Intercom and Radio recommendations

**Jared** · 05-14-2009, 05:15 PM

My wife and I will be going on a rather long cross country trip this summer and I'm looking for an intercom system that will allow us to communicate easily and listen to music.

I will be using a HJC AC-3 helmet(3/4 helmet) and she'll be using a HJC SY-MAX II(Full face modular). I don't know if that matters or not.

What type of intercom system would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance!

ballast · 05-14-2009, 05:22 PM

I have the chatterbox that works pretty good. If I had the money I think I'd move up the one of the Autocom systems that feature more inputs, bike power and individual volume adjustments.

**Jared** · 05-14-2009, 05:26 PM

I've heard a lot of good things about the Chatterbox. Do you have to buy both rider and passenger sets separately? Am I going to have end up spending $300+ on this? I hoping to keep it as cheap as possible but yet still decent quality. My wife doesn't ride too much so this will most likely only get used one or twice a month.

ballast · 05-14-2009, 10:25 PM

http://www.chatterboxusa.com/
Go here to see the choices available. I got the simple intercom and yes you have to buy the headsets seperately

**Jared** · 05-14-2009, 11:28 PM

By simple I assume you mean cheapest? Any complaints?

ballast · 05-15-2009, 12:45 AM

yes, cheapest. no real complaints. speaker placement in the helmet is important, you want em over the ears as centered as possible. most of the dealers around here and cycle shops seem to carry chatter box. even our local leather shop carries them.

**taranis** · 05-15-2009, 09:47 AM

I'll throw in a vote for the Scala Rider Q-2 multiset.

The Q2 Mulitset uses prioritized input for communications, radio, phone and music. It's very slick. You can be listening to music, and when your passenger speaks, the music is paused until the conversation is finished. If you get a phone call in there somewhere and have it paired with your cell, you'll get a prompt in the headset and can answer the phone, interrupting the conversation, and music both.

The Q2's have an MP3 jack on back for connecting your mp3 player. They can also be paired with a GPS, like the Zumo, for voice directions as you travel.

I have the EXO-100 1/2 helmet while Ann has an HJC full-face and they work perfectly. Noise cancellation is built in and is very effective in all but the most harsh winds.

Battery life is about 4-5 hours of continuous use. The chargers are small and the units only take a couple hours to recharge.

We've had this setup for about 7 months now and love them for bike-to-bike comms. Highly recommended.

blowndodge · 05-15-2009, 09:54 AM

Does man really need to hear his wife chattering away as he is trying to relax on his bike?

phenrichs · 05-15-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

Does man really need to hear his wife chattering away as he is trying to relax on his bike?

NO! I am pretty sure that is why the HD boys came up with the idea of drag pipes.

If she needs something she can tap me on the shoulder.

Get the set but only hook her up with the music. That is all I want one for is to share one music source.

cactusjack · 05-15-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

Does man really need to hear his wife chattering away as he is trying to relax on his bike?

No. At least I don't.

Netnorske · 05-15-2009, 02:21 PM

On the cheap side....I just bought a Cardo Teamset for the wife and I. For the $150.00 I paid for it....including shipping off of ebay....it works great for just communicating (wireless) with the wife. I paired it to my Garmin GPS, so I can hear directions and music from the GPS if I want to as well. I don't listen to music when I ride...so I'm no expert there, but for just chatting....the Teamset works great and you get both headsets for the price.

**Jared** · 05-15-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netnorske

On the cheap side....I just bought a Cardo Teamset for the wife and I. For the $150.00 I paid for it....including shipping off of ebay....it works great for just communicating (wireless) with the wife. I paired it to my Garmin GPS, so I can hear directions and music from the GPS if I want to as well. I don't listen to music when I ride...so I'm no expert there, but for just chatting....the Teamset works great and you get both headsets for the price.

That's a great price! I'm assuming it was used? Or is there a seller on ebay that regularly sells them for that price?

krt · 05-15-2009, 10:24 PM

I have a friend that wants to sell his 2 full face Chatter-box head sets. Hardly used. His name is Jim and you can call him. Email me direct and I'll give you his email. Mine....ktison1@verizon.net

**Jared** · 05-17-2009, 12:40 AM

^^^ THANKS!^^^

I'm still trying to decide which unit to buy, but if I decide to go with a chatter-box I will definitely send you an e-mail.

**Jared** · 05-17-2009, 12:41 AM

A couple quick questions about the Scala Rider Team Set? How is the sound? It's an older model, and I'm sure the Scala Q2 is great, but it's twice as expensive. Can the rider team set be used to communicate with some that has the Q2?

Is it save to assume that the sound quality of the scala is nicer than the chatter box?

