Two Way Radios For Motorcycles
Motorcycles provide a unique challenge to communication while driving. Maintaining control of the
motorcycle limits use of hand/arm signals and yelling is not very practical when drowned out by
road noise. When you have multiple motorcycles travelling together, two way radios (or walkie
talkies) are an excellent way for the entire group to stay in touch. Provide a radio per motorcycle,
coupled with a headset or throat mike and, at the touch of a button, all travelers are immediately in
contact. This makes it a breeze to coordinate route changes, stops for food or gas, or to notify the
group of trouble without losing focus on the road.
When shopping for a two way radio to be used for a motorcycle, the following features will be most
important:
- Range - Becoming separated by a mile or more is easy with motorcycles. If one member
of the group gets caught at a stop light, this distance alone could put you out of range for many
two way radios. Range is absolutely the most critical consideration when using radios for
communication while on a motorcycle.
- Headset Support – Maintaining control of your motorcycle is essential for your and other
rider’s safety. A comfortable earpiece or headset is a requirement to ensure safe communication
between all members of your group.
- Battery Life - Without power outlets being readily available, keeping your radio charged
is a big concern if you're planning a long drive. Look for models with extremely long battery life,
or those that have the ability to operate on standard AA or AAA batteries in a pinch.
- NOAA Weather Information - Having weather information available is not a critical
requirement, but it may be the difference between driving through a rain storm or arriving dry at
your destination.
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$69.99
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The Midland GXT-1000 is a very popular consumer radio and provides the most range of all consumer
radios, ranging from 30 miles in optimal conditions to 2 miles or less in urban conditions. It
is also a weather radio, supporting both the NOAA weather channels and NOAA weather alerts. Just
in case you get stuck in the rain, the GXT-1000 is waterproof, which means that a hard rain will
not interfere with the function of the radio. Hands-free operation is supported by the GXT-1000,
and the hands-free feature is made simpler by the headsets included with this value pack. It is
compact, lightweight and can operate using AA batteries if necessary. This value pack includes
rechargeable batteries, a charger with AC wall and DC vehicle adapters, and a pair of headsets
with microphones. Midland produces the
AVP-H1 and
AVP-H2 headsets built for open or closed
faced helmets, which are popular accessories for motorcycling.
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$59.99
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The Motorola TALKABOUT MR350R is an all-purpose radio from Motorola. It offers
up to 35 mile range in optimal conditions (up to 2 mile in urban conditions). The MR350R is also a
weather radio, supporting 10 NOAA weather channels. With the iVOX hands free feature the MR350R
acts as a speaker phone, allowing you to use your hands for other activities. Hands free (VOX) mode
on this model works with or without an optional headset. The MR350R also supports Motorola's
VibraCall vibrating alert. With VibraCall, you can lower your radio volume and still ensure that you
never miss a transmission, which comes in handy when noise is a problem. The
XLT HM200-MT is a
popular headset for motorcycle helmets and is compatible with this radio.
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$45.99
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The Motorola Talkabout MH230R, weighing only 6 ounces, is a great light duty two way radio. It offers
up to 23 mile range in optimal conditions (up to 1 mile in urban conditions). It is equipped with a
mini-USB port, which means it can be charged using a standard USB cable in addition to the included
charging base. The Motorola MH-230R also provides the iVOX hands-free feature. This value pack
includes two Motorola MH230 radios and a dual pocket desk charger with NiMH rechargeable batteries!
The XLT HM200-MT is a
popular headset for motorcycle helmets and is compatible with this radio.
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