iPhone mounting options

[CGDaveMac]

I'm looking for an elegant way to mount an iPhone on my 696, primarily for listening to music.  Ultimately, I would like a waterproof mount, connected to battery for charging, with bluetooth to amplified helmet speakers (since I wear earplugs).

So far, I have not found any option or combination of options that I am happy with.  

I was thinking about the iBike rider, which velcros to the handlebars, but it's not an elegant solution.

But I think this product holds promise, although it's targeted toward bicycles.  
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/dahon-iphone-bike-mount-is-waterproof-shockproof/
A video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJg_VzOBVN0#

This may be what I'm looking for... waterproof...easy to put it... run a power cable to battery using a harness, add a bluetooth helmet speaker and I'm set! This should be great for TomTom too. (Although I would suggest pulling over prior to using the touchscreen.)

As far as the bluetooth, I've read all the reviews at http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-intercoms/ and I'm not convinced about any of them.  (Plus, I'm reading about bluetooth interference on the forum...)


UPDATED: I've installed and created a blog entry detailing the results at http://bit.ly/8rs8Ix

[CGDaveMac]

Based on a recommendation or two from these forums, I think I am leaning towards the J&M Bluetooth Headset.

http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=HS-BLU277EDR-FF&PF=30

[Wonked]

Bluetooth + iPhone + Motorcycle = Fail. I've tried an abundance of configurations. All of them are inferior to wired connectivity.

[sbrguy]

the thing i've noticed is that the iphone with the touch screen and even the regular ipod are useless with gloves on, they don't work.

[DesmoReynoso]

the thing i've noticed is that the iphone with the touch screen and even the regular ipod are useless with gloves on, they don't work.

the thing i've noticed is that the iphone with the touch screen and even the regular ipod are useless with gloves on, they don't work.

I'm.sorry but I'll have to disagree entirely with you on that! It all depends on weather conditions (relative humidity & temp) as well as the gloves you're wearing.... I wear smx technik gloves and I can access and control my iphone with my gloves on always, live in Miami.

As for the iPhone & speaker solution, id recommend the Element Fastrack Bluetooth helmet by Oneill, now for the holidays only $200 down from $280 on motorcycle-superstore! It's a great deal and it's amazing.... I have 2 of these and they are really the future, they work as advertised, great stereo audio quality, mic, windnoise cancelling system and the ability to pair to multiple Bluetooth devices and switch between them at the touch of a button! So I cam be listening to my music fromy iPhone and take a call, switch to my Bluetooth gps and get directions, receive or call my passengers helmet for a chat or another rider who has Bluetooth or the same helmet.... In addition to defining who h helmet is the driver and passenger so it gives the drivers call priority over anything else the passenger might be listening to. Battery lasts over 100hrs on stand by seriously I charge mine once a week and leave it on 24hrs a day every day..... And as far as usability I have to say it makes riding with a passenger 1000 more fun, also buy a Bluetooth unit with an audio jack in and you can send anything through to your helmet. I know some companies that sell those dongles, I'll look it up and post it. And here's the cherry on the cake, any Bluetooth system starts at $200 up so that right there is the cost of the helmet.  Believe me you won't be dissapointed, I'm a gadget freak and have high standards for this type of things as well as being a professional music producer & engineer and I gotta say great performance, ease of use, connectivity and audio quality.


http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/38/5/1/0/576/DCLASS/Element-Street-Bike-Full-Face-Helmets-Mens-Riding-Gear.aspx?SiteID=Google_Element_fastrack&WT.mc_ID=10001&WT.srch=1&gclid=CMPwxLn_xJ4CFRaenAodK1FspA

As for the mounts, I haven't found a solution yet nut keep coming back to the fact that if I have aN accident I WANT to have my iPhone on me, who knows where the moto will be and if it were mounted where the phone would end up at, so under this idea and with this gear I caN have it in my pocket the o ly thing is I can't select tracks or go through my address book.... For soemthong like that if I had the Zumo 660 gps then I could pair my iPhone to the gps and the gps to the hhelmet so I could go through my address book on the garmin gps unit still no control over thr music but hey just make a playlist....    

Hope this helps, just my experience and $.002 since ive also been looking at diff possibilities as far as using the iPhone on my M696 goes.....

[DesmoReynoso]

Here's the link to the Bluetooth dongle I mentioned above.... They have several product the one I was refering to is the Bluetooth adaptor (which you could plug into any two devcies in mono and hear at the same time or one in stereo.... Also if you have a regular iPod or a 1st gen iPhone (doesn't support AD2P) you can get the iPod Bluetooth adapter and make it work that way.

The comapny is Camos

http://www.motowheels.com/italian/myProducts.cfm?CategoryID=964%7CA%2FV%20Electronics

[CGDaveMac]

Well, I've yet to get my J&M Bluetooth helmet headset (but that Element Helmet looks nice), however, I have completed my installation. Take a look:

http://bit.ly/8rs8Ix

[DesmoReynoso]

Well, I've yet to get my J&M Bluetooth helmet headset (but that Element Helmet looks nice), however, I have completed my installation. Take a look:

http://bit.ly/6BePLW

WoooooWWWWWW 

Nice, Looks fantastic!!!! Great job & Great Blog 

[CGDaveMac]

As an added bonus, depending on your exact configuration, it may be possible to record video of your ride.  It doesn't quite work with the 696, though.

[DesmoReynoso]

Hey CGDave Mac, is your blog down temporarily? I tried accessing the page to show it to a friend and it says its unavailable..... If it is down, do you think you could make a pdf of it an email it to me?

It is such a great post and I was just talking about it to a friend who was interested in doing something similar.

Thanks in advance 

[CGDaveMac]

Hey CGDave Mac, is your blog down temporarily? I tried accessing the page to show it to a friend and it says its unavailable..... If it is down, do you think you could make a pdf of it an email it to me?

It is such a great post and I was just talking about it to a friend who was interested in doing something similar.

Thanks in advance 

I had to change the file name, so if you used your history or clicked the link you quoted above, it's changed.

http://bit.ly/8rs8Ix

[DesmoReynoso]

Got it! Again, great blog and great article!! I saw on there you also program apps for iphones, pretty cool. Im a MacHead too  , we should chat sometime. I have some cool ideas for an iphone app specifically for motorcycle riders....   [moto]

[sbrguy]

hey if you guys have found particular gloves or tricks to make the touch screen work through gloves, tell me!!!

i've tried to use my normal leather gloves and leather motorcycle gloves and its not happening at all, nothing changes on the screen.

thanks.

[CGDaveMac]

Hmmm... I have Scorpio EXO gloves that work fine.

Or... try this.

http://bit.ly/8AhFH8

[CGDaveMac]

I had some requests to see a video... so I made one.  It's linked at the bottom of my blog post.