Sportbike sound system... well, earphone system | GTAMotorcycle.com

Sportbike sound system... well, earphone system

J

Jerico

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I have owned a variety of i products over the year, and have devised various ways of listening to them while on my bikes. Right now, I have a Griffin Navigate with a 30 pin connector that extends to the "trunk" of my ZX6, and a male/female headphone plug that terminates right by my left leg. I put the iPhone in the trunk, and off I go. The Navigate (http://store.griffintechnology.com/ipod/ipod-classic/navigate on sale for a stunning $20 at that link) has the advantage of providing nice big physical buttons so there is no looking at it or fumbing for a button. It also lists tracks (bright and big enough to see at night), you can switch playlists, and it has a radio in it.

However, this has a bunch of drawbacks. The 30 pin connector extension I got out of asia can sometimes work itself loose with the weight of the iPhone (which I put in an old sock to protect it), and then I can only turn volume up and down but can't track forward/back for just the right track to knee drag to. It also means when I stop anywhere, I need to open the trunk and fool around with taking it out, etc etc etc. When I load up for work, and have my laptop etc strapped onto the back of the bike, then the track forward/back thing fails, I could about lose my mind.

Seeing the Nano's and the large Air Miles balance I have has got me thinking about switching out my iPhone for a Nano, and handlebar mounting the Nano. I could get a power supply and send it from the battery to the Nano for long trips, or just make sure it's charged. I could also put a film on my gloves to make sure I can track forward and back easily. I am concerned about how that might work, as well as fumbling for volume controls etc versus my system I have now. I could keep the navigate and put a Nano in the trunk, but it appeals to me to be able to just have it on the handlebars and grab and go when i get off.

Anyone else worked this out? I think I have pictures of my rig attached. My old iPod touch is pictured.

PS to this... my 120 gig classic will not work as the ride is too rough, and HD based players don't like riding in the trunk.
 

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The new generation nano is tiny and I doubt you'd get the kind of functionality you're looking for while wearing riding gloves. You're better off sticking to your existing system and just using an iPod more 'permanently' mounted in the trunk. Tie some rubberbands around it and the connector so it doesn't slide out while riding.

I'd never leave my expensive iPhone in the trunk while riding. That thing stays in my inside jacket pocket at all times.
 
I paid dearly for my iPhone (factory unlocked 32 gig 4), but always with the intention that I was going to use it normally while taking all steps to protect it. As a result, with just a thin Invisibleshield all the way around (no case), it looks brand new still, no scratches on it. Easier to sell when I decide to one day.

The sock helps in the trunk... Just shakes loose is all.
 
Very cool. $230 US means 3 bills with tax here though. There has to be something better for 3 bills. Bluetooth audio is something I thought about as well.
 
I love listening to music when I'm on my bike. Yes I love all the songs I have on my I pod and I phone but just don't want to listen to that particular song today, so I bought a remote . I have the Iphone 3GS and i just plug in the little eye into the charging port put the phone inside my chest pocket and have the remote velcroed to my tank. It works great for me. I am happy with it.This unti works for both my Iphone and Ipod Nano. I do not know if it will go through leather or not i have a kevlar jacket. Good luck
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Wireless-Rem...er_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item1e666616c9
 
I just have a pair of headphones with the pause/play button on the headphones and a mic (siri,iphone 4s, actually works while riding) and one press = play/pause, double press = skip song, triple = previous song. Seems to work great for me and just have my iphone in a pocket inside my riding jacket
 
I have a fairly simple solution. Obviously it's iimpossible to use a touch screen with gloves so I have a cheap $40 Sansa player with a 8gb micro ad card inside (that's about 2000 songs). It's small enough that I just Velcro it right ontop of the gas cap. It has a click wheel so you can navigate the players features just by pressing left or right to change songs. No wires or anything except headphones.

Its USB powered so you can just plug it into a 12v plug like I have with a USB adapter. Works like a charm
 
I just tuck my I-pod Nano in my jacket, but, I can't do anything about volume or what's playing. You folks have given me some good suggestions to consider.

I really like the wireless remote that Bluerider posted but I'm concerned it may be "get what you pay for" as far as quality. Any other similar options available locally?
 
