CBs

[easysuper]

Please try to keep this on Topic , my wife and I are planing on being Ride Captains or Ride Leaders for several rides this summer , and I am thinking about installing CBs on the Spyders , I HAVE NO INTREST in using my cell phone or ANY OTHER Com device I am looking for feedback on CBs and how they work on the bikes, I have used one in my Pichup when pulling our 5th wheel when going caravaning and they work for up to and a little over 5 miles where as our Coms are only good to 900 feet than after that its shetchy and on a large group of Ryders one can streach out to a mile
and our rides this year are not in Kansas , but in the mountains and foothills of Oregon . So I would appreaciate any and all info for you Ryders out there that use CBs and how you mount them and where.

And Thanks for staying on Topic .

[cuznjohn]

i have heard that on the bikes it is basically line of site, but a few members have cb's so i am sure you will get a answer soon

[stevedfive]

I had a BRP CB on my 2010 RT and have one on my 2014 RTS. The BRP CB works terribly on its worse day and barely tolerable on its best day. They are line of sight and the distance is about 100-200 yards at best.

There are other aftermarket brands out there that will work better than the BRP CB.

[Pirate looks at --]

Our SRA group Rydes every weekend all over Northern California, and quite frankly a lot of our Road Captains have yanked the CBs out of their bikes because the Blue Tooth Com systems work so much better, and have better range. And the price point is much more attractive.

[Spyder 42]

I used a J&M CB2003 and Firestick antenna on my Kawasaki Concours for several years. That combo worked well. It seems that the BRP unit is hit or miss. Search out the thread for extra chassis grounding for the newer units. I have no personal experience with the BRP unit, I've just been watching the threads.

Other options are, use a J&M Integratr with Midland handheld units (I didn't have good success with these but SWMBO has hearing issues in certain frequency ranges and that was part of the issue).

Sena an makes a SR-10 which may have a handheld CB cord available. You would use Bluetooth helmet headsets with a PTT button for the xmit on the handheld.

There re may be others that I'm missing. HTH.

[finless]

You could also look into GMRS/FRS radios. They are smaller, better range, and pretty inexpensive.


http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_9rs6b01pge_b

Bob

[MarkLawson]

I have the BRP CB on my 2010 RT. I've had a lot of problems, especially while pulling the BRP RT-622 trailer. I had to replace the trailer wiring harness and have replaced the BRP antenna with the J&M model. I haven't ridden with anyone yet to know if it helps. I also added another ground strap to the CB unit itself. Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer with my changes.

[bodymanpainter]

I have had good luck with J&M products in the past so I am in the process of mounting a J&M cb radio
on my 2014 RTS. I have made the mounting bracket for the left side handle bar but have not powder
coated it yet or installed the unit as of yet due to not enough time, I also am going with the J&M antenna.
I will post pictures when I get everything on and working.
Toby

[stillriding]

Please try to keep this on Topic , my wife and I are planing on being Ride Captains or Ride Leaders for several rides this summer , and I am thinking about installing CBs on the Spyders , I HAVE NO INTREST in using my cell phone or ANY OTHER Com device I am looking for feedback on CBs and how they work on the bikes, I have used one in my Pichup when pulling our 5th wheel when going caravaning and they work for up to and a little over 5 miles where as our Coms are only good to 900 feet than after that its shetchy and on a large group of Ryders one can streach out to a mile
and our rides this year are not in Kansas , but in the mountains and foothills of Oregon . So I would appreaciate any and all info for you Ryders out there that use CBs and how you mount them and where.

And Thanks for staying on Topic .

I've found the BRP CB to be mediocre at best. The range is no more than three-quarters of a mile...less on hilly terrain.

[ARtraveler]

If you change your mind about CB's, I am guessing you will get a lot of information on various Bluetooth systems that work very well. 3/4 mile to 1 mile on some.

[stevedfive]

Mediocre is a good description.

[kentompkins]

I have had the Spyder CB installed on my 2013 and 2014 RT. I moved away from the Sena because the group I do long distance touring with each summer (Country Roads Group Riding) uses only CBs for inter-bike communication. On both bikes I replaced the OEM CB antenna with the J&M CB antenna. It is supposed to be matched to the Spyder CB.

As others have said, the range is no more than a mile and less than that usually. Even in the flatlands of Nebraska and the Dakotas last summer, reception was line of sight.

The documentation is basically useless. I have struggled with the relationship between volume and squelch (I know about both having been a ham since the 1970s). Kick the volume up so reception can be heard and the squelch is activated. Raise the squelch and i can't hear the receive because it blocks it.

