CB Radio on Motorcycle

[SmithSwede]

I’m old enough to remember the CB radio fad of the 1970s.  And as a kid, I remember really enjoying talking to the truck drivers while I was a passenger in my parents’ station wagon. 

Is CB radio dead as a dodo bird nowadays?   Or is it still useful?  Might I gain some entertainment and useful info if I set up my bike with a CB?

For example, I was riding westbound to Yuma last year on I-8, and things sure got lonely/spooky for a long time in the desert.  I think I would have enjoyed chatting with the 3 other people driving the same route, or being reassured as to where I could buy gas. 

What sayeth the Guzzi clan?

[SoCV]

 Where will you mount the antenna ? 

 TS

[SmithSwede]

Where will you mount the antenna ? 

 TS

I’m thinking a helmet mount for more range.   I’m all about function over fashion.   

[SoCV]

I’m thinking a helmet mount for more range.   I’m all about function over fashion.   

 Dude , you'll look like an alien .

 TS

[aklawok]

 You can still hear long haul truckers on CB from time to time. if you see a truck with two antenna, one  on each mirror mount usually, these are the attenuated whips that give the extra front to back range for CB highway use. this setup will minimize side to side propagation, limiting how far off the hwy. the signal reaches. thus why you dont hear them anywhere else!
GMRS\FRS radios have taken over the rest of what CB used to do. quick and easy walkie-talkies fair range low wattage and cheap.
 As a HAM radio tech. i can say that truckers have become fond of 2 meter band radios and IRLP (internet radio link project) to virtually talk to anyone in the world within range of a repeater linked to it and a HAM license! cell phones and satellite com. have dwindled the ranks of amateur radio however, some of us in remote corners of the world still find it useful. hope this helps! 73 from KL1YJ!

[ray bear]

Hi smithswede.  my 1984 FLHX with a cb am/fm combined. I dont use any of them and have removed antennas and  mic . When I ride I dont want to hear or talk to anyone except myself , I imagine the speakers in the caddy would be very hard to hear over the wind noise and would need to be rigged to a helmet system but I figure it was cool back in the eighties.   Ray

[yogidozer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5ZLJWQmss

[Kiwi_Roy]

I’m old enough to remember the CB radio fad of the 1970s.  And as a kid, I remember really enjoying talking to the truck drivers while I was a passenger in my parents’ station wagon. 

Is CB radio dead as a dodo bird nowadays?   Or is it still useful?  Might I gain some entertainment and useful info if I set up my bike with a CB?

For example, I was riding westbound to Yuma last year on I-8, and things sure got lonely/spooky for a long time in the desert.  I think I would have enjoyed chatting with the 3 other people driving the same route, or being reassured as to where I could buy gas. 

What sayeth the Guzzi clan?

Interesting thread, I have often wondered if the truckers still chat back and forth, I'm sure they would be glad to talk to you, many of those guys also ride in their spare time.

[Huzo]

This is the main truck I’m in when doing interstate trips between capital cities on the East Coast and over to the West.
Melbourne/Brisbane..Melbourne/Perth etc..



I tend to use the radio when approaching bridges that do not allow passing, or when coming up to oversized loads and when I have oversized loads myself.
Other than that I’ll usually have it off..
There are other rare occasions when you might want to warn other drivers of an active weighbridge or listen out for some information from them on the same issue...
But for general chat, I usually put the phone through the Bluetooth radio and call someone up.

Here’s one of the better ones..
https://youtu.be/jQn7_EtIhUg
Australian sunshine, 15 litres Cummins diesel 650 Hp, 65 tonnes and 26 metres...
Magic.

[twowings]

Since there seems to be apparently little regulation enforcement, the CB airwaves are rife with atrocious language and moronic behavior.

Caveat emptor.

[Guzzistajohn]

At least you'll get the 10-20 on the local lot lizards <shrug>

[lucian]

Got to think up a "handle"   

[Navydad]

Remember the hand held CBs that resembled a walkie talkie? I had a kit from J&M that mounted one to the handlebars of my bike. I had the speakers and mic in my helmet and the darn thing actually worked very well. I had friends with Goldwings that had the factory CB installed and my little setup was far better at performing. J&M is still going strong and I think they offer a handlebar mounted system.

