I just bought a pair of Cobra MicroTalk radios so I can keep in touch with my riding partner(s) when we go riding, and I'd like to get some headsets that will fit inside a motorcycle helmet. I'd like to keep the price as low as possible, but I'd also like a headset with a VOX system (voice-activated), so I wouldn't have to push the button every time I wanted to talk. The VOX isn't a necessity, but it would be nice. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help.

I recently picked up two motorola 250's for my wife and I. They have the VOX system built in so you can use a standard headset. When I was shopping for the headsets I went to radio shack and they showed me a VOX headset that they offer; it has an external power suppy (battery block). I felt it would be to much to carry on waist, pocket, etc. A couple of tips: The boom earpiece/mic setup didn't work, the boom mics didn't clear the padding in my helmet, too short. I ended up getting a headset that has a small earpiece (the kind you put in your ear canal) and has a mic with a small clip down the wire a ways. It ended up working good, you just clip the mic in the front mouth vent area. Most importantly, the VOX system is really annoying, especially with motor noise. It flat out just doesn't work, comes on when you rev the motor; if you set the the VOX high, you have to yell and you still can't hear the other person (more on that later). Futher, VOX takes a while to "hear" you so you miss the first few words, sometimes the first sentence. We ended up just pushing the button on the units while it was clipped to our waists. You get used to it and isn't hard to find (on the motorola at least) so you really don't have to look down. Last, even with our current setup, you can't understand hardly anything (motor noise plays a BIG part of the problem) that the other says. We got pretty frusterated a few times, motorola's got close to flyin'. We ended up using one word communications such as "wheelers", when atvs were approaching, "rut", "stop", ect. It worked great then.

They are wonderful for not losing each other, you can lose sight of one another and not worry. They're nice for dusty trails, you can stay far enough away for the dust to settle before you pass.

ogre

We ride with the Motorola TalkAbouts.

First off here is our setup. Motorola make sholder straps and arm straps to hold the radio. If you are in seriously wet conditions you can put them in a baggie or buy the baggie that is made for them. I have never had mine covered and have never had trouble. I have riden in rain and rolled with that sucker on my arm and it still works. Then we bought some headsets at Best Buy. They hook over your ear and have a 3 inch boom that goes towards your mouth. They work great. Even though they do not go past the foam of the helmet there is no trouble hearing anyone. The only problem with these is you have to shove them up in the helmet with your ear every time. Well, I got sick of this and decided to do something. So I went to the Motorola web site (no tax and no shipping charges!) and ordered the "Earpiece with PTT Microphone" and the "Flexible EarBud Receiver". Now, the earpiece with push to talk mic fits inside your ear, so that couldnt be used. So I cut that off and spliced on the earbud receiver. The earbud receiver is like a big speaker so that works. I then used velcro to attach the earbud inside the helmet and the mic up by the mouth. Now all I have to do is plug the helmet into my radio on my arm and I am good to go.

We tried using VOX many times, but as the engine reves it will sometimes come on. It really depends on who you ride with. I ride a lot with the dirt bikers and they can not use VOX at all...no excuses here. With the four wheelers I dont have too much problem with VOX. They way we have ours set up we dont really need VOX. If I want to talk I can either push the button on my arm or put my thumb inside my helmet and push the button on the mic in there. Also, as a side note, put the radio on your right arm so that you dont have to come off the throttle when talking.

We have loved the radios and it makes riding a ton funner now that we can talk and make jokes.

Hey Mud, I didn't know you had those...I've been thinking we need a pair too. I get tired of having to look behind to check on the wife. UmmHmm have you guys been cracking jokes about us while riding? boy I tell you what....
Hey I just read your email on the kid @ Denton dying. Man that sucks.

I've got the Motorola TalkAbout 250's (VOX-capable). I used them skiing this past winter and they, along with the VOX, worked great. As one post mentioned, the VOX does not work instantaneously. You have to speak a couple of words first before the VOX realizes it needs to start working.

This was a good post. I "Really" bought the radios for ATVing, but didn't tell my wife that...he he he. I haven't used them yet, but will soon. Thanks for the info everyone. This will save me the trouble of having to figure the VOX system out while riding.

Yep we have them. Dont have one for the wife yet, so thats why you didn't see them. Man they are real handy in the woods. It would be really good for taking new people (the wife) out so you can coach them. Even though we did not have the radios we still made fun of you :).

Cool, thanks for the info guys. Both my friend's and my quad are pretty loud, so I guess the VOX is out of the question (I thought that might be a problem). So I guess I might end up doing a custom install into my helmet of maybe the earpiece/PTT mic, or something similar. Keep the info coming, I wasn't planning on getting nearly as good of a response as this. Thanks. :)

Lol...I think Cindy gave you a lot of material to work with. She was like falling a sleep a the wheel! I think we made a wise choice to turn back when we did.

If you want I can try to take some pics of my set up tonight. If you do choose to do what I did, just be aware that when you soldier (spelling?) wires that small, they can burn so you have to be very careful.

Thanks TEX, I'd really like to see some pics of what you did, it would help me tremendously. I've got some experience soldering wires, so that shouldn't be too big of a problem.. I should be able to get it right on the 3rd or 4th try :)

my email is motrhed@home.com Thanks again.