Dirt ride Sunday 9/14

[cj54x 51]

PMB, I chased you down Kernan before, you are a little nuts on that big ol bike. After watching you and TH I don't Know what "big bike friendly" even means???

[paulmbowers 236]

PMB, I chased you down Kernan before, you are a little nuts on that big ol bike. After watching you and TH I don't Know what "big bike friendly" even means???

I wear a full-face helmet for protection and to hide my mask of terror as I ride that bike on small trails.

Should I be able to ride Sunday, it will be with the little bike.

[350thumper 336]

You had me at ..trail#9.

Shud be leaving alpine just after 6:30 am (yikes).

[Boston Mangler 0]

Lurking

[bikeslut 1]

Thumper and Mangler- looking forward to it.

[paulmbowers 236]

Thumper and Mangler- looking forward to it.

[bikeslut 1]

I need one of those if you want to sing to me

[Boston Mangler 0]

I won't have comms for a little bit.. Ear things way too thick and not shaving a brand new helmet after thinking about it.

I ordered the pigtail to use my own ear buds and when it gets here I am going to attempt to unsolder the ear pieces and solder in the pigtail.

[bikeslut 1]

He'll shave his head but not his helmet...huh

[paulmbowers 236]

I won't have comms for a little bit.. Ear things way too thick and not shaving a brand new helmet after thinking about it.

I ordered the pigtail to use my own ear buds and when it gets here I am going to attempt to unsolder the ear pieces and solder in the pigtail.

Why solder/unsolder? If you're going to use earbuds, why not use this?

[Boston Mangler 0]

I won't have comms for a little bit.. Ear things way too thick and not shaving a brand new helmet after thinking about it.

I ordered the pigtail to use my own ear buds and when it gets here I am going to attempt to unsolder the ear pieces and solder in the pigtail.

Why solder/unsolder? If you're going to use earbuds, why not use this?

Because they lacks the INPUT for an MP3 player. I've searched their site and done find a harness with an input for music, and output for earbuds.

Trying to have my cake and eat it too. Damn i love me some cake!

[Boston Mangler 0]

I have this:

Ordered this:

Basically going to splice off the speakers and splice in the earbud jack. Should work in theory anyway.

Hmmmmm Cake

[paulmbowers 236]

Why not use a simple 3.5mm Y cable splitter thingy?

Remember, it will short out the channels anyway.

[Boston Mangler 0]

Why not use a simple 3.5mm Y cable splitter thingy?

Remember, it will short out the channels anyway.

I am honestly electronically challenged. Would something like this work? I was thinking the input and output would need to be separate.. No?

[350thumper 336]

Im gonna have to use Old fashioned hand signals...

A fist means stop and a finger means you liked how I delicatly passed you thru the rough stuff..

[paulmbowers 236]

I was thinking the input and output would need to be separate..

Correct.

Any self-respecting, sensitive and caring electronics tech will tell you it's not a good idea to cram electrons INTO the output stage of any audio device. Feel free to draw a parallel to wherever you'd like.

However, in the rough-and-tumble world we call motorcycling, people do it everyday without penalty. Sorta.

The penalty is in audio quality. Whether you use the y-splitter or solder an extra pigtail onto the existing speakers, you will short out the two discrete stereo channels of the music player, resulting in monophonic and crappy sound. The radio circuit is mono- no way around that.

Some people don't care, and go happliy into the wild with this setup. I'm a bit more caring about the audio quality. Cynical and derisive people might even use the word "fussy" or "silly" or "Captain Eloquent". I prefer "discriminating" or "higher taste", but let's not squabble.

So, I use a noise-isolating set of earphones for my music, and the standard, dead simple radio setup as described previously.

[bikeslut 1]

Im gonna have to use Old fashioned hand signals...

A fist means stop and a finger means you liked how I delicatly passed you thru the rough stuff..

we'll get along fine

[Vacman 0]

I was thinking the input and output would need to be separate..

Correct.

Any self-respecting, sensitive and caring electronics tech will tell you it's not a good idea to cram electrons INTO the output stage of any audio device. Feel free to draw a parallel to wherever you'd like.

However, in the rough-and-tumble world we call motorcycling, people do it everyday without penalty. Sorta.

The penalty is in audio quality. Whether you use the y-splitter or solder an extra pigtail onto the existing speakers, you will short out the two discrete stereo channels of the music player, resulting in monophonic and crappy sound. The radio circuit is mono- no way around that.

Some people don't care, and go happliy into the wild with this setup. I'm a bit more caring about the audio quality. Cynical and derisive people might even use the word "fussy" or "silly". I prefer "discriminating" or "higher taste", but let's not squabble.

So, I use a noise-isolating set of earphones for my music, and the standard, dead simple radio setup as described previously.

