How bad can cheap intercoms be?
Discussion
We're in the market for some cheap rider to pillion intercoms (rear pillion to rider, I won't get a word in). I know I could spend £2-300€ on a set but is there really any point for just my wife to tell me where I should have turned 50 yards after the event? So just how bad are the £30-50.
My £200 Scala is excellent.
Bluetooth connectivity so no wires, links to the pillion, an iPhone and a SatNav plus it's compatible with in-ear headphones.
Worked like a dream round 3000miles of the Western USA last month.
The phone feature is so good, that when I make a call to tell Mrs CK that I'm nearly home she often doesn't believe I'm on the bike, never mind doing many leptons along the M3.
For £30 though I'd expect the user manual to begin with:
"Many thanks you of making best quality purchases of In to come"
Bluetooth connectivity so no wires, links to the pillion, an iPhone and a SatNav plus it's compatible with in-ear headphones.
Worked like a dream round 3000miles of the Western USA last month.
The phone feature is so good, that when I make a call to tell Mrs CK that I'm nearly home she often doesn't believe I'm on the bike, never mind doing many leptons along the M3.
For £30 though I'd expect the user manual to begin with:
"Many thanks you of making best quality purchases of In to come"
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 1st August 07:25
, everything he buys is as cheap as possible....90% of it he moans about because it is crap.tried some cheap intercoms off ebay...kind of looked ok but didnt fit perfect in the helmet, ended up proving too uncomfortable and impractical to use...put it back on ebay
Then bought what I should have got in the first place; the Shark bluetooth kit designed for my helmet...fits tidy, works great, not cheap. Shopped around and got it 1/2 price
Then bought what I should have got in the first place; the Shark bluetooth kit designed for my helmet...fits tidy, works great, not cheap. Shopped around and got it 1/2 price
On a recent trip with my 2 sons (one pillion on my bike and one pillion on a friends bike) we were all connected via Midland BT Next intercoms. It was good to be able to talk to both of them, or, as was more common, for them to be able to be able to talk to me ("how far?", "can we stop for something to eat?" and "I need a wee").
I'm very glad I fitted them and would recommend the Midland kit.
I'm very glad I fitted them and would recommend the Midland kit.
Cheep intercom, Risks are:
- uncomfotable
- difficult to understand what people are saying - due to poor quality mics/speakers etc.
- noisy - you get the passengers wind noise (no sniggering at the back) as well as your own.
- often too quiet if you use ear plugs (and if you DON'T then probably too quiet as you have dammaged you hearing)
Second hand autocom from Ebay was what I did, although now looking to try a sena bluetooth/wireless solution.
- uncomfotable
- difficult to understand what people are saying - due to poor quality mics/speakers etc.
- noisy - you get the passengers wind noise (no sniggering at the back) as well as your own.
- often too quiet if you use ear plugs (and if you DON'T then probably too quiet as you have dammaged you hearing)
Second hand autocom from Ebay was what I did, although now looking to try a sena bluetooth/wireless solution.
I have an Autocom from the series before the range they introduced just as they went bust due to astronomical prices... sorry, were acquired by Starcom.
Works fine but I've just acquired a pair of used headsets just in case one of the originals breaks.
Because the ST is so quiet below about 80 I have the volume at about 60% to avoid being deafened, so it is harder to hear Nursy screaming at higher speeds
I think the (?) 300 model that had the extra noise level mic in the back of the rider's helmet would be the way to go, it has auto volume level control - if you can still buy them.
Works fine but I've just acquired a pair of used headsets just in case one of the originals breaks.
Because the ST is so quiet below about 80 I have the volume at about 60% to avoid being deafened, so it is harder to hear Nursy screaming at higher speeds
I think the (?) 300 model that had the extra noise level mic in the back of the rider's helmet would be the way to go, it has auto volume level control - if you can still buy them.
I was going to recommend Sonic but having tried to check how much they are I've given up. They used to do brilliant rider to pillion ones.
I remember selling cheap intercoms and to be honest they all came back. The usual grip was that they were crap as soon as you went over about 40mph, just unable to deal with the wind noise.
I have used the Interphone and that was good though not cheap. The cheapest versions are £160 for a set. I know a colleague who swore by his Autocom too. I now have the inbuilt one for my Schuberth which is good but f
king expensive.
http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/motorcycle-intercoms/int...
I remember selling cheap intercoms and to be honest they all came back. The usual grip was that they were crap as soon as you went over about 40mph, just unable to deal with the wind noise.
I have used the Interphone and that was good though not cheap. The cheapest versions are £160 for a set. I know a colleague who swore by his Autocom too. I now have the inbuilt one for my Schuberth which is good but f
king expensive.http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/motorcycle-intercoms/int...
Thanks a lot for all your in put chaps. I have just ordered the Interphone F3MC for £160 delivered to France. \We went into Daffy Motot today and their cheapest set was 260€ for a Scala Rider. Bit over what I wanted to pay to be moaned at lol.
Just got to wait for it to arrive now. Ooooh excited.
Just got to wait for it to arrive now. Ooooh excited.
Thanks a lot for all your in put chaps. I have just ordered the Interphone F3MC for £160 delivered to France. \We went into Daffy Motot today and their cheapest set was 260€ for a Scala Rider. Bit over what I wanted to pay to be moaned at lol.
Just got to wait for it to arrive now. Ooooh excited.
I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the F3MC. We bought them earlier in the year for our trip to Corsica, we had constant interference, noises in our ears like dripping water and roaring sounds. It didn't make any much difference what speed we doing, 20-130 the noise was the same.
Once home I took them back to where we bought them but as yet have not heard from them. I'm sure it wasn't due to the way they were fitted etc, and one point I could hear myself talking!
Just got to wait for it to arrive now. Ooooh excited.
I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the F3MC. We bought them earlier in the year for our trip to Corsica, we had constant interference, noises in our ears like dripping water and roaring sounds. It didn't make any much difference what speed we doing, 20-130 the noise was the same.
Once home I took them back to where we bought them but as yet have not heard from them. I'm sure it wasn't due to the way they were fitted etc, and one point I could hear myself talking!
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