The Honda Owners Club

I need a bit of help please....

Jack and I will be going on a long trip... Reading to Paris, Paris to Switzerland, and then finally Switzerland to Barcelona to start our new life there. We want to be able to talk to each other whilst riding... So Jack can say, "go left" or "lets stop for a cuppa" that kind of thing.

We have been looking around but there seem to be sooo many headsets and systems available we're a bit lost

We just want a small system (some of the ones we have seen are quite bulky) that is very clear.

Also does it matter what helmets you use with regards to the earpeices fitting? I have an Arai Astro R and Jack has an Arai Chaser.

Any recommendations would be great

Lindz

Hi Lindz

I've just fitted a couple of Scala Q2's.
They're small bluetooth units which fit to outside of your helmet, with microphone & speakers attached. You can connect to a mobile phone, mp3 player, satnav as well as talk to each other up to 500m apart. They also have bullt in FM radio's.

I've only had them a week, but findings so far.

Fitting
This depends pretty much on your helmet, ours are both fitted into HJC FG14's. The Q2 unit fits to the helmet using a clamp, this worked very well and was fitted in a few minutes. Although both helmets are the same model, the linings are different (due to size?). My helmet has removable linings which makes fitting and adjustment easy, Kim's has a fixed lining which meant a lot more messing about. This is exacerbated by the need to accurately position the speakers directly over your ears which takes several attempts. The mic is no problem positioning as its on the end of a flexible boom. The main issue with the mic is the size of the foam cover on it. This can press against the lips if there is not sufficient room inside the helmet. Although the foam can be removed this then allows wind noise to effect the system. The mic itself is a slim disc and not obtrusive. After some experimentation I made my own slim foam cover (using open cell foam, the piece I used was the stuff fitted in back protector pockets on new jackets). Kim has not had any problems with this, it must depend on head shape! The electronic part of the headset can be easily removed from the mic/speaker part of the headset which remains on the helmet.


Connecting
Headset to Headset
The two headsets need to be paired, this is pretty simple but did take several attempts, once paired they connect within a few seconds when next used.
Headset to Phone
As long as your phone has bluetooth you should be able to connect. This was much quicker than pairing the headsets, both my Nokia 6300 & Kims Sharp GX17 connected first try.


Use
Bike to Bike
The headset connects using VOX or by pressing one of the buttons on the unit. This worked brilliantly, at first it seemed very odd being able to talk to one another so easily, as you would expect the volume level is the same no matter how far you are apart or which direction you're facing, although its obvious this would be the case it just feels odd at first, especially as the sound was so clear. I couldn't tell if the unit was active until Kim spoke as there was no hiss at all, speech was very clear. Communication is good up to 500m in open countryside, further apart than this and it starts to break up. In town this is reduced. The headsets are duplex.

Headset to Phone
This worked well. Incoming calls can be answered by speaking or pressing a button. Making a call is initiated by pressing a button, if your phone has voice commands you then say the name of the person you're calling, this is repeated back to you before the call is made. This worked well, I was pretty amazed that I could do this whilst riding using just voice commands. Speech was clear in the headset, the person being called could detect some slight differnce from a normal phone call, I think this was probably due to slight wind noise, but it was clear.

FM Radio
These have 6 presets you can programme, I've tried the radio briefly, it tunes into stations with no problems and the presets are easy to set. I have tried riding with the radio but it just doesn't seem right, I prefer a more focused riding experience. They're probably good on long distances. I would say that the sound quality is of the tranny radio type with little bass but clear enough. Although the headset has two speakers the sound is mono.


Overall the Scala Q2 is very good, the fitting can be a little tricky (this will be common to all headsets) but in use, and in particular the bike to bike performance, they are excellent.
I'd say they add a new dimension to riding plus some added safety as its possible to look out for each other when overtaking etc.
I paid £175 for 2 sets delivered from the USA (via ebay), although the chargers have USA pins they are 110V-240V and the US-UK adaptors only cost £1 each from dealextreme.


- Update

I've tried these in more built up areas and found that they really work best if line of sight is maintained between riders, once this is broken then the range drops, if you're riding close together then this isn't a problem.


Hope this helps.

Ian

I have the Autocom system http://www.autocom.co.uk which works very well, but is a bit pricey.
Ruth has the Intaride http://www.intaride.com which is cheaper and works very well too (you can even turn up the output to 2W!)
I don't know the Starcom http://www.starcom1.com but they offer a discount to HOC members and is compatible with the others.

The earfones always take a bit of fiddling to get right, but worth taking your time to get them fitted properly.
Shouldn't be a problem with your helmets tho.

Take a look, price them up and speak to someone at each company.

I have the Autocom system, but use the Intaride (Wintec) A80 radio. Good set up.

Mate has the same radio and full intaride set up, he rates that too. Really come down to what you want to spend and what you want it to do.

Best bet is ring and speak to the different companies (dunno about Starcom, but other two are very helpful) explain what you want, what budget you have, and see what they suggest. As for radio's, if you are fairly close then Motorola T5422 work well enough (have used them abroad up to 500-1000m)

I think there is a earpiece microphone that works on VOX, but not too sure as I have always used via Autocom

hi there

me and my hubby have got the scala Q2 sets. i would agree with everything that has already been said about them but i would add that if you are wanting to listen to music that you might have got on your phone it stops you being able to communicate with each other as the Q2 will cut off a conversation between headsets if you get a phone call. i don't think that it can tell if you are using your phone for music or a telephone call.

also i would say that although they are brill while they are working that sometimes for no reason they stop working properly- for example by not going to standby mode (and wasting battery power), or by not staying connected for more than a few seconds or deciding just to stop connecting altogether - we have found that if you turn the devices off and then back on again it usually rectifies the problem. you can even do this while you are riding.

i would say that they have definately added a new dimension to riding.

Hi,

I too will soon be needing some sort of communication between either other riders or a pillion, I have a tom tom rider which is connected to my scala headset and mobile phone. Was considering purchasing a pair of new helmets one for me and the other for the wife. Helmets in question is the Viper RS-V121. (one link in question)

http://www.sounddistribution.co.uk/prod ... umber=4813

Any advice what would be suitable for the sat nav, phone and speaking to the wife?

Cheers.

Oh Lindz... when are you going???

It has to be Autocom I have one fitted to the VFR and I can listen to music, talk to Max and answer the phone it also has bike to bike capability too, plus I got it second hand from a mate for £20 all I needed to get was another head set off ebay for £15 new and we were away with the mixer