Topic: Motorcycle communication systems

[blur911]

One of the PITA things about riding in a group, or even with passenger, is the lack of communication.  You can't point out scenery, give directions, chat, whatever, with helmets on while moving.

But now, there are pretty cool com systems, I'm leaning towards getting the Sena 50S,   https://revco.ca/sena-50s-bluetooth-headset/?sku=v-357000&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fvEJPFYV0FVxet7sCGra61zcKhDcB8gLxchrfB0e3dj8V3gi4_D8jhoClvAQAvD_BwE
It has the latest MESH 2.0 tech along with all the other features found on the top line devices.    The Cardo Packtalk Slim was also on my short list, but most in my riding group seem to have Sena, so, go with the flow for better connectivity.

Anyone else have experience or questions with regard to communication systems?

[Fobroader]

Great topic, I was thinking of starting to look and research this topic as well.

[rrocket]

One of the PITA things about riding in a group, or even with passenger, is the lack of communication.  You can't point out scenery, give directions, chat, whatever, with helmets on while moving.

But now, there are pretty cool com systems, I'm leaning towards getting the Sena 50S,   https://revco.ca/sena-50s-bluetooth-headset/?sku=v-357000&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fvEJPFYV0FVxet7sCGra61zcKhDcB8gLxchrfB0e3dj8V3gi4_D8jhoClvAQAvD_BwE
It has the latest MESH 2.0 tech along with all the other features found on the top line devices.    The Cardo Packtalk Slim was also on my short list, but most in my riding group seem to have Sena, so, go with the flow for better connectivity.

Anyone else have experience or questions with regard to communication systems?

I've used the Sena SMH5-FM (FM radio)

Any Sena will work IMO.  They're all pretty good.

I even used some cheap Amazon one...and that worked well too.

"Back in the day", I used the Chatterbox "Communicator" on bikes and sleds.  For the sled, it had a trail groomer beacon warning, which was nice.

Have been using these for a long, long time....tech is so good now, pretty much anything will work.

[Arthur Dent]

I have a Sena S3 that works well. A lower end basic unit but connects just fine with others. The buttons are just simplified. I could be tempted to sell it if interested as not when I will get back on a bike.

https://www.sena.com/product/3s

[DriverJeff]

My g/f and I have the latest Cardo PackTalk Bold units with the JBL speakers.  She doesn't usually like talking to me anyway, so she can't figure out why she should use the damned comm system.  Still, it does the job, and has all the same mesh connectivity and in groups, enables each person to serve as a bit of an antenna, bouncing signal from front to rear riders, and as "friends" of the network come into range, they're automatically connected, etc. etc. as the Sena units, but honestly, I am pretty underwhelmed by it.  The sound quality, when listening to music is mediocre, and at highway speeds, if my g/f is riding more than a few car lengths away, it becomes difficult to hear one another.  Between the pair of them, there's quite a few bucks invested and it absolutely does not seem worth it to me.

[Triple Bob]

My g/f and I have the latest Cardo PackTalk Bold units with the JBL speakers.  She doesn't usually like talking to me anyway, so she can't figure out why she should use the damned comm system.  Still, it does the job, and has all the same mesh connectivity and in groups, enables each person to serve as a bit of an antenna, bouncing signal from front to rear riders, and as "friends" of the network come into range, they're automatically connected, etc. etc. as the Sena units, but honestly, I am pretty underwhelmed by it.  The sound quality, when listening to music is mediocre, and at highway speeds, if my g/f is riding more than a few car lengths away, it becomes difficult to hear one another.  Between the pair of them, there's quite a few bucks invested and it absolutely does not seem worth it to me.

As in the Cardo isn't worth it, or comms systems overall?

From the reviews I had read recently, Cardo seems to be beating Sena hands down.

[DriverJeff]

My g/f and I have the latest Cardo PackTalk Bold units with the JBL speakers.  She doesn't usually like talking to me anyway, so she can't figure out why she should use the damned comm system.  Still, it does the job, and has all the same mesh connectivity and in groups, enables each person to serve as a bit of an antenna, bouncing signal from front to rear riders, and as "friends" of the network come into range, they're automatically connected, etc. etc. as the Sena units, but honestly, I am pretty underwhelmed by it.  The sound quality, when listening to music is mediocre, and at highway speeds, if my g/f is riding more than a few car lengths away, it becomes difficult to hear one another.  Between the pair of them, there's quite a few bucks invested and it absolutely does not seem worth it to me.

As in the Cardo isn't worth it, or comms systems overall?

From the reviews I had read recently, Cardo seems to be beating Sena hands down.

I've not tried the other units, but there's no way in hell this Cardo unit seems worth the cost to me.  If there's one that's half the price but works 70% as well, that'd be the one I'd have.  That said, if ever we all get to go on longer, group rides again, the whole rest of your gang is rockin' Cardo, so we'd all be able to connect.

[draghon]

Has anyone tried units from Lexin? Reviews on Amazon seem pretty decent and the price is a fair bit cheaper than Cardo or Sena. Not really interested in listening to music/GPS, primary use would be for communication with my wife while snowmobiling.

[dkaz]

I like my Sena 30K.

[blur911]

https://revco.ca/sena-50s-bluetooth-headset/

Anyone deal with Revco.ca?

Now that I've finally decided to get a set, they're hard to find, Revco is the only one I found that says they're in stock so far

[dkaz]

That's a good price, just a tiny bit more than what I paid for my 30K. My 30K's jogdial failed after three years though, or at least I only noticed after I wrote this post:

I like my Sena 30K.

I can use the app to turn up and down the volume, use Siri to skip tracks, and use autoscan to change FM stations, but it's a bit of a pain. People were noting the 30K was not waterproof and although I did use my unit just fine in the rain, I wonder if it eventually degraded the mechanism for the jogdial.

Sena's claim to fame was their indestructible and simple to use SMH5 and SMH10 which could not be destroyed. Until it unlatched itself from my helmet at about 6 years old. But the thing spent its entire life in Vancouver where they get rain.

Ultimately, people get whatever their riding buddies use. You could pair a Sena with a Cardo but it's a bit of an involved process. For mostly city rides where cellular connectivity is not an issue, people started creating Discords to talk in so it's less of an issue. If you're mostly riding alone or two up, yea just get the same thing.

[Fobroader]

I have a sena SRL that plugs into my helmet, it works alright, a bit infuriating to learn the interface and to get the helmet and phone to pair, but the sound quality is pretty good.

[ktm525]

I can't stand com devices as I ride a motorcycle to unplug from the world. Even GPS devices are a sometimes necessary evil and I try to minimize it's use. I do understand coms are a required piece of kit for those who are trying to ride in a group but they do diminish the "experience", especially if some are "talkers"  . 

[rrocket]

I can't stand com devices as I ride a motorcycle to unplug from the world. Even GPS devices are a sometimes necessary evil and I try to minimize it's use. I do understand coms are a required piece of kit for those who are trying to ride in a group but they do diminish the "experience", especially if some are "talkers"  .

It depends.

We used to use them to warn the group of hazards, mostly.

And off road, with many trails, the lead rider would call out which trail fork he's going.

Also came in handy for riders saying to hold up, they fell down, mechanical, etc

We didn't really use it for chatty Kathy purposes. Just the basics.

The units we used also picked up trail groomer beacons in the winter so you knew if there was a huge trail groomer around the corner.

[Triple Bob]

That's a good price, just a tiny bit more than what I paid for my 30K. My 30K's jogdial failed after three years though, or at least I only noticed after I wrote this post:

I like my Sena 30K.

I can use the app to turn up and down the volume, use Siri to skip tracks, and use autoscan to change FM stations, but it's a bit of a pain. People were noting the 30K was not waterproof and although I did use my unit just fine in the rain, I wonder if it eventually degraded the mechanism for the jogdial.

Sena's claim to fame was their indestructible and simple to use SMH5 and SMH10 which could not be destroyed. Until it unlatched itself from my helmet at about 6 years old. But the thing spent its entire life in Vancouver where they get rain.

Ultimately, people get whatever their riding buddies use. You could pair a Sena with a Cardo but it's a bit of an involved process. For mostly city rides where cellular connectivity is not an issue, people started creating Discords to talk in so it's less of an issue. If you're mostly riding alone or two up, yea just get the same thing.

Sorry what?!? You can talk in a Discord whilst riding? How does that work?

Boy I feel old. 

[dkaz]

Sorry what?!? You can talk in a Discord whilst riding? How does that work?

Boy I feel old. 

Lol I've never used Discord before so I wouldn't know. My kids use it. Probably the same way except everyone is riding.

I can't stand com devices as I ride a motorcycle to unplug from the world. Even GPS devices are a sometimes necessary evil and I try to minimize it's use. I do understand coms are a required piece of kit for those who are trying to ride in a group but they do diminish the "experience", especially if some are "talkers"  . 

I got a raise while I was on my motorcycle on my way in to the office so there's that.  A few times the kids needed something.

[draghon]

Has anyone tried units from Lexin? Reviews on Amazon seem pretty decent and the price is a fair bit cheaper than Cardo or Sena. Not really interested in listening to music/GPS, primary use would be for communication with my wife while snowmobiling.

Finally tried these out over the break and they work pretty well for keeping in touch while riding. Range is not great in the bush trails but they easily lasted the 2+ hours in frigid temperatures. These are the ones I bought: https://www.amazon.ca/LEXIN-Motorcycle-Communication-Cancellation-Technology/dp/B07DGX2DTK

[No H2O]

Anyone else have experience or questions with regard to communication systems?

You probably got yours and are likely happy with it, but for anyone else, if you want my opinion, they are useless above 80 kph because with the volume at maximum, you can hardly hear anything. I have the Sena 10R.

The set I have is installed as per the real simple instructions and the speakers are in the approved speaker pockets of the helmet.

Its a nice $300+ accessory that I no longer use. The only way I'd buy another communicator is to borrow a demo unit from a shop and try it out before spending $$$.

And some of us do not use it to communicate to other riders; I ride alone. Some of us use it via BT to listen to music, the built-in radio, GPS instructions, mobile phone, etc.

[ktm525]

I use a thumb (either up or down)  or a finger depending on the circumstances. Cost is $0.   

[LanderGX]

I like my Sena 30K.

One local guy also recommends Sena. My friend is looking for a set for our next ride. A couple of us are newbies so good communication is a must.  There will be a few off-road going to the camping site. I'll be taking the truck to carry our stuff, got to finish installing the new pads and toyo tires this week.