Intercoms for helmets

[JaiLai]

Can anyone recommend an intercome system for comms between 2 bikes.

I've looked at the Sena website and others and am a bit overwhlemed, personal recommendations would be better.

Many thanks.

[OmegaRacer]

I just bought the cheapest model from Sena on Lazada for 3600baht. Arrived in 3 days.

I bought it mainly to use with my phone's GPS through Bluetooth.

Testet it for the first time today.

It was very easy to use, connected to the phone in 2 seconds. The sound was loud and clear, even over the noise of my NSR 2 stroke.

Installation inside the helmet was done in about 20 minutes.

I'm very happy with it so far.

[JaiLai]

I just bought the cheapest model from Sena on Lazada for 3600baht. Arrived in 3 days.

I bought it mainly to use with my phone's GPS through Bluetooth.

Testet it for the first time today.

It was very easy to use, connected to the phone in 2 seconds. The sound was loud and clear, even over the noise of my NSR 2 stroke.

Installation inside the helmet was done in about 20 minutes.

I'm very happy with it so far.

Thanks for the info, what model is it you bought? Can you speak rider to rider or is it only solo?

Thanks.

[CarolJadzia]

We use the cheap BT ones you will find on Ebay, from china but work well. Connect with phone and clear open channel.

Just type 'bt motorcycle headsets' into ebay to see.

[moose7117]

i have had a sena s10, an old model for a few years, and it is excellent. lost the main module and i easily replaced it, thanks eBay, moved it to new helmets,twice, and it works perfectly.

standby time is a few days and i only charged one a week with daily use, and i was always streaming music from my iPhone.

thoroughly recommend sent products.

the mounting kit did an excellent job and it is quite easy to mount.

i believe you really don't need the top of the line model as most of use won't use all the extra functions.

pick the one you like, and just but it.

[OmegaRacer]

I just bought the cheapest model from Sena on Lazada for 3600baht. Arrived in 3 days.

I bought it mainly to use with my phone's GPS through Bluetooth.

Testet it for the first time today.

It was very easy to use, connected to the phone in 2 seconds. The sound was loud and clear, even over the noise of my NSR 2 stroke.

Installation inside the helmet was done in about 20 minutes.

I'm very happy with it so far.

Thanks for the info, what model is it you bought? Can you speak rider to rider or is it only solo?

Thanks.

This one

[OmegaRacer]

But this one is the single item. If you want to talk to your pillion, you'll need 2.

[recom273]

I wrote a post here ..

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/873047-Sena-TH---Great-service-%21

What's to be overwhelmed about ? There are 3 models, the 5,10 & 20 ..

If the you are looking for distance between 2 bikes the 20 has greater range than the 10, it's newer technology, has a slimmer profile and the battery life is awesome.

It also has improved speakers and the ability to take earbuds which makes it much better than the 10 for me. If you have an smartphone it's pretty cool, the 20S has voice commands, you can command the Sena to call home while you are riding. The 20 has a radio which the wife loves, it's also expensive but one of the best bits of kit I have ever bought.

I wouldn't buy a Chinese BT headset again the battery lasts about 2-3 hours from what I remember. They aren't well made or waterproof. I bought them on two occasions, waited 6 weeks for each to arrive. If your listening to music too, the speakers are cheap and distort. Each set lasted a month or two then gave up, at 1500b it's just false economy.

I think with Sena it comes down to whatever you want to spend.

[CarolJadzia]

I wouldn't buy a Chinese BT headset again the battery lasts about 2-3 hours from what I remember. They aren't well made or waterproof. I bought them on two occasions, waited 6 weeks for each to arrive. If your listening to music too, the speakers are cheap and distort. Each set lasted a month or two then gave up, at 1500b it's just false economy.

You obviously had a very different experience to us with BT headsets, obviously a different model.

Our two cheap BT headsets have survived well through both Thai and UK heavy rain storms and riding on Songkran.

We have had them for a couple of years and the batteries still last all day.

