? bluetooth GPS earphones ?

[Centex]

I have no experience with any GPS but now I'm looking.  The Garmin 220 has caught my eye but I've not made a final decision.  That unit has bluetooth and gives voice directions for turns.

Can anyone point me to a very compact earphone-only bluetooth setup so I can hear the turn-by-turn directions from a Garmin GPS that has bluetooth?  I know I will never use my phone on the bike and I'm a strictly solo rider so I do not want an intercom / microphone.

I am confused as to why bike helmet setups all seem to have what I consider a large 'box' on the side of the helmet when a bluetooth earpiece for a phone is the size of a couple of sticks of chewing gum??  "Large" is relative but everything I see for helmets is much larger than ear-hung phone bluetooth units.

TIA

[Outback_Jon]

I am confused as to why bike helmet setups all seem to have what I consider a large 'box' on the side of the helmet when a bluetooth earpiece for a phone is the size of a couple of sticks of chewing gum??  "Large" is relative but everything I see for helmets is much larger than ear-hung phone bluetooth units.

Can't help you with a good Bluetooth unit for your use, but the size of the helmet Bluetooth units is probably for a  couple of reasons.  One is to hold the microphone, which usually has to be near the mouth of the user to work on a motorcycle.  The other is to make operation of the unit while wearing gloves easier. 

[Daytona_Mike]

I have this one. I didnt like the earphones that come with it. They were ok  but did not fit inside my ear. Sort of like those cheapo ear buds that come with an iphone.
 The  unit comes with a little adapter (not in the pictures) that allows you to use your favorite  ear phones.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HM3700-Bluetooth-Wireless-Headset/dp/B0052XQFKE

You can see all the parts including the adapter for your own ear buds are  in this picture.
http://tinyurl.com/cgproo6

[Scaffolder]

Look up Sennheiser MM200s. I have these and love them. Sennheiser doesn't have them anymore, but you can still find them for sale online for around $150. I have them linked to my Samsung Infuse phone. I listen to my music and GPS at the same time. When the GPS is giving directions it cuts off the music for a few seconds and goes back to music. I love these and I can use them in my car as handfree phone use.

[Daytona_Mike]

MM200 $150   Samsung= $24      I use ( my own earplugs) UE TripleFi's or my Etymonic  Er6i in the Samsung blu-tooth  or  with my Starcomm1 system. It depends what bike I am riding

OFF THE TOPIC:   I too have the Infuse. Awsome phone.  Mine is rooted, rom'd (ZEUS) and overclocked and running ST.   Are you paying At&T or  running StraightTalK. ST is less  than half  the cost of AT&T but still uses AT&T towers (unlimited everything).

[Scaffolder]

I love the sound quality that the MM200s have. I just use the Infuse as a MP3 and play what I have for music on my computer. I do not stream music online. I will someday I'm sure.

[Centex]

I have this one. I didnt like the earphones that come with it. They were ok  but did not fit inside my ear. Sort of like those cheapo ear buds that come with an iphone.
 The  unit comes with a little adapter (not in the pictures) that allows you to use your favorite  ear phones.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HM3700-Bluetooth-Wireless-Headset/dp/B0052XQFKE

What GPS are you pairing with the Samsung unit (not using a phone or the Starcom)?  I'm not interested in a $150 earset just to hear a computer generated GPS voice give turn directions.

[Daytona_Mike]

Centex. I am sorry. I misread your post. I dont know of any bluetooth device that hooks to any Garmin except for a LaScala G4 (and some other  bike to bike ) to the ZUMO and only the Zumo.
The links given  above are designed to hook to cell phones only.
Sorry. I just tested my Samsung device ( the one in the link above) and it will not hook to the Garmin.
My cell does.
GPS are taking a huge  sales drop now these days because of  smart phones. Why would you not want to use a smart phone?
They blow the doors off any GPS. My Zumo  acts like an idiot next to my Google Maps running on my Samsung Infuse.

[Centex]

GPS are taking a huge  sales drop now these days because of  smart phones. Why would you not want to use a smart phone?
They blow the doors off any GPS. My Zumo  acts like an idiot next to my Google Maps running on my Samsung Infuse.

