Helmet mod help!

[Doc_Busa]

I want to install speakers into my Shoei helmet. My main concern is so I can hear my radar detector. Also, I bought a Chatterbox communicator, that I really am not too crazy about, but still, I would like to try it some more.

The speakers I want to use are those that came with the Chatterbox. They are very thin, but still make it harder for my ears to "unfold" when putting on my skull cap. If I could remove just 1/8-1/4" of the styrofoam where the speakers belong, I would be golden. Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks a ton!

 

[Postal]

Got a Dremmel Doc? Go for it!

Just remove the lining first, as I am sure you would anyway. Keep the speakers flush with the remaining styrofoam. Good luck!

 

[jwcfbd]

Not that taking any of the foam out of the helmet is a good idea but it is just a little by your ears. If you could come up with some kind of hot knife you would be able to take as much or little foam as you want. You could use a battery and a small piece of wire. Be careful not to burn your fingers.

 

[jwcfbd]

Got a Dremmel Doc?  Go for it!  

  Just remove the lining first, as I am sure you would anyway.  Keep the speakers flush with the remaining styrofoam. Good luck!  

That would work too and you wouldn't have to worry about burning yourself.

 

[Postal]

Not that taking any of the foam out of the helmet is a good idea but it is just a little by your ears.  If you could come up with some kind of hot knife you would be able to take as much or little foam as you want.  You could use a battery and a small piece of wire.  Be careful not to burn your fingers.

Not a bad idea jwc, but I think a dremmel is better. Just my .02.

 

[discreet007]

Arai's cheek pads remove. I don't know about Shoei. I remove the pad then the lining that covers it. It is styrofoam and the spot where the ear is, is recessed. My communicators ear phones are 1" in diameter and 8mm thick. I use something round like a pipe or cigerette lighter. I mash down the foam where the speaker will go, then I use an Exacto knife to cut and scrape the foam away. Heating doesn't seem to help, but mashing it down does. I make the hole a little smaller than the speaker then wedge it in there. I replace the lining and pop it back into my helmet. I replace my pads every year so I have done this process four times. take your time and it will turn out good.

 

[mikeyusf]

yeesh, maybe I dont know better, but altering the only thing between my noggin and the cement kinda worries me. I never was a fan of having music in my helmet or other distractions. I guess I'm just a squid, let us know how it comes out

Mike

 

[Darkeyce]

Having done this before...

Once on my shoei and once on my Arai...

The styrofoam padding in my shoei was glued in with a fer dabs of flexible stuff...I pulled slowly to get it out...after that you need to peela back the cloth liner (which is also glued) then use a soldering iron to melt the styofoam...This is easier than you can imagine...the soldering iron is hot enough to melt the styrofoam with little or no pressure...it allows you a great deal of control and unlike a dremmel it's not spinning at 10k. I wish i could say i tyhougth of it, but, this is the method recommend to me byt he company i bought my helmet speakers from.

after you are done...take a cloth and wipe off the tip of the HOT iron and "no muss no fuss"

 

[MillenniumFalcon]

I want to install speakers into my Shoei helmet.  My main concern is so I can hear my radar detector.  Also, I bought a Chatterbox communicator, that I really am not too crazy about, but still, I would like to try it some more.

The speakers I want to use are those that came with the Chatterbox.  They are very thin, but still make it harder for my ears to "unfold" when putting on my skull cap.  If I could remove just 1/8-1/4" of the styrofoam where the speakers belong, I would be golden.    Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks a ton!

I think bike to bike communicators are great.

The only Chatterbox I would buy would be the X1
http://www.hjc-chatterbox.com/flash_main.html

or the Collett Platium 9000
http://www.collett.mb.ca/

Autocom has about the best of everything but you will pay dearly for it:
http://www.autocomamerica.com/index.asp
their control unit Pro M1 can plug everything into it including radar and cell.

I just buy headset and CD interface from Motocomm
http://www.motocomm.com/MC%20Series%20Products/MC-500/mc500.htm
and any good GMRS handheld and you are in business, less money and can get a real good radio cheap if you shop around.
http://www.leeselect.com/gmrs/gmrs_info.htm

I use ICOM handhelds. Little more expensive but they have more watts than any other handheld.

You can build two complete sets for what you would pay for one Chatterbox X1. Also you and your buddies can carry the handheld GMRS radios around at events like Bikeweek so you can meet up when separated. Thats where I started using them.


I do what everybody else does. I either just let the velcro stick the earphones inside or I make a little room for them. I am now going to use two helmets. One with a permanent installation of a motocom headset. Probably shrink the stryofoam. One without radio stuff.

Since HJC now owns Chatterbox you would think they would make a radio ready helmet......

Radio shack may have an adapter that adapts a CD plug to a radar plug. The Collett and the X1 have a music interface.

