Round Table #1
This week's panelists include...
Stephen Grasso from The Cafe Racer Podcast
Cristi Farrell from The Moteriffic Podcast
Michael Kaiser from KinderRider Inc.
Opening music by KunK
The Pace Podcast
Stoking the fires of motorcycle awesomeness!
I have written in before about different communication equipment I have on my BMW R1100RT. My wife and I bought Cardo Scala Rider Q2 pro headsets.
I sent mine to a company in Florida, Plugin.com, and had it modified to allow me to switch from helmet speakers to ear buds. Link follows:
http://www.plugup.com/scala_rider_stereo_earbud_adapter_p/ad-sca.htm
I have a waterproof case mounted on my bike for my iphone 4S and a dedicated iphone specific charger. I use the tom tom iphone app for navigation, the Cobra iradar app and dector for radar detection. The set-up allows me to listen to my ipone music with break ins for radar alerts and Gps directions as well as communicate with my wife as desired. I can also take and receive calls on my phone in my helmet. My wife either listens to her own ipod or to her kindel through the direct wire set up on her unit. The major draw back is the run time of the helmet unit. I can get about 1 good days ride in on a single charge.
On longer solo trips I can take my wifes unit and pair it with my iphone as well and alternate between units, charging one unit in my top case with a dc charger as I ride. If she goes we usually stay in a hotel so we just plug them in at night.
On rainy days I am able to also pull up the Weather chanel app check the radar map as I ride. The glove solution for most conditions is a light weight pair of gloves with a slit cut into the back of the gloves index finger just below my last knukle below the nail. This allows me to slip my finger out through the slit. In the rain I use a pair of Aerostitch three finger rain gloves. I have found that if my finger is exposed inside the rain gloves I can still use the touch screen through the rain mitts.
The State of Georgia list ear buds as legal for communication purposes only. I am probably stretching it a little but I can talk on my phone. The ear buds allow me to play everything at a lower level and really cuts down on the wind noise. Really that is a lot of distraction for motorcycle use but it is convient. I try to only adjust the unit while I am stopped. I can answer calls, hangup, as well as shuffle music and adjust volume from the helmet mounted unit with my eyes on the road. The voice command is not as funtional as I would like.
Great job! I look forward to future round tables. Will this be on iTunes in the future?
BTW, I regularly use the FM radio in my Scala Q2 while commuting and riding in the area. Having FM included in the Sena units makes them more appealing to me when it comes time to replace the Q2s.