I have a 2018 R1200RT, that is why I am asking here.
I bought a pair of Cardo Palktalk Bold headsets.
First problem. The RT will link one headset, but not the other. The information I see in the manual from the bike is the first, or rider's headset needs to be a BMW Communicator before it will accept a second, passenger, headset. If anyone knows anything different I would love to hear it!
Second issue. Only one volume control? The Bluetooth output from the RT is loud and once the Bluetooth connection is made the Wonder wheel will not adjust the radio volume. It relies on the Cardo to set the volume, BUT, the intercom level is low, the radio level is way high. If I turn down the headset volume to listen to the Sirius radio from the RT I can not hear my wife talk to me, so I shut off the radio and turn up the volume on the headset, and back and forth. Am I missing something on either the RT radio controls, or the Cardo?
I have probably 5 hours into trying to figure this out and so far not very happy.
I don't ever care to connect to the GPS. I just want to listen to the bike's radio, and intercom with my wife and talk to another rider.
One other thing that irks me is Cardo advertises you can talk to your passenger on one frequency and to other riders on a second frequency. From what I see you need to run this from and app on your phone. Not very user friendly on a motorcycle. I can see I may end up with a RAM mount for my phone so I can easily access my phone while rolling down the road.
Another thing I have looked into a a aftermarket Bluetooth transmitter. They are cheap enough to try and should fit into the glove box. I already have a device wired into the RT's speakers that gives me a low level output. I should be able to plug that into the RT and connect the Cardos to it. It would give me volume adjustment with the wonder wheel, (at least I as sume soo.) It also has dual Bluetooth outputs so we can share music easier. The Packtalks will only share music in Bluetooth mode and the rider or passenger has to hit a button to stop the music and switch over to intercom and hit the button to go back to music.
So far I have $450 into this and am not very happy. Also trying to talk to Cardo is about impossible. Customer service is busy and I have waited on hold for 45 minutes a couple times and gave up as I had other stuff to do.
My buddy talked about just giving in and buying the BMW communicators, but I asked him if he could say for certain they would work like we hoped? They certainly will connect and function to the motorcycle easier but I doubt the intercom and bike to bike communication is better or different than Cado. Plus the helmet selection is poor.
Guys can criticize Harley Davidson all they want, but for not being a technical company they had the intercom and bike to bike communication handled well. The only possible criticism was they used CB radios so whoever you roade with needed a CB too. The intercom was VOX operated and adjustable so the intercom would shut down until you started talking. They had inputs for a MP3 player and have Sirius radio available. Sound quality was good.
I bought a pair of Cardo Palktalk Bold headsets.
First problem. The RT will link one headset, but not the other. The information I see in the manual from the bike is the first, or rider's headset needs to be a BMW Communicator before it will accept a second, passenger, headset. If anyone knows anything different I would love to hear it!
Second issue. Only one volume control? The Bluetooth output from the RT is loud and once the Bluetooth connection is made the Wonder wheel will not adjust the radio volume. It relies on the Cardo to set the volume, BUT, the intercom level is low, the radio level is way high. If I turn down the headset volume to listen to the Sirius radio from the RT I can not hear my wife talk to me, so I shut off the radio and turn up the volume on the headset, and back and forth. Am I missing something on either the RT radio controls, or the Cardo?
I have probably 5 hours into trying to figure this out and so far not very happy.
I don't ever care to connect to the GPS. I just want to listen to the bike's radio, and intercom with my wife and talk to another rider.
One other thing that irks me is Cardo advertises you can talk to your passenger on one frequency and to other riders on a second frequency. From what I see you need to run this from and app on your phone. Not very user friendly on a motorcycle. I can see I may end up with a RAM mount for my phone so I can easily access my phone while rolling down the road.
Another thing I have looked into a a aftermarket Bluetooth transmitter. They are cheap enough to try and should fit into the glove box. I already have a device wired into the RT's speakers that gives me a low level output. I should be able to plug that into the RT and connect the Cardos to it. It would give me volume adjustment with the wonder wheel, (at least I as sume soo.) It also has dual Bluetooth outputs so we can share music easier. The Packtalks will only share music in Bluetooth mode and the rider or passenger has to hit a button to stop the music and switch over to intercom and hit the button to go back to music.
So far I have $450 into this and am not very happy. Also trying to talk to Cardo is about impossible. Customer service is busy and I have waited on hold for 45 minutes a couple times and gave up as I had other stuff to do.
My buddy talked about just giving in and buying the BMW communicators, but I asked him if he could say for certain they would work like we hoped? They certainly will connect and function to the motorcycle easier but I doubt the intercom and bike to bike communication is better or different than Cado. Plus the helmet selection is poor.
Guys can criticize Harley Davidson all they want, but for not being a technical company they had the intercom and bike to bike communication handled well. The only possible criticism was they used CB radios so whoever you roade with needed a CB too. The intercom was VOX operated and adjustable so the intercom would shut down until you started talking. They had inputs for a MP3 player and have Sirius radio available. Sound quality was good.
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