Bike/Bike/Passenger Comunication systems?

[mr.z]

Somehow up until now my bike electrics haven't exploded in a ball of sparks and flame, so obviously theres room for more...

After going for a few long rides recently (320miles one of them, thats far for me...) its become a bit of a pain communicating with my ridding buddy and passenger, usually having to wait till they* have gone the wrong way (or if i have) to get to traffic lights and quickly discuss tactics before they go red within 3 seconds..

soooo i was wondering what sort of equipment was available? i have the horrible feeling it will be allot of money but it should be worth it... how much would it be for a system with which

A. It would be bike powered
B. I could communicate with my passenger and they with me...
C.Same with my ridding buddy and his passenger (obviously he'd be paying for his)...

Could this be done with a 12V cb radio (and headsets and things)? maybe our passengers could have portable ones instead of having two cbs wired in (along with various other things)...

Any suggestions? i'm hoping to do some touring in summer and it would be HUGELY useful...

I've seen the expensive ones i was wondering about slightly more modestly priced ones?

*not my passenger... generally...
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[AcIdBuRnZ]

Hi,

The one I'm looking at is a non-powered 'engine room to bridge' type of system.

Obviously this only works rider\pillion. I'm not sure if you could get a 4-way system for 2 riders and 2 pillions.

This system I'm thinking of is around £60, I think.

Really depends on what you need it for\how much you'll use it\what you are prpared to spend really. Then make a compromise.

Mark
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

[mr.z]

I'd (obviously) like it to be cheep, but thats unlikely.. the reason i was thinking with cb is, they are common, have loads of channels, have massive range, will probably be 12V and you SHOULD be able to have 4 people talking when useing their talk button yes?
It might be the case where the passenger could listen in on the cb convo as it were, all dependant on the price of the system..

I think it would be max £200 absoloutlely max price (per bike), even if it was bike to bike initialy as long as it could be upgraded in the future..
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Kickstart]

Hi

We have a radio set up. Don't use it very often. You cannot hear it very well (better with ear plugs) and by about 80mph you can forget it (although you can hear enough of a noise to know to slow down and listen).

Range is a couple of miles. Think there are 3 channels. Runs off a few rechargeable batteries which last well. Uses a "push to talk" button that you velcro around the handlebar. I tend to stick the actual radio in the tank bag.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[hush]

When I took my CBT the instructors had a really good radio link to the... students... I'll try and find out what it was.

You can get 12 Volt CB radios, but remember you will need a license. If you want cheap and easy, grab an Argos catalogue and look at page 1001 for license free two way radio packs. Look for ones with (or that you can get) headsets. Prices start from £24.50 for the pair, but I can't tell you how good they will actually be. 3KM range though. It may be as well to pop to Maplin and ask for a demonstration of some of their models.

[Phil.]

Hi

Me and my dad both have autocom radios. Had the same ones for about 3 years now and they are just as good now as ever. Bike powered with a push to talk button run off kenwood radios.

Abit costly but the range and quality is top notch. Was looking into a new system but you are talking about £300 notes just for the autocom stuff, thats without the radios.

Get what you pay for in the end. Keep your eye on ebay though. There are some going cheap on there.

[The BeefMeister]

Maplin Electronics do a helmet kit with microphone, headphone ear piece, push to talk button to go on handle bar. They all get connected to any portable CB AFAIK. And they're only about £30 for the helmet set. Not sure about the CB part.
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"Put your hands up motherstickers, this is a f*ck up!"

[dainesefreak]

I have some Acumen radios, they come with the helmet and handlebar setup, inc. ear pieces, mics and PTT handpieces. They have a VOX option but it's more annoying than anything else. The PTT can be mounted on the handlebar if you wish and there's plenty of extras available for them.

Not used them much, but they seem to work well. I got them for about £90 each after a search around on the web.

[Hex]

[True Blue]

I suppose you could get a splitter for the jack plug so you could plug in an extra set of ear phones, so your pillion could hear but not talk
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[mr.z]

Yeh, that would be good, not ideal but it looks like it would be waaaay to expensive to have four people connected!

Ok so slight revision of the plan...

bike to bike where the pillions can listen in? What sort of systems would be a good to look at? i read about somebody using CB for bike to bike apparently it worked great, lost the article now though....
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[True Blue]

These look quite cheap with a good range, I don't know if you can get a handle bar mounted talk button for any CB though. Water proof too, which is a bonus
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[True Blue]

Doesn't say anything about needing a licence, so I don't see why you couldn't use four of these together.
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[hush]

Those one (along with the ones I mentioned in Argos) use the public free bands and are not CB radios as such. They should be fairly okay though... CB radios always require a license (and for you to register a handle), but the public free band radios do not. They are limited to certain channels though.

[True Blue]

Ah, I thought it was all the same thing.

Over 300 channels on those so you shouldn't have too much bother I wouldn't think.
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[mr.z]

I think there are 30 channels and several sub channels per channel which give it the 340 or so, thats how i understand it...

I seriously had no idea you needed a licence??? I know its a certain band thats reserved for public use...

didn't occur to me till now but it would really need a talk button i could imagine messing with the button while ridding being a pain if its not nicely set on the bars...

I really do appreciate the help guys by the way
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[True Blue]

Apparently a licence is around 60 quid for 3 years
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[True Blue]

Right, what about these ones here?

They don't need a licence and have VOX operation. This means they are voice activated so there is no need to push the talk button .

My instructor used this system when I was doing my DAS and it seemed to work quite well.
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>

[dainesefreak]

The problem with using something that's not specifically made for use on a bike is wind and road noise. The VOX operation will also activate with the wind noise and if they aren't full duplex you will only hear the noise from the other person and not be able to speak.

Unfortunately in IMO you get what you pay for. Lots of cheap systems are fine when you mess about with them around the house/cul de sac/ low speeds, but when you get a move on they are useless.