Communications. Whats important.

[ppopeye]

Just wondering what folks consider important, phone, gps, intercom, bike to bike and what gear is more widely used etc etc.
Opinions and ideas please.

[Totgas]

My order of Priorities as a solo, daily commuter, weekend RTE rider are;

• Music via the radio wired to the starcom and constant power from bike
• Phone via bluetooth to the starcom and powered when required via USB port hardwired into the bike via 12volt outlet
  
• CB wired to starcom and external speaker
  

Use GPS visual display only - hard wired powered from bike can use audio via bluetooth if needed

Starcom1 Digital from Dale McLean wired to helmet, linked with a GME 3520 Remote Head 80 Channel Scanner/UHF CB Radio and an Axis Mini ISO AM/FM/MP3 and a TomTom Rider GPS and an iPhone 5.

Regards,
A.

[Marcus]

Music
Gps
Phone
Intercom when two up

[ST2UP]

- Intercom between us
- Music
- Phone
- UHFCB
- GPS

 

[ppopeye]

Second part of question. which gear do you use?

[StinkyPete]

My order of priorities are....

Pillion to Rider
CB Radio
Music
I do not use the audio feed from my GPS and rely upon the on-screen directions
I have no desire to link my phone into my com system

Starcom1 Digital from Dale McLean, linked with a Uniden UHO76SX CB and Garmin 590 GPS

[tj189]

Samsung galaxy S5 phone - uses; phone, tracking via Bubbler, update of weather through Pocket Weather.
Garmin Zumo 590LM - uses; GPS, music, phone connection if required.
Uniden UHF SX78 radio - uses; obtain road reports from other users.
Sena Bluetooth 20S - uses; allows phone conversation, UHF conversation, listen to GPS instruction, listen to music, listen to local FM stations.
Sena SR10 - uses; allows connection for UHF radio, can connect other devices if required i.e, phone connection.

Not in in priority order as it changes depending on type of ride i.e, RTE, commuting, LDRiding etc.

[alans1100]

GPS or GPS app on tablet
nothing else needed
but sometimes: Music bluetoothed from tablet to intercom
The Samsung Galaxy Mini phone is in my pocket and not linked to anything (standby GPS more than anything else)

Pillion to pillion

[Brock]

I dont feel any of them are important, just nice to have.

I have the Senna SMH10 blue tooth units, that allow helmet to helmet, bike to bike (Limited range).
Senna SR10 to interface with UHF CB for bike to bike, and road alerts.
I sometimes pair the phone to the SMH10, but I can live without phone calls or music.

When I need a GPS, I pop the Garmin on a ram mount so I can see where to go, dont really need bitching Betty to tell me where to go, some times use googoo maps on the phone, but that seems to need a phone connection to assist and in WA, it doesnt take long to go away from reception.

( On a white bike, the two way on the dash and the big antenna on the back helps clear the way and confuse some cage drivers. Fools the fuzz sometimes as well)

[Tipsy]

  py
Music
Gps
Music
phone - whats that- oh thats that ringy thingy that annoys me when I am riding.
cant they see I am busy enjoying my ride and the music 
Tipsy

[STroppy]

GPS
Music
UHF CB
Bike to bike . . . Sena Bluetooth
Phone

Sena SMH 20
SR10 Hub
Choice of a number of GME and Uniden Transceivers all bike powered.

[ppopeye]

Thanks for you input.
Wired vs bluetooth? What do people think?
And
Is Sena bluetooth compatable with most setups?

[Couch]

I have a Sena SMH10 Bluetooth, and iPhone 3GS (yes 3GS, no need for anything later) and a Garmin Zumo 660

The most important thing for me is the phone bluetoothed to my Sena, in case I have a problem at home.
Then it's a toss up between music and intercom, I use both simultaneously
I have Metro View GPS downloaded to my iPhone if I want to use it, bluetoothed to my Sena
Garmin Zumo 660, seldom ever used as I'm generally riding know roads, but if I do use it I can also play music and answer phone calls through the Zumo which is also bluetoothed to the Sena.    I would certainly use the Zumo if I was riding unknown roads!

I power the Zumo through the bike's battery power and can do the same with my phone if necessary.
I have a Drift Ghost camera and also power it through the bike's battery.

I find the bluetooth works perfectly !!! 

[Marcus]

Thanks for you input.
Wired vs bluetooth? What do people think?
And
Is Sena bluetooth compatable with most setups?

I have a starcom wired, I got sick of having to recharge all the time

[Brock]

Sena will talk to just about anything.  Senna blue tooth works well over a reasonable distance, and battery life is excellent.

Blue tooth V Wired..

Wired intercom doenst need power, but on its own cant talk bike to bike. You are wired to the bike, could be a problem in an off, and its a connection that could break. When you walk away from bike, you lose connection to UHF, Music, Phone and passenger.

Bluetooth :-  depending on brand, battery life can be a problem, (constant playing of music may affect battery life, I dont do that so dont know for sure) quite a few have poor high speed/noisy environment reception.  A good bluetooth, gives excellent sound, and some can talk to up to 7 other headsets at the same time. Get off the bike with helmet on, and you can still talk to passenger and other paired headsets, you could even hear whats happening on the UHF (if power is on) and use your phone.

