Info on GPS, MP3 player etc...

Hey folks,
I had a few questions about gps and mp3 players or radios or disc players etc..


GPS: what to look for for a gps unit. I figure maybe memory is important for maps and stuff. What else is important and is worth considering when looking at gps units? I would like to keep the price down of course if possible, but dont mind spending a little bit to get something versitle and useful on a motorcycle as well as for other things. Any suggestions are appreciated.

MP3 player, Disc player, radio: I am not sure what I want other than the ability to listen to music on my bike. I know a small radio has much interferance when im riding my 95 VFR 750. I guess its engine noise, but im not sure how to cut that out other than maybe shielded earphones and or shielded plug wires if such a thing exists. I also am not sure if a digital mp3 player is better than just a cd player that has the capability of playing mp3s off of a disc. Any input here again is appreciated.


Thanks,
Bagwell

I have Lyra mp3 player I use while riding. It is the 128mb version and I have about 30 songs on it right now. I either keep it in my jacket pocket or in the supplied arm band. I used to keep it right on the triple tree w velcro but I think the vibration caused it to stop working because I had to replace it. So now it stays in the pocket. The headphones that come with it are perfect for helmet use. They are the kind that just go over the ear. I slip them in my helmet under the area where an earpiece would go and I can't even feel them while putting the helmet on and off. Ear buds DO NOT work. They are painful and sound terrible. I can hear every bit of music with mine and still hear what is happening around me. Forget about a CD player which is big and cumbersome. I have never had a problem finding a place to put the mp3 because it is so small. Plus it takes about 20 seconds to replace or add any songs you might want before you head out. I love it! My girlfriend got it for me for my birthday last year and now I can't ride without it. Good luck!

MP3 player

I use a sony mp3 that comes with a remote control. The remote has a clip
that goes great in a pocket, belt loop, or I use mine clipped onto my tank
bra. I tried the tripple tree also with to much vibration on rougher roads but better roads are no problem. I've had the best luck with it actually under my seat- o2 yam fz1- also alot safer from sticky fingers. The sony allows for @ 5 hours of music, remote allows for volume control ,music playlist shuffling, and control lock out. I purchased cheap $7.00 headphones from radio shack, took them out of their plastic casings and stuffed them inside
my helmet ear pad- Icon&HJC helmets have built in pockets. I've had mine for over a year with no problems. Enjoy.

Re: MP3 player

fz1nutt said:

I use a sony mp3 that comes with a remote control. The remote has a clip
that goes great in a pocket, belt loop, or I use mine clipped onto my tank
bra. I tried the tripple tree also with to much vibration on rougher roads but better roads are no problem. I've had the best luck with it actually under my seat- o2 yam fz1- also alot safer from sticky fingers. The sony allows for @ 5 hours of music, remote allows for volume control ,music playlist shuffling, and control lock out. I purchased cheap $7.00 headphones from radio shack, took them out of their plastic casings and stuffed them inside
my helmet ear pad- Icon&HJC helmets have built in pockets. I've had mine for over a year with no problems. Enjoy.

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So this is a Sony CD/MP3 player, or just an mp3 player that doesnt use any cds? If you can, could you get a model number or something so I could check it out? How much memory does it have if its not a cd player? How much did it cost more or less?
Thanks

aasports said:

I have Lyra mp3 player I use while riding. It is the 128mb version and I have about 30 songs on it right now.

Forget about a CD player which is big and cumbersome. I have never had a problem finding a place to put the mp3 because it is so small. Plus it takes about 20 seconds to replace or add any songs you might want before you head out. I love it! My girlfriend got it for me for my birthday last year and now I can't ride without it. Good luck!

Click to expand...

