Bike to bike commuication

[StblJmpr]

I have been looking into getting a two way bike to bike system and have a few questions.

First, and most important to me, is there anything out there that does not mount to the helmet. Everything I have seen so far mounts to the helmet in some way.

Second, can you use a regular FRS hand held radio with an attached headset? If so, do they work with this kind of setup? www.starcom1.com

Thanks for the info

Chris

[TurboMike]

I got some cheapy Motorolas with VOX (mic opens at an adjustable noise level) one ear headsets. Hung the radio on the bars and the headset fit nicely in the helmet. They work awesome up to 30mph and then the wind noise leaves the mic open until the radio goes into error mode, even on the least sensitive setting. In other words, useless.

I'm going to replace the headsets with push to talk headsets if I could find some nice ones with a button I can mount at the end of the bars. Good for casual talking between bikes, bad for conversation.

Its not a good setup, but you can get two radios for $35-$45 and two headsets on ebay for $20.

[ChattKat]

went to walmart and bought a pair of FRS radios with Push To Talk earbud/mics, and a charger for $35, will let you know you they work.

[brooder]

You can also try a throat mic. Do a search. There is a post in here somewhere. With a throat mic, wind isn't a factor. But they aren't cheap.

[StblJmpr]

Anyone heard of the MotoComm AudioBoss?

Maybe in conjunction with the MotoComm Sidekick?

https://www.rflimited.com/Site.asp?CID=3

[Bakkendance]

I just bought this off Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5870832549

I figured for that price, I might as well try it out. Even if it does turn out to be junk I'm only out $18.

[Steve-O]

In my group we tried Chatterboxes at first, that was a huge waste. Several issues with them. My first radio was a dud, the battery in the 2nd radio was junk, right earphone stopped working, mic died, and the button died so I finally gave up. The others had similar problems. Some people may find it handy to be on the same grequencies as FRS radios but we found it to bea pain around town. Only 2 channels so you couldn't avoid other people talking. We always used the PTT butoon also, because the sensitivity settings was horrible with the wind noise.

Anyways, I have heard lots of good things about www.autocomamerica.com , expensive but I want to try them out. In reality i'll probably just end up building my own headsets for FRS radios.

[Elviorion]

Really? You've had trouble with chatterboxes? How long ago? What model? I've been looking into picking up a chatterbox, as well as the rest of the group I hang with. There are like 15 channels and 4 talk groups in the model we are looking at..hope its not the same one you had trouble with!

[woobie]

Batgirl, Jackal and I think spedee and Beek all have some from these guys http://www.collett.mb.ca/ .

[grslightn]

I have a pair of audiovox frs with VOX and its sensitivity is adjustable. I also have a pair of Cobra with push to talk. The Cobra have farther range. The earphone/microphone headset with the audiovox work great. For the wind noise I put a bigger foam head on them from radioshack and taped a piece of cardboard under the mic at the chin of my helmet to block the wind. They work great now. plus I just run the wire up the inside of my jacket and zip the radio inside my pocket. I have also seen the new joe-rocket jackets have a hole for the wire coming from the inside pocket for a radio.

[Spedee]

Batgirl, Jackal and I think spedee and Beek all have some from these guys http://www.collett.mb.ca/ .

Correct. We all love em. And now you can buy a unit to run power from the bike.

http://communicatorpower.com/

[TurboMike]

I just got a push-to-talk helmet setup from ebay for my Motolota Talkabouts. Looks VERY promising! Its a little harder to get your helmet on (getting the ears over the speakers) but once its on I dont feel the speakers or mic, its a little weird having a wire run from your helmet to the bike, and you have to remember to disconnect the wire before you get off the bike. I've tested the speakers and the PTT button and they work great. The only thing I havent tried is how I sound on the mic to someone else, like how much wind noise will be mixed with the mic. If that turns out ok this seems like a great bike to bike for very cheap.

You can get talkabouts on ebay for $25-$50 shipped for TWO radios if you shop around. The speaker/mic/PTT button setup was $25 shipped for one and $20 for each additional if you buy at the same time. This kit was basic Motorola parts, I tried to see if I could buy the parts (PTT button, dual speakers, mic) seperate but couldnt touch that ebay price for them all together.

Link to ebay setup:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTORCYCLE-HELMET-Comm-kit-w-2-Speakers-w-PTT-Mic_W0QQitemZ8049964039

He also has kits for Kenwood and Icom radios.


Pics:

[chinto]

I just got a push-to-talk helmet setup from ebay for my Motolota Talkabouts. Looks VERY promising! Its a little harder to get your helmet on (getting the ears over the speakers) but once its on I dont feel the speakers or mic, its a little weird having a wire run from your helmet to the bike, and you have to remember to disconnect the wire before you get off the bike. I've tested the speakers and the PTT button and they work great. The only thing I havent tried is how I sound on the mic to someone else, like how much wind noise will be mixed with the mic. If that turns out ok this seems like a great bike to bike for very cheap.

You can get talkabouts on ebay for $25-$50 shipped for TWO radios if you shop around. The speaker/mic/PTT button setup was $25 shipped for one and $20 for each additional if you buy at the same time. This kit was basic Motorola parts, I tried to see if I could buy the parts (PTT button, dual speakers, mic) seperate but couldnt touch that ebay price for them all together.

Link to ebay setup:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTORCYCLE-HELMET-Comm-kit-w-2-Speakers-w-PTT-Mic_W0QQitemZ8049964039

He also has kits for Kenwood and Icom radios.

how did these work out?

[StevieB]

Searchy, searchy.

Had you done that, you have read my post, among others. I tried FRS radios, and throat mics, and head sets with them. Useless, useless, useless.

[madkatana]

I've read so many articles and have only found that all say the headsets don't work well above 45mph... Not sure, been tempted just hate wasting money on headsets. I paid $149.00 for each J&M headset for my goldwing, I hate to dish out more...