You want to use your bluetooth enabled mobile telephone and take a call while riding, but you can't find a helmet with a bluetooth headset build in. Some manufacturers offer 'aftersales' bluetooth solutions, like Schuberth's Bluesonic and Nolan's N-Com but as of writing, they are extremely expensive and many bikers complain about them being unreliable. You'd think there is a huge market for these, since there are millions of bikers and millions of GSM owners in the Netherlands alone! Still, I had a hard time finding one. Motorola has one for jet-helmets, but be honest: How many bikers do you know wear a jet-helmet? Me neither.
After a lot of searching, we found the HS100T from IMC, www.imc-motorcom.com. This is a set of flat helmet speakers and a microphone. It affordable, works fine and the volume is loud enough. I used it in combination with a WayPoint Blue-Talk Wireless Bluetooth receiver. I bought it as a set from Waypoint, in Notter, Netherlands, by (e)mail order.
This is what I used. Screwdriver, duct tape, markers, sharp multi-purpose knife.
If your helmet isn't prepaired for speakers, put them between your helmet and your ears while wearing it. Determine the position of the speakers and mark them with a white marker.
Carefully take out the lining, remember how it is seated so you can put it back later.
This is the lining, taken out, with the marking.
This is the same lining from the other side, you'd normally never see.
The lining is fastend with tape, carefully loosen it, from one side and only as much as you need to.
Make a small dummy out of paper for the speaker.
Use it to draw the size of the speaker on the polystyrene core of the helmet.
Cut out enough space to snuggly fit the speaker in.
Fasten the speaker with tape, without covering the holes of the speaker.
Determine where you want to build in the blu-tooth device itself. The model I used is so small it easily fits in the polystyrene foam layer in the back of the helmet. Outline it with a white marker.
The carved out back and placed bluetooth receiver.
This is the polystyrene chin piece of the helmet after loosening it. It isn't even glued to the helmet so this is easier then you might think.
Determine the position of the microphone
Here's the polystyrene chin piece with carved out and placed microphone.
I wanted to get ride of the long connector cable between the bluetooth device and the microphone and speakers. The microphone cable is way to long, and I didn't need to disconnect the device at any time. All is build into the helmet. So I just cut of the connector that I needed to get the cables connected to the small bluetooth receiver/transmitter.
Of course we reconnect the wires again.
Most bluetooth enabled GSM telephones, like the Motorola RAZR V3i I used, can be set to take incoming calls automatically. All you have to do is make sure your phone is connected via bluetooth before you hit the road. The V3 also understands it only must take calls automatically when the wireless headset is active. Just to state the obvious: It is not a good idea to try to dial a number on your phone while riding!
If you have any additions or comments, don't hesitate to drop me a line at solutions@beeldbuijs.nl