Does this model have memory cards for more songs if you want? I have been thinking about the Lyra ones because they seem to be priced pretty good and I thought they held memory cards.
Thanks

SONY MINIDISK

THE UNIT I USE IS AN SONY FM/AM MINIDISK RECORDER. THE MODEL #
IS MZ-NF610, BEST BUY CARRIES ABOUT 4-5 DIFFERENT STYLES. THIS ONE GOES FOR @ 180.00, IT USES MINIDISKS, COMES WITH A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY,AND NEEDED SOFTWARE PACKAGE. THE LITTLE CARRYING PACKS THEY OFFER FOR THESE FIT UNDER MY SEAT, AND HAVE SPACE FOR EXTRA DISKS,BATTERY,BELT STRAP,ZIPPERED AND VELCRO FLAP. I WANT TO SAY I PUT BETWEEN 50-60 SONGS ON EACH DISK AND I CARRY THREE DISKS IN MY PACK FOR VARIETY. AGAIN RIGHT AT NEAR 5 HOURS CONTINOUS JAMS. THE VOLUME IS GOOD UP TO @ 80 MPH IN LIGHT WIND WITH A SMALL WINDSCREEN, I TRIED THE "REAL" HEADPHONES THEY SELL IN THE CYCLE STORES FOR $30.00 AND FOUND RADIO SHACKS CHEAP HEADPHONES TO BE THEIR EQUAL, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO GET THEM FREE OF THEIR HEADPIECE.I JUST BROKE THE PLASTIC HEADBAND AND UNSCREWED THEM FROM THEIR PLASTIC SHELL- @ 10 MINUTES WORK AND YOUR JAMMIN !!!

YOU DO HAVE TO GET THEM FREE OF THEIR HEADPIECE.I JUST BROKE THE PLASTIC HEADBAND AND UNSCREWED THEM FROM THEIR PLASTIC SHELL

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I did the same and used velcro to attach the speakers inside my helmet..!!!

For music; I use a regular MP3/CD-Player that also includes FM radio, it's a SONY (do not remember the model) very thin and handy. I have been considering one of the new HD based models like the Apple iPod or iRiver but too expensive. For GPS I use a Magellan MAP330 very handy and has been working fine for 3 years.

Picture here:

http://users2.ev1.net/~rbenitez/ZR-7 Pictures/GenMar Risers/125_2509.JPG

I use a Bantam MP3 player with a 5 gigabyte drive in it. I have I don;t even know how many hours of tunes on it, problem is it uses an internal battery that only seems to last about 3 hours driving my earbuds. I really can't recommend the bantam, I got it for 99 bucks at Fry's but it has a few issues, like the software in it locks up if ya run through the menu the wrong way.

There is saving grace for the short battery life and software bugs though, the unit does have a remote control on the cord inline with the headphones, which I leave hanging just out of my chest jacket pocket so I have stop, play, skip, and repeat and volume at my fingertips and easy to get at with gloves without any drama to distract me when riding.

I'm an electronics geek though, so I'll be building a rechargeable battery pack to plug into it's AC charging plug this week, if I can get 8 hours with that I'll never need any more.

I just got a pair of EAR Inc. monitors that are molded to your ear canal which seem to take even more power to drive, so I'll have to get some extra power somewhere.

The earphones are the key, and you need the kind that go into your ear canal, they double as earplugs and make it so you can use em at 80 even without a windshield.

I've found two different ones that work great. The first is a radio shack one that has foam earplugs that go into your ear, the earbud has a little tube that stick through it. I did have to toss the ones that came with it and punch some holes through a standard set of foam earplugs and trim them to fit.

The other is the ear inc. molded in your ear type which cut out a lot more outside sound. Someone here suggested them and they do work great, as do the regular earplugs they make too.

I have never had tunes in all my years of riding, and having the in the ear canal sound, but with both good sound isolation and good tunes it's like a whole different kind of riding. Problem is every time a good "road song" lcomes on everything within me cries out to twist the throttle to the stop, especially with the feel of that big twin when you open it up.

The other thing is that it even lets me do long interstate miles which I used to hate, the first time I tried it last month we ran 530 miles from the east coast to the west end of North Carolina and it really made the miles seem so short I couldn't believe it. I probably look a little weird boppin my head down the interstate at 80 though.

Jammin on a little George Clinton on it right now in fact.