Another Bluetooth BMW discussion....I know....GREAT!!!??

[James L.]

Ok, first let me explain who I am, and why I'm asking the question.

 

I the new virgin BMW owner. Well, actually soon to be owner. I fly to Denver on Tuesday to pick up the bike and drive it home. Yeah, great way to get acquainted with a bike, purchase it, then ride it a thousand miles. You know you are loving the idea......Lets just say I couldn't pass on the price.....it was a great deal.

 

I'm not a riding virgin (riding 27 years), just have never owned a BMW. I do my own maintenance. Not because I'm poor, but because I trust few people. I trust mechanics even less.

 

I'm purchasing a used 2011 BMW R1200RT from it's owner. I want to use the Cardo Scala Packtalk duos with the bike, and I'm wondering if I can get full functionality with those and the bike. I know the BMW is proprietary with the BT system, but I have heard if your headsets can share the music/media, it is possible to have full functionality with the RT.

 

The list of things I would like to have:

 

two up comm with my rider (also pack talk when in a group)

 

Radio/music sharing in both helmets

 

GPS announcements (don't know which Zuma the bike has)

 

Phone (iphone 5) capabilities

 

 

I have searched on the forum, but most of the thread are a couple of years old, and technology has changed.

 

I do not want opinions per se, I rather have someone who is doing it, and knows what limitations are associated with what I'm trying to do.

 

If you have an opinion on the Cardo, I will like to hear that as well, but please stick to the packtalk units.

 

Thanks,

 

James L

 

[realshelby]

Unless Cardo or others have brought out new tech, then Sena bluetooth headsets are the only way to go for group talk on a bike. They handle rider to passenger well. But know that BMW will not allow your passenger to hear what you hear from the bike unless you go with the Schuberth system. I think the Sena will allow you to get radio/music from a single I-phone ( both rider/passenger bluetooth connected to it ) but NOT through the BMW bike system.

 

So, the Schuberth is the only one that allows two headsets to pair with the BMW bike system. Which would give you music/radio and rider passenger intercom. But very limited group intercom ( they would all have to run Schuberth systems too).

Sena will not allow both of you to listen to the bikes music/radio/gps, but you will have rider passenger intercom and the Sena units will interface with other brands of bluetooth headsets for easy group intercom.

About anything should interface with your Iphone, my Sena units do that easily.

[JustKrusen]

Cardo Packtalk IS new technology. Look it up and read about it. I was just on a 3000 mile ride with 3 of my friends. DMC mode is awesome. Members of the group can come and go as they please. Any rider can leave and not break up the group. When they come back, even a week later they connect with the pack automatically. Range with 4 riders spread out to about 2 miles and all could talk and hear perfectly. Creating a group (called a Pack) is simple. Up to 15 can be in a pack.

 

Pairing to other riders is simple. Get the quick cheat sheet from the Revzilla web site.

 

I'm still new to bluetooth. I had the Packtalk paired to the IPhone. Phone to the Nav V. That's how I left and used it. Worked great for the group communication and phone calls. Crystal clear at 80 mph. I do not want my gps talking to me so I left that out. I did have the bike paired to the Packtalk but it cause a problem with my phone calls so I removed it. It was probably a problem with my pairing but I have music through my phone if I wanted it. Don't listen to it much on when I ride anyway.

 

Overall the 4 of us highly recommend the Packtalk.

 

And it is totally WATERPROOF and well tested through the monsoon on our ride.

 

[James L.]

Cardo Packtalk IS new technology. Look it up and read about it. I was just on a 3000 mile ride with 3 of my friends. DMC mode is awesome. Members of the group can come and go as they please. Any rider can leave and not break up the group. When they come back, even a week later they connect with the pack automatically. Range with 4 riders spread out to about 2 miles and all could talk and hear perfectly. Creating a group (called a Pack) is simple. Up to 15 can be in a pack.

 

Pairing to other riders is simple. Get the quick cheat sheet from the Revzilla web site.

 

I'm still new to bluetooth. I had the Packtalk paired to the IPhone. Phone to the Nav V. That's how I left and used it. Worked great for the group communication and phone calls. Crystal clear at 80 mph. I do not want my gps talking to me so I left that out. I did have the bike paired to the Packtalk but it cause a problem with my phone calls so I removed it. It was probably a problem with my pairing but I have music through my phone if I wanted it. Don't listen to it much on when I ride anyway.

 

Overall the 4 of us highly recommend the Packtalk.

 

And it is totally WATERPROOF and well tested through the monsoon on our ride.

 

Thanks,

 

Your praise is helpful.

 

James L

[Sonor]

Welcome to the BMW fold James L. - I think you will really like the bike you are getting. I do hope they have switched out the saddle - stock seats, well, leave a bit to be desired.

 

So you got questions about oil yea? {KIDDING}

 

 

[hopz]

James L...

 

Welcome on board again... (I met you a few minutes ago up on the opening forum page.)

 

But I need to jump in here and mention something important... You have several answers before this one that are all accurate and potentially helpful... IF you have the same model year bike as the person who is trying to help you.

 

Your bike is a 2011. Some of the replies above are for the latest generation "Wetheads". Your bike is in a family known as "Camheads". I won't go into the reason why now... but its important to tell what bike you are talking about.

 

The GPS you mention is a zumo, not a zuma.

 

The best place on the web to get info on the zumo is at the "zumo forums site.

 

www.zumoforums.com/

 

I was the original Moderator over there but have since dropped out since I no longer have the zumo 550. which was the original model... (loved that device)...

 

and congratulations on the bike purchase. I live in Colorado Springs which is a about 50 miles south of Denver. Obviously I do not know your path of travel as you return home, but if you are headed south on I-25 and need assistance give me a shout. 801-631-3110.

 

hopz... a.k.a. Bob

[JustKrusen]

Cardo Packtalk video links.

 

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/cardo-packtalk-headset?gclid=CPThgIjWgM8CFYgmhgodzWsBDw

 

[markgoodrich]

Well, I'll muddy the waters. I have a '12 K1600GT. Has the OEM stereo and the "wonder wheel." If your bike doesn't have the wonder wheel, you can quit reading.

 

I have a Sena Duo setup, but imagine the Cardo would function in a similar manner. I can control volume and music source with the bike's wonder wheel and the stereo source button. The factory GPS is linked to the Sena, too. So is my phone. And the radar detector. I honestly don't know if the GPS is directly connected via BT or is run through the bike's onboard stereo system.

 

Here's how it's hooked together:

 

Sena SM10 (BT dongle), hard wired to the bike's right hand cubby, where the connection for a 5mm plug is located (originally it was a factory setup for iphones, I think). The SM10 is mounted to the right speaker grill with Velcro.

 

Radar detector is wired into the SM10 (depending on brand you'll likely need a mono to stereo adapter)

 

Phone is connected to the SM10 via the headphone jack. (Note that in that right hand cubby there is a USB port; I've run a USB cable up to the phone, so I can keep it charged).

 

The SM10 is connected to the Sena via BT.

 

Both units can hear the phone, stereo, radar, but I believe only I can hear the GPS...can't remember.

 

It all works fine. After years of fighting Autocom and another brand, it's a relief to not always be trying to get a comms system to work. I don't know about talking to other bikes, as I've never done that, nor do I want to.

 

It would be nice to be able to have the phone music pause, skip a song, etc, with the wonder wheel, but that's not possible with my setup. I just put a big playlist on shuffle and off we go.

 

Oh, there's another widget under the seat, connected to the stereo outputs, which allows me to switch the speakers off; that may also be required to allow the music to flow to the SM10, I can't remember.

 

Mud.