[daddysbike]

I ride solo 99.9% of the time so I haven't seen fit to spend $1000 on the CB.
I'm planning a multiday ride in the spring with a friend who mentioned:
"Will the wing communicate w/ GMRS of are you strictly CB? I run a GMRS Chatterbox."
If I decide to someday suck it up and spend that kind of crazy dough will it work with the Chatterbox and other CB's (cars, trucks, etc)
Any thoughts/advice appreciated as I have no idea.
It would be nice to have for those times that I ride with fellow wingers who always seem to have them and I pay the price by having to hold my coffee until they are ready to stop.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[ldr_doug]

One of you is going to have to buy some gear. GMRS will work on the wing but will probably be portable. Ditto the CB. You can buy a handheld CB w gear for about $100, add in a $30 throat mic, and cheap ear-buds/phones and you can chat with each other.

BTW, a CB and antenna for the wing will run around $700, not $1000. Installation isn't difficult, but it does take some time.

Check with DLP or post a wanted note.

Finally, a CB can be a real safety item. There are many places where cell phone coverage isn't available, especially in the less populated areas [and great riding areas coincidently]. In almost every place where this occurred, I saw lots of CBs on pickups and rooftops. Most truckers have CBs. Many small town have REACT organizations and CB users.

 

[orangewingnut]

cb

Steve,

i too am on the fence on purchasing an oem cb. I ride mostly with two others and would like to communicate with them if necessary when we go on sunday rides and on our yearly week-long trips. I think you can do better than 1000 if you buy online (ebay) and do the install yourself.

There is a dealer on ebay that sells them for less and then discounts that price if you pay by credit card over the phone.

Its probably one of those items you don't really need, but would be great to have.

Bill
02 Pearl Orange Abs

 

[humungus]

Better to have it and not need it, than to not have it and find you need it.
just my opinion

 

[Gregory Perry]

When I got my wing I did not have the CB installed. My riding habit did not let me justify the expense at that time. As my riding habit changed I had a CB installed, worth the cost.

If you will ride solo cost may not be justified. If you ride with others the benefit will outweigh the cost.

 

[trialsman]

When you ride with me and other Wingstock Mafia members, we'll talk about you on the CB.

Of course, you wouldn't hear us even with a CB because we'd soon be out of range.:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[ALWing]

CB is definitely worth it. Besides the obvious ability to communicate while riding with small or large groups, safety, distress and traffic calls, sometimes on long trips fun to just listen to the truckers. At times on long trips they have been more entertaining than some of my recorded music. A number of times they have been there to alert me to trouble up ahead (ie "hey guy on the Wing, slow down, radar trap up ahead...")

 

[BACKDRAFT]

here is an inexpesive alternative for a CB.

Check out Nady MRC-11 FRS radio's. I use to use them when ever I rode my VT1100 Shadow. A CB was not an option and too bulky on the shadow.

For Less than $90 you too can have communicatios on your bike. They are portable and come with a headset that you can use. Another option that I sprung for was the push to talk button. That way you don't have to use the VOX (voice option transmit function which can be set off by the wind noise.

Best money I ever spent and it was extremely reasonable to boot.

Everyone has to have one to use though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gene Kallus]

CB's

I usually ride solo (2 up) with a max of three other machines on our cross country trips. The CB is an invaluable tool from a safety aspect alone. Not to mention, when we have become seperated in traffic in the city. The CB is recommended.

 

[gr8phun]

I too have thought about a CB.
But 700.00 plus head sets is 1,000.00

 

[canadian Jack]

CB

I too have thought about a CB.
But 700.00 plus head sets is 1,000.00

I enjoy the cb. it is a great way to break the bordom on a long trip and point out interesting views and things.
Jack

 

[3turtles]

No CB alternative but handheld?

I am surprised there is only ONE? No one makes an alternative to the OEM that is wired in the OEM hookups?

 

[drkeds]

daddysbike, with Trialsman's help I just installed the cb on my bike last week. If you need some help (instead of paying the shop to do it), just shoot me a PM. We can get together and knock it out.
The thought of taking the shelter off can be a bit intimidating. But after you do it once, it's not too bad. :thumbup:

 

[cosmic_chariot]

Honda CB is grossly overpriced... but I do have one... mainly for trips
with other riders.. its nice to be able to talk to thle other riders in our group... and for traffic info from other vehicles...I set my squelch so I can only pick up close riders I want to talk with.... its a shame Honda
charges $700+ for a $75.00 CB....

cosmic

 

[leaddog11]

j and m

Anybody considered the J and M cb setup?
http://www.jmcorp.com/SeeProducts.asp?PF=24

 

[rmcapozzi]

I too have thought about a CB.
But 700.00 plus head sets is 1,000.00

But don't you need a headset for an FRS setup? If you go with an integrated setup on the Wing for FRS, it'll run you at least $200 for the integration pieces (Kennedy products) and that doesn't include the radio or headset. So I figure including the headset ($300 by your above estimate) and radio you'll be looking at around $600 $700 for an integrated FRS system on the Wing.

So the FRS setup does appear to be less than a CB setup by around half excluding the helmet headset that you'll need for both anyways.

Now if you just want to stick a chatterbox on your helmet and stick an earbud in your ear and mic in the helmet it'll be a lot less but then you're comparing an integrated CB system with an unintegrated FRS setup.

So do you want an integrated FRS or something quick and dirty for your trip?

 

[terryg]

I also find the cb worth the money, great communication while riding with other wingers, and great for listening to the truckers when riding solo. I don't have radar detector so the truckers are handy.

 

[OrangeCrush]

If I were to do most of my riding alone (on the Wing), I would never had bothered ... the CB on my Oldwing was almost never used in 20+ years.
However, on my first long group ride, trying to keep in touch with a heldheld CB and a remote mike ... I made up my mind to get a real CB.
Yeah, it's WAY overpriced and not all that great ... but for group riding, it's da bomb!
That said ... and although I have already received the CB and antenna and I'm just waiti8ng for warmer weather to install it ... I almost never turn it on unless I am on a group ride (we have quite a few in our group). If I'm on a solo trip, it doesn't get turned on ... listening to truckers is no treat ...

 

[DrtiBird]

daddysbike, with Trialsman's help I just installed the cb on my bike last week. If you need some help (instead of paying the shop to do it), just shoot me a PM. We can get together and knock it out.
The thought of taking the shelter off can be a bit intimidating. But after you do it once, it's not too bad. :thumbup:

Not sure about the newer models, but I did the install on my '02. It was time consuming but not that hard.

After that install when I moved the CB to my '03 I was able to do it w/o removing the top shelter. The hardest part was finding the big connector on the rt front, but after finding it on the '02 I knew where to look. I saw no reason to remove the trunk (as instructed) on either install.

I also drilled a couple of drain holes in the CB compartment so any moisture that gets in can get out. These CBs are water resistant but they can't swim (don't ask how I know that!). 4:

Good Luck on your install daddysbike!

 

[daddysbike]

daddysbike, with Trialsman's help I just installed the cb on my bike last week. If you need some help (instead of paying the shop to do it), just shoot me a PM. We can get together and knock it out.
The thought of taking the shelter off can be a bit intimidating. But after you do it once, it's not too bad. :thumbup:

That makes it very tempting, thank you!
Another concen is that I'm quite happy with my current audio setup. I use custom ($$) made earphones/plugs from the bike show last year to listen to mp3 player and am really happy with the setup.
CB would require me to get a mike and maybe new earphones?
If I do go for it I'll be sure to ask for your help, thanks again.

Steve