Blue Tooth Helmet

[mallis]

Was looking into grabbing a Bluetooth helmet maybe a HJC figured I would ask first and see what experience others have had with them

[gadget]

Lots of experience here on wiring a helmet.

All depends on what you're planning to use it for.

Communication between front and back seat

Communication between just two bikes (short range)

Communication between multiple riders (longer range)

Just to listen to tunes..etc etc

[nhbubba]

I cannot imagine that a helmet with a hard-wired/integrated BT setup is worth investing in. I would much, much, much rather pick my helmet and then pick my BT set separately.

[mallis]

Mostly tunes and phone calls. Wasn't sure if the integrated were any good glad I asked.

[OreoGaborio]

Helmet companies make helmets.
Bluetooth companies make blue....tooths.

It's probably my own equpment snobbery talking here, but I can really imagine any helmet w/ integrated bluetooth is particularly good at being a helmet or bluetooth.

I've got a Cardo Systems Scala Rider. Have had a pair of them for a few years now & they work great. Used primarily for speaking to passenger or other riders.

Taking/making phone calls is friggin weird... I don't really suggest doing it on a regular basis unless you're on a very open road/highway with little to no traffic in any direction. Too distracting (at least for me, but I suck at riding).

[gregp]

I have been wanting a system for a while now, and I should be pulling the trigger soon on one. The Sena (SMH5, and SMH10) systems, and the Scala units seem to be the most popular, with the Sena units being a bit lower priced.
Sena has the new SMH10R, and the reviews are pretty good:
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2013/...o-sena-smh10r/

[mallis]

I appreciate your help. Now I know where to start

[jasnmar]

I'll vote for the cardo.

I Use it primarily for music / directions but is also great when a phone call is needed. I've been in conference calls on mine and no one realizes it.

My phone is set so that that when I'm riding it responds to people who text me indicating I'm" on my bike, if you need to reach me please call."

[Rosco61]

Lots of experience here on wiring a helmet.

All depends on what you're planning to use it for.

Communication between front and back seat

Communication between just two bikes (short range)

Communication between multiple riders (longer range)

Just to listen to tunes..etc etc

OK Gadget I'm in the market for comms also.
I need a pair for my Wife and I when 2 up. And want to talk with another rider maybe 2 when out Riding the twisties.
What can you suggest >???
Thanks.

[nhbubba]

I have the Scala Rider G4. My hair is not entirely blown back by it. When I bought it the Sena was not field upgradable. Sena fixed that right about the moment I committed to the ordering the G4. The prices were comparable then too, or at least that's how I remember it. The Sena seems like the better deal now.

The Scala was pretty rock solid when paired with my iPhone. However, it is flaky at times with my android phone. I have no idea why this is. Frequently it just gets all confused and I can't tell what mode it is in or how to get mah muzik back. I think it still wants to pair with my old phone and periodically decides the new one is a "GPS device". No idea why.

I do like how the Scala is detachable. And the 'quick pair' with other Scalas really is that easy. An old co-worker has one and we paired while insulting each others' rides and fueling up for the day one morning. And the range is pretty good too.

Overall, my complaint is that the user interface is obtuse and hard to work while underway. Three high pitched beeps means x, but two low pitched means y.. and so on.

[nhbubba]

My phone is set so that that when I'm riding it responds to people who text me indicating I'm" on my bike, if you need to reach me please call."

You gotta teach me how to do that.

[jasnmar]

You gotta teach me how to do that.

Moto has an app called smart actions that does this. I think it's only available on moto devices though.


Look into tasker. https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...LnRhc2tlcm0iXQ.. I've heard that it does much of the same, but haven't tried it.

[drinkingmymilk]

Helmet companies make helmets.
Bluetooth companies make blue....tooths.

I would agree with this but.. Bell just came out with a sena built in helmet. Per their rep at the NYC show, Sena has commited to the entire next product life cycle as well.

I've had a chatterbox and now a sena. I love my sena. Best bet is to get what ever your friends are using! I mostly use it to stream music but it comes in handy a lot more then you'd imagine. Riding with a buddy planning lunch when you're in an odd place. Riding two up and your wife wants to tell you she needs to pee or the best on a nice road when you can talk to her the whole way. Our level of confidence two-up soared when we started talking through the turns.

