UClear HBC100 Plus headset dual pack

[fritzwilliger_imp]

Our 20-yr old son is the one who got me into motorbikes in the past two years. Already he's logged well over 3000 miles on two different bikes ('06 Suzuki SV650 and '01 Aprilia Mille). Recently he convinced me to go 50/50 on a bluetooth headset pair for when we ride together. Since he sells bikes at a Honda dealership in the Chicagoland area, he gets reliable inside information.

We decided to go with the UClear HBC100 Plus dual pack set up, and we are quite pleased. The range is decent at just under 1/2 mile, and the clarity is very good. The small, mini mouse-shaped externally mounted works are easily operated with the left, gloved hand. Best of all, there is no boom mike to deal with since the voice gets picked up inside of our full face helmets.

Meanwhile, I'm still adjusting to being able to hear him whistling to himself at times. I also get to "enjoy" the aftermarket MP4 exhaust note on his SV650 with more definition and clarity, and from farther away, than ever before...! Ah, the benefits of modern technology! LOL

 

[the Ferret]

fritz, glad you got them pics please. I wasn't aware of any outside mounted anything? I've heard the inner pieces are kind of thick? The kid is right the communication will be great for you. Tightwad kid should have bought one for the old man though lol

 

[metallyguitarded_imp]

Cut him some slack ferret. The kid is only 20 years old. Fritz still has about another 10 years of paying for things before the kid starts picking up the tab.

 

[the Ferret]

Lol..sorry. hey my kids are 40 and 36 and I still pick up the check every time we go out to dinner.

 

[emptysea]

Thanks for this report Fritz. We are looking at the same units for us as our other riding friends just purchased them. If I'm lucky, I'll have mine in time for the Trippin' on LSD ride so you and I can talk to each other during it. (see "Meet Ups & Gatherings" CB1100 Forum for more info.)

 

[fritzwilliger_imp]

Thanks for this report Fritz. We are looking at the same units for us as our other riding friends just purchased them. If I'm lucky, I'll have mine in time for the Trippin' on LSD ride so you and I can talk to each other during it. (see "Meet Ups & Gatherings" CB1100 Forum for more info.)

Trippin' on LSD & wired up at the same time...! Sounds like a most excellent adventure to me!

 

[Cormanus]

Sounds totally scary to me!

 

[fritzwilliger_imp]

fritz, glad you got them pics please. I wasn't aware of any outside mounted anything? I've heard the inner pieces are kind of thick? The kid is right the communication will be great for you. Tightwad kid should have bought one for the old man though lol

How "un-sight-ly" of me not to include pix! Took me a while to figure out how to post 'em...! BTW, the inner pieces are not that thick; they fit nicely into the ear cut-outs already built-in with most helmets.


The front of the package the dual set comes in.


The indicator light is blue when ON.


The mini-mouse controller on the helmet next to the package backside display.


The gleaming bike pointed toward the garage door, just itchin' to get out on its next run!

 

[Cormanus]

Beautiful ...

 

[the Ferret]

Thanks for the pic. Ok so the unit on the outside of the helmet is pretty small compared to some I have seen. It looks like the unit on our Scala Rider, only without the bracket and boom mic.

 

[jsinher3_imp]

Glad you've had good experience with them. They were the original set I bought because I liked that it didn't need a boom mic but I had to return it because the wires were so fragile that it would mess with the sound quality and cut in and out. as well as the mic portion didn't let it sit well inside my rf1200 and was poking at my ears. I eventually went online and got the sena smh10 lots of good features and installing them in my helmet or wire problems.

 

[fritzwilliger_imp]

Glad you've had good experience with them. They were the original set I bought because I liked that it didn't need a boom mic but I had to return it because the wires were so fragile that it would mess with the sound quality and cut in and out. as well as the mic portion didn't let it sit well inside my rf1200 and was poking at my ears. I eventually went online and got the sena smh10 lots of good features and installing them in my helmet or wire problems.

The helmet I'm using (Bell Star) has enough ear-pocket space built-in from the mfr that I was unaware of until installing UClear speakers. All we had to do was remove the molded foam spacers from the ear pockets and then pop the speakers into these lovely perches that keep them from encroaching on our ears.

Can see what you mean about the wires being a bit exposed and susceptible to outside laminar airflow. The full wrap-around neoprene chin and neck curtain (the black band you see encircling the bottom of my helmet) does provide some support for the wire as it comes under the helmet lip and into the rear of the external mini-mouse controller.

By comparison my son does not have this neoprene curtain wrap on his Bell RS-1 (his helmet is newer with a far better and quieter internal neck collar system). So far he has not had any wire related issues nor internal ear space concerns to report. We'll keep you posted - we've only had this system 2 weeks.

Here's to clear communication whilst riding 2Up or B3 (bike-beside-bike)!

Fritz

 

[Cormanus]

Fritz, you might like to ponder this story and [url=https://netrider.net.au/threads/a-warning-to-others-turn-off-your-headsets.202785/]this one as well.

 

[emptysea]

Just installed our new HBC100s. It took a little bit reading and rereading the instructions to get the intercom portion to function correctly, but I think I have it figured out. We'll have to memorize a couple of commands so we can switch from music to phone to intercom and back, but they seem pretty user friendly in that regard. I'll post my review of sound quality here once we have had the chance to ride with them.

I will keep an eye on the wiring, but my only comment now is that the wires do not seem particularly flimsy to me. On the other hand, the connection socket on the unit is very tight and if the connector is not fully seated, the sound will cut in and out. Once connected, it takes a good tug to unplug it which I think is a good thing in as much as it will probably stay connected to the helmet if the mounting bracket should come unstuck on the road.

More later (if the rain goes away) including how our two unit system pairs with our friends' Uclear communicators. So far, I'm relatively pleased with our purchase.

Fritz, you might like to ponder this story and [url=https://netrider.net.au/threads/a-warning-to-others-turn-off-your-headsets.202785/]this one as well.

:rofl:

These are the kind of things that have kept me from taking the plunge on intercoms until now. "Now, you two just need intercoms so you can talk to each other on rides", a fellow rider suggested as Cheryl and I were preparing to depart a bike night a few years ago. To which I replied, "if I wanted to talk to her on the road, we'd take the car". The guy started to laugh, but I didn't wait for Cheryl's reaction. I quickly started my bike and hoped she'd forget the comment by the time we got home.

The solitude of riding is great, but riding with others involves interaction between those riders. I hope that the intercom improves the communication on group rides and is a minimal distraction. We will see.