05-14-2009, 05:15 PM	#1
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Intercom and Radio recommendations My wife and I will be going on a rather long cross country trip this summer and I'm looking for an intercom system that will allow us to communicate easily and listen to music. I will be using a HJC AC-3 helmet(3/4 helmet) and she'll be using a HJC SY-MAX II(Full face modular). I don't know if that matters or not. What type of intercom system would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance! __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President) Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-14-2009, 05:22 PM	#2
ballast Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orting, WA Posts: 1,394	Intercom and Radio recommendations I have the chatterbox that works pretty good. If I had the money I think I'd move up the one of the Autocom systems that feature more inputs, bike power and individual volume adjustments. __________________ Charlie "Ballast" Krogh 2005 1600 Nomad "Tangerine Dream" VBA #999 VROC #29355
	0

05-14-2009, 05:26 PM	#3
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Intercom and Radio recommendations I've heard a lot of good things about the Chatterbox. Do you have to buy both rider and passenger sets separately? Am I going to have end up spending $300+ on this? I hoping to keep it as cheap as possible but yet still decent quality. My wife doesn't ride too much so this will most likely only get used one or twice a month. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

05-14-2009, 10:25 PM	#4
ballast Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orting, WA Posts: 1,394	Intercom and Radio recommendations http://www.chatterboxusa.com/ Go here to see the choices available. I got the simple intercom and yes you have to buy the headsets seperately __________________ Charlie "Ballast" Krogh 2005 1600 Nomad "Tangerine Dream" VBA #999 VROC #29355
	0

05-14-2009, 11:28 PM	#5
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Intercom and Radio recommendations By simple I assume you mean cheapest? Any complaints? __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President) Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-15-2009, 12:45 AM	#6
ballast Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orting, WA Posts: 1,394	Intercom and Radio recommendations yes, cheapest. no real complaints. speaker placement in the helmet is important, you want em over the ears as centered as possible. most of the dealers around here and cycle shops seem to carry chatter box. even our local leather shop carries them. __________________ Charlie "Ballast" Krogh 2005 1600 Nomad "Tangerine Dream" VBA #999 VROC #29355
	0

05-15-2009, 09:47 AM	#7
taranis Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Grand Prairie, TX Posts: 802	Intercom and Radio recommendations I'll throw in a vote for the Scala Rider Q-2 multiset. The Q2 Mulitset uses prioritized input for communications, radio, phone and music. It's very slick. You can be listening to music, and when your passenger speaks, the music is paused until the conversation is finished. If you get a phone call in there somewhere and have it paired with your cell, you'll get a prompt in the headset and can answer the phone, interrupting the conversation, and music both. The Q2's have an MP3 jack on back for connecting your mp3 player. They can also be paired with a GPS, like the Zumo, for voice directions as you travel. I have the EXO-100 1/2 helmet while Ann has an HJC full-face and they work perfectly. Noise cancellation is built in and is very effective in all but the most harsh winds. Battery life is about 4-5 hours of continuous use. The chargers are small and the units only take a couple hours to recharge. We've had this setup for about 7 months now and love them for bike-to-bike comms. Highly recommended. __________________ _______________________ "Taranis" and the Lovely Ann KawaNOW Oldschool #885 His: 2006 Nomad Hers: 2008 VN900 Classic LT
	0

05-15-2009, 09:54 AM	#8
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Intercom and Radio recommendations Does man really need to hear his wife chattering away as he is trying to relax on his bike? __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
	0

05-15-2009, 02:21 PM	#11
Netnorske Top Contributor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Everett, Washington Posts: 5,709	Intercom and Radio recommendations On the cheap side....I just bought a Cardo Teamset for the wife and I. For the $150.00 I paid for it....including shipping off of ebay....it works great for just communicating (wireless) with the wife. I paired it to my Garmin GPS, so I can hear directions and music from the GPS if I want to as well. I don't listen to music when I ride...so I'm no expert there, but for just chatting....the Teamset works great and you get both headsets for the price. __________________ *Kris Olsen* VBA #0691 2017 HD Ultra Limited Low 2013 Victory Cross Country Tour 2012 1700 Vulcan Voyager 2008 1600 Vulcan Nomad 1997 Vulcan 800 Classic *"Growing old is mandatory,* *but growing up is optional"* Custer 2009\|Kalispell 2010\|Cortez 2010\|Crescent City 2011\|Kanab 2012\|Canmore 2012\|Estes Park 2013\|Orofino 2014\|Lake Tahoe 2015\|Red Lodge 2016
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05-15-2009, 10:24 PM	#13
krt Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sun City Center, Fl. Posts: 122	Intercom and Radio recommendations I have a friend that wants to sell his 2 full face Chatter-box head sets. Hardly used. His name is Jim and you can call him. Email me direct and I'll give you his email. Mine....ktison1@verizon.net
	0

05-17-2009, 12:40 AM	#14
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Intercom and Radio recommendations ^^^ THANKS!^^^ I'm still trying to decide which unit to buy, but if I decide to go with a chatter-box I will definitely send you an e-mail. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

05-17-2009, 12:41 AM	#15
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Intercom and Radio recommendations A couple quick questions about the Scala Rider Team Set? How is the sound? It's an older model, and I'm sure the Scala Q2 is great, but it's twice as expensive. Can the rider team set be used to communicate with some that has the Q2? Is it save to assume that the sound quality of the scala is nicer than the chatter box? __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

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