[yogidozer]

Since there seems to be apparently little regulation enforcement, the CB airwaves are rife with atrocious language and moronic behavior.

Caveat emptor.

Can't be worse than the internet, or rap music

[aklawok]

Remember the hand held CBs that resembled a walkie talkie? I had a kit from J&M that mounted one to the handlebars of my bike. I had the speakers and mic in my helmet and the darn thing actually worked very well. I had friends with Goldwings that had the factory CB installed and my little setup was far better at performing. J&M is still going strong and I think they offer a handlebar mounted system.

one of these?:
https://jmcorp.com/Handlebar-Systems_c_23.html

[guzziart]

I've had cb's on all my goldwings since '90.  However, the last time I used the cb on my '08 was in '11 when i rode to Biketoberfest in Fla with Wing riding buds.  I may have used it once this last summer to listen in on trucker banter because of a traffic accident on an interstate highway we were on.  I thought the cb was a convenient way to communicate on group  rides but these days with sena & cardo helmet comms, cb's may be a thing of the past for me.  One of the youngsters I ride with keeps bugging me to get one of the new fangled comm devices and I might do it soon.  I think cyclegear was selling an helmet with sena system for around $225 so, very affordable imho.

Funny thing, first thing folks do at rallies is find a power source to charge helmet comms, phones, go-pros & cpap batts.  The group I rode with to Glacier last summer all had the above mentioned crap, good thing we were moteling it but even then power strips were needed because hotels/motels don't have enough outlets for all the junk folks want to plug in.

[pehayes]

Interesting thread, I have often wondered if the truckers still chat back and forth,

I also had the J&M setup on my old Eldorado.  It was a huge help on long haul trips.  The spontaneous chatter kept you awake to resist the droning highway.  Never knew what or when the audio would light up.  Helped focus.  I find that music has the opposite effect.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Texas Turnip]

At least you'll get the 10-20 on the local lot lizards <shrug>

What is a "lot lizard"? Asking for a friend
Tex

[Guzzistajohn]

What is a "lot lizard"? Asking for a friend
Tex

 I get them in my Yucca out front too 

[ScepticalScotty]

I was a CB person as a kid, had a 23 channel set in my bedroom with a small whip on the roof. Pre cell phones, we just talked all around the local area. Later had one on my car (1978 Corona 2L) and had some fun with ionospheric bouncing on SSB LSB to talk to people in other states (of Australia that is). Then in the 90s a friend installed a very nice base station and serious antenna to go with my FRG7700 that I listened to shortwaves (broadcast/commercial and military). So I always had 16 LSB on for long distance stuff - once talked to a bloke in Saskatchewan from rural NSW.

That stopped in 2000 when I moved to the UK. Then in 2010 I got the bug and and in short order got my ham ticket as M6OZI, and then a year later upgraded to Intermediate as 2E0OZI. Mostly operate on CW since that time, and its been rather sporadic as my station has been in a temporary home for 6 years.......So I operate when I can (mostly the warmer months). Still enjoy working my single Czech key and talking to people all over on 35w. 30M is a favourite place, and 17. Not a one for contests or DXing really.

CB was definately a great thing for me back in the day. 

[Guzzistajohn]

Here's a photo of Prescott with his new helmet mount CB antenna

 

[Two Checks]

Used to have a Yamaha XS 850 factory dresser with  a Cobra AM/FM/CB/cassette. The antenna was mounted to the bag bracket.
I still have two CBS but don't use em any more. All you hear now are Hispanic alligator bases.
Most trucking companies and insurance compa is have outlawed CBs along with cell phones as driver distraction devices.

[Moparnut72]

Log truck drivers in my area rely on them to navigate narrow and in most places one lane forest roads. They let other drivers where they are so they don't collide and can pull out to let the other by. Mile marker numbers are painted on trees or crude signs put up. They are used at the scale at the mill to direct them on to and off the scales and where to take their loads.
kk