What do I have to look out for with a motorcycle intercom?
Title: What do I have to look out for with a motorcycle intercom?
Sourced From: advwisdom.com/a/what-do-i-have-to-look-out-for-with-a-motorcycle-intercom/
Published Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:51:21 +0000
Whether you’re chatting with your friends during a group ride or livening up a Sunday solo fun with the perfect soundtrack, a motorcycle intercom has become a pretty popular part with traveling adventure bikers in recent years.
The good news is that there are many options to choose from in the market, but that means deciding what to spend your hard-earned money on can be difficult, especially since different intercoms have a variety of tech features.
To help you break the jargon and make your purchase easier, we decided to take a look at the different types of drivers who use intercoms and the features they need to help you make the right choice . And to point you in the right direction, we have teamed up with the leading intercom manufacturer Sena, who has proposed an intercom system from its current range that is well suited for every task.
So without further ado, let’s get started.
The minimalist
If you’d prefer to ride alone with your favorite social road trip playlist, then a simple bluetooth intercom will cater to your needs. The short-range wireless technology creates a reliable connection to your phone so you can listen to music on your bike.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that you want to forego the quality of your intercom in the saddle. Simply does not have to be a synonym for poor quality.
Look for features like HD speakers to make your music sound great, good battery life of around 10 hours to cover even the longest days on the road, and easy-to-use buttons to adjust the volume or take calls while you go ride along.
Simple Bluetooth intercoms can also be paired with others to aid passenger-pillion chat if you have the occasional company on your travels.
Sena recommends the SF series: Small, simple Bluetooth intercoms to support solo rides or small groups. All models have long battery life, HD speakers, and chunky buttons that let you control what you’re hearing on the go.
The motorcycle youtuber
Sometimes it can be difficult to find the words to describe a stunning road or remarkable view that you saw on a bike. Because of this, there is a huge boom in riders who carry action cameras on their rides to record everything they see on the bike saddle. However, attaching a video camera and intercom to the helmet can result in serious blows en route, which is why some manufacturers have begun to combine the two.
There are many advantages to this approach. Not only can you tidy up your lid and save money on your first purchase, but you can also save time editing your footage by combining audio and video recordings.
A good intercom / camera can simultaneously record what you see, what you say and even what you hear at the same time.
Sena recommends the 10C EVO: The slim device was developed with aerodynamics in mind and records 4K videos while driving. In addition, Sena’s Smart Audio Mix allows you to record the music you are listening to as well as your conversation over the intercom so that you can record the entire experience.
The group driver
If you want to keep in touch with your friends during a group ride, you may find that simple Bluetooth intercoms aren’t quite enough, especially if you’re riding in a larger group.
This is where a relatively new innovation, mesh technology, comes into play. Mesh systems connect all headsets in a group to one another and form a network that works even if a driver loses range. This differs from simple Bluetooth intercoms, where units are chained together and a leaving driver can disturb the entire group.
Mesh intercoms can support groups of 20+ riders over distances of over 5 miles and sometimes even more. Put simply, if you’re riding in a large group and want the banter to flow throughout your ride, look out for mesh the next time you shop.
Sena recommends the 50R: Mesh 2.o technology supports groups of up to 24 riders over a distance of up to eight kilometers with automatic reconnection if someone loses range audio and a solid connection. When driving solo, a simple Bluetooth connection to a phone or device can also be established to keep the device working for up to 13 hours.
The lazy biker
If installing earphones, microphones, and a bolt-on motorcycle intercom on your helmet seems a bit too much work, you’re in luck. Many manufacturers agree, and in recent years there has been a wave of helmets with pre-installed intercoms.
The best combine all the functions you would expect from a high-end intercom (mesh technology, high-quality speakers, telephone integration, etc.) integrated into the shell of a high-quality touring helmet.
Don’t forget to make sure that every helmet you buy meets all of the safety and comfort requirements that you put on a lid. Discover our tips for buying a touring helmet here.
Sena recommends the Schwung-Evo: With an integrated mesh intercom, DOT and ECE certification, plenty of ventilation and a soft lining, Sena has developed the Momentum Evo as an uncomplicated, intelligent helmet that you can take with you on tour this summer.
The technology lover
Last but not least, we have the most modern, top-of-the-range intercoms that combine pretty much all the functions you could want for your rides.
They have mesh technology and Bluetooth connections for group and solo rides, mammoth ranges (up to five miles) for group calls, voice activation so you don’t have to take your hands off the handles while driving, microphone technology to filter wind noise, the best speakers .
You name it, you have it. If budget is not an issue and you want the best technology that you can buy, this is it.
Sena recommends the 50S: Sena’s premium motorcycle intercom features Mesh 2.0 intercom technology to connect you when riding in large groups, HD speakers that guarantee top sound quality in the saddle, and an impressive battery life of up to 14 hours when Use bluetooth. Voice commands also mean you don’t have to lift a finger in the saddle, although it also comes with a glove-friendly jog wheel in case you want to skip tracks or turn up the volume.
Sena motorcycle intercoms
Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in a motorcycle intercom, go for the Sena website to test the entire range of intercom systems.
