how to setup comm. system?

[h2smokin]

Wondering what all I need to get a system setup up. I'm not electrically gifted in any form. I want a bluetooth as my goldwing stuff wont switch over. Do you have to have a gps for a phone setup? Also would'nt mind some music or ability to communicate with another rider if I wanted. Do I also have to buy special plates to put things on the ram mounts which I still need as well. Thanks for any info

[BS-in-KS]

The first thing I did was make a list of what accessories I wanted access to, such as my gps, mp3 player, phone, bike to bike and intercom.  After that you can decide what comm system will work best for your list.  I chose a Starcom1 (wired route for me) but there are many bluetooth setups out there that should work well.  There are quite a few folks on here who run bluetooth so they should be able to inform you about which ones will work for your list of accessories. 

Cheers,
Brent S.

[Sea Level]

I can tell you what I've done and you can go from there.

I bought the Sena SMH10 blue-tooth headset. It can be paired with another Sena for helmet-to-helmet communications (actually, up to four helmets). It can also be paired to practically any other blue-tooth device, and I have mine paired to a Zumo 660 and an iPhone. With this simple setup, I can make and receive telephone calls, listen to music, receive audio from any app on my iPhone - like another navigation app (I use Motion X for trip info) or streaming audio, so I can listen to my favorite radio station anywhere that I can get a data signal. Additionally, the phone is paired to my Cobra iRadar, so I can get visual radar warnings on the phone.

And now I'm trying to find a small, portable blue-toothed CB unit so I can communicate with the sweep when leading a large group. Anyone  know of such a thing?

[BS-in-KS]

And now I'm trying to find a small, portable blue-toothed CB unit so I can communicate with the sweep when leading a large group. Anyone  know of such a thing?

After a quick search for bluetooth cb radios I found the Cobra 29 bluetooth model which will pair with a phone so you can take calls over the cb.  So moving on, I searched for bluetooth fm radios and found this article where they use a Jabra A-210 to interface with a ham radio.
http://www.k7sfn.com/projects/bluetooth.html
So, I'm wondering if you could use the same trick with a CB equipped with VOX and make a mate from the Jabra pin to the CB input/output and then pair it to the SENA.  Might be cobbled fix for a seamingly simple desire but might work.

Cheers,
Brent S.

[wildnphx]

Sena is the way to go...  Then add this module as soon as it is released. 

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-accessories/2011/sena-sr10/

That is the path I am going down and the Sena has been excellent thus far since I bought it a few weeks ago using it with my Droid X for music, nav and phone.

[Son of Pappy]

My opinion-I tried most all the bluetooth stuff, battery life just isnt what I needed so I went with an Autocom PRO V1.  I have the Zumo and sat radio hooked up, great coms with the wife (sometimes that feature gets too noisy), and the unit tucks in quite nicely in the '08 glove box.  Cords when not in use coil nicely, leaving a clean install.  No linking, no worry about power, no fumbling for controls, and the cord has never been an issue.

[h2smokin]

I was looking at the sena yesterday. So if I had it I would then be able to use the phone if necessary while riding? or do I need a gps to route it through. My itouch is'nt bluetooth but can it be plugged into the headset to use it. I'm definitely clueless to this stuff. Have never used a gps, papermap works good for me but time to upgrade a little I think. thanks again

[Flathead]

Do not know on the Sena... On the Scala you can plug in an MP3 player.  To answer your phone question... If your phone is bluetooth then yes, you can connect it and use it while riding, no need to route it through a gps.

[Sea Level]

Do not know on the Sena... On the Scala you can plug in an MP3 player.  To answer your phone question... If your phone is bluetooth then yes, you can connect it and use it while riding, no need to route it through a gps.

Correct. In fact, I was using the iPhone, blue-toothed to the Sena, for everything: navigation, phone, music. All coming through the headsets in my helmet. The Sena works for a long time, well over ten hours, on a single charge, so that was never an issue. I decided to get the Zumo because I wanted advanced route planning and some other features not available in the iPhone nav app, plus the nav on the iPhone is dependent on a data signal.

As for paper over GPS: once you've gone GPS, you won't go back to paper maps. At least, IMHO, but I am a GPS fanatic, at least one in each: car, plane, bike. I love 'em.