Scala Rider FM

[Jaws100]

I have a Scala-FM (i.e the one with the radio fitted) and it fits pretty readily to my Arai RX7 davidr


On your post 3 days ago you mentioned having the above Scala. Is it stereo etc. Could you do a post about it, regarding how you rate it or how well it works etc. How well does it work with a Zumo if you have used same ?

Cheers
John

[davidr]

Hi there,

At the moment I am very happy with the Scala Rider FM that I have.

I would make the following points (based on about 2 months use, riding about every other day)

Fitting the Scala-FM to my Arai RX7
I mention this model specifically because the removable parts of this model make it easier to fit than with some other ones:

• It fitted quite easily into my Arai RX7(the fitting of it was made easily because the helmet cheek pads are removable allowing you to place the wires behind the cheek padding and back neck pad)
• Be sure that the parts of your helmet that you pull out, can be put back in again
• The Microphone slides nicely into the front of the helmet, although it has an eccentric shape (like a frisbee) so rotate the flat side agains the front inside of the helmet.
• The two loudspeakers velcro onto the side of the inside of the helmet. So it's well worth spending a bit of time positioning them in the corect place for comfort and audible sound.
• Once fitted the helmet slides on an off a bit less easily than before, but it just takes a bit of getting used to.
• Once mounted the device sits nicely on the left hand side of the helmet and the buttons are relatively easy to use.
• Up to now its worked fine. I've heard people say that it's not that waterproof but I haven't had such an experience yet, although on the whole I haven't ridden in a lot of bad weather lately (touch wood, as there is a big storm predicted this evening and I need to make a 200km trip at the same time :-o )
• The scala protudes from the side of the helmet by about 15mm so if you have one of those large Givi topboxes one scala helmet will fit only I think (but I'm not 100% sure about this)

The Scala FM as a Bluetooth device:

• The Scala Rider Paired easily with my telephone (a Nokia E61) and connects well each time subsequently that you want to use it.

• It works with voice operated dialling, although the phone finds it difficult to recognise your voice commands if you are riding (probably because of background noise?) and it requires you to practice the timing of the command as you use it (as you can't see the 'Speak Now' from the display of the telephone) if you're stationary or travelling very slowly the voice dialling does work, but it's a bit fiddly.
• The ringing sound for Incoming voice calls, SMS messages and emails (I'm using Nokia's Mail for Exchange application on my E61) is good, the outlook reminders are annoying if they occur when your driving though as I haven't yet figured out how to switch them off, but that's more a phone problem than the Scala FM.
• The sound quality for telephone conversations is quite good, certainly better than I expected, it's possible to have clear conversations up to about 60mph after that, it's still possible, but not so clear.

Scala As a Radio:

• The Radio works quite well and is fairly easily to operate
• The sound quality of the radio is ok, not Bang & Olufsen, but because of the wind noise in the helmet anyway, the quality is good enough to listen to and enjoy. It sounds crazy but the arrangement I use is to wear ear plugs and have the volume of the Scala set to high, this dims the wind noise and makes the Scala sound soft in your ears. I know a lot of people who think I'm crazy for doing this, but I ride lots of kilometers and this works best for me.
• It's got two speakers but I must say I don't know if it's actually stereo, but it sounds ok to me.
• It is possible to make and use radio Presets on the radio, but the operation of this can be easily messed up (a downside of so many functions with so few buttons) and as the device is mounted on the outside of the helmet's shell you can't really look at it while you riding to double check what you've done)

Working with the Zumo and the Scala:

• I must confess that I haven't really used it with the Zumo yet (as I still use my 276C mostly when riding about) but once I power up the cradle for the Zumo (at the moment it runs on the battery, so full phone functionality won't work without power) I'll give more feedback.
• Although I can say that we have many customers who use it with the Zumo, and I have only heard a small number complain about the signal dropping off, etc (so this could well be a factor of the phone handset you have rather than the Zumo or the Scala).
• One thing worth mentioning though is that Bluetooth is somewhat limited if you try to work with a number of devices at the same time, for example if you use a Scala TeamSet as a wireless intercom, it's not that easy to use it with the Zumo at the same time. The best thing is either to decide to use it as an intercom OR for the GPS before you set off.
• The Zumo works nicely with Wireless devices such as the scala because it manages the priorities of the information sent to your headset (so, for example, you can listen to the MP3 player in the Zumo, then when spoken GPS instructions come along, the Zumo pauses the player and gives you the instructions, then continues the player (it also works the same way for incoming calls, if you've paired your phone with the Zumo and the Scala with the Zumo, i.e. the recommended way))

Hope this helps.

David

[Jaws100]

Wow ! that was a very comprehensive reply, but you never mentioned what colour box it came in.

Many thanks David

[davidr]

Black with green flashes on it

(And no, I didn't measure the size of the flashes on the box )

[pop]

Im thinking of replacing my starcom with a scala rider set and adding on a zumo , you say bluetooth has trouble coping, whislt talking to my pillion and telling me which way to go .Is there an allternative set up out there ?

[davidr]

Don't think so.

I heard that Schuberth are working on a system that can do something with channeling blue tooth devices into a sort of hub which can sensibly manage phone, intercom etc, but for now, I think a temporary option would be to simply buy a wired set of speakers to go with the Zumo and simply have 2 speaker sets in your helmet whenever you want to do both. A little uncomfortable and inconvient but I can't think of anything else I'm afraid.

Or get you passenger to call you on your bluetooth!

David