iMoto (app) Bluetooth interphone

[AngelFZ]

Has anybody used this yet?

My riding buddies do not have iPhones.

Indeed we would like to get an interphone system, pretty convenient for any rides, we know each device will be around a couple hundred dollars. Appart from the inconvenience of the headset (which I have not even considered using on the bike with my helmet) only $0.99 could do the trick!!!!

iMoto

 

[Motogiro]

First I'd have to say that There will probably be a good deal of limit with regard to range of the bluetooth devices. I'm not convinced you would have a viable communication system, bike to bike unless you're really close to each other, too close! I use a Chatterbox GMRS X-1. It has a two way radio transceiver which utilizes the GMRS radio service here in the U.S. I don't know about other countries. It also has bluetooth for my phone, MP3/ GPS and other bluetooth equipped devices. It also has an audio and aux. input plug as well as Push to Talk plug and remote switch. This device incorporated with others that use similar radios on GMRS has saved butt and tickets a few times on rides. I feel naked with out it.

At the end of this video clip you can hear me yell "Riders Down",a couple of times. There were riders coming up behind us around the bend at a good speed and things could have gotten a lot worse. Also riders in the group that were ahead and didn't know some of our group member went down heard the call and came back to assist. We has one member that was pretty busted up and you can see him as the first object on my left in the guard rail.

YouTube - nccoder's Channel

Another time a rider went down on a blind turn and I was the next bike in the turn but heard, "Rider Down" and I aborted, shutting it down just in time cuz it was a bike right in front of me that offed in that turn.
The Chatter boxes are pricey but can you put a price on communications on these rides? It's part of my ATGATT!

 

[AngelFZ]

Range: big concern. They state "20m" (meters)

Mainly I think it is more intended to rider to passenger use.

I remember your video, as I hope your friends are doing better now.

Regarding the Chatterbox, since it uses GMRS for intercom, you can really "multicast" and the range would be around one mile?

Now from some information I've been reading Motorcycle Intercoms - Radios - GPS - webBikeWorld

the newest models using Bluetooth intercom:
Sena SMH10 & Scala Rider G4 only offer "limited" intercom capabilities, as the Sena allows 2 Full-Duplex communication and you can have up to four Sena devices paired, so you select who you want to talk to. Now, for the G4, you could have 3 Full-Duplex communication.

I'm in the process of deciding which units to buy, since we'll get three units, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Motogiro]

Range: big concern. They state "20m" (meters)

Mainly I think it is more intended to rider to passenger use.

I remember your video, as I hope your friends are doing better now.

Regarding the Chatterbox, since it uses GMRS for intercom, you can really "multicast" and the range would be around one mile?

Now from some information I've been reading Motorcycle Intercoms - Radios - GPS - webBikeWorld

the newest models using Bluetooth intercom:
Sena SMH10 & Scala Rider G4 only offer "limited" intercom capabilities, as the Sena allows 2 Full-Duplex communication and you can have up to four Sena devices paired, so you select who you want to talk to. Now, for the G4, you could have 3 Full-Duplex communication.

I'm in the process of deciding which units to buy, since we'll get three units, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Yes, I think the Bluetooth units are really aimed at 2-up riders. The GMRS radios I have are also 22 channel and have 38 Sub Groups of discretion, so that you only have communications with say, people on Channel 5 and group 21. This means you can have the radio on with no interference from someone on Channel 5 that is not in Group 21. It works really well but again you have to have folks participate. Here in SoCal we ride year round and we're out in the sticks, deserts and mountains, so if you belong to a regular riding group you probably have a radio.
Again my model is not cheap but can you really put a price on the advantages?

My unit mounts to my helmet but you can get the extension wire and put the unit in a tank bag.

Edit: Another cool thing with the GMRS is you can purchase cheaper Hand held /Walkie Talkies and communicate via your Chatterbox with family/friends in their cars. A lot of times we use these when we're out with multiple vehicles on an outing so even with no cell phones we have short, Car to Car communications.

 

[AngelFZ]

Yes, I think the Bluetooth units are really aimed at 2-up riders. The GMRS radios I have are also 22 channel and have 38 Sub Groups of discretion, so that you only have communications with say, people on Channel 5 and group 21. This means you can have the radio on with no interference from someone on Channel 5 that is not in Group 21. It works really well but again you have to have folks participate. Here in SoCal we ride year round and we're out in the sticks, deserts and mountains, so if you belong to a regular riding group you probably have a radio.
Again my model is not cheap but can you really put a price on the advantages?

My unit mounts to my helmet but you can get the extension wire and put the unit in a tank bag.

Edit: Another cool thing with the GMRS is you can purchase cheaper Hand held /Walkie Talkies and communicate via your Chatterbox with family/friends in their cars. A lot of times we use these when we're out with multiple vehicles on an outing so even with no cell phones we have short, Car to Car communications.

Thank you very much, this is very good to know since I do have a couple of those hand held radios but so far, when we go out riding, we're all on the bikes.

I do not belong to any regular riding club, I'm pretty new to this and I've been riding with two friends. Something that I can tell you is if we decide on buying something that would not be "easy" to use (at least for one of my friend's standards!!!) I would never hear the end of it!!!!!

 

[Motogiro]

Thank you very much, this is very good to know since I do have a couple of those hand held radios but so far, when we go out riding, we're all on the bikes.

I do not belong to any regular riding club, I'm pretty new to this and I've been riding with two friends. Something that I can tell you is if we decide on buying something that would not be "easy" to use (at least for one of my friend's standards!!!) I would never hear the end of it!!!!!

I also don't ride with any specific riding club but I do ride with sportbike groups in the canyons, mountains and desert.

The Chatterbox is very easy to use and although we never use it, it has VOX control which means you can set the unit to transmit/send a transmission when you speak. In most cases you never use this feature because of wind noise in the helmet. We just use the button on the unit or the button on your bars. It comes with an extension wire and button that mounts to your bar with a Velcro strap. Also battery life is great! I've used it for two riding days and it didn't bottom out.
The package comes with a very good quality headset that mounts inside your helmet. That includes the microphone.

The unit also has clip so the unit easily come off the helmet for when you don't want it and helmet storage etc.

Google Image Result for http://image.motorcyclecruiser.com/f/images/9076708+w200/crup_0710_05_z+communication_systems+yellow_helmet_receiver.jpg

 

[AngelFZ]

Thanks a lot. Very good information that I'm forwarding to my friends. Thanks for the picture too.

It would be really nice if you can go to a store and "rent" any of these units for a day/week/month so you can really tell what works for you and what not.

As it is normally the case, many devices will keep on piling up new features that for some are useless, for others thatmight just be the deciding point.