BTW DON"T buy the first Chatterboxes. They Suck big time. Only the FRS/GMRS. I wouldn't buy either.

 

[Doc_Busa]

Thanks guys, I will take a look at these ideas tonight.

BTW, I have the GMRSX1 Chatterboxes. Also, my helmet is a Shoei X-SPII with removable liners. I just need the styrofoam mod. I agree that it makes me a bit nervous to mod the styrofoam, but I only need to remove a small amount to make these fit.

Thanks

 

[discreet007]

yeesh, maybe I dont know better, but altering the only thing between my noggin and the cement kinda worries me. I never was a fan of having music in my helmet or other distractions. I guess I'm just a squid, let us know how it comes out

Mike

The Arai doesn't have any real protection in that area anyway. I won't lower the protection there, I have tested this theory.

 

[discreet007]

I have the Collette 49's. They are awesome. The work very well and at high speeds. The owner told us they were originally developed for snowmobiles.

 

[BUSAHEAD]

DOC,
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU WANT TO SPEND ON THIS PROJECT, BUT I PUT SPEAKERS IN MY ARAI AND IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF IT LOOKS AWESOME.

1. GO TO RADIO SHACK- PICK UP HEADPHONES, IRON, AND JACK.
2. DRILL HOLE IN BOTTOM LIP OF HELMET. MAKE SURE THE HOLE IS VERY TIGHT FIT FOR JACK.
3. REMOVE SPEAKERS FROM HEADPHONES
4. IRON WIRES FROM SPEAKERS TO JACK WRAP WITH SILICON OR ELECTRICAL TAPE.
5. REPLACE LINING

I ALSO PICKED UP A 90 DEGREE BEND PLUG WITH VOLUME CONTROL. PLUG UP MY MP3 PLAYER AND ROCK ON.

EVERYBODY THAT HAS SEEN IT HAS SAID IT IS THE BEST LOOKING AND SOUNDING INSTALL THEY HAVE EVER SEEN.

 

[jwcfbd]

DOC,
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU WANT TO SPEND ON THIS PROJECT, BUT I PUT SPEAKERS IN MY ARAI AND IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF IT LOOKS AWESOME.

1. GO TO RADIO SHACK- PICK UP HEADPHONES, IRON, AND JACK.
2. DRILL HOLE IN BOTTOM LIP OF HELMET. MAKE SURE THE HOLE IS VERY TIGHT FIT FOR JACK.
3. REMOVE SPEAKERS FROM HEADPHONES
4. IRON WIRES FROM SPEAKERS TO JACK WRAP WITH SILICON OR ELECTRICAL TAPE.
5. REPLACE LINING

I ALSO PICKED UP A 90 DEGREE BEND PLUG WITH VOLUME CONTROL. PLUG UP MY MP3 PLAYER AND ROCK ON.

EVERYBODY THAT HAS SEEN IT HAS SAID IT IS THE BEST LOOKING AND SOUNDING INSTALL THEY HAVE EVER SEEN.

This sounds pretty good do you have any pictures?

 

[BUSAHEAD]

NO PICS YET. I NEED TO TAKE SOME OF MY BUSA TO AND POST THEM. I TRIED TO POST PICS BEFORE AND COUNDN'T. IS THERE A SECRET TO POSTING PICS?

 

[jwcfbd]

NO PICS YET. I NEED TO TAKE SOME OF MY BUSA TO AND POST THEM. I TRIED TO POST PICS BEFORE AND COUNDN'T. IS THERE A SECRET TO POSTING PICS?

When you get to this part disreguard. It has been fixed.Now this is the most confusing part of all..... click on the name of the image that you are wanting to view and a browser window will open. Look at the URL or address window it should look just like this example except it should have your email address and your picture name at the end.
Now do you see the ../../ remove it so that it looks something like this.
Now that you have deleted the ../../ hit the enter key and you should be able to see your image in the browser. Now copy the link and paste it in your message on the message board.[/QUOTE]

 

[Tree]

You could use a soldering iron to melt the styrofoam. Just buy an extra tip for this. This would allow you to make a better shape or impression. Make sure you leave a grove for the wires also. If you take your time you can make plug in area on the helmet so that you aren't carring a wire with you when you aren't using the speakers. I did this many years ago on my Lazer helmet. Used a double male jack for the wire and 2" speakers permenantly mounted in the helmet.

Good luck with this,

Steve

 

[sirUKbusa]

I THNIK YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH GOING ON INSIDE THERE, GET A BIGGER HELMET ...........

 

[MET]

Go to Radio Shack electronic parts drawers. You will find flat 8ohm and flat 16 ohm speakers. I put one in for my radar detector. They work very good and fit right under the liner.