Triumphrat

Star Spangler · 05-21-2008

I was considering fitting an Autocom 200 to my TBS for use on a 2000 mile round trip I'm planning for July. It is a great solution for managing the mobile phone, Ipod and comms with other bikes all in one unit. I wanted to ask if anyone has fitted something similar to their TBS and if they had any advice on the process. Thanks for the help.

gregp · 05-21-2008

My first response to this post was "What's an autocom??". But a quick Google showed me the way. Sorry, but I am of no help here. When I ride my bikes, I rather enjoy the "Digital Disconnect" I impose upon myself. I am in my own little world and neither my boss, my kids, or even my wife can get to me! Hmmm...maybe that's why I like riding so much......

Tfraughton · 05-21-2008

Yes Good pick.
I have tried a couple others and autocom is the best I have tried. Cell, Radar, MP3 Gps compatible as well as intercom bike to bike or with passenger. Very versital Just wire in to taillight power and make sure you have a good ground. You will know if you get a lot of static.

Good Luck.

Jodel · 05-21-2008

I have the Autocom Kit 300 'Super Pro AVi' on my TBird for GPS sound and bike-to-bike PMR446 radio communications. The old adage of 'you get what you pay for' definitely holds true with Autocom. They are expensive but work really well. BTW: Did you take advantage of their recent 1/2 price offer? I couldn't get a 200 unit as they had all been snapped up, so bought the 300 instead.

In terms of physical size, the 300 is the largest unit Autocom make so I ended up fitting it underneath the top case rack in a small alloy box rather than try to find enough room under the seat. I bought the alloy box (a cheapo one from Maplins) and modified it slightly to suit. The Autocom unit is attached with velcro to the inside of the box, which is solidly bolted to the rack. I gave the alloy a coat of black paint to match the rack and you hardly notice it on the bike.

I routed the electrical connections for the GPS and the Radio along the spine frame underneath the fuel tank. No interference problems at all. I took a live feed from an ignition controlled connection at the fusebox and wired the ground lead straight to the battery.

I use earplugs with a high level of sound attenuation and even with them fitted the Autocom helmet speakers give perfect clear sound at 70mph on the open road with the GPS volume set to 7 out of 10. The radio provides equal clarity thanks to the noise reducing mike.

One point you may wish to bear in mind is that some helmets can be quite tight fitting - I wear a Shoei XR1000 and this can be a 'problem' helmet for some Autocom users as it is a very snug fit and the speakers can be pressed uncomfortably tight against your ears. I was OK and was able to get a good setup with a bit of fiddling around, but I know of others who could not achieve a comfortable installation with this helmet. If your helmet is already a close fit round the ears, you may have to mess around with the speaker position to make it comfortable.

Lastly, my experience of Autocom support is very good - the guys respond quickly to emails / phone calls.

denny · 05-22-2008

I have a Starcom 1 installed under the seat of my TBS. It is the original Starcom 1. The newer Starcom Advance is much smaller. There is barely enough room for the original model under the seat.

Starcom, Autocom, Baehr, Intaride are all top notch units.
Avoid the cheepie ones like the plague. If you are looking for bike to bike comms, the quality of the radios matters quite a bit also. I've had reasonable luck with better quality Cobra radio's. Tried some cheepie Motorolas and it was not so good with those.