Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I'm getting my first bike (2006 Honda Shadow Spirit) in 2 days. Anyone here know if I can hook up some kind of music or radio system on it.
I am "technically challenged" and don't even know how to work an Ipod so any suggestions would be appreciated.
My hubby is the avid rider (2008 KTM Super Duke) in the family and is not into the listening to music while riding, so he's not been much help here.
Thanks,
Ellen2

Welcome to TMW!!!!

The obligatory for new bikers... Did you take the MSF course, tell your mother you are going to ride a motorcycle, etc, etc...

Personally, I don't ride with a radio of any sort, cell phone or inter-vehicle communication system. I've got about 1 years experience riding, almost 6,000 miles and I still consider myself a beginner, maybe even a noob.

So, I don't listen to music while riding yet. But I do know that some riders on this site do listen to music and I think even one person on this site makes speakers that fit in helmets.

Personally, I'll head toward getting a inter-vehicle communication system or blue-tooth com for my phone and figuring out how to get my cell phone mounted and re-charging from my bikes battery.

I get hyper driving my car with music, I'd probably kill myself with music on a bike.

Good Luck!

RhadamYgg

Yep, got my parents permission about 25 years ago, I took the safety riders course then, too. I even got my kids approval on this purchase.
I've been riding my hubbys bikes off and on since then and riding a scooter last year (boring).
I just can't stand to ride any distance without hearing music and I can only sing the same song to myself so many times. Maybe I've got a bit of ADD in my head, I don't know.

So any help with equipment purchase and hookup info for my bike would be appreciated! Thanks!!

I can say I recommend against headphones connected to anything. They isolate too much of your hearing and personally I have too much trouble getting my full face helmet on without messing up my squishy ear plugs - even less hard earphones.

I do know that some bikers do that with no problem.

Speakers like these would be what I would lean towards.

I'd work with an ipod or similar MP3 device with any speakers with a standard connector. The neat thing with these devices are the playlists you can make, plus the fact that you can advance to the next song fairly easily and there should be a few different options for you to mount the device if you need to.

Some more examples
http://www.bikeintercom.com/products/he ... akers.html
http://www.motorcyclespeakers.net/shop/category_28.htm

As far as not knowing how the iPod works and iTunes - that isn't such a big deal as long as you have a computer, internet connection and lots of Music CDs. You probably have all three.

For itunes - go to apple.com - click on ipod + iTunes button and then click on then click on Download itunes.

It will more than likely prompt you to create an account and stuff like that. then start putting in your music CDs and it'll rip them to apple music format and if you have an iPOD you can synchronize it to your iPOD.

Then you can start creating playlists. I tend to like the iPod Nano compared to the larger models - I think this would go for the motorcycle riding as well as other uses.

I haven't tried these kinds of solutions, but I will say this - every once in a while without speakers in my helmet my ear gets bent down and it hurts! I can only imagine this would happen more with speakers in that area of the helmet. But then again, I'm one of those people with really rigid ears.

RhadamYgg

You have two options really

1.) Bike mounted speakers
2.) Helmet mounted speakers.

I've been using helmet mounted speakers for years and I've had no experience where I couldn't pick up on hearing my surroundings using them. Thus far no issues commuting around the DC metro area where I assure you, everything happens.... twice

Right now autocomm is running a sale on their in helmet speaker systems that also allow phone hookups. Either choice though isn't too hard to install.

Thanks for the welcome and the info!
I didn't even know companies made the helmet speakers. Technology is amazing, huh?
I saw a lady on a Honda Shadow the other nite at a convenience store & there was music coming from her bike. I should have went over and introduced myself and asked questions then.
Do ya'll know if there is some kind of Ipod docking station that can be added to a Shadow where I can have external speakers?

I don't know about any docking stations, but I'm sure any DC powered doc with speakers could be made to work with a motorcycle batter/electric system assuming the bikes got the extra wattage in the system to run it.

However; my understanding is that with the exception of some Honda Gold Wing speakers and maybe certain HD touring bikes - speakers aren't particularly useful.

You have to compete with a lot of other noise sources and then expose your ears to high decibel sound in order to hear it.

RhadamYgg

thanks for the info!

I love those Katoooom SDs!

I use earbuds connected to an ipod.

Earbuds do 2 things that are positive in my opinion anyways that is;

Provide awesome acoustics straight into where ya need it

And

Keeps out that nasty cyclonic wind noise ya get inside ya helmet that is responsible for destroying a lot of motorcyclists hearing.


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I use earbuds similar to below

http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/ho ... treet-line










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