[alans1100]

Both the phones and tabs we have are Samsung and all have the same third party GPS app and when used as such are used with the charge cable into a plug in USB charger.

The intercom gets charged from the computer before use (up to 10 hours standby) and if needed can be charged on the bike via another plug in USB charger.

Heather's phone is bluetoothed to her intercom set and so is her ipod.
My tab is bluetoothed to my intercom. I can only hear music and the GPS if we are not set for pillion to pillion.

So no wires to connect us to the bike

[tj189]

Thanks for you input.
Wired vs bluetooth? What do people think?
And
Is Sena bluetooth compatable with most setups?

Been down the path of wired but I am very comfortable with Bluetooth.
Have tried a couple of different bluetooth and have found my current setup with sena to be very good as is is compatible with my phone and gps

[Gadget]

I have an Aldi Bluetooth on my helmet and Samsung S5 in my pocket for 1/2 hour each way trips to work and back, 5days a week. Playing music each way it usually lasts for the 10 trips each week for a total of 5 hours continuous music. 

On longer trips, i.e. RTE or touring I plug the phone into the USB in the left glove box and run 'here' maps for GPS to get spoken street names. I rely on the spoken directions and don't have visual distractions. Funny thing is in the car, I find it very hard to listen to the voice and not see the map, but on the bike I manage very well by voice direction only.

Aldi Bluetooth only allows last number dialled, so to make a call I have to plan it at a stop or just stop to initiate it and ride on.

One day, hopefully soon, I'll get a Sena SR10 and either a 20S or the new 10C with a builtin camera.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[STroppy]

I have the Sena setup on the ST1300, but I have an Autocom unit which requires a lead from the bike to the riders helmet and bike to bike is only done thru a transceiver, but it works well also provides GPS, music, rider/pillion comms and phone as well as the UHF and is very clear and totally bike powered.

The Sena just has a few extra features . .

[Streak]

I have the Sena SMH10, which I run with my Samsung Galaxy Note 3, does everything I need to do with it, with 12 hours battery life thrown in.

with my work I need to be available a lot of the time, so I use the phone feature quite a bit, but I also use the music & GPS when I need to as well.

it works great rider to pillion, or rider to rider, Shiney & I have done 2 National rallys inside each others heads, and it worked perfectly, in fact I am sure shiney can still here me talking.....and talking.....and talking....

[Brock]

can still here me talking.....and talking.....and talking....

Maybe thats what that incessant buzz is in my helmet, and I'm not even paired with Streak...

As an aside, I'm using earbuds with my Sena, its much beter than speakers, which can be uncomfortable.

[Bikebear]

I have an Interphone BT F5 that pairs to my phone (was a Sony Xperia now a Samsung S5). This provides music and a phone connection. The bluetooth unit lasts 7 to 8 hours which usually is as far as I'm going to ride anyhow.  I have a Strike GPS that I use as a speedo and if I'm looking for a way through somewhere I'm not familiar with. The GPS is visual only no voice directions. When the missus is riding with me we use the Bluetooth units to communicate. We get about 800m to 1 kilometer if we are in good line of sight.

[STroppy]

I have the Sena SMH10, which I run with my Samsung Galaxy Note 3, does everything I need to do with it, with 12 hours battery life thrown in.

with my work I need to be available a lot of the time, so I use the phone feature quite a bit, but I also use the music & GPS when I need to as well.

it works great rider to pillion, or rider to rider, Shiney & I have done 2 National rallys inside each others heads, and it worked perfectly, in fact I am sure shiney can still here me talking.....and talking.....and talking....

I'm sure Shiney turns the comms off and music up, just checks every half hour . . A bit like John (SAAZ) does with me . . 

[saaz]

I am probably the odd one out, but music is rather irrelevant to me. I rarely even bother in the car with radio or music.  I have a wired system on the ST1100, was good for many years in conjunction with a CB bike powered radio and GPS that links in with a mobile.

I finally went over to Bluetooth with the Trophy as it has all that Bluetooth stuff built in - but I don't actually use it as yet.  I have the GPS and phone link with bike powered CB radio. The Bluetooth is more flexible is set up (mobile can be direct to Bluetooth or through the GPS or through the the bike)  Bike to bike can be done through the CB radio in either setup, but the ability to do two or more pairings while in a group works out very well and you can still use the CB when Bluetooth goes out of range.

 As STroppy mentioned, you can disengage the pairing with another rider when there is nothing going on the talk about, and link up when you need to decide something.  You can mute the GPS if you don't want instructions.  You can just turn off the headset if you want to be left alone. You can charge the Sena headsets while riding along if you need to. Typically with my use I get two days riding out of the headset (that is only 1000kms days or so). Another advantage with Bluetooth is the basic setup can be used if you hop on another bike.

[Brock]

With blue tooth, is you happen to be paired with other riders and you happen to be first on scene at an accident, it would allow you to communicate with others while directing traffic or the like..