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Do you listen to music or talk on phone while riding?

How do you ride?

  • No cell phone at all.

    Votes: 41 37.3%

  • Use navigation mounted on bike or built into bike

    Votes: 16 14.5%

  • Take phone calls on phone with Bluetooth

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • Do both navigation and phone calls

    Votes: 18 16.4%

  • Music only.

    Votes: 25 22.7%

  • Music and phone calls

    Votes: 4 3.6%

  • Music and navigation

    Votes: 5 4.5%
  • Total voters
    110
East Bay Mike said:
Been riding for a year and a half and love riding with no music, phone or gps, though I may take the plunge and get a phone mount for my bike plus a new helmet with Bluetooth.

But I’m not sure yet. This far though, just me and the road. I get lost riding to destinations sometimes and pull over to check gps. Tired of that.
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My helmet has Bluetooth built into it. I can listen to satellite radio but if someone calls my cell that’s a default to answer. They don’t even know I’m riding. Can also do Navigation, or listen to tunes. All based on my cellphone. Nothing built into the bike. Oh yeah, have intercom with fellow riders when needed as well.
 
I always listen to music when going further than my 2 mi commute. I upgraded my Scala Q2 to the Packtalk Bold so now instead of just music on my phone, I can listen to the radio.

I like both options for different reasons but the radio helps with traffic. I don't blast my music in my helmet but like having it on just enough to hear it. I never answer the phone through my headset because I ride to escape having to talk to people. Unless my SO is riding with me, I sing where no one can hear me :teeth

I will say the Packtalk is money well spent. Stacy and I have amazing conversations while on the bike together
 
Butch said:
When I ride, that is all I do. No distractions.
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Same... except Butch might distract me. :laughing

I bought a packtalk and used it once... with earplugs in I could not hear shit anyway and my hearing is bad enough I don't want to even consider not riding with them.
 
hell no. if riding is that boring to you that you need to listen to music then why are you riding? even droning on the motorväg i am fully in the experience and need no other sensory inputs.
 
phil turdwater said:
hell no. if riding is that boring to you that you need to listen to music then why are you riding? even droning on the motorväg i am fully in the experience and need no other sensory inputs.
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I don't listen to music because I am bored, I listen to music because I like music. I am never bored while riding.
 
doc4216 said:
I don't listen to music because I am bored, I listen to music because I like music. I am never bored while riding.
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i would say i like music more than most people especially being a musician.

that said i do not put leathers or helmet on while playing to make it more exciting :laughing
 
You don’t listen to music while riding, I do. I’m okay with both these things.
 
East Bay Mike said:
Been riding for a year and a half and love riding with no music, phone or gps, though I may take the plunge and get a phone mount for my bike plus a new helmet with Bluetooth.

But I’m not sure yet. This far though, just me and the road. I get lost riding to destinations sometimes and pull over to check gps. Tired of that.
Click to expand...

Don't own a smart phone and would never listen to music while riding.

Take the flip phone but it is always off and only carried for emergency use.
 
doc4216 said:
You don’t listen to music while riding, I do. I’m okay with both these things.
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i get it, to each their own and freedom and all that...but i don't get why someone would take away one of their senses while riding.

you need all 6 senses to do this for the long haul.
 
Ride everyday with music at the minimum. Directions pumped in if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar.

I don't usually ride without music just because I've done it for a while before. (and I do experience it when my cardo runs out of juice anyway...)

Phone calls are less common. As I usually have issues hearing people. For some reason, the phone volume is significantly lower than music. I only take calls at low speeds.

I find riding without music to be a bit painful. I demand it if I'm pushing it out on some roads... The uncomfortableness of my muscles feeling tired from gripping the tank so hard and the dehydration just... Yeah. Not great. Music takes my mind off of it a bit.
 
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No music while riding. It's a little too distracting.

I use my Zumo 550 GPS whenever I go very far. Usually I'm out of cell phone coverage when I'm doing something interesting. I rarely use the GPS to tell me the route to take, usually it is there to let me know how far to the next intersection that I have to pay attention to. And I usually save the GPX files from any of the interesting rides, both to see where I've been and in case I want it to be part of some future route.

I've used a route when I've ridden the IDBDR, because there are a few tricky turns in that route. I think it would be hard to follow using only the Butler map that defines the route. Good thing they publish GPX files that are available to everyone.
 
planegray said:
Sena has worked well for me for the last 5 years, year round, 5 days a week commuting.
Being able to listen to music keeps me soothed, and keeping in touch with loved ones keeps me connected
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Daily commuter that uses a Sena for radio, my music, phone calls, books on tape etc.

If you think it’s a distraction I can only say you’re easily distracted...
 
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Over 100,000 miles in 7 years, 17,000 this year wearing only plugs. My phone is in my tail bag (+ my PLB in my pocket). I ride to get away from 'everything'...
 
The Poll is still flawed. I think it should be "Music" not "Music Only"
I always listen to music, occasionally listen to navigation and occasionally take phone calls and listen to messages when I'm commuting. Running my business doesn't stop when I get on the bike. I ride to escape and I ride to commute.
If I don't listen to music, I find my mind wanders and I start problem solving in my head. Low music in the background keeps me centered and focused.
I ride 20K mi a year and never once have I thought to myself "Wow, I missed that because I was listening to music"
 
Most of the voices in my head calm down while riding, any aural input gets them going again. I do use gps and think that a voice activated unit might be safer than a touch screen so long as it didn’t talk back.
 
I think discussing the merits of listening to music while you ride is like discussing whether vanilla is better then chocolate. Everyone knows vanilla is better then chocolate. Wink wink, nudge nudge, know what'a mean, know what'a mean?
 
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You don't really have my option - I'll use navigation (audio only) and listen to music. Phone is in my pocket.
 
Entoptic said:
If you think it’s a distraction I can only say you’re easily distracted...
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Pretty much this.

My helmet has the Xcomm built into it(hybrid Sena 10/20 combo). I use it mostly for music, the occasional phone call and GPS. It's also good for rider to rider comms although I never used it for that. I like it so much I couldn't imagine being without it.
 
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