Who's still using GMRS Bike-to-Bike?

[FlyingFinn]

Back when I lived in Arizona and rode together with some of the folks over there, the Autocom + GMRS radio for bike-to-bike communications was what all the cool kids were using.

I have multiple such setups stashed away in the garage, but I haven't used any of it in a long while. I guess I just haven't done much group riding.

 

But since those days, many have moved to BT intercoms that generally don't work with other competing systems, and even in best case have a very short range.

 

Are any of you guys still using the GMRS radios for bike-to-bike communication?

 

This is relevant because I just installed a new GPS on my bike and I'm in the process of getting all the stuff ready for this riding season. And I'm wondering should I even bother to add the GMRS radio onto the new bike.

 

Mikko

[johnlt]

Hi Mikko. I still use it. Sometime I switch to CB depending on who I'm riding with. It uses the same set up so I typically bring both. Ted still rides his GW which is only CB. Works fine. the advertised 5 mile range on both is BS. More like under a mile.

[elkroeger]

me and the wife are still using the autocom with gmrs. We mostly just putz around, and leave the comm units at home. but that's what we have. As long as it still works, I don't see any reason to upgrade. We don't generally go on group rides and talk to anyone else, so we'd probably be happy (sort of) with CBs, if that's what we had.

 

The main question is who are you riding with, and what are they using? And of course - do you even want/need to talk to them that much?

[roadriderg]

I was using gmrs with my autocom system but have been forced into cb by many goldwings entering the group. I now run my j&m cb thru my autocom and interfaced with the bmw r1200rt audio system. Not simple but works great!

[chrisolson]

Yep, still with GMRS although I do have the option of BT with the new Sena 10R. But the GMRS, to me, is way more reliable, definitely longer range and a lot less fuss not having to 'pair' with specific folks.

[Bill_Walker]

I still have my Autocom/GMRS/FRS system, but for the last couple of years, I haven't had anybody else to talk to with it at BMWST events. I got a new helmet last year and haven't bothered to move the mic over.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I still have my Autocom/GMRS/FRS system, but for the last couple of years, I haven't had anybody else to talk to with it at BMWST events.

 

Same here.

[FlyingFinn]

Well, I'm going to test my system and install for the UN.

Looking forward talk to as many of you as possible, face to face and over the GMRS radio.

 

73's,

 

Mikko

[chrisolson]

I still have my Autocom/GMRS/FRS system, but for the last couple of years, I haven't had anybody else to talk to with it at BMWST events.

Same here.

Well, actually, me too. I didn't (and still don't) understand the demise of radio bike-to-bike as I found it one of the handiest additions to motorcycling I'd encountered after returning to riding.

[FlyingFinn]

I didn't (and still don't) understand the demise of radio bike-to-bike as I found it one of the handiest additions to motorcycling I'd encountered after returning to riding.

 

Yup. It adds so much to the riding to be able to talk along the way with the riding buddies.

It's really fun but it's also a safety "feature", allowing the rider in the lead to tell other what's ahead. (especially useful if the lead rider has a good radar detector )

 

I can still vividly remember the "Watch out!! There's cow middle of the road!!" calls during the trips to Copper Canyon with JohnLT & Co.

 

 

[Twisties]

We have ours off the bikes. It was just too unreliable and too much maintenance. Life is simpler now.

[FlyingFinn]

I'm all excited to get to use the bike-to-bike again.

After it's once setup and installed well, I've found it all to work quite reliably.

 

Biggest hassle has been installing the helmet speakers.

The get good volume, so that one can wear earplugs for wind noise, without the speakers pressing on the ear the hard part.

 

BTW, if anyone needs any Autocom parts, cables and such, to make their setups work, I have a huge stash of cables and adapters. Mostly new and unused.

 

Mikko

[chrisolson]

Still using channel 2 ?

[John Bentall]

Everyone in my group (in the UK) moved over to incompatible BT systems years ago. There is no tradition of CB here, so no real tradition of bike-to-bike.

Also folks found the Vox-operated systems difficult to set up so we had lots of open-mike hissy broadcasting, which stopped anyone else talking.

The one-way radio was not great.

 

I rode my new-to-me RT for over half a day to reach an ex-Autocom employee, who still does installations. He now sells Interphone BT as well as Autocom systems and I had an open checkbook. He asked me whether I minded the wires to the helmet. after replying that I was used to them after almost 20 years, He advised to install the old system to the newer bike.

 

You may well ask why he sells Interphone and not Sena. The answer is that he could not get on with the Sena importer in the UK.

[chrisolson]

Everyone in my group (in the UK) moved over to incompatible BT systems years ago. ...

Also folks found the Vox-operated systems difficult to set up so we had lots of open-mike hissy broadcasting, which stopped anyone else talking.

It is possible to integrate a 'push to talk' GMRS radio (and even a radar detector) with Sena BT. Works fine. No wires to helmet.