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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Take the ride of a lifetime without ever leaving your desk... (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=220097)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_BMW_F_800_GS1.jpg Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - July 6, 2009

BMW F 800 GS - $10,995 to start and rated at 62 mpgUS at a steady 55 mph.

Reasonably lightweight, powerful, safe, fuel efficient and by far the lowest emissions of its dualsport counterparts thanks in part to advanced engine controls and a catalytic converter makes this bike a contender for any rider and any type of riding.

With the recent accolades the F 800 GS has been receiving the past few weeks including Cycle World’s Best Dual Sport (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23206) and Rider’s 2009 bike of the year (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23120), how would you like to take a ride on some of the most beautiful back country routes in the world?

Two of the most fortunate CleanMPG’ers (Harry “Earthling” and I) on the planet can only hope to have as much fun as Bill did on his ride in the mountains of Colorado as we give our own take on the F 800 GS and an R 1200 RT beginning this Friday. A vastly different approach and of course scenery with a ride beginning at BMW HQ’s in Woodcliff Lake, up to Albany, Lake Placid, Champlain, Canadian border, back to NY City’s Times Square in the heart of downtown Manhattan, onto Long Island and back to NJ to drop off the bikes... A varied landscape to say the least!

Fortunately, Rider’s Bill Wolf uploaded more than an hour of F 800 GS loving helmet cam vid with commentary for you to enjoy.

Enjoy the ride from the comfort and convenience of your home.

Fun in the Rockies

http://www.youtube.com/v/9HsP32uel68&hl=en&fs=1http://www.youtube.com/v/PI_yUmLQaGs&hl=en&fs=1
Part 1 and 2

http://www.youtube.com/v/dfDC5bGiKWw&hl=en&fs=1http://www.youtube.com/v/KWp5v-oGhMA&hl=en&fs=1
Part 3 and 4

http://www.youtube.com/v/28VH-yTsVu0&hl=en&fs=1http://www.youtube.com/v/gokj6FG5XpE&hl=en&fs=1
Part 5 and 6

http://www.youtube.com/v/yl5hHyBujlU&hl=en&fs=1http://www.youtube.com/v/-xa1zcNVme8&hl=en&fs=1
Part 7 and the conclusion, 8

Does anyone have an idea as to where I can pick up one of these internally mic'ed and extremely lightweight, externally mounted, helmet cams from?

Does anyone have an idea as to where I can pick up one of these internally mic'ed and extremely lightweight, externally mounted, helmet cams from?

A quick Google search turned up this - http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=5
$180 - runs on two AAA batteries (3hr recording time with lithium batteries), up to 56 minutes of audio/video on each 2GB SD card. Records 30fps MJPEG, which should end up about the same quality as a good webcam.
Available helmet mount ($70) or chest mount ($40). Chest mount might be better to avoid rapid pan movements when checking mirrors or shoulder checking prior to lane changes?

Chest mount might be better to avoid rapid pan movements when checking mirrors or shoulder checking prior to lane changes?

Some on-bike vids seem to have been taken from a camera mounted on a tank bag over the gas tank, or on some sort of mount similar to a GPS mount. I've even seen a vid looking backwards off a BMW F800GS. It's fun watching clods of mud fly off knobby tires on a trail ride!

I'm no expert on helmet- or other onboard cams, but here's an example:

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=MC-DSR

Harry

Hi Chris:

___Thank you for the link!!!

___I sent an E-Mail to them although I doubt they will respond in time with a 24 - 36 hour E-Mail lag time according to their web site.
Hello Sir(s):

I have an upcoming cross state review of a BMW F 800 GS motorcycle and would like to attach an internal mic inside my helmet to the external Motorsports Hero. Is the Motorsports hero capable of using a mic attached via aux jack to the camera and if so, is the sound quality ok and how much will it degrade the battery time?

Thanks in advance.

Wayne R. Gerdes - Owner/Admin - www.CleanMPG.com

___This would be so cool although I believe we will need that internal helmet mic setup.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I searched on the camera model number and I see Amazon has them in stock.

Considering the clear plastic shell for the camera, and being advertised as "waterproof", I don't think they'd have a hole in that shell for an external mic to plug in. And I don't see any reference to support for external audio. If it had a 1/8" mic input, any piezo mic would probably be just fine.

Update: The link to the cam at bhphotovideo.com lists no mic input and no headphone jack...

At helmetcamera.com they have the HC-1 package - DVR, separate cam to attach to helmet or bike, and a "direct connect cable with microphone". It's not inexpensive, but would solve the problem of audio content at highway speeds.

Hi Chris:

___I ordered a GoPro Helmet HERO Wide and am having it shipped to Ricardo's home in NY. The retailer is supposed to ship it from their Vermont WH vs. the one in MT so hopefully it will make it to his house by the time we get there Friday night. I hope anyway???

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Sounds excellent! If you have a small digital voice recorder, you can always narrate a few notes about what you're seeing and then use that as a memory refresher to narrate at the PC with a decent mic to create a small wav file to mix in with the video.
The MJPEG avi files created should be easy to edit with almost any "free with a burner" editing software.

Wayne,

Have a great time. Sounds like fun.

Enjoy!
(Green with envy.)
Having grown up on dualsports I have a real fondness for them. You guys will have a ball with the newest tech ride.

My first bike was a dualsport bike, a Hodaka. I learned to ride off road, and it was a good way to learn.

Wayne will be on the F800GS, but I'm sure we'll switch bikes at some point. I definitely want to try out that F800GS!

Harry

Wayne (xcel) and Harry (Earthling) are heading down to the ocean to get some seaside motorcycle photos before returning the bikes to BMW USA in northern NJ.

Here they are suited up and ready to head out at around 9:30am this morning.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/20090713-1.jpg

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/20090713-2.jpg

Hmmmm.... that bike has some "crazy eyes" headlights. Not sure I like that look, even if it is function-driven.

Wayne and I returned the bikes yesterday afternoon at BMW NA headquarters. Wayne left my house this morning and is heading home in the 2010 Prius.

A big thank-you to Ricardo (JusBringIt) and Chris (MaxxMPG) who provided us hospitality and good company in our travels.

I have to thank Wayne for inviting me along for a nice trip. I got personal hypermiling instruction from the master on our way to and from NJ which was a unique opportunity for me. Through Wayne's efforts, I also got to give the BMW R1200RT probably the longest test ride ever, somewhere around 900 miles. I also got to ride the great new BMW F800GS.

All in all, a wonderful trip, and a great break for me from work.

Of course we'll have more on the bikes and our adventure, and lots of pics.

Harry