What captain eloquent is trying to say is for best musical audio results, use earbuds and just turn up the sound on your helmet speakers.

Using the Sena setup allows you to have stereo sound in your helmet, bluetooth for streaming music and phone calls as well as direct intercom to up to 4 other people using Senas in your group, automatic muting of other channels when the radio is keyed, and no wires hanging out everywhere. It also has the second major benefit of being moved between helmets quickly and easily (assuming you buy the $20 speaker/mic harness) so you can get the same benefits on a hardcore dirt ride or a street cruise.

Is it as durable as the Rugged Setup? No. Does it sound better than a mono signal? Yes. Are the other benefits worth it to you? That's up to you to decide, but ultimately a bluetooth setup or a rugged setup cost about the same. If your bike is often upside down or you're hard on your gear, use the Rugged stuff. If crashing is something you try hard to avoid, do yourself a favor and look hard at the Sena setup. It's SO much more useful when you're not riding with HAM radio guys because all the other benefits (bluetooth streaming, stereo sound, phonecalls if necessary) can be done with no wires, no stress and no hassle.

[Boston Mangler 0]

What captain eloquent is trying to say is for best musical audio results, use earbuds and just turn up the sound on your helmet speakers.

Using the Sena setup allows you to have stereo sound in your helmet, bluetooth for streaming music and phone calls as well as direct intercom to up to 4 other people using Senas in your group, automatic muting of other channels when the radio is keyed, and no wires hanging out everywhere. It also has the second major benefit of being moved between helmets quickly and easily (assuming you buy the $20 speaker/mic harness) so you can get the same benefits on a hardcore dirt ride or a street cruise.

Is it as durable as the Rugged Setup? No. Does it sound better than a mono signal? Yes. Are the other benefits worth it to you? That's up to you to decide, but ultimately a bluetooth setup or a rugged setup cost about the same. If your bike is often upside down or you're hard on your gear, use the Rugged stuff. If crashing is something you try hard to avoid, do yourself a favor and look hard at the Sena setup. It's SO much more useful when you're not riding with HAM radio guys because all the other benefits (bluetooth streaming, stereo sound, phonecalls if necessary) can be done with no wires, no stress and no hassle.

WHY WASNT THIS POSTED BEFORE I BOUGHT ALL MY RR STUFF?????????

Oh wait.... It Was! Reading comrehension fail!!!

I have a nice SRC (Scala) setup for my STREET helmet that does all of the above perfectly but doesnt work with the SDAR type comms.

Digging the SENA idea, but still messing with the RR setup to see if i can get it to my liking.

Thanks for info

Kevin

[bikeslut 1]

we should start a communications thread

[paulmbowers 236]

Maybe a modulator could move the posts to a comms thread?

[350thumper 336]

So.. back to the riding thing... what is considered e dicut (I cant even spell it).

As far as riding too close or too far back.

How close is too close for some folks ?

some of my buddies like me riding next to thier rear tire just humping it.

others wants thier personal space.

I dont care iether way but if I get in "the dust" then I ride way back about 100-300ft.

If im humping your rear tire please forgive me.. sometimes I get too excited.

[paulmbowers 236]

If im humping your rear tire please forgive me.. sometimes I get too excited.

Also known as BikeSlutting.

Please don't do that to me. I fall often. Either pass me (easy to do, I'm slow) or hang back a safe distance.

Thanks.

[bikeslut 1]

etiquette - Depends on the riders in question... SicVic actually purposely hits my bike tire when he is behind me; we both find it mildly amusing. Most people don't... tntmo actually grabbed my handlebars one time during a coast race; he said I was lucky he wasn't on my right side, or he would've grabbed the front brake...

I am also guilty of tailgating on occasion. If it's bowers, I am doing it on purpose... I trust him to ride well, within his limits, and I won't run him over... or, if I do, nobody will care

My riding history is BMX racing; tight quarters, and nobody thinks anything of it... if it freaks people out, just tell me, and I'll back off (unless you're one of the 3 people mentioned above)... I'm not trying to be rude, to push you faster or anything... it's just camaraderie in action

[Boston Mangler 0]

Yeah, varies depending on with who..

The usual group of hooligans i ride with, we have known and raced MX and supermoto together for awhile. We tend to goof off, tap each other, ocassionally kick each other over if we are going slow enough, etc.... We all know each other and are comfortable doing so and its all in good fun.

So yeah... Might not wanna kick someone you just met over as you pass him on the trail! HA!

I am the same.. If i am riding with someone i dont know or have never ridden with, if they arent comfortable with me being real close out of the dust, i am way back behind it..

Would possibly be good discussion at beginning of ride, riders meeting...

Don't want to freak out a newer rider, or piss off an experienced rider (that might not be into clowning around) that thinks youre an ahole!

My .02