Bluetooth Head Set

So, here's the deal. My g/f and I ride on my bike rather often. I need something where her and I can chat, but was also thinking it'd be nice to have Bluetooth capability for my cell phone as well as MP3 player/GPS, though those two latter things are not required.

I was looking at this originally: Chatterbox CB-50 Tandem Pro Kit Rider-to-Passenger Stereo Intercom: BIKEBONE

Since the $125 price for the system and 2 headsets was not bad, but it is not Bluetooth. Does anyone have any recommendation on a good 1+ communication device that does Bluetooth as well?

Debating this: http://www.gooddeals18.com/product/...tooth-Multi-Interphone-headsets-2010-ver.html

Thanks!

 

A friend of mine and I each got the Chatterbox XBi2. They are a bit on the pricey side at $195.00 per headset. But they tied into our Garmin GPS, mp3, Cell phones. Actually, everything paired through the GPS. (BTW. That woman's voice on the GPS sounds like she is giving birth when you cross a new bridge over a river that is not yet on their maps!) And I think they knit socks too. We had tried them out on common rides a few times and they worked well. Voice Activated mics worked well, however I had difficulty making mine fit in my particular helmet at the time. Haven't installed it in my new lid yet. The phone was not great. You had to be stopped. Even the headset to headset was not good at highways speeds but you have to expect that when you have a voice activated mic and all that wind noise in your helmet. Also what I found disappointing was that pairing an XBi2 to another XBi2 was easy enough, but you could not pair and XBi2 to an XBi1. And I fail to see why Chatterbox did not make this possible. Obviously they want those who have the previous model to upgrade to the newer. The bastards.

The down side to this is that with the helmet head sets, you tend not to wear proper hearing protection that as far as I am concerned, is more important than listening to communication. The Chatterbox unit I have, allows you to plug in ear buds rather than use the helmet speaker, though I have not tried that yet. With the ear buds, you get the best of both worlds. But I wonder how the mic would work then as it is wired into the speaker set-up?

This was the first and only set-up I have owned. This set, along with the Garmin was ridiculously expensive and I don't think I would do this again. I think there is more out there for less money. You need to do the research.

 

You have to be stopped to use the phone? And this is a bad thing?

I do not understand the need to be in constant communication. Just blows my mind.

 

Thanks for the info, Randy. That's why I am here - need to find a great setup for not too much money (possible?! I think so).

Regarding phone use: I barely use the phone as it is. I hate talking on the phone. I text. However, on a bike, this is impossible obviously. I would enjoy having the phone feature for times I am on the bike. Some examples I can think of:

-(Happened 2 Friday's ago): I leave work at 1700. Normally get home by 1745. If I am planning to meet my girlfriend at 1800, but there is an accident or bad traffic, this can add quite a bit of time onto my ride. A simple "Call so and so" voice command, and letting her know that there is traffic and I am running late is indispensable. She worries when I am out on the bike alone (though she loves to ride and know I am a safe rider). It took me 1.5 hours to get home that Friday, and I was meeting her, her mother, and sister/sis' boyfriend for dinner. Sure, I can pull over and make a quick call, but I can also continue to ride and make a call. It's illegal in Philly (But not in PA) to make a cell call while driving, unless it's hands free.

-Would also be nice if there is a family or other emergency (see Fire/EMS) and I need to be contacted.

-Etc.

To me, it'd be a convenience thing.

 

I have the Cardo headset and like it. Can hear phone and GPS fine, even with ear plugs.

 

Yeah, I'm sure the guy who runs the light while talking on the phone says the same thing: "It's a convenience thing."

Sorry, I hate the damn things since I've been cut off, nearly run down, and almost rear ended by people who just can't seem to put the things down while driving.

