How well can the phat lady really sing?

[dabull]

I am considering putting either JM handle bar speakers or Kurakyn sound of chrome speakers on my '97 standard with a clearview windshield.  Ya know the need to listen to tunes while on the road with either a xm reciever or ipod.  My question is how well does this work? Can one here over the wind noise, and I need to mention, I have the piggies cut so there is a throaty roar.  I also wear a full face HJC helmet.  Would helmet speakers be a better choice?  I worry about not hearing surrounding traffic with helmet speakers.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have both..........helmet speakers and bike mounted.  The ones on the bike are more for Judy, I use the helmet ones when riding alone.  Its all about volume when using the helmet ones, I keep it where I can hear everything around me, not just music.  Judy says she can hear the bike mounted ones almost all the time, cept on the super slab going 70moh it gets droned out by the Cobra 6X6 but under 60mph no problem.  However I do have them mounted to the windshield mounts, that kinda turns the whole shield into an acoustical shell kinda thing.  You can feel the music if you touch the edge of the shield.  I think it works out better there than it wudda on the handlebar

[Serk]

IMHO, with a full face helmet, helmet speakers would work better...

I've got Rumble Road amplified speakers hooked to my Zumo 550 (MP3 player), and it works great with my skid lid, but is really muffled with a full face... I can hear the music pretty well up to about 85-90 MPH... (Above that speed I need to be paying more attention to the road than the tunes anyway, right? )

(I've got a Mark T Exhaust)

[Black Dog]

I agree with the others...  Full face = helmet speakers.  No helmet, or half = The speakers in my Hoppe fairing are good...  I have Packs n Stacks, and at 70+ mph, the music is there, but so are all the other noises.  With my Fulmer modular helmet, the helmet speakers are almost as good as wearing a nice pair of (ear muff) headphones...

Black Dog

[PhredValk]

Pipes don't make as much difference as wind noise and hat selection. I can hear the radio on the I/S at over 75 unless there's a strong crosswind with my shorty. In my 3/4 hi-way hat with visor it's muffled after 70 or so, but I can tell what tune is playing. I'm running Cobra 6x6 turnouts for pipes, which, I'm sure, are louder than cut and drilled piggies.
Good quality speakers and amp are essential, and make sure it's all waterproof!
Fred.

[Bob E.]

I used to have headphones, but after awhile, I'd get a headache from listening to them.  Plus, fussing with the wires and my helmet was a pain.  My dad has a Goldwing and I really like listening to the open speakers on that so I got a set of handlebar speakers and amp from www.motorcycletunes.com and like them alot.  They were reasonably priced (compared to Rumble Road) and customer service was great when I had to return the larger speakers for the smaller ones.  As much as I wanted to make those bigger speaker work, they were just too big to mount on the bars.  I use them connected to my ipod and had an XMRoady2 for awhile also.  As stated by others, sound quality suffers a bit at higher speeds.  I wear a full-face modular helmet (Symax II), usually with the shield up.  Up to 45-50mph the sound is great.  65-70mph, the sound starts to go downhill, but isn't too bad if you aren't around too much other traffic.  Out by yourself, there isn't as much noise so you can hear it.  The sound quality also depends on the music you listen to.  Songs with alot of bass suffer because the small speakers aren't able to handle it at the higher volumes you need to run.  But all-in-all, I am very happy with this system, especially given what I paid for it.

[bigvalkriefan]

I bought these http://www.uniqcycle.com/ a couple of years ago and they are fantastic. The speakers are larger than most but man they put out some sound. I have no trouble hearing them at 80 mph. You won't be disappointed.

[Hoser]

Ear buds will let you hear the music, the high priced ones also let in traffic  sounds. Have not had a problem. Hoser

[Chrisj CMA]

Ear buds will let you hear the music, the high priced ones also let in traffic  sounds. Have not had a problem. Hoser

In many states (FL is one)  Speakers installed in the helmet are legal...things in the ear are not!  Be careful out there

[Dag]

   1 for Sound of Chrome

[Dag]

ValkyrieNorway January 2009	powered by Aeva

I have moved the speakers to the handlebars.

[G-Man]

Maybe I did something wrong.  I purchased rumbleroad non-amplified speakers and paired them with a 100W amp mounted in one of the bags and ran my Ipod to the amp.  The speakers were mounted on the bars, inside the width of the windshield, and directed right up at my face.  Hated it!  Sounded good at 60mph and under but sucked at higher speads.  Went with ear buds and never looked back.  I usually only require tunes on a long ride anyway.  On short rides, I usually don't even think about tunes.

[Valkernaut]

Just MY opinion: headsets/helmet spkrs are good things. Try sitting on your porch out in the nice quiet countryside and listen to a nice quiet motorcycle go by with the sound system cranked up to distortion levels....long time ago it was just the posers that did this....

[Colin]

In many states (FL is one)  Speakers installed in the helmet are legal...things in the ear are not!  Be careful out there

Just a question does that mean someone who is deaf and wears hearing aids cannot ride in FL?

[Hoser]

Ear buds will let you hear the music, the high priced ones also let in traffic  sounds. Have not had a problem. Hoser

In many states (FL is one)  Speakers installed in the helmet are legal...things in the ear are not!  Be careful out there

Don't care, they can KMA!  hoser

[dabull]

Thanks guys for your input.  I liked what Valkernaut said about having everybody listen to what you listen to.  I despise these young punks riding around with their rap crap turned way up, so I guess I should not force others to tune into what I enjoy ie. country and classic rock.

With that in mind, helmet mounted speakers shall be what is in store for this ole dude.

[fudgie]

I got ones just like ChrisJ's, if they are cyclesounds. i like them. I have mine mounted up under my b'wing. Sometimes i have to turn them down they get loud. Depends on the songs to. Country songs the sound is low, rap or rock it can get loud. She can hear them but at interstate speeds its hit and miss. If you have something covering your ears you can hear them better. Almost to loud with my beanie on. Truck stacks and cut mufflers.

[Jay]

Check gooddeals18.com.  I got the 100w amp, waterproof speakers, wiring, etc. for $60.00  Made ss brackets to mount the speakers to the windsheild mounts.  Put the amp under the seat held down by the battery strap. Works good, sounds good, and like others have said souns varies with song/ speed.

[Psychotic Bovine]

Ear buds will let you hear the music, the high priced ones also let in traffic  sounds. Have not had a problem. Hoser

I use Shure E2C's.  not available anymore, but they had 22db of noise attenuation (much like ear plugs), and great fidelity.  Very comfortable to wear on even 12 hour riding days.
I use the mp3 capability of my Zumo for the music, used to use an ipod nano.

[Chattanooga Mark]

I wear a full face Arai helmet and use EdSets helmet speakers on my interstate.

All the best,

Mark

[big turkey]

Here's you a tune Dag.

Well OK Two.

From Big Al

kid rock & hank williams jr family tradition live cmt crossroads2	powered by Aeva

crazy motorcycle vid, stunts, crashes, good music and hard riding	powered by Aeva