Ride modes, blue tooth and intercoms. Distractions?

[george formby]

I just spotted some posts in another thread about distraction by conversation while riding, I think that's what it was about.

Personally I have mixed feelings about bikes with multiple, on the fly, engine maps. I never listen to music on the bike, rode into a hedge listening to The Cult when I was young and dumb and the thought of having conversations with a pillion or other riders while riding feels against the grain.

I just watched a review where the rider was struggling with the mode he was in and ended up "having a moment" changing the settings.

Music or a podcast closes off my ears which surprisingly often are the first sense to pick something up. Despite my noisy twin.

Trying to have a conversation while riding and maintaining full concentration won't work for my limited brain capacity. I can't do it in a car so not a shit show on the bike.

The technology we have now is amazing and becoming more so with each new bike release, cornering ABS, lean sensitive traction control, bike to bike intercoms, electronically adjustable suspension, spotify on the handlebars....

But is it creating new problems for riders?

The reason I love bikes is the old cliche of man and machine, it's one of the few things which takes up 100% of my attention.

Am I just a crusty old git with limited cognitive capacity or is technological distraction a thing?

[johcar]

I listen to the radio or Spotify on my morning commute from the Hibiscus Coast to the city every weekday. I don't find it a distraction, mostly it's just background noise.

My Tiger has riding modes, but will not allow the rider to change while on the move (and naturally defaults to the standard mode they time I switch on the ignition!!!). I have to remember to change it to my custom Rider mode (ABS on, traction control off) every time I get on the bike.

Happy enough to not be able to change while moving - I just wish it would stay in the mode it was in when I last switched it off!!!

Sent from my HD1905 using Tapatalk

[Black Knight]

Some time back I was talking to a young lady in a cafe at Maramarua,as she was getting geared up she plugged in her ear buds and I could hear the sound from a couple of metres away-she was heading East so had to cross over the highway,as she took off she didnt hear or see the approaching vehicle,it was not a pretty sight.-You cant (or not supposed to) change the modes on my XSR on the fly,but at least the settings remain when you turn off the key.I'm with George on distractions,the fewer the better.

[Blackbird]

I don't like listening to music on the bike as it's a distraction and I find that there's plenty going on to fill the senses anyway. However, in IAM, we use helmet to helmet comms to help with coaching riders towards their Advanced Roadcraft Test. Part of the coaching involves trainees giving a commentary on their situational awareness - what they're seeing all around them in terms of potential hazard i/d and what precautions they're taking. In the early stages of coaching and commentary, virtually every trainee displays the same trait - their speed drops significantly because of the increased amount of information they're processing (and they don't usually notice). Like everything worthwhile, it takes practice. However, commentary apart; I simply don't like any distractions from the joy of riding well.

[george formby]

I don't like listening to music on the bike as it's a distraction and I find that there's plenty going on to fill the senses anyway. However, in IAM, we use helmet to helmet comms to help with coaching riders towards their Advanced Roadcraft Test. Part of the coaching involves trainees giving a commentary on their situational awareness - what they're seeing all around them in terms of potential hazard i/d and what precautions they're taking. In the early stages of coaching and commentary, virtually every trainee displays the same trait - their speed drops significantly because of the increased amount of information they're processing (and they don't usually notice). Like everything worthwhile, it takes practice. However, commentary apart; I simply don't like any distractions from the joy of riding well.

I was just musing over this, amongst other things. Exactly why I don't like chatting too much in the car never mind the bike. Blah, blah, oh shit, brake lights.

Do you do any specific training for this prior to using the intercoms? I was actually musing about Te Federales but this is the same thing.

Speaking of the Popo. HRH Charlie boy was up here recently and had some Police riders as escorts. I passed them the evening before his arrival on a nice, twisty bit of road. They were honking! Must have been a nice ride up from Auks. The lead rider was dressed like a Power Ranger. Better work stories that day.:Police:

[Kickaha]

Fuck having any of that shit

[george formby]

Fuck having any of that shit


Spit it out, man. Don't mince your words.:laugh:

[sidecar bob]

Fuck having any of that shit

Even these newfangled electric self starters have you baffled.

[Blackbird]

Do you do any specific training for this prior to using the intercoms? I was actually musing about Te Federales but this is the same thing.


