MP3 players while riding & speakers in helmets

My current setup for music is a Creative Nomad II (old, only 128MB max) with an inline remote. It also has a FM radio built in. I modified my non-removable cheek pads in my Shoei RF-800 to accommodate ear buds that are held in with Velcro. When I don't listen to music I tuck the wire between the pads and shell. This works okay, but doesn't seal well and creates wind noise on one side. The reason I stuck with a solid-state memory card is due to skipping I experienced with CD players. No matter when I tried, the MP3 CD players always skipped, despite minutes of shock protection. The Icon helmet I'm interested in now advertises pockets for speakers or communication gear, big plus for me. I only listen to music if I'm riding more than, say, 30 minutes. Otherwise it's in that way and the cord is bothersome for such a short distance. Long rides, it's a must! Nothing like tunes to take some of the boredom out of distance riding during the, inevitable, flat/straight stretches. What kind of setup do you use?

I have an Icon Mainframe Halo helmet with the speaker pockets. It works great and makes the headset installation very simple. See my review at StreetBikeReview.com (http://www.streetbikereview.com/sbr_reviews/sbr_reviews_icon_halo.shtml) Also my Soumy Spec-1R (http://www.streetbikereview.com/sbr_reviews/sbr_reviews_suomy_spec-1r.shtml) as with most high end helmets from Shoei and Arai have removable cheek pads so adding speakers are easy as well and the new KBC VR-7 helmet also has speaker pockets. I use a chatterbox system so the headset always stays in the helmet. I plug in my audio system into the chatterbox unit and keep them both in the tank bag. I get a lot better volume control using the chatterbox as I can leave the audio system's volume lower and reduce the distortion.

Sounds like a cool idea...but dont have that kind of setup right now..most of my riding is around town, to and from work (20 minutes each way)..and when I do go on long rides, its usually with a couple people so we keep ourselves "occupied" pretty well on the highways. ;)

I have an Icon Mainframe Halo helmet with the speaker pockets. It works great and makes the headset installation very simple. See my review at StreetBikeReview.com (http://www.streetbikereview.com/sbr_reviews/sbr_reviews_icon_halo.shtml) Also my Soumy Spec-1R (http://www.streetbikereview.com/sbr_reviews/sbr_reviews_suomy_spec-1r.shtml) as with most high end helmets from Shoei and Arai have removable cheek pads so adding speakers are easy as well and the new KBC VR-7 helmet also has speaker pockets. I use a chatterbox system so the headset always stays in the helmet. I plug in my audio system into the chatterbox unit and keep them both in the tank bag. I get a lot better volume control using the chatterbox as I can leave the audio system's volume lower and reduce the distortion. Pretty much what he said. I use a memorex MP3 player that uses MMC memory that I strap to my wrist. I run the cord for the MP3 player up my sleeve to my inside pocket where the chatterbox usually is. I had to get an MP3 player after borrowing Kahuna's on one of our road trips.

I run with the Chatterbox and a FM radio into it. The chatterbox sets up the speakers and such and the FM radio or MP3 plugs right into the chatterbox...bam you have music. It is great for those boring jaunts down the highway to get where you're trying to get.

http://www.hjc-chatterbox.com/ :cheers:

Ever since I bought my RIO Nitrus MP3 player I can't image not having it on those long trips. The Chatter box worked very well as what BK said with the volume control.

No music for me, I like to hear the engine. :bike:

What happened to listening to the engine? If I want music Ill drive the cage.

I don't always listen to music, only on the longer more boring rides. I don't turn up the music so loud that you can't hear the engine. Actually, for some strange reason, when I listen to music I can hear the engine and pipe better. It resonates differently and makes the sound of the pipe appear louder and more deep. Try it. :)

I don't always listen to music, only on the longer more boring rides. I don't turn up the music so loud that you can't hear the engine. Actually, for some strange reason, when I listen to music I can hear the engine and pipe better. It resonates differently and makes the sound of the pipe appear louder and more deep. Try it. :) I can sorta agree with ya on this. I turn off the music when I'm riding with the group or hittin the twisties. But riding down the h/w for an hour with nothing but the pipe and wind to listen to get's old real fast. Why don't you, Twisty, move closer to me....that way I don't have to ride so far to meet up with your slow butt! :cheers:

I don't always listen to music, only on the longer more boring rides. I don't turn up the music so loud that you can't hear the engine. Actually, for some strange reason, when I listen to music I can hear the engine and pipe better. It resonates differently and makes the sound of the pipe appear louder and more deep. Try it. :) Funny you should say that because when I ride without music I hear things I've never heard before. It starts to freak me out sometimes. :eek:

Funny you should say that because when I ride without music I hear things I've never heard before. It starts to freak me out sometimes. :eek: so what kind of things are you hearing Shan... ;)

Funny you should say that because when I ride without music I hear things I've never heard before. It starts to freak me out sometimes. :eek: I too hear things and it freaks me out as well. So far I have heard the noise from the front fairings not together and the stearing damper. I did a wheelie last week and came down to hard and broke the screw that held the front 2 fairing together and the damper is making some weird noise still. The left side of it wigglies and moves way to much. Need to get that fixed. LOL :)

so what kind of things are you hearing Shan... ;) I hear dead people.... er... ;) Actually my front end clunks a lot on bumps, always has. I alse hear ticking in the engine, I think the valve clearances need adjusting or something. :confused:

I sometimes play music just to help drown out all the voices in my head... Really, it's true! :shock:

I like the voices tho!!! They tell me interesting stuff!!!

I like the voices tho!!! They tell me interesting stuff!!! I am not sure if we want to know what those voices are telling you. :smilelol: :D

I am not sure if we want to know what those voices are telling you. :smilelol: :D They're screamin, if you put me down in the pavement one more time, I'm going to break something on you.......O wait, that's the bike talking.... :smilelol: :cheers:

They're screamin, if you put me down in the pavement one more time, I'm going to break something on you.......O wait, that's the bike talking.... :smilelol: :cheers: LOL You may want to listen to the bike. I think it knows best and whats best for you. :thumbs: :)

They're screamin, if you put me down in the pavement one more time, I'm going to break something on you.......O wait, that's the bike talking.... :smilelol: :cheers: So in otherwords, instead of you "Seeing dead people"..you see dead bikes "? :smilelol: :smilelol:

So in otherwords, instead of you "Seeing dead people"..you see dead bikes "? :smilelol: :smilelol: I didn't say I hear voices...but that is some crazy stuff...maybe the voices will tell you to :bonk:

I didn't say I hear voices...but that is some crazy stuff...maybe the voices will tell you to :bonk: they tell me that everday as Im riding into work :thumbs:

they tell me that everday as Im riding into work :thumbs: I can not disagree with you on that on Matt. :thumbs: