Stereo Headset and Microphone on Open Face Helmet

Summary: While a headset on a motorbike may be the wrong thing at times, it can be a good thing when you are out in the country. Read up on some of my constraints, findings, and decisions to get stereo and a microphone into my helmet.

One thing after the other, so they say… Now that I have got my GPS mounted on the farkle bar on my Burgman 650 Executive, it was time for some sound around the ears.

Headset and Microphone Selection and Decision

The research around this particular topic was another long journey. The answers I came up with were twofold:

1. for short distances, around town, on and off the bike all the time: get a BlueTooth headset!
2. for long distances: get a wired headset

Again, there is no one fits all at present. My specific requirements, the zume 550 and the desire for stereo music almost did not leave me with many practical solutions.

The key issues:

• The zumo 550 will not send stereo via built-in BlueTooth
• The zumo 550 can send stereo via output jack; in can in two ways
  1. direct connection (wired) or
  2. connection via BlueTooth sender connected to the output jack

I will make this quick: If I listen to music, it should be in stereo. Since the zumo 550 does not send stereo via BlueTooth, I ruled out this option for two reasons:

1. I would listen to music on longer trips. These trips are usually longer than the battery in any BlueTooth receiver / communication system would hold up, let alone the question where to recharge the unit — in particular if 240 Volts are required to do so.
2. And it using wireless, I would need to either recharge the sender unit, or wire it to the bike — which presents just another point of failure.

Considering the above, only a wired solution seemed to make sense. I repeatedly saw a particular model on the Internet, same shape size, and functionality from 30 USD to 105 AUD and different vendors.

I opted buying this headset and microphone combination from  D.M.M.E.; the owner happens to be a fellow FarRider, he had the set in stock; I ordered it over the phone and received it in the mail the next day! What more could you ask for?!

Headset and Microphone Kit

Helmet Headset: Parts out-of-the-box

• Cable Zumo to headset
• Pair of speakers (headphones)
• Microphone on boom
• Cable (with microphone and speakers already connected)
• Cable ties and sticky tape
• Installation instructions

Headset and Microphone Installation

The Headset and Microphone combination is specifically configured for the Garmin zumo GPS. The microphone jack is on a slightly longer cable than the output jack. Nice. The curled connection lead is long enough; enough that I can open the trunk without having to unplug the lead.

The headset comes with a one pager instruction manual, and while I initially thought "what overkill?" though it is great to have this type of information for the less technically inclined. One key tip that helped me achieving a good headphone position: "Using the music lead supplied and a portable music player, play music through [the system] with your helmet on. Twist the helmet left and right and up and down. If the music becomes louder in either ear, then the speaker position needs adjustment."

Installing the Speakers

I put the padded speakers into the helmet, under the lining and put the helmet on. Hmm, too much pressure on the sides for my liking. I then discovered that the padding can be removed. Huh, great… I removed the padding and put the speakers back in. Before I did, I located the centre of my ear channel on each side — I pressed the right index finger on the left centre position and the left index finger on the right ear centre position, and then removed the helmet, while keeping the fingers in place. By then the lining had slight dints from the finer tips. I removed the fingers and marked the centre with a dot from a white marker pen.

I put the speakers into the helmet — now stripped from the padding —, behind the helmet lining, under the marked spots. Another benefit of removing the padding was that I could now position the speakers exactly where they needed to be, in order to emit sound directly into the ear channels.
The speakers ended up just above where the chin straps are affixed to the helmet.

I put the helmet back on, and tried the "test method" described as listed above and per manual. Spot on! No adjustment required. Now how do we affix them in the helmet? Double-sided sticky tape should do. Lucky me, I had some sticky tape floating around. I cut it to size to fit the speaker diameter (30 mm).

Too easy! Nice fit. They sit at the right spots. I can't feel the speakers. The lining should protect the speakers from sweat and water entering the units. At least I hope so 
Now onto the microphone…

Installing the Microphone

The microphone sits on a flexible boom; again with clear instructions on how to place it in front of your lips, in order to get the best performance. Please heed the instructions. The boom has a flat end, that can be stuck somewhere under the lining. Well, that "somewhere" did not really exist in my helmet.
I was interested in a sturdy fit, a secure place to put the boom, being able to swing it around, pulled on it (by accident) without having to fiddle with it in case it becomes undone.

A little bit of thinking and I found a practical solution. To avoid any fumbling around, or any half-baked mounting points, I decided to drill four 2.5 mm holes into the helmet.  Yes, I know about drilling holes and all, and I am sure, where I put the holes they won't negatively impact the structural support of the helmet. The key point: the microphone as well as the cable will sit tight and won't go anywhere! This was achieved by routing black cable ties through the holes and securing the cable and respectively the boom to the helmet.

Helmet Headset: Installed microphone boom and cable (shown upside down)

Helmet Headset: Installed microphone boom and cable

Installing the Cables

The cables were easily stashed away in the lining around the back of the helmet. No issues here. No clue, no tape, just stashed them away. 

The cable connecting the helmet to the zumo was routed under the rear handlebar cover. It went through the existing grommet for the power cable, and came out off centre to the left through another grommet. The curled cable can be either stashed away in the left glove box or connected to the helmet.

Final product: the curled cable for the headset leaving the handlebar cover, stashed away in the left glove box

Road-Testing the Head Set

This had to wait a day. I tested the set-up while stationary. Since the speakers are optimally placed, I could not see any improvement from the road-testing, hence, the next day commute would proof the pudding.

Yes! A day later and I can say: I am not too impressed. I used my normal iPod earplugs on the zumo. With this new headset I had to crank up the volume to 90% on a 60 km/h road. I will test this set-up on the Freeway another day. [On a side note: my wireless headset — I bought for 50 AUD — arrived today; I will try this one on soon.]

The next thing is to pair the zumo with my mobile phone and test the microphone! [Will update this space accordingly soon.]

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