Do You Ride With Tunes?

[Wayne]

Just a little poll to see who rides with music and how they go about doing it.

Im thinking of replacing the radio and speakers on my 81H Venturer. The radio and speakers on it now are old and are probably the original.

[Dragonrider]

Gotta have tunes . . . simply gotta.

I use a walkman-type (AudioPhase brand, about $60) CD player that will play MP3's burned onto a CD. This holds about 12 hours worth of music. Burned all my favorites onto a CD and put it on random. You can drive all day and never hear the same song twice. It will occasionally skip . . . it has pretty good skip buffering, but when it is on my hip and getting buffeted by the wind for example, it may skip. This has not been a major problem, and the more expensive units are better in this regard.

I use Koss earbuds (with kind with the hook over the ear, about $15). They are comfortable under the helmet, never come loose, and sound great.

I have a Chatterbox Stereo dynamic noise reducing mic/headset ($90) in my helmet for when I have the CB on the bike, and then the CD player jacks into that (the CB has a cut-out circuit). Sheer heaven!

When my CD/mp3 player expires I may go to the Ipod if the prices have come down enough. 10 gig worth of tunes, managable/programable play lists, great controls, charges from adaptor or firewire, and about the size of a pack of cigs. Not possible to skip. About $400 right now, so I am happy with my $60 setup.

Mp3 is the secret to long-distance riding. Trust me. The right tunes, on a summer night, or day, or a winter night, or day . . . or . . . . NOW.

uuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrr . . . . Darn-it Wayne . . . now I gotta go ride.

[strom]

Well.. an example:

I needed 30-40min to get to work thru the city to get to my old job with a car.

I needed 10-12 min with my ex bikes (MG V35, GPz 600R)

I needed 6 min with GPz 600R and a discman...

Guess what... no more discman... just open pipes Plenty of good music for my ears... at least I know the bike is OK and running as it should...

LP

[sixtysix]

I have a radio in my head should be one of the options, thats my pick!!

[Bob]

"head tunes"

I'm with Gary....That would be my vote. I have tunes in my head & if I'm not careful, they come out my mouth while I'm riding. I remember taking a short road trip--50 miles one-way--with a group of other bikes & a cage to visit with some kids who were heading down the wrong path. Anyway, we were cruising down the highway about 70 mph. When we reached our destination, the lady driving the cage that was right behind me "mentioned" the fact that, although she had her windows up & the AC on, she could still hear me singing. So, I guess I don't need a radio.

[Dragonrider]

Yah . . . singing . . . I got pulled over in Dallas once . . .

The cop carefully approaches and asked with strange look on his face, "Are you allright?"

"Sure, why do you ask?"

"Well, you were screaming bloody murder as you went through that last intersection. I could hear it over the traffic, and I had my windows up."

Ouch.

You see, I was singing along to "Roll with the changes" by REO Speedwagon on my MP3 player.

Screaming bloody murder indeed. Hrumph.

[strom]

I only sing on an occasional strech of freeway, not too loudly tho... if my GF heard me back there, she'd probbably fall off the bike laughing...
When alone or in a group... I turn the built-in head loudspeaker all the way up...

LP

[sixtysix]

It's worse for me! When traveling with the wife I use a VOX (voice activated) Chatterbox, if I sing too loud she hears me!

REO is one of my favorites, I like 'Time for me to fly........'

[Dragonrider]

Oh boy . . . "Time for me to fly" . . . great song, but NOT a good one to be singing to SWMBO . . .

[xsivebiker]

I enjoy listening to music while I ride also. My Vetter fairing sports a "Cycle Sound" system. Alpine AM-FM cassette. I replaced the original speakers with new Pioneer weather resistant ones. They were aprox. $36 U.S. @ Wal-Mart and the exact size of the originals. I must admit that my "slightly loud" exhaust overwhelms it at aprox. 70mph and above. Among others, in the saddle bags I have REO's Greatest Hits and three Sheryl Crow cassettes. There's nothing like some good tunes while cruising a country two-lane road.
Greg C.
1980 XS1100-G [fully dressed]
1979 XL250-S

[Jdwags]

My Rooster fairing had a Krapco stereo in it.. and i enjoyed it.. now that ive gone to the full fairing i need to find a cyclesound adapter for my Vetter...


I do miss the tunes.. for sure

[Jerry]

I guess I'm in the minority....no tunes. Have thought about getting an iPod (Apple product, see http://www.apple.com/ipod/)

[Wayne]

Actually Jerry it looks like your in the majority.
I personally have to have music. I do like to ride quite sometimes but on a long trip I need to have the option.

[JofCoRe]

no easy way to get tunez...

no tunes 4 me for now...
just no easy way for me to do it. no fairing (I like the naked look -- for the bike, not me :P)

i've often thought about getting some earbuds to cram in my helmet and attach to an mp3 player, but I never seem to have the cash for the player....

so just the music of the road for me

[Phill the strat]

Beryl Beemer comes complete with AM/FM radio, tape deck and 6 stacker CD...I dunno how I have missed out for so long by not having the jingles an jangles going on.....brilliant stuff.

The speed sensitive volume does help in not having the bike sway from side to side with the bass whilst standing at the traffic lights......

Sooooooooooo now I'm into an intercom, the Autocom Pro M1 stereo version.....(geeeeeezzzzz who would even contemplate a mono intercom/music product????). Having the music "injected" right into the ear canal seems the next logical step...ahhhhhhhhhhhh bring on Deep Purple.........

Have some info on prices in the members lounge section, but basically the kit is priced at about $760 Oz ($380 USA???) for this month (august 02) only. The price then goes to $846 Oz ($423 USA??)....

This is another good aspect of m'cycling not explored by me an SWMO as yet.....

Phill