Not a Resource

Received an iPod Shuffle as a gift the other day. My first thought was to regift it but the usual recipients of my unwanted junk probably wouldn’t want it any more than I did.

Then it occured to me that the Shuffle is perfect for a motorcycle. It cost me nothing and is cheap to replace so losing or breaking it is of little concern. The risk of losing it is actually pretty low — if it falls it will probably stay attached to the cord. It’s vibration-proof. And best of all, with no screen to look at there is nothing to take my eyes off of the road.

So I began my quest to get sound into my helmet without buying anything. Apple’s earbuds don’t like to stay in my ears, which leads to painful helmet removal. My fancy Shure headphones stay in but they are so effective at blocking outside sounds that they shouldn’t be used while walking, much less driving. Ripping apart a set of over-the-ear headphones and putting the speakers in my helmet’s liner seemed like the best bet. The first pair I tried had speakers far too thick for comfort but the second set was just about perfect. Not quite loud enough for the most comfortable behind-the-ears position, but against my ears they are reasonably comfortable and just loud enough for highway driving.