 

the cardo scala sets are pretty good from what I have been told been thinking about getting them myself a couple that I ride with has them and can't stop talking about them and you can get them for about $200 on ebay for a set of 2

 

We have the Cardo Scala Rider G4 and they do work great. Peggy likes it because she can now yell at me when I get too far ahead of her and she loses sight of me. I've never had any kind of interbike communication, but the Scala Rider works excellently. We tried an older Chatterbox which was bad, and the Autocom which was a PIA because of the need for extra stuff. The Scala Rider isn't cheap but they do work as advertised and are relatively easy to install.

Still don't like cell phones though.

 

E.A.R. Inc. Online Store

I don't have one yet, but this is the setup I plan on getting. It's pricey, but I also ride dirt bikes with another guy, and plan on using it for bike to bike comm.

 

I am sure there will be more input here to come. And don't get me wrong please. I hate cell phones at the best of the times. But it is a requirement for work. And the company insists on me having one of those fuggen Blackberries so I can be available all the time. Really, I am not that important of a person.

But for a moment lets get back to the use of cell phones while driving. And this one has been hashed out plenty. Not many agree a hands on cell phone is safe to use while driving. I am one of those. But when it is used with a blue tooth device, basically it is hands free. You push a button to answer and sometimes to end the call. Otherwise, talking on a blue tooth connected phone is really no different that talking to someone sitting next to you. Except it should be safer, cause you should not take your eyes off the road to look at the person you are speaking to.

And FJ12, I don't disagree with anything you say. Better to stop when receiving a call. Better yet, pull into a parking lot, totally off the road. Best, leave me a message and I will call you back....if I am not pissed at you for some reason or another. But I don't even like phones of any type, so just don't call. Unless of course you are notifying me of my coming into copious quantities of cold hard cash. Come and see me. Face to face. I won't shut up.

I was just describing an observation that I made with the equipment I had. Some equipment is bound to be better and some of course worse. But I gotta say, the bike to bike coms was sweet. Allowed us to talk about the other riders behind their backs....or in front of them.

 

I wouldn't mind texting on my phone except there is something wrong with the key pad. Seems it keeps coming out "FUCK OFF AND DON'T BOTHER ME ASSHOLE" instead of "It has been nice talking to you." Don't know what goes on there.

 

I bought the Sena SM10 after reading about it on Web Bike World. Great unit, has paired with everything I've thrown at it and the sound is the best apart from earbuds.

 

been run down and cut off by people without phones too. T-boned by a woman once, before cell phones were common. My worst MC accident ever, 6 months physical therapy on my leg.

 

My wife and I both ride and we love our Scala Rider Q2. Very good for rider to rider communication, good for cell phone incoming and outgoing calls, just ok for music sound quality. Has FM radio as well but I never use it. Can also connect with bluetooth GPS which I haven't tried but I have heard it works well. The unit is easy to mount to the helmet and once its there you don't even notice it. Solid construction, easy to recharge and long battery life (8 hours at least but I haven't had it die on me yet so I don't know the limit).

We bought on ebay last year but very recently picked up another set as a gift - check out motorcyclegear.com as they had them on clearance for $169 for a 2 rider set.

 

Looking for bluetooth set that is great to play music from my zumo. Any recommendations?

 

One of the reasons I like riding is there is no talking.

 

Agree!.
But I need some music.

 

Use the Cardo myself, works well. Not as well as the one I installed on the BMW, but better than the Chatterbox I tried.

As to why hook up phone. Nice for wife to be able to say "pick up some milk please", or to be able to call in a drunk driver, or if I am meeting a friend for a ride, they can call if they are running late or need to change the meeting spot; without having to play phone tag. You don't have to use it if you don't want, and just use the headset for passenger communication, or music or GPS. If I am doing the twistys at a good clip, I just turn the phone off, or ignore it. Same with lane splitting, don't use it then.

 

A big Amen to that Camo. And no silly ear plugs for me either.

I enjoy listening to every last mechanical note of sweet music that engine is making as it's going about its' business. :love:

 

I have the Midland BT2 and I love it. I use my HTC phone and stream music no problem. Great device!

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