I'm looking for a way to keep in touch with the mrs when riding our bikes. We are riding dual sport bikes, so there is not alot of room like a cruiser would offer for mounting big gear to. I don't really want to get stuck with a lot of extra weight just to keep tabs on one another either, so something compact is preferred.

Criteria for our needs are:

1. must be weatherproof. I may end up mounting a set of pelican watertight boxes on the bike racks to mount the equipment in, but I think a handheld radio would be best for our needs. Less items left hard mounted to the bike, the better. I can alwas put a handheld in a jacket pocket when dealing with theft risks while on errands/shopping trips.

2. I'm hoping to find something with self contained power. Maybe a 12 volt external power port in the event of a dead battery.

3. have provisions for external mic and headset

4. be user friendly, my son is still too young to ride by himself, but I want something we can add a radio set to his bike in a few more years.

I am NOT impressed with the HJC Chatterbox and related comm sets. I've had them in the past, the range is poor off road, and interference was a common issue. My Chatterbox system was a mid 90's era model, maybe things have changed, but I'm not excited about the motorcycle market price tag they usually come with. I'd rather have a multi use system that can be utilized without head set mics, possibly a marine radio that has CB incorporated, since we primarily are riding around lake areas and would like something for our canoe or the pontoon boats we rent on camping trips.

I do NOT want internal batteries that are not replaceable. some form of quick release battery or even AA batteries will be ideal.

I figured if anyone on the forum would have ideas to meet these preferences, the AM radio group would. If you have recommendation for a difference section of the forum to post in, I'll move the topic there.

Dave, I highly recommend the MTF (Motorcycle Tourers Forum). They have a folder on Communications & Gadgets and you can browse the older posts. If you post your requirements, you'll get input from a great group of folks. I've been a member there for years.

Thank you Donna, I will give their forum a try. Your post a while back about newenough.com has been a great source for bike gear. The DW has been picking up closeout gear about every week since, not sure if it's good or bad when we check the bank account lately, but she sure looks good in all the new gear :P

Dave I'd get a set of fmrs units with an ear bud and set them on VOX and they would talk without pushing a button. Mine have a couple different sensitivity settings so they don't talk when you ain't talking.

James,

I've tried 4 different model FMRS radios with VOX. The problem is my DR650 is a dual sport bike with just the right exhaust tone that hands free ends up tranmitting none stop into the DW's earpiece when I'm over 30 mph. (Not something she appreciates)

There are a few headsets I'm looking at with handlebar mounted PTT buttons, which is where we're hoping to go for a solution.

PTT would be real good if you can configure it safely.

Safety is the primary reason we want comm sets to start with
Most of the PTT systems that I've considered are thumb button operated, safety is the biggest reason I'm looking at them. I don't like distracting static coming through the headsets on voice activation.

I would go with FRS, or GMRS if you want to get a license. Range is limtited but they are cheap, you can get them in a water resistant type, and most use cheap AA cells for power. Weather Proof I think you will find is too expensive for your tastes.
For a bike I would really consider something that has a VOX available. At least your hands are still on the bikes for full control.
That's a voice operated transmitter that will transmit when you talk.
CB is OK but more money for the most part and if you just ham it's better equipment but you are going to have to get a tech class license to operate the VHF/UHF handis. That is easy to get today however. Costs start there around $100 per unit.
If you want info on that let me know.
Now, if the bikes are really loud that could be a problem for you with VOX depending on the sensitivity of the mike or circuit.