[maxim_X]

I just got a Shark helmet. They are high quality fiber/carbon ece/dot made in France. Though they don't come with a bluetooth they are designed to accept Shark's own 'sharktooth' bluetooth communicator.

[Kenn157]

Several of us have the Chatterbox. It's synced with my Garmin 660, Android Bionic and iPod. It has a great range. It's half duplex communication with voice activation or PTT. Privacy channels as well. Some people love it some hate it. I have two units and IMO its ok. A lot of the times I can't understand what is being said, but that just might be me.

[drinkingmymilk]

Several of us have the Chatterbox. It's synced with my Garmin 660, Android Bionic and iPod. It has a great range. It's half duplex communication with voice activation or PTT. Privacy channels as well. Some people love it some hate it. I have two units and IMO its ok. A lot of the times I can't understand what is being said, but that just might be me.

That was my feeling on the chatter box as well. Not very clear and the user interface was terrible. The sena seems light years ahead in clairity and the jog wheel is awesome.

Again, imo though. The most important thing is to get what ever all your friends are using. It does you no good to get a sena while person b is using chatterbox and person c is on a scala.

If you do buy a Sena, find someone and split a two pack. It's about $20 cheaper per person.

[nhbubba]

The chatterbox devices these guys have use FRS/GMRS radio for bike-to-bike comms. I believe that is the reason for the poor intercom sound quality. On the other hand, that is an open standard that any device can interop with. Meanwhile the Sena and Scala units each use proprietary bluetooth inter connect tech. Scala units cannot talk to Sena, Sena cannot talk to Scala, and neither can talk to FRS radios.

Also FRS lets as many people as you like all use the same channel (albeit in single duplex). The Sena and Scala units are full duplex, but only to/from a limited number of headsets. My G4 can interconnect up to 4 headsets through a strange sequence of A/B pairing. But 4 is the limit.

The upside is that the Sena and Scala units can be connected to a cheap FRS radio for the best of both worlds. I have done this with my Scala for group rides with these turkeys. Unfortunately I did this on the cheap using cables and cheap radios I already had and was only able to get audio in, not out. So I could listen, but not talk.

I suspect everyone was okay with that. Although I also suspect a few forgot I was listening once or twice.

If you want to go top shelf, there is this 2-way radio adapter. One of these days I am going to buy this and find out if it will work with my Scala. Then I'd have good bluetooth integration with the phone for solo rides and commuting, and FRS for group rides with NESR-ians on the chatterboxes.

[Kenn157]

Hey bubba, sorry if I said you were so sloooow!

[nhbubba]

It's okay. You should hear the horrible things I was saying about Triumphs and their clutches. ... Oh, wait, you couldn't hear that, could you?!

[Kenn157]

What are you talking about? I have a nice "clutch" of Triumph owners! and you weren't even on that ride so what do you know? I know, how to ride sooo slow!

[scubasteveRR]

I attached a Bluetooth reciever to my helmet ($20 bucks somewhere online) and put a set of headphone in the side to the helmet. works pisser and you can use any helmet

[gadget]

OK Gadget I'm in the market for comms also.
I need a pair for my Wife and I when 2 up. And want to talk with another rider maybe 2 when out Riding the twisties.
What can you suggest >???
Thanks.

Just about everyone gave the advice that I would have given.
I use Chatterbox because of the reasons given concerning the unlimited number of people that can communicate and the maximum range that GMRS allows.
It pairs with my phone and gps. Pairing all your devices can be a bit confusing...

It also have an intercom but I have no experience with using that mode.

If you're more inclined to using an intercom and or pairing with one other bike (up to 4?) the bluetooth solutions like the Cardo make a lot of sense.

btw, I have used a couple different headphone inserts. These are the speakers that slip into your helmet.
None of them produce clear enough sound loud enough for me to hear other people
(I have some hearing loss from standing to close to weapon systems while they are firing.)

My solution to this is to wire a set of earbuds in as a replacement.
This has the added benefit of providing some road noise dampening and provides very clear communications.

I have to say that the biggest factor for me is compatibility.
A lot of the folks that go on the Seacoast rides settled on the Chatterboxes for that reason.