When you’re on the road, it’s important to maintain communications. This is especially so on a motorcycle. Many people ride their motorcycles in groups or pairs, because, we all know, there’s safety in numbers. Part of remaining safe is maintaining effective communications with others in your group, while also maintaining full control of your motorcycle. A motorcycle CB radio will do both of those things, combining effective road communications with ergonomically designed controls to minimize distraction while allowing you to keep both hands on the handlebars.
One of the best options available in the world of motorcycle cb is the J&M Handlebar CD Audio System. As stated, it’s important to keep both hands on your handlebars at all times to maintain control of your bike. The JMCB-2003 allows you to minimize the amount of time you have to take your hand off the handlebars by providing ergonomic controls that are within a finger’s reach. CB is an open communication system, which means that anyone on the same channel can talk to one another by simply activating a push to talk (PTT) switch. There are no numbers to dial, no calls to answer; you simply hold down a button and talk, and when you’re not talking, you’re listening. J&M has taken this ease of use to the next level. Their system mounts on the left-side of your handlebars, just next to the light switch, and the PTT is activated by a trigger-like mechanism that can easily be reached with the index finger while keeping the rest of the hand on the handlebar. You will obviously need a headset that is a combination of earphone and microphone for use with the system, and J&M makes those as well. We also talked about minimizing distractions above, and this system accomplishes this by way of large, well-contrasted buttons that are quickly and easily accessed, as well as a bright an highly contrasted digital readout. Further keeping distractions to a minimum is its minimalistic design. There are only 4 large buttons (easily pushed, even with gloves on), two knobs (one controls AUX volume, while the other is a two-tiered combination of volume and squelch), and the PTT trigger. This design is easy to learn, so you don’t have to constantly look at the device to see what you’re doing.
What is unique about the J&M Motorcycle CB radio is its incorporation of music as well. You do need to provide an external source for this music. This system is compatible with any standard portable music device though, whether it’s your iPod, Zune, portable AM/FM radio, or any other MP3 player. Heck, if you’re feeling retro, you can even hook up your discman or walkman. It uses a standard 3.5 mm auxiliary audio input, so any device that uses this standard can be used.
The J&M handlebar cb audio system is a great motorcycle CB radio that covers all functions you could want in such a system, but with an ease of use that keeps safety in the forefront of its operation. As a side note, please consult your local laws regarding the use of headphones while operating a motorcycle. These laws vary from state to state.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
My headset on my JMCB-2003 seems to be going out. The right ear piece seems to give audio in and out and by my touching the cord by the mouth piece, seems to bring the sound back to the ear piece. I’ve checked all the connections and they seem to be tight. Am I looking at a new head set or is there something I can do? If I do need a new headset, what is the model number and what’s the cost.
Thanks,
Mike Lucas
Hi Mike,
Sounds like some sort of short, and if you have some electronics repair skills, you could probably figure out where it is, and maybe use electrical tape to fix it. However, without looking at it, I can’t really diagnose the problem.
JM sells replacement parts here: http://jmcorp.com/SeeProducts.asp?PF=20
That page isn’t very useful for finding compatibility though, so you might have to email them to find out.