Apple iPod

[Bandit12]

Since I'm getting tired of hearing myself sing (trust me you don't wanna hear ME sing) while riding and I don't own or have the urge to go buy a 'Wing or one of the bigger Harley's with the stereo, I'm considering getting an iPod to listen to. I found Apple has recently come out with a smaller more affordabe version called the Shuffle.

Clicky

According to Apple, it has a 1GB drive, holds about 240 songs, plays for about 12 hours, is rechargable thru the dock when connected to your computer and they include an on the road charger.

I'm wondering if this might be a good deal. Anybody have this or a similar set up? I usually wear earplugs while riding and I'm wondering if I get a set of helmet speakers if this will work ok to hear it over the bike, wind and road noise. Any and all opinions are welcome.


Thanks


Ray

[FD929]

Funny you should mention that. I was just looking at Apple's refurbished page and for 20 bucks more you could get a 2GB Nano with the same warranty as brand new. I don't have any experience with Apple's products so I can't comment on the volume level, but the chatterbox I used to use was wonderful on rides. Not that riding could be improved much, but it was nice to have on those boring stretches to and from the twisties.

[Bandit12]

Originally Posted by FD929

Funny you should mention that. I was just looking at Apple's refurbished page and for 20 bucks more you could get a 2GB Nano with the same warranty as brand new.

Thanks Ben, I'll might have to consider that too. I'm just not sure I want to go to a full blown iPod that can do all the movies and stuff. Just something to listen to music while I ride those straight boring sections, like across Sierra Valley on Hwy 70 from Beckwourth to Chilcoot.

I do have a question for you on the Chatterbox. Can that be used for other things as well, like a rider to passenger communicator, while you have the music function active?


Ray

[DavidO]

Ray,
My wife (pillion) has a shuffle that easily slips into her jacket front pocket. On short rides she'll wear the earbuds to improve the sound quality. I installed helmet speakers for long rides, but no matter how high the volume, it's just not enough at speed. So...I purchased this booster at BestBuy and it seems to work well. It takes 2 AA batteries that adds to your gear weight and bulk though.

As to rider/passenger communication, I'm happy with the non-verbal cues (going too fast-smack, too low in a corner-leg squeeze. My wife is paid to talk, and is very good at it at work and at home. My helmet is my safe haven.

[Bandit12]

Thanks for the response David. If I do end up getting a shuffle, I may have to get a booster as you suggest. Im considering getting a chatterbox for rider to passenger communication but my GF may be getting her own bike in the near future. I will still want the capability to talk to my passenger as I take my GF's daughters on frequent rides and would like to be able to tell them what is coming up ahead on the road. I would also like something I can adapt to an Motorola FRS radio as we already have a set of those, just don't have the VOX headsets for them. I know Chatterbox makes a set with the FRS radio, but they seem to be a bit pricey to me, especially since they only have a 2 mile range and I'm guessing thats line of sight. Get into some trwisties and your shot. The radios we currently have are 8 and 10 mile range (LOS) but seem to work relatively well even here in Quincy with all the trees.

Any suggestions?


Ray

[myhrdly]

I have the 2 gig Ipod Nano! Love it!!! I bought a set of cheap computer speakers and velcroed them to my dash and have a cord that attaches to the Ipod, which has a controler on it, that I velco to my handle bars! Boy that's confusing!! The Ipod then goes into my glove box. It works really well. I can cotrol everything from my handle bars and if I decide to ride with my full face helmet, I have speaker in it too!! I just hook the control wire to them insted!!!

Thanks for this thread. I forgot to charge the Ipod of the weekend and had no music on the way home today!!!! I left the Ipod at the house!!!

Kim

[noynrz]

Hi! Just one thought on the shuffle vs. the nano or other iPod. With the shuffle you don't have any control over the music you're listening to (well, I guess other than the fact that you loaded it yourself ) -- but what I mean to say is that with the nano or large storage iPods, you are able to set up playlists so that you can have different kinds of music depending on your mood, the ride, the situation, etc. With the shuffle, you get what you get and the only thing you can do is skip to the next randomly chosen song. May not be an issue for you -- but something to think about.

[Bandit12]

Originally Posted by myhrdly

I have the 2 gig Ipod Nano! Love it!!! I bought a set of cheap computer speakers and velcroed them to my dash and have a cord that attaches to the Ipod, which has a controler on it, that I velco to my handle bars! Boy that's confusing!! The Ipod then goes into my glove box. It works really well. I can cotrol everything from my handle bars and if I decide to ride with my full face helmet, I have speaker in it too!! I just hook the control wire to them insted!!!

Thanks for this thread. I forgot to charge the Ipod of the weekend and had no music on the way home today!!!! I left the Ipod at the house!!!

Kim

First off, you're welcome! I'm glad you have something you can listen too while riding, but I don't think the set up you have will work with my bike. I don't have a dash that I can velcro stuff too, and I don't have a glove box either. Saaaaaaaaaayyyyy.....are sure you're riding on two wheels? Seriously though, I'm thinking about the upcoming ride to Sopiago and would like to have something to listen to on the way there and back. If the iPod shuffle and booster box that David suggested works, then for about $100, I got tunes! I can work on bike to bike or rider to passenger comms later.


Ray

[Zrexmark]

I have an iPod that I love. It runs about 12 to 16 hours and I have music all day long. I use Sony earbuds purchased at Radio Shack. It was great having music on the trip to NH and most recently I did a Sunday ride through 4 states. Music all day, none of the monotonous selections from the radio, no repeats and no commercials.
A little warning though, at highway speeds on my unfaired bike I turn the volume pretty high to overcome the wind noise, aside from the damage its doing to my hearing it also makes hearing emergency vehicles impossible. I found this out on my trip. Going through a small town after being on some open road I hadn't turned the volume down. Had it not been for other vehicles stopping at an intersection with a green light I might have never seen the firetruck that came through. I don't recommend using any device with earbuds in city riding.

[VFR Pilot]

Originally Posted by Bandit12

I'm wondering if this might be a good deal. Anybody have this or a similar set up? I usually wear earplugs while riding and I'm wondering if I get a set of helmet speakers if this will work ok to hear it over the bike, wind and road noise. Any and all opinions are welcome.

Ray I've been using an apple Ipod mini and just run it through the headset for my Chatterbox FSR X2, and it works good but can be a little hard to hear when your on the slab at speed, mostly wind related.