[recom273]

I wouldn't buy a Chinese BT headset again the battery lasts about 2-3 hours from what I remember. They aren't well made or waterproof. I bought them on two occasions, waited 6 weeks for each to arrive. If your listening to music too, the speakers are cheap and distort. Each set lasted a month or two then gave up, at 1500b it's just false economy.

You obviously had a very different experience to us with BT headsets, obviously a different model.

Our two cheap BT headsets have survived well through both Thai and UK heavy rain storms and riding on Songkran.

We have had them for a couple of years and the batteries still last all day.

Yeah, I have heard this before .. Some people have luck, others not - I use mine predominantly for listening to music, the batteries lasted until lunch on a good day, even then the sound was pretty bad and whatever use I gave them on a daily basis I would have to remember to charge them when I got home.

If you use them on standby - just to communicate they may well last all day.

I ride everyday and I always consider if your using something every day, then it should work flawlessly otherwise it just becomes a chore to use. After owning a set of Sena's then I can see and hear ( in the case of the 20S higher audio sample rate ) the difference in quality.

Like someone else posted, even if I leave my Sena on by mistake, it will have battery life for 48 hours.

I have never used a scala rider or inter phone systems but I can compare the Chinese jobs to the Sena and they don't even come close.

[CarolJadzia]

I wouldn't buy a Chinese BT headset again the battery lasts about 2-3 hours from what I remember. They aren't well made or waterproof. I bought them on two occasions, waited 6 weeks for each to arrive. If your listening to music too, the speakers are cheap and distort. Each set lasted a month or two then gave up, at 1500b it's just false economy.

You obviously had a very different experience to us with BT headsets, obviously a different model.

Our two cheap BT headsets have survived well through both Thai and UK heavy rain storms and riding on Songkran.

We have had them for a couple of years and the batteries still last all day.

Yeah, I have heard this before .. Some people have luck, others not - I use mine predominantly for listening to music, the batteries lasted until lunch on a good day, even then the sound was pretty bad and whatever use I gave them on a daily basis I would have to remember to charge them when I got home.

If you use them on standby - just to communicate they may well last all day.

I ride everyday and I always consider if your using something every day, then it should work flawlessly otherwise it just becomes a chore to use. After owning a set of Sena's then I can see and hear ( in the case of the 20S higher audio sample rate ) the difference in quality.

Like someone else posted, even if I leave my Sena on by mistake, it will have battery life for 48 hours.

I have never used a scala rider or inter phone systems but I can compare the Chinese jobs to the Sena and they don't even come close.

Yes, I will agree you get what you pay for.

Problem is we cannot afford £300+ on bike2bike radios, but we could afford £55 on the BT ones. I am sure your music quality is superior, but I do not listen to music as I ride as I consider it a distraction. I wanted bike2bike radios and the BT units were cheap, cheerful and have preformed very well. My son also uses a set and says the same.

As for battery life we have found that when we spend all day riding with them linked we have never had an issue will lose of power.

Of course a £25 Chinese headset is not as good as a £100+ headset, but when you cannot afford the most expensive kit the cheaper option does work.

Compared to the FM Radios we were legally required to use for motorcycle training, the digital Blue Tooth communications are loads better.

[JaiLai]

I wouldn't buy a Chinese BT headset again the battery lasts about 2-3 hours from what I remember. They aren't well made or waterproof. I bought them on two occasions, waited 6 weeks for each to arrive. If your listening to music too, the speakers are cheap and distort. Each set lasted a month or two then gave up, at 1500b it's just false economy.

You obviously had a very different experience to us with BT headsets, obviously a different model.

Our two cheap BT headsets have survived well through both Thai and UK heavy rain storms and riding on Songkran.

We have had them for a couple of years and the batteries still last all day.

Yeah, I have heard this before .. Some people have luck, others not - I use mine predominantly for listening to music, the batteries lasted until lunch on a good day, even then the sound was pretty bad and whatever use I gave them on a daily basis I would have to remember to charge them when I got home.

If you use them on standby - just to communicate they may well last all day.

