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Annoying gear

Cornfish said:
I try to keep it as simple as possible. My phone stays in my pocket, and I have a Garmin Zumo XT2 mounted on the center of my handlebars. No coms, no video, just foam earplugs and me hooning around. I've learned to really, really evaluate whether a gadget will be helpful or if I am just drawn to the shiny object. Because I am like a crow, I am ALWAYS drawn to the shiny object!
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I know, and so glad I got professional help around my mid-1980s Porsche dependency. :]
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The constant wind noise on a bike is what ruins it for me. And the high volume levels that are also required. If I’m going to listen to music, I’m going to do it at home or in my car. Listening on a bike is just more noise which I don’t need.
 
Music while skiing works. But it can still be distracting and cause accidents.
 
If I'm on the bike, I'm listening to music. During my commute days, I found that without music, my mind would wander and I would start thinking about, work, family and other distractions. With the music playing quietly in the background, I stay focused. I have a Garmin Zumo XT for navigation and a radar detector to keep me from getting performance awards. The radar LED alerter is mounted on top of the GPS directly in my line of sight and the voltmeter is directly under the GPS. The heated jacket control is mounted to the top of the clutch reservoir and the aux light switch is mounted on the top of the R/H fairing. The mag compass is mounted to the right of the instrument cluster. Needless to say, I like my gadgets.
 
i've started to enjoy the exercise of practicing mindfulness. staying present in the now is easier said than done, but has powerful effects. audio to remind / direct / distract the mind to stay present is a good idea. i personally would not want to listen to an audiobook or have a conversation while riding, especially if riding unfamiliar roads.
 
dravnx said:
If I'm on the bike, I'm listening to music. During my commute days, I found that without music, my mind would wander and I would start thinking about, work, family and other distractions. With the music playing quietly in the background, I stay focused. I have a Garmin Zumo XT for navigation and a radar detector to keep me from getting performance awards. The radar LED alerter is mounted on top of the GPS directly in my line of sight and the voltmeter is directly under the GPS. The heated jacket control is mounted to the top of the clutch reservoir and the aux light switch is mounted on the top of the R/H fairing. The mag compass is mounted to the right of the instrument cluster. Needless to say, I like my gadgets.
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I'm in this camp, and streaming with Pandora or Spotify is great.
Ive got like 12 custom "channels, so Reggae, Motown, Blues, R&B, Willie Nelson and 60s/70s Stones etc.

The thing with wind.
I always wear noise reduction plugs like Hearos, and have the large JBL speakers in my lid .or a good pair of wired ear buds stuffed into my head.
That method pretty much not possible on the Bonneville or KTM. because the Bonneville is windy, the KTM is windy and has a loud ,.obnoxious exhaust note.
So I don't bother on those bikes..
But a longer blast to Fort Bragg , Quincy .
..music!
 
I used to ride a Honda ST1100 with a Clearview windscreen. It was so calm I could have smoked a cigarette while I was riding. But I still found the environment on a motorcycle too noisy to listen to music. And I wasn’t willing to turn the volume up and destroy my hearing that way.
 
No music for me. Tried it. Hard hell no.

So…. I make my own :teeth

Na nana nana na…..

I love music. It will affect my concentration/ ride and I want to stay all in while on my asphalt adventures.
 
On long distance rides, GPS via Sena in helmet. FM radio comes with the system & can be invaluable for weather alerts.

On a stretch thru Pennsylvania, had to stop and consult map. Tornado in BFE County? Where is that and where am I?

Without the alert, might have wound up in Kansas with Dorothy!
 
BillSmith said:
On long distance rides, GPS via Sena in helmet. FM radio comes with the system & can be invaluable for weather alerts.

On a stretch thru Pennsylvania, had to stop and consult map. Tornado in BFE County? Where is that and where am I?

Without the alert, might have wound up in Kansas with Dorothy!
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Tornados are no fun.
Was chased across Eastern Colorado prairieland by huge wedge shaped monster.

No thank you!
 
Wow. And I'm getting a new one ripped about just counting gears in the 80's :facepalm
Woo! found muh bucket on the list of junk 🪣
 
bcj said:
Wow. And I'm getting a new one ripped about just counting gears in the 80's :facepalm
Woo! found muh bucket on the list of junk 🪣
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If you had been in the 1960s or even earlier, like the 1930s , there would've been fewer gears to count. I rode a 1928 Scout a lot back in the 1970s (not mine) and it only had 3 gears, with a foot clutch, and hand gear selector. The guy who owned it , moved away, ending my love affair with that amazing old girl.1928_indian_101-scout_jgm03777-88001-2388780051.jpgINDIAN-Scout-101-10041_18.jpg
 
N4teTheGreat said:
I sometimes have a camera, and I have lots of video footage I need to go through. Does it add value? Maybe? It can be fun to look back on a proper hoon or some scenic clips.
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I have a Sena helmet cam, but I have it in loop mode, so it's just there as a dashcam in case something bad happens.
 
ThinkFast said:
I used love me some Mollie Hatchet back in my mogul-busting days. Flirtin’ with disaster. Bup bup bup yeah!
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I learned to snowboard to The Blue Danube Waltz...

"dah daaah-daaah-daaah TURN! dah-dah dah-dah, dah daaah-daaah-daaah TURN! dah-dah dah-dah..."
 
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