I was supposed to go visit my family up in Syracuse, NY this weekend. I was going to ride Raider up there and then putter around with my stepfather. I quickly encountered two monkey wrenches.

1) The bike my dad owned does not have a state inspection. Neither does Raider, but he won’t ride without a 100% legal bike. So a paired ride is out of the picture.

2) It is supposed to rain the entire time I am there. The thing about Syracuse is that the temperature could drop at any time. I’d go from rain to snow in a hurry. Who wants to be caught in that?

So, tell me what you’d choose:
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With the American economy in a supposed state of free-fall, I’m trying to limit myself to one stupid purchase per pay period. Yeah, I know, challenge, but let’s assume I stay strong and abide by it.

This pay period’s contenders:

Tour Master Synergy heated jacket
About $200
I ride just about year ’round, and I may be going up to New York state later this month. It’s already in the 30 - 50 degree range up there, and my mother said they’ve had their first “big” frost this year. That means it’s already colder than most days here in Virginia.

The Synergy jacket (with adapter, about $12) will plug right into the auxiliary outlet on my BMW R1150R. I won’t have to do any wiring, and the jacket gets great reviews on sites like Web Bike World (see their review of the Synergy heated vest).

Cardo Scala Q2 Multiset Bluetooth motorcycle headset
About $300
Most times I ride alone, but some times I ride 2UP (with passenger), or with a buddy, like Donut. For times when I am riding with others, it would be nice to be able to communicate with them aside from frantically pinwheeling my arms at 80MPH. I could listen to music, get directions from a GPS, or make a mobile phone call without removing my helmet when riding solo.

The Cardo Scala Q2 Multiset has a pair of these guys in it, and features incremental improvements over the Q2 headset available singly. The Multiset version has a direct jack for an audio device and a longer microphone boom. The former allows for easier connectivity, the latter allows for better mic positioning.

So, what would you buy if you were in my shoes? Staying warm, or staying connected? Keep in mind I have a very capable winter riding jacket (Rev’It Cayenne Pro), the heated jacket would be used for extended rides in lower temperatures.

There’s a lot I like about Raptor, my 2002 BMW K1200 LT motorcycle. I like the heated grips, the electric windshield, and the cruise control. One thing I don’t like about it is how expensive all the accessories are. To get replacement helmet speakers and a microphone is about $300 per helmet. I don’t ride 2UP on Raptor enough to justify spending $600 on something just for that one bike.

The IMC BHS10 headset system seemed very attractive to me because it was inexpensive. At just $65 per set, I felt comfortable giving them a try. I didn’t expect them to be of elite quality, but I am also no stranger to paying less and getting more. I just wanted to be able to talk to Starbuck on longer trips, and to hear directions from my GPS unit.

However, I was apprehensive that there would be a compatibility problem with the IMC headset and my stock BMW/J&G CommSystem. I emailed the customer service department at Whitehorse Gear via their Web site and got a response two business days later. I wasn’t happy with that long of a turn-around, especially on a pre-sales question, but sometimes these specialty places are only manned by one or two employees.

I specifically asked if the system was compatible with my setup, and “Dean” replied, “In both cases you will get the speakers, microphone, and a coil cable with the six-pin plug to fit into your LT. Mount the headset in the helmet, plug in, and you are good to go.”

I placed my order immediately and waited for it to arrive.
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