hoping that they are quick to fit and take off again. They certainly look like it from the material I've seen on the internet.

Cheers,

Geoff

P.S Any appreciable extra wind noise or turbulence from the unit?

[SPman]

After an erratic ride into town last week, (I forgot to tell her that I had to divert via the battery store, didn't use indicators to show when I was turning of, etc etc), te missus saw some Scala headsets in the shop and that was it. $395, I think. We now have a pair of Scala pro2 headsets. Initial impressions seem good, but, as it's been over 36C the last few days and we're heat wusses, we haven't tried them out on the bikes yet!

[Scream]

Still think my turnout might be the cheapest :3

Me and my friend both brought $30 CB Radios from Jaycar, as well as some $5 headsets that we need to resolder new plugs onto/make an adapter. Just need to get hold of a new helmet that accomodates the headset too... oh and wait for him to get a bike then we can see how it goes! :D

[Gremlin]

I've gone the UHF CB route (PRS or Personal Radio Service), simply because it's not proprietary. You don't have to all have the same gear in order to talk. Any CB set up with the correct frequencies for NZ will work, and you can talk to anyone else on CB as well.

[kusaj]

hi again,
my helmet is agv not sure what model though. the speakers have a velcro on the other side so its easy to put them in and they stay in place, whole assembly took about 5 minutes maybe even less. i managed to hide the cables underneath the rim of the lining so you can't see it.
we rode yesterday around airport in wellington at about 80km in little wind. you can hear the wind through our helmets but you sure can hear the other person on the intercom, if you can't you pop up the volume and the sound will blow your head off.
in regards to the mic, you can form it nicely to keep away from your mouth, my helmet is fairly tight, even without the mic my lips were touching the helmet but with the mic in which i formed to keep slightly to the side is cool, and it stays where i put it.
i know that this one is not the cheapest option, but hell, i wanted something what will work. most of the other things i manufacture myself but with the intercom i don't really wanna go hmmm? what? what did you say? i can't hear! what? all the time, could keep without the intercom at all would be the same. we chatted yesterday for about 45 minus, just couldn't stop talking. :)) its fun, you either have the voice activation enabled, which i think is not necessary or a push button which is giant and you can't miss it. you tap it and talk, than tap again and is quiet. not sure how the speakers are atttached to the box if it can be changed for any other ones. maybe if you resolder or join new ones in, well everything is possible, i think that the speakers are really good quality and are strong, so i rather modify the helmet to fit the speakers properly. :) over and out

[ChipperJones]

I currently use these NoiseHush Stereo Bluetooth Clip ons (http://www.wirelessground.com/noisehush-ns560-clip-on-stereo-headset-black.html) with me and the wife. Its really perfect. We can both listen to whatever jams we want and both our phones are voice activated so we just say call, and with one push of a button were chatting. We dont use it all that much and for and sometimes we just leave an it as an open call. Its kinda weird to hear her breathing tho...