Flying in the face of the adage “keep death off the roads,” my OH took her CBT last week and has now bought herself a scooter. We pick it up in a week or two.

Idly looking at some sort of comms system, if only so I can patronise her provide sage advice whilst she wobbles her way back home behind me in the car. Is there any reason whatsoever why we couldn’t just use mobile phones and some sort of in-ear headphone arrangement? She’s eyeing up some £15 Bluetooth headphone things on Amazon currently.

(As a Brucie Bonus question, are BT headphones any good these days? I’m idly thinking of using them for running.)

Ta.

Personally I think its a bad idea – new rider on a strange bike plus voice in ear # = overload .

# no matter how well intentioned .

We’ve both had bikes and its the last thing either of use would want , even when mrsbeanz was on the back of mine the intercom was tried was mors of a distraction than a benefit.

Hm, you may have a point. I was just thinking more of a ‘safety net’ than having me wittering constantly.

Major distraction to the both of you and as a new rider I would hate someone to be nagging in my ear.

I’d give her a 10 minute head start rather than trying to keep her in view and travelling in convoy. Just trying to keep together is a distraction.

you have to get past the million miles an hour commentary but the actual content is good

Personally I think its a bad idea – new rider on a strange bike plus voice in ear # = overload .

+1000

I’m a pretty experienced rider (ie +30 years) and wouldn’t want it.

If you are going to do it, spend more than £15…

A long while ago granted, I had a set of one radios with PTT buttons and helmet speakers for a LEJOG run – they were useless at anything over 20mph.

I later had an ancient autocom system for rider to pillion and the difference was astronomical, crystal clear at 100mph+…

Nope.

Me and Chris have had our licences for ages and the last thing either of would want if/when we were to go out for a ride together would be the other chirping away in their lughole!

Me- “Don’t you even dare think about going for that overtake Chris.”

Chris- “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been waiting ages for you…”

For the sake of World Peace we’ve agreed never, ever to go out for a ride together.

Better for you to follow her too, to run interference as it were, and you can see any problems with the bike as they may happen rather than have to turn around and go and find her.

Even though I have a Bluetooth system in my own helmet, a Sena SMH-10R, I wouldn’t recommend it for a new rider at all. There really is enough to be getting on with without having to talk to you!

I use mine to connect to my GPS as using that does reduce my workload quite significantly in unfamiliar locations.

I’d also wonder about a bike with a bit more go than a scooter. I feel a hell of a lot safer on my big bike than I ever did on a 125. I’d hate to think what it was like on a scooter with cars darting past me!

Rachel