Yep, the coaching is done in small steps so as to prevent overload. Giving commentary is quite an art because if you try to talk in whole sentences, not only do you tie yourself up in knots, the event you're commenting on has probably happened by the time you've finished talking about it :yes: . We coach using key words as per police, emergency responders, pilots etc - fast and precise. Hard to describe here but here's a link to an article written by one of our team who incidentally, is an airline pilot: https://nztwisties.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/talk-it-up/ . We've got members who are serving police officers or similar and listening to their observation skills/commentary is an absolute joy.

If I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks, I'll often kick off a ride with a 10 minute out loud commentary to myself to dial up my awareness a bit. Must be because I'm old :innocent:

[Kickaha]

Even these newfangled electric self starters have you baffled.

Not sure why they're necessary, my BSA doesn't have one and it starts ok

[SaferRides]

Yep, the coaching is done in small steps so as to prevent overload. Giving commentary is quite an art because if you try to talk in whole sentences, not only do you tie yourself up in knots, the event you're commenting on has probably happened by the time you've finished talking about it :yes: . We coach using key words as per police, emergency responders, pilots etc - fast and precise. Hard to describe here but here's a link to an article written by one of our team who incidentally, is an airline pilot: https://nztwisties.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/talk-it-up/ . We've got members who are serving police officers or similar and listening to their observation skills/commentary is an absolute joy.

If I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks, I'll often kick off a ride with a 10 minute out loud commentary to myself to dial up my awareness a bit. Must be because I'm old :innocent:I don't even listen to music when I'm riding, so found having coms on a RideForever course a bit of a challenge. The instructor was good and kept communication to the minimum at first.

I was OK by the end of the day. I can see how it could be useful on a group ride but expect there would always be one person who'd talk too much.

[george formby]

I don't even listen to music when I'm riding, so found having coms on a RideForever course a bit of a challenge. The instructor was good and kept communication to the minimum at first.

I was OK by the end of the day. I can see how it could be useful on a group ride but expect there would always be one person who'd talk too much.

The first time I did one I forgot about the one way intercom. When the instructor piped up I nearly speared off into a paddock I was so startled.

Our last course was great, we focused on cornering. All I kept hearing was "Gas, Gas, Gas!" Strange coming from a Honda rider.

I guess if you ride interstates or motorways on a luxo barge, 2 up, being able to have a banter would be welcome. But not on the roads round my way.

Quite often a 6th sense would be very welcome.

Hmmmm, bikes that can see round corners. Where's me pencil?

[russd7]

The first time I did one I forgot about the one way intercom. When the instructor piped up I nearly speared off into a paddock I was so startled.

Our last course was great, we focused on cornering. All I kept hearing was "Gas, Gas, Gas!" Strange coming from a Honda rider.

I guess if you ride interstates or motorways on a luxo barge, 2 up, being able to have a banter would be welcome. But not on the roads round my way.

Quite often a 6th sense would be very welcome.

Hmmmm, bikes that can see round corners. Where's me pencil?

riding the luxo barge two up from riverton to Winchester and back in the gentle gale force breeze that was present for most of the trip this weekend, I didn't even have the radio on, it was hard enough reading the wind as it was without distraction, needless to say, I am going to sleep well tonight

[Gremlin]

Been listening to music for years, first with a Baehr intercom system (not to other people, just for my own devices), now Sena.
Sometimes I turn it off as I don't want the additional noise, but most of the time, if it's available, I'll use.

Helps pass the time on longer trips, getting the right track on the right piece of road...wow.
I've found that generally if I'm focusing on something, then I don't really hear the music, just kinda zone it out.

Other comms, especially when doing events can be multiple. Helmet to helmet with my camera guy, then a director calling shots through radio, or mobile call relaying information or requests, gets a little busy, but all managed through the GPS interface. I won't physically interact with my mobile like read or send messages, the camera guy has to deal with that as I need hands on bars as I'm usually in close proximity with athletes.

Use intercom for IAM observing, but if the associate is in front speaking is rarely more than directions. I can (and do) demonstrate running commentary, but only when I'm in front and they're following.

Motorbike functions, the newer ones do seem more complicated, but then I don't have one. Usually it's a case of getting very familiar with the processes and then doing it with very little thought. The GSA has simple options compared to the newer models, but easy for me to flick between settings (riding it for 140k km would help though).

[James Deuce]

The only one of the senses you have that connects to the brain directly, without preprocessing, is your hearing. Everything else has a delay built in with your eyesight being the worst. The CPU and the GPU have an interface that is horrifyingly complex with such limited bandwidth that the CPU prefers to use a RAM-based static model that is updated via pattern recognition and deviations to standard patterns than processing the data received directly from the optical sensors.

Also, as kickaha said, fuck having any of that shit.

[Reckless]

Fuck having any of that shit

Agreed!!! Hearing and feeling the bike go together. With hearing being a major pleasure of riding??
From my Z1r to my past V twins, even the Bonnie and the FZR1000.
Safety aside? I simply do not understand why you would wanna block the hearing sensation out?

Lets not even get into, that song you love comes on, or that call you must take or that button you must press???

Its very simple - Block any sense out and you increase your risk.

[ellipsis]

The only one of the senses you have that connects to the brain directly, without preprocessing, is your hearing. Everything else has a delay built in with your eyesight being the worst. The CPU and the GPU have an interface that is horrifyingly complex with such limited bandwidth that the CPU prefers to use a RAM-based static model that is updated via pattern recognition and deviations to standard patterns than processing the data received directly from the optical sensors.

Also, as kickaha said, fuck having any of that shit.


...the only thing I understood of all that was...'fuck', said Kickaha...

[rastuscat]

What you are talking about is cognitive distraction.

There are 3 categories of distraction. Cognitive, visual and manual.

Our law deals with manual distraction, in that it stops us from using the phone in our hand, freeing us up to use our hands to drive/ride.

Visual distraction is that thing that causes you to look away from the things that matter to your driving task. That Elle McPherson poster that drew your attention. You know the one

Our law is dumb, as the worst distraction is cognitive. It's when your mind drifts onto the additional talks you have, like the phone call you are on. I've been the guy on the phone call who rode past the place I was going to, as my mind was too focused on the details of the call.

Vehicles today are grossly distracting. Yet we know that this is a problem, but we embrace it.

I like the settings I can adjust on the BMW R1200RT I have. Tech coming out my ears. But I know when the right time to play with it is.

Ride modes, ESA, heaters, stereo, air cond. How much is too much?

[James Deuce]

...the only thing I understood of all that was...'fuck', said Kickaha...
It's the only bit that matters.

[pritch]

Vehicles today are grossly distracting.

True. It's not necessarily the biker either, it's the marginally competent drivers paying more attention to their multiple distractions than to their driving.

I have bluetooth buds but wouldn't wear them on a pushbike so can't really imagine wearing them on the Triumph. Don't even know if the helmet will fit over them, but they'd probably make the radar detector harder to hear. That could be expensive.

Nicky Hayden was much better on two wheels than me and he was killed while listening to his earphones.

[rastuscat]

True. It's not necessarily the biker either, it's the marginally competent drivers paying more attention to their multiple distractions than to their driving.

I have bluetooth buds but wouldn't wear them on a pushbike so can't really imagine wearing them on the Triumph. Don't even know if the helmet will fit over them, but they'd probably make the radar detector harder to hear. That could be expensive.

Nicky Hayden was much better on two wheels than me and he was killed while listening to his earphones.

Entirely agree. I have a bicycle helmet with bone conduction bluetooth. It's easy to listen to Gladys Knight and still hear the environment.

On the RT, there's stereo speakers, but the bike also bluetooths to a helmet. If the BT is on, the speakers cut out. If no BT is connected, the speakers are on.

I like each for different reasons, but whatever I'm using, it's background noise. None of it takes mental processing time away from what I am doing. Faffing around with the controls, however, does seriously distract.

The ride modes are a bit distracting. Once you become familiar with the menus, it easier to scroll through them. I've only had this bike a couple of weeks, but the menus are almost identical to my recently departed 1600GTL.

All in all, I get a lot of enjoyment in riding small, simple bikes, with nil distractions. But I also enjoy the fruit on the big bike. Just have to learn to manage it all safely.