I ride everyday and I always consider if your using something every day, then it should work flawlessly otherwise it just becomes a chore to use. After owning a set of Sena's then I can see and hear ( in the case of the 20S higher audio sample rate ) the difference in quality.

Like someone else posted, even if I leave my Sena on by mistake, it will have battery life for 48 hours.

I have never used a scala rider or inter phone systems but I can compare the Chinese jobs to the Sena and they don't even come close.

Yes, I will agree you get what you pay for.

Problem is we cannot afford £300+ on bike2bike radios, but we could afford £55 on the BT ones. I am sure your music quality is superior, but I do not listen to music as I ride as I consider it a distraction. I wanted bike2bike radios and the BT units were cheap, cheerful and have preformed very well. My son also uses a set and says the same.

As for battery life we have found that when we spend all day riding with them linked we have never had an issue will lose of power.

Of course a £25 Chinese headset is not as good as a £100+ headset, but when you cannot afford the most expensive kit the cheaper option does work.

Compared to the FM Radios we were legally required to use for motorcycle training, the digital Blue Tooth communications are loads better.

Thanks all for the info, what is the range of the set you bought from Lazada?

Is all you have to do to communicate with another set speak ie, it's totally hands free? don't need to press any buttons on the set?

Thanks.

[recom273]

I didnt buy mine from Lazada, I got mine from Sena TH ( BT Bike shop in BKK )

This is where the 20S is the nuts .. If I'm not listening to music, then I just Say "Hi Sena" ( or press the button under on the helmet mount ) wait for a prompt then "intercom one", the same with "music" or "speed dial x" .. other than that, its just a matter of one touch on the silver button in the middle to speak to intercom one, and two taps to end the communication.

I don't know how many other intercoms you can add, for sure 3 probably more, and its the same procedure, you either tap 3 times or use the voice command "intercom two" .. "three" etc ..

The SMH5 / SMH10 / Chinese models are pretty much the same too, you just press the middle button and start to talk to the paired headset.

Maybe Omegarider can help with the functions on the SMH5 .. I don't think there is much difference in the performance in models, they do what it says on the tin, but mine has more functions, especially if your priority is chatting with a buddy, you may be happy with a SHM5, save a few quid.

SMH5 - (BT 3.0 ) has 400 meter range and 8 hours battery talk time - 3555B ( reduced from 3900B )

SMH10 - (BT 3.0) has 900 meter range and 9 hours battery talk time - 6500B ( reduced from 7900B )

SMH20 - (BT 4.1- better audio ) has a 2 km range and 13 hours talk time - 8500B ( reduced from 11500B, the price they were 6 months ago )

( price from Sena TH / BT Bike shop )

Just like to add, I'm not connected to BT bike shop .. I just think he offers a good service.

[Sakeopete]

I have a set of UCLEAR HBC 100 PLUS boom-less intercoms I am very happy with them. Easy to install and set up I used it on a recent trip to Kanchanaburi it worked great with my phone's Google Map App. To answer an incoming call (wife checking I'm not at a massage parlor LOL) is easy just say "Answer".

We called the salesman in Bangkok and he EMS them to Hua Hin they arrived in 2 days.

I have never owned one previous to compare but I didn't like the idea of having a boom microphone in front of my face so I bought the HBC 100 PLUS.

LOL also on my first overnight trip like a dumb ass I forgot the USB charge cable but it didn't matter the battery lasted the 2 days of riding.

Aside from being boom-less the UCLEAR also has over 1 mile range with other UCLEAR users if you ride in groups.

You can search UCLEAR THAILAND and get the facebook page for more details if you are interested. I contacted the salesman through there.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Sakeopete

[DILLIGAD]

It seems a crazy idea to me to buy an intercom that restricts usage to only the same brand. I believe Shark use a similar restricted system.

[Sakeopete]

It seems a crazy idea to me to buy an intercom that restricts usage to only the same brand. I believe Shark use a similar restricted system.

The UCLEAR doesn't restrict the system you can connect to other brands but the technology that bounces the signal to extend the range to over 1 mile only works with their brand I believe.