In my full-face helmet, I have the BRP headset installed. The cord is too short. My friends with Harleys and Goldwings have wonderful, long cords from helmet to bike. In my 3/4 helmet, I use the J&M headset the cord of which is slightly longer than the BRP.

I have looked for local CB repairmen who could check the SWR and install a small, 10 watt amp in line for a boost in the transmission. There is no one in my area who repairs CB and the one radio comm shop won't touch it.

What we need, in my opinion, is for someone knowledgeable about CB to test the Spyder unit and to find the right antenna and right amp for it with installation instructions. I had hoped BRP might step up to the challenge but there are so few installed that is probably not worth the time and effort.

I would never have installed the BRP CB; I was more than satisfied with my Sena. But I need to be able to communicate with the leader and other members of the group I ride with so I had it put in.

ken tompkins

[Vidman]

I ride under the same situation as kenthompson. I use a midlands portable cb with sena sr10 and the smh10 headset. I also use a firestik non-groundplane antenna. At best it is still line of site and i can communicate with one Harley guy 3/4 mile but another not over 1/4 mile. So even other company's have problems. CB is not great on bikes. This way is better then the grand or better you would invest in the BRP unit.

I have used sena bluetooth for years and get as good range but not as easy for group talks.

[finless]

Based on my "old CB days" a CB really needs a good ground plane. Cars are good because they are large and all metal. This is also why semi truckers could get HUGE transmission distances and skips.

The Spyder and motorcycles are much less massive in general. Thus I do not think any CB will do well even one peaked and tweaked. We just do not have the ground plane mass.

Bob

[Marker]

I ride under the same situation as kenthompson. I use a midlands portable cb with sena sr10 and the smh10 headset. I also use a firestik non-groundplane antenna. At best it is still line of site and i can communicate with one Harley guy 3/4 mile but another not over 1/4 mile. So even other company's have problems. CB is not great on bikes. This way is better then the grand or better you would invest in the BRP unit.

I have used sena bluetooth for years and get as good range but not as easy for group talks.

I just bought the sena 20S bluetooth headset and the sena SR10 dongle and a midland portable CB I want to to try and use a 24"rubber antenna to see how I far I can communicate.
Before I try to figure out how to mount a No Ground Plane CB antenna to the spyder RT.

I had the BRP CB/Comm system on my 2010 RT and it did not work very well at all. Such a waste of money !

[Ben Burped]

I would love to share my CB experience, but I have never heard an incoming sound nor has anyone ever responded when I tried to transmit. I don't know if this was the result of installation error when the installer hooked the center lead of the coax to the same stud that they hooked the ground strap to. I have a new antenna and will try it when I face the replacement of the water pump seal, the hoses, and the thermostat housing and can get the RT back together.

Remember to live before you die.

[PaladinLV]

HOG riders I know (and my own experience) have minimum problems with their CBs and we typically get @ 3mile coverage from the scout to the rear lead on the open road.

Considering the sam company makes them for both HD and Can-Am, I'm at a loss as to why the Can-AM is the pits and the H-D shines.

AJ

Based on my "old CB days" a CB really needs a good ground plane. Cars are good because they are large and all metal. This is also why semi truckers could get HUGE transmission distances and skips.

The Spyder and motorcycles are much less massive in general. Thus I do not think any CB will do well even one peaked and tweaked. We just do not have the ground plane mass.

Bob

[finless]

HOG riders I know (and my own experience) have minimum problems with their CBs and we typically get @ 3mile coverage from the scout to the rear lead on the open road.

Considering the sam company makes them for both HD and Can-Am, I'm at a loss as to why the Can-AM is the pits and the H-D shines.

AJ

Well I cannot relate to 3 miles to be honest. Back in my "CB days" I could get way more than that (like 30 miles average) and on some days based on atmospheric conditions, skips both directions 100 miles was not uncommon.

Bob

[Vidman]

I just bought the sena 20S bluetooth headset and the sena SR10 dongle and a midland portable CB I want to to try and use a 24"rubber antenna to see how I far I can communicate.
Before I try to figure out how to mount a No Ground Plane CB antenna to the spyder RT.

I had the BRP CB/Comm system on my 2010 RT and it did not work very well at all. Such a waste of money !

I ran with an older RS portable with a rubber ducky type portable antenna. I got like 1/4 mile at best.

I mounted my Firestick to the luggage rack on my RT. I am still attempting to think of a way to mount the antenna into the slot where the CanAm antenna goes. I am also hoping Finless does a video to use the PTT button on the bike with the SR10.