Modern Day 1st Gen

[CrazyHorse]

Because most of the new youngsters dont use CB at all, they use FRS. Plus they use bluetooth helmets with their ipods and cellphones so honestly it's not needed at all to put it on the bike. I was ableto get him a deal of the whole radio setup from a 2nd gen for $100.00 and figured we could shoehorn it in. I found a bluetooth setup that will let you talk to other riders that works great.

 

Honestly when I buy my FJR, I'm going all bluetooth. it's far better in every way and no wires is great when the wife forgets to unplug and get off the bike snapping the connector on the trunk side. I dont want a Cd player, I want my mp3 tunes from my iPhone and bluetooth intercom to my wife. or listen to the XM radio in my Bluetooth GPS.

 

honestly with today's technology, the stereo in the bike is not needed at all.

 

 

You have a good point there do they have stereo bluetooth yet?

[timgray]

I used to use FRS a lot with friends on my 83 with a stock radio and my custom wire that plugs into the CB port, but now I have a voice dial phone so I call his phone and we talk when I ride with my bluetooth helmet. I get about 6000 mile range from cellphone to cellphone. If you phone is bluetooth and has voice dial even the cheap Scala team rider setup works great.

 

Although you don't get your music on it, which I can see some people not liking, but it's one of the cheapest setups for rider + passenger.

 

Note: He has a iPhone and those phones are garbage for motorcycle helmet use. The Nokia phones work the best as well as the Motorola Razr. their voice dial works every single time with the bluetooth helmets.

 

and yes there is stereo bluetooth. some of the higher end bluetooth helmets or helmet setups do the stereo audio from the phone or the GPS/XM radio http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/02/garmins-streetpilot-2820-gps-with-mp3-player-xm-and-bluetoot/ for example

 

Look for A2DP bluetooth helmets or helmet adapters and A2DP capable Audio sources. My Nokia phone supports it so I can play the mp3's from it into my helmet and answer calls. If the Zumo 660 or other GPs that will link phone,gps,XM together has A2DP it will do stereo audio as well.

 

Or do what one of my buddies does that thinks insanely loud pipes are cool so he wears earplugs that are also headphones. Bluetooth for intercom/phone, earplug headphones for music.

 

On the other hand, Some of my most enjoyable rides are when I forget to bring thignsthat make the intercom work with my wife on the bike. a 200 mile ride with nothing but engine and wind to listen to and only taps on the shoulder and pointing at something is the only communication I get from the back seat.

Edited November 22, 2009 by timgray