Been a member of the local HOG chapter for 4 years now. Mainly because membership nets 10% discount on parts and accessories from my local dealer. A few weeks I attended my first meeting and this past weekend went on my first group ride.

It was mentioned that the ride leaders use CB for instruction so I figured why not? I considered the J&M 3000u handlebar mounted CB, that is to say i considered it for the duration of a 5 minute phone call to one of their tech specialists ( nice, knowledgeable guy). Sorry forum sponsor, but your CB nets out about $900 plus AFTER forum discounts, inclusive of antenna, necessary cables, wired headsets, etc. For what is basically a $40 cb with Vox and a wired lintercom? I get that we pay a premium for most stuff on our Harleys but I just couldnt see it.


For $150 plus a ram mount, I got equivalent performance in a Midland portable CB, cheap Midland headset, and a no groundplane antenna I plan to mount to one of my saddlebags.


I did find the CB useful on the chapter ride and had no issues communicating with the other bikes on transmit or receive using the simple rubber duck antenna and powered by 6 alkaline AA batteries. I expect performance to improve when I install the external 3' firestick antenna and power the portable from the 12v accessory connection instead of the AA batteries.


If I absolutely cant live without the J&M I could see the $400 or so price advertised on e bay for the unit ( it might have cleaner lines) but only if potting the electronics for full waterproofing and making my own headphone extension cables. More likely I'll just upgrade my midland headset, and get some Sena SMH10 bluetooth communicators forrider-passenger communications. Sena also sells a bluetooth adapter if I want bluetooth to the Midland but for another $140 I'll see if the short tether to the CB bothers me over the course of a few more rides.


Regarding that group ride... may take some getting used to for me. Typically ride with 0-2 other bikes, not 15+. Everyone was very nice and enjoyed getting to know some new people. But I was 2 up and felt the pace was 5-10 mph above what was appropriate for the roads so I stayed near the rear. Almost everyone else was solo so I'll take the next outing solo and see how that affects my view of the pace. And I'll keep my CB antenna on the bike but I doubt I'll use the CB outside the context of group instructions. Had enough chatter with CB in the 70's and then as a ham in the 70's and early 80's back when anything above novice privileges meant an in person test for code and theory at the nearest FCC office.


Doesnt seem like CB gets used much on bikes, maybe I'm wrong? Thinking bluetooth bike to bike will kill it off compltetely in the next few years.

 

Bluetooth Bike-to-Bike will not kill off CB. They work totally different from each other and serve different purposes. My group of Road Captains could not perform the way we do using Bluetooth communications, but each group is different and performs their own way.

I am glad though that after 4 years with your HOG group that you finally decided to join a ride and that maybe decided that your membership goes beyond just discounts. Every HOG group is different and I hope that you find a supportive network of new friends and family.

 

Some groups are switching over to FRS Radios as the TX and RX distances are sufficient (if not superior) to bike mounted CB Radios. On top of which an FRS Radio can be had at a fraction of the cost for anything else. Simply search Amazon.com for <FRS Radio> and select "Waterproof and there are many reputable brands offing sets of two for between $25 and $30. Buy a headset with microphone for an additional $6 and you're good to go! Move your budget up to $80 and you can get really fancy: rechargeable, submersible, extended range, etc.

Ex:

 

Drove truck for over 40 years, I hate CB I have one built into my bike never use it, ridding friends want me to use it, I say no just keep the f---- up will talk when we stop.

 

If you wNt a CB skip the J&M and go Boom... I had all 3 and the HD Boom is the best. If you are gonna use it a lot you won't regret it. I installed it myself. Bought the components on EBay except a few pieces.

 

Thanks for pointing out why group rides are so dangerous. Testosterone clouds judgement when some riders ride over their heads to show others what a "great" rider they are.
IMO, a group ride is telling the group what the next stop is with instructions to "see you there". That allows everyone to ride solo at whatever pace they feel is comfortable.
The rear is a good place to be in a group ride. This allows the rider to help those who crash.

 

You can get a SENA 20s and a cb communicator for less than that

 

Our group runs CBs on all rides but I don't have one. I have a Sena and am out of their loop to an extent. The road captains are all hell bent on CBs but damned if I will buy a bike specifically because it HAS a CB like they do. I am content not to have one but I understand why they like them. We average about 15 bikes and sometimes get up to 30 on our rides. You simply could not pair Senas effectively with that many bikes.

As to your aversion to the group ride dynamic, I get that too. Our group is pretty established and we know who rides how so at the front, we ride relatively tight (we trust each other) whereas some people to hang back in the rear of the pack.

Ride your own ride....

 

In the only riding club I belonged to back in the late 60's, several of us adapted to CB of the day. On my 67, I had taken a Pace 23 channel and remoted it from the tour trunk with volume and squelch controls mounted in a Motorola speaker mounted on the handlebar. I used a 48" fiberglass top loaded antenna mounted to the right side saddlebag guard. Over all, it was a great setup for the time, though I had to use a hand mike and adjust the volume for noise level. The road captain used the CB to control the movement of the group but there was no chatter permitted. All in all, it helped keep us coordinated and moving with some precision.

But today, I wouldn't ride with more than 3 other bikes, and even then not in close with another rider. Every rider for himself. My long time friend I rode with became so predictable I could ride close up with him safely, but I didn't. The last time I rode in a group setting, it was more of a loose parade because we were doing a memorial thing up the I-15 for about 15 miles. Speeds varied from 10-60 mph with typical rubber band stretching and close. Not good.

The only time a group works well is when all riders focus on moving as a group with precision, like a drill team.

 

Pace is a name I haven't heard in a long time, but I've been out of radio since late 80's when I let my ham license lapse. I was a dinosaur anyway, mostly into CW on the HF bands loving my 40 year old vibroflex bug.

I do like the CB aspect on group rides so I can hang back and still get a heads up on upcoming route changes and hazards. Sure, if I hang close to the guy in front theres really nothing that cant be communicated by hand/leg signals. But I know my limits. I have no idea what the other riders limits might be and dont want to be a test case. I have seen great technical riders go off road instantly when they lose attention even momentarily.


Rider to passenger I think the Sena is probably in my future. Or, good quality wired headset communicators. I dont anticipate many 2 up group rides so probably will use the intercom more on private rides where the CB will be off. On group rides I'll use the CB but rarely need a passenger intercom.