Bike to bike comms - anyone recommend a good product?

[Bob]

I want go get a decent bike-to-bike comms set. Preferably cordless, don't want to have to press a "speak" button to activate.

Anyone able to recommend one?

I've seen a product being trialled over here at a very good price (company trying to break into UK market), but you clip to a belt, then have to run a wire to a switch you mount on the handlebar. And I just don't like the idea of all the cabling hanging about - far too easy to accidentally pull out.

So all thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob

[Hawkeye]

Search is your friend.....

[Nasty]

over 2000 posts and you can't use the search function ... please try ... put in bike to bike or communications or bluetooth .. I am sure they will help.

[Bob]

Sorry for asking a simple question!

I'll stick to my dark little corner of the empire in future, shall I?

"Search will be your friend" - fair comment

"over 2000 posts and you can't use the search function" - was that really necessary? I could respond "Over 3,000 posts and still you don't understand the use of capital letters at the start of a sentence"... but that would really be rather petty, wouldn't it? :jerry:

But I shall use the search and see what comes up - I was just hoping that given specifics mentioned (cordless, voice activated), someone might see this and come up with a match.

[Bob]

Rant over!

This (http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20090316.p.Twintalker_6800.ar2) is the item that the manufacturer is looking to introduce into the UK.

Looks like you vecro/attach some other way the talk button to the bars. Not sure if it has a voice activation alternative (which is what I would prefer). They're selling it at silly money (GBP 25/NZD 67 as opposed to at least three times that for pretty much anything else I've seen... and up to hundreds of bucks for what gets termed "instructor" level kit).

For the money, it looks like a decent kit - but wondering if anyone else has seen this, or preferably tried it out and can comment on performance?

[Hitcher]

This (http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20090316.p.Twintalker_6800.ar2) is the item that the manufacturer is looking to introduce into the UK.

You're on a roll, Bob. That link doesn't work unless you have a Pommie zip code...

[elevenhundred]

Just cut a hole in the chin piece of your helmet and epoxy a megaphone on there, sorted.

[DingoZ]

Try a google search for Blueant interphone, or STARCOM1, Baeher, all good products.

[Bob]

You're on a roll, Bob. That link doesn't work unless you have a Pommie zip code...

Oh $%&%!!!!! OK, try this one! (http://www.topcom.pl/fiche.asp?style=communication&p=pmrportfolio2007xls46&groep=110)

[Gremlin]

Not pushing a button to talk is otherwise normally referred to as vox, and you would want to avoid this. What happens is that it detects the wind noise as speech, so opens the channel all the time.

This has been covered in previous posts :whistle:

The most compatible setup would be some sort of interface with uhf radios (easily expandable to mates, just use the same channel). I use a baehr setup and link the radio in with it (and a push to talk button). A mate had a dedicated setup just for the radio, with mic and speakers in helmet.

I had more toys, so it cost much more :pinch:

[Bob]

You're on a roll, Bob. That link doesn't work unless you have a Pommie zip code...

Argh! Not my day! I suddenly lost the post with new link... so re-did it all... only to see that the link from the original one got posted! Hitcher, thanks for letting me know.

Oh $£&%!!!!! - OK, try this link (http://www.topcom.pl/fiche.asp?style=communication&p=pmrportfolio2007xls46&groep=110).

DingoZ - thanks for the ideas. Looking at the Starcom prices, makes me wonder how good the Twintalker 6800 (the one I'm talking about) will be?

That said, the supermarket that will be selling it specialise in finding deals with companies that are looking to introduce their products in a low-cost way (I know they sell PCs from time to time from a respected outfit that doesn't have a big general marketing deal over here - and for very good prices).

Really wondering if any KBers out there have experience of this sort of kit that could say "Yes, that looks decent" or "No, the range is too limited" etc?

Given the price, even if it isn't outstanding, then it isn't the end of the world, but it would be nice to know I'm not shelling out for a total dog before I do!

Gremlin - thanks for the advice re: Vox. Much appreciated.

[Gremlin]

Bob, just remember with handheld radios, that if you lie them flat in the bike for example, the range of the unit is severely reduced. Line of sight isn't always necessary, but at 100kph, my mate and I found we had to be quite close to hear each other properly (ie, on same straight, up to a handful of cars between us), but we were using completely different hardware, on the same channel.

[Karl@Alpha]

Come in and talk to Phil, guy knows intercoms!
We have a small range in here and can get any in for you to look at if need be.

[Jcxss]

Can anybody tell me how good is Baehr's Basic SL?

[grusomhat]

You can get bike-to-bike comms that aren't wireless? :gob:

[Jcxss]

Well, but I am on a budget and I have just bought it over trade me for $150dollars! But I like the fact that I can connect my MP3 and cell, maybe CB too! Can it all be done thought? that's what I want to know and does having only one universal interface cable have any disadvantages if I want to do all of those above.

[Gremlin]

You can get bike-to-bike comms that aren't wireless? :gob:
Some of us don't like the short battery life of 7-10 hours max.

Your unit: http://www.challengermotors.co.nz/index.php?main_page=page&id=8

Looks like you have two inputs. You would need to get smart in order to have more, ie, make your phone your music player as well, or something like that.

As you go up the units, you get more interfaces. So I have the Verso XL (http://www.challengermotors.co.nz/index.php?main_page=page&id=5) and that allows me 3 inputs effectively (Radar, UHF Radio, GPS - which plays music).

[DingoZ]

Try www.starcom1.com as a source for some setups. I purchased the digital kit (and it works better than advertised). Is vox (and no it doesn;t pick up wind noise and activate), or push to talk depending on how you set it up. Easily adaptable to bike to bike, and the reviews are saying you can get up to 2km range for bike to bike.

[Jcxss]

How much did you ended up paying for the starcom1 unit?