Well, I simply hadn't thought of that 

I "pull over" and use Google Maps when riding the bike all the time to supplement the paper maps and get 'exact directions'.

Obviously, the thing to do is pony $10 for a month of the GPS / turn-by-turn service for my I-phone, plug in the earphones, and go play with it.   

Thanks for thinking !!   

[Scaffolder]

I use the free Google Maps on the Infuse, but ATT would like me to pay the$10 to them for theirs.

[Daytona_Mike]

Google Maps works on iphone'
Scaffolder:   try Voodoo sound and PowerAmp. You will really enjoy the sound now. I guess you didnt read my questions to you.

[Tele130]

Why would you not want to use a smart phone?
They blow the doors off any GPS.

Exactly.  I'm using an iPhone.  It's my GPS, iPod, communication devise (of course), portable computer.........eveything.  And only one charging cord.

Aerostitch has a pair of Elk skin gloves with "ElectroStatic Stiching" in the finger tips that works with Touch Screens.  So now I can navigate my GPS with gloves on.

Sorry for the "Hi-Jack".

[Kilianos]

I know you don't want the "box" on the side of your helmet or the phone/intercom features, but I wanted to let you know Sena just released a new headset/intercom model SMH5.  It comes with a boom mic but you don't have to use it, you can leave that part off the helmet if you want.  It'll connect via bluetooth to your gps, music player, phone etc and works like a charm, I really like it a lot.

It's quite nice compared to fumbling with wires running to your phone, etc. which I have done for years.

Priced right too, little over a hundred bucks.

Oh yeah, and the "box" is quite compact compared to their flagship model (about 1/3 the size) so it's not that bad.

[Tele130]

I know you don't want the "box" on the side of your helmet or the phone/intercom features, but I wanted to let you know Sena just released a new headset/intercom model SMH5.  It comes with a boom mic but you don't have to use it, you can leave that part off the helmet if you want.  It'll connect via bluetooth to your gps, music player, phone etc and works like a charm, I really like it a lot.

It's quite nice compared to fumbling with wires running to your phone, etc. which I have done for years.

Priced right too, little over a hundred bucks.

Oh yeah, and the "box" is quite compact compared to their flagship model (about 1/3 the size) so it's not that bad.

Just a side note:
 I talked to the guys at "WebbikeWorld.com" about the SMH5 VS. the SMH10 and the Uclear UBC100 system. 
The CONCLUSION was:    While all these systems do a great job overall in the sound department (Voice directions from the GPS, Communication with your passenger and phone calls), for use as a MAIN sorce to listen to music there are better and cheaper ways to go.

[Kilianos]

Just a side note:
 I talked to the guys at "WebbikeWorld.com" about the SMH5 VS. the SMH10 and the Uclear UBC100 system. 
The CONCLUSION was:    While all these systems do a great job overall in the sound department (Voice directions from the GPS, Communication with your passenger and phone calls), for use as a MAIN sorce to listen to music there are better and cheaper ways to go.

I agree, for music the sound quality isn't exceptional, but it's ok.  I wanted to have all the functions especially rider-passenger intercom.  Bought the dual kit.  I tried listening to music and setting a destination on my Android phone using Google Navigation, worked quite well.  Once it's ready to give you a routing instruction, the music fades out, the instruction is given and then the music fades back in.  Plus, the jog dial works GREAT to adjust the volume while wearing gloves.

[wally_games]

Just a side note:
 I talked to the guys at "WebbikeWorld.com" about the SMH5 VS. the SMH10 and the Uclear UBC100 system. 
The CONCLUSION was:    While all these systems do a great job overall in the sound department (Voice directions from the GPS, Communication with your passenger and phone calls), for use as a MAIN sorce to listen to music there are better and cheaper ways to go.

Such as?

[Scaffolder]

I use ATT for my service. I'll have to look into those apps.
I tried a Sony bluetooth set up for under $50, but I returned them. They sounded like crap. I have my Sennheiser MM200s and couldn't go without them. I even have a set ready for when these are toast. I can control the sound level, change songs, and even turn it off with gloves on. And the phone can stay in the rear trunk the whole time.
I looked into the Element helmet a long time ago, but the reviews were not too promising.