I liked my Cardo Scala Q2 bluetooth headsets but could never get the volume loud enough with external speakers. I also had a terrible time getting the auxiliary volume up to a reasonable level, because the 3.5mm jack in the dock wasn’t powered by the headset like the other channels were.

I started researching headphone amplifiers, and found that the products quickly fell into two camps: gimongous amplifiers powered by AC power / more batteries than a North Korean bathtub submarine or tiny portable amplifiers that offered less power but more portability. Adding to the decision making problem was the scarcity of information on the Internet, and/or that the best smaller amps cost almost as much as I paid for the Scalas in the first place.

My memory is fuzzy at this point, but I jumped on eBay trying to find a less-expensive source for one of the more popular amps on ADVrider.com when I stumbled up on the FiiO headphone amplifier. I am pretty sure I was reading about the previous generation that ran off of two AA batteries.

I put in an order from a (extremely reputable, I’m sure) seller in Hong Kong and waited for the awesome power to arrive.
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I wrote about the Scala Rider Q2 bluetooth motorcycle communication system almost a month ago. I liked the ability to talk to another person on the bike, place a mobile phone call if I was stuck in traffic, or listen to music.

However, there was a major problem: the speakers that come with the Q2 suck, and I couldn’t hear much over 40MPH with my earplugs in.

I read about soldering a headphone jack connector to the Q2 unit and using and inner-ear earphones headset to eliminate wind noise. I started researching what earphones would be the next best thing to wearing my Howard Leight earplugs. Whatever I purchased needed to live up to a tall task:

1. Provide acceptable protection against the ear-damaging sound associated with motorcycling.
2. Be comfortable in my ears for a long period of time.
3. Provide acceptable sound quality for my Scala Q2.

My research on motorcycle forums like Sportbikes.net, ADVrider.com and sport touring forums, I decided on the Etymotic Research ER6i earphones. They have quite a following from motorcyclists. The manufacturer claims up to 36dB in noise reduction, which would make them more effective than my old foam standbys. At $75 shipped from Amazon it was a lot to pay on top of the Q2 set, but without better sound my bluetooth headset would be useless.

I bit. Would the ER6i earphones do their job as advertised?
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You encounter (or perhaps create) all sorts of new challenges when you ride a motorcycle more than you drive a car. There are obvious ones: dealing with rain by obtaining waterproof gear; adding a topcase and panniers for luggage capacity. But there are some creature comforts that you take for granted in a car that you don’t have on a bike. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to talk to someone you’re traveling with, and sometimes it’s nice to listen to something other than wind noise.

I tried using my old BMW K1200LTE’s onboard intercom and radio to solve these problems, but the concept of a wired headset seemed problematic. Furthermore, the “compatible” headsets I purchased were not, and I wasn’t interested in spending $260 for a pair of the approved BMW headsets. I wound up selling the KT1200LTE anyway, and I put my comm search on hold.

That is, until I found out about the Scala Cardo Q2 Bluetooth motorcycle intercom. They were wireless, had a built-in FM tuner, an AUX jack for an MP3 player / satellite radio, and a range of up to 500′. This meant that I could talk with my passenger, or perhaps another riding buddy. I am really glad I didn’t spring for those wired headsets now.

Would the Cardo Scala Q2 headset meet my expectations? Unfortunately there’s still a long way to go to make these live up to the hype.
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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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