I just load the music onto my Zumo GPS and be done with it ... everything is on a screen at my left hand
 
I also have a Sirius Stilleto 2 with a built in antenna that can pick up Sirius on the go (works perfect stationary in the backyard but less so at speed on the bike), but records songs from Sirius for playback, and also has a 16 gig mini SDHC in it. The wheel on it is a click wheel iPod type knock off. I have considered bolting that to the handlebars through a RAM mount. Advantage is that it records Sirius songs, plus anything I put on it, and shuffle will mix my stuff with Sirius recorded stuff. Audio quality on the Sirius stuff isn't as good, but the wind whistle drowns that out.

The Ram mount for the 120 gig iPod classic was a classic failure... too bumpy on the bars for the hard drive based system.

Based on what everyone has said, looks like I am better off with what I have. Maybe I will look around kijiji for a 8 or more old style Nano I can permalock in the trunk. Doesn't look like a new one will provide any benefit, and possibly less if I ever handle bar mount it as touchscreens won't work. Maybe I will email Tim Cook and ask him to get Apple to do an official click-wheel controller for all the touch screens. Someone in Cupertino must be a motorcyclist!
 
mattcanada said:
I just have a pair of headphones with the pause/play button on the headphones and a mic (siri,iphone 4s, actually works while riding) and one press = play/pause, double press = skip song, triple = previous song. Seems to work great for me and just have my iphone in a pocket inside my riding jacket
Click to expand...


Thats what I do also. Only part I hate is get caught in the rain and you need new headphones haha.
 
mounted a Stiletto 2 satalite radio onto my bike. Put a ram mount water proof box with the tock permanently on the bars wired in. and then mounted the antenna as well. Just pop i the unit plug in head phones and enjoy.
 
Griffin said:
I just tuck my I-pod Nano in my jacket, but, I can't do anything about volume or what's playing. You folks have given me some good suggestions to consider.

I really like the wireless remote that Bluerider posted but I'm concerned it may be "get what you pay for" as far as quality. Any other similar options available locally?
Click to expand...

I understand the get what you pay for comment. When I bought it I was thinking the same thing but it actually works pretty good for me. I just have to make sure the sensor is facing the remote. I tried the iPhone ear buds with the controls on the wire but it was too small for my liking. Just me though.
 
I use the Monster iEZClick Remote Control and my O'neal bluetooth helmet with my Iphone. This setup allows me to switch songs, and adjust volume. It comes with a velcro strap, so the remote is mounted right on the handle bars, plus it works excellent with all my gloves.



41VBycDJVRL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
Looking at Kijiji, there are a million people selling 8 gig Nanos for next to nothing (less than I paid for the navigate). For the convenience, I think I will pick one up.
 
I just have a pair of headphones with the pause/play button on the headphones and a mic (siri,iphone 4s, actually works while riding) and one press = play/pause, double press = skip song, triple = previous song. Seems to work great for me and just have my iphone in a pocket inside my riding jacket

Thats what I do also. Only part I hate is get caught in the rain and you need new headphones haha.
Click to expand...

I use the same system with the Ultimate Ears i5 and the button to pause or skip - ridden in the rain many times - no idea why you would hurt the headphones.

I use mine with a scala inside the helmet for comm and the earphones for music - easy to hear the Scala and the i5s are quality sound.
I just reach inside my shirt pocket to adjust the volume on the iPhone or iPod Touch - I would find the nano way too small to work with.

Touch are cheap and far more useful.
 
MacDoc said:
I use the same system with the Ultimate Ears i5 and the button to pause or skip - ridden in the rain many times - no idea why you would hurt the headphones.

I use mine with a scala inside the helmet for comm and the earphones for music - easy to hear the Scala and the i5s are quality sound.
I just reach inside my shirt pocket to adjust the volume on the iPhone or iPod Touch - I would find the nano way too small to work with.

Touch are cheap and far more useful.
Click to expand...

I ride with a half lid. That is prob 90% of the reason right there. But I find the iphone headphones are very suceptible to the weather. But I like how they are only $25.
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