If you have ridden a motorcycle, you are well aware that the amazing experience you get with an open-air ride is second to none and cannot be experienced with any car ride. And yet, you can still enhance this riding experience by having the capability of listening to music, tracking your trip via GPS and communicating with your friends or fellow riders to update them on how exhilarating your ride is.
However, with all the choices available in the market today, choosing a pair of headsets for your riding can be a daunting task. To help you with your decision, here are some considerations to look for when buying Bluetooth motorcycle headsets.
Table of Contents
Speaker Quality
When looking for a pair of motorcycle Bluetooth headsets, you should not expect to find a brand that can offer true hi-fidelity sound like you would with a home entertainment system. However, some headsets will sound better than others because of the speakers that they have. If listening to music while riding is your top priority, you should look for a headset with quality speaker drivers.
Large speaker drivers can generate deeper bass tones and more expansive sound and are recommended for listening to music. On the other hand, a smaller speaker driver will suit your needs if the main function of your Bluetooth headset is for communicating and not for listening to music.
CARDO PACKTALK BOLD
If sound quality is what you are after, then you can never go wrong with CARDO PACKTALK BOLD.
This Bluetooth communication system headset comes with speaker drivers developed by JBL, a world leader in the speaker industry.
This headset will allow you to enjoy unrivalled sound quality at whatever speed you are riding.
The 40 to 45mm JBL speaker drivers offer more clarity and bass and have the ability to automatically adjust sound volume as the ambient noises increase with your riding speed.
Likewise, the CARDO PTB00040-PACKTALK Special Edition is capable of connecting with both DMC and Bluetooth technologies allowing you to seamlessly communicate and share music with up to 15 riders up to a maximum range of 1 mile.
Voice Assistant Compatibility
Voice activation is a necessity for safer rides. It can be dangerous to push buttons when receiving a call or switching from intercom mode to music.
However, when choosing a Bluetooth motorcycle headset, it is best to ensure that the one you choose supports your preferred voice assistant.
Some brands of motorcycle headsets may have proprietary voice assistants that may not be compatible with your smart devices. Other brands can easily link to OK Google and Siri.
SENA 50S-01D BLUETOOTH DUAL HEADSET KIT
The SENA 50S-01D comes with voice-activated features that are compatible with your smartphone’s hands-free functions.
All you need to do is use the “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” voice commands to give instructions to your headset.
Aside from having reliable voice assistant features, the SENA 50S-01D comes with Mesh 2.0 Intercom, which allows you to communicate with an almost limitless number of riders within a 5-mile radius.
In addition, this headset’s multi-channel open mesh ability will also allow you to switch between 9 channels and support up to 24 riders in a private group chat.
Bluetooth Version
When it comes to technology, the latest version will always outperform its predecessors. The same holds for Bluetooth technology.
Most motorcycle headsets are now running Bluetooth 4 versions; others are still using Bluetooth 3. While all Bluetooth versions are compatible and can communicate with each other, the latest version will give you better connectivity and reliability.
If you are looking for more reliable connectivity, it is best to choose motorcycle headsets that run on the latest version of Bluetooth.
LEXIN LX-B4FM
LEXIN is one of the manufacturers that embraced the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology early on, creating headsets with more efficient and more reliable connectivity with your smart devices that support hands-free (HSP/HFP) and advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) features.
Likewise, the LX-B4FM headset can allow you to communicate with ten riders simultaneously within a two-kilometre radius.
The LEXIN LX-B4FM will also allow you to pair with any other intercom brand, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility issues when riding with others wearing different headset brands.
As a bonus, the LEXIN LX-B4FM comes with an 800mAh battery that allows you a maximum talk time of 15 hours.
Battery Life
Another thing to consider when choosing a Bluetooth headset is how long your average ride will last. If you are a casual rider, then a headset with a 500mAh battery will be enough to give you streaming music for a maximum of 4 to 5 hours.
However, if you take part in long rides across the country, you will need a headset that will pack a lot of battery juice to keep you entertained on your ride. Therefore, choosing a headset with at least 850mAh of power is best to give you continuous communication with your riding buddies during your road adventure.
FODSPORTS FX4 PRO
If you like to stay connected with other riders during a whole-day riding adventure, you will need a headset with enough juice to sustain you during the day.
The 850mAh battery of the FODSPORTS FX4 Pro can give you 20 hours of continuous music or 12 to 20 hours of voice communication.
However, with all types of batteries, the length of the actual running time of your headset will depend on the type of functions you are using it for.
Nevertheless, the FX4 Pro can easily reach full charge within 2-3 hours to enable you to have a fully functional headset for the next day’s ride.
Aside from having long-lasting battery life, the FX4 Pro also gives you an outstanding and stable intercom system for up to 4 riders within a 1200-meter radius. It also comes with advanced CVC noise cancellation technology, so you can listen to GPS instructions accurately and enjoy your favorite music while riding.
The FX4 Pro also comes with larger buttons and voice assistant features to allow you to operate your headset safely. The larger button features allow you to switch functions and operate your headset safely, even wearing gloves.
Likewise, you can also use the voice assistant feature compatible with Siri and Samsung S Voice to instruct your headsets while keeping your hands on the handlebars for a safer riding experience.
Audio Multitasking
A good motorcycle headset should let its rider seamlessly switch from one function to another. For example, your headset should be able to switch instantly from listening to music to answer calls or talk to fellow riders in your group.
However, not all headsets have the feature of being able to multitask different audio features simultaneously and will often do only one audio task at a time.
When choosing a motorcycle Bluetooth headset, it is best to choose one with the capability of handling multiple audio tasks at once. For example, your headset should be able to switch from streaming music to answering voice calls in split seconds.
Likewise, a good headset for audio multitasking should allow you to have an intercom conversation while simultaneously listening to GPS instructions or streaming music. This feature will have your overlaid audio playing in the background with reduced volume so that you can have a better audio quality during a voice conversation.
SENA 30K-01
If you want to have impressive audio multitasking features, it is best to choose the SENA 30K-01 Bluetooth headset.
This headset allows you to have smooth voice communications thru its Mesh Intercom technology while allowing you to operate Bluetooth audio operations such as listening to streaming music or GPS instructions from your smartphones.
With the SENA 30K-01, you will no longer have to deal with the frustrations of having one audio function being interrupted by another.
The SENA 30K-01’s Open Mesh Intercom technology can also allow you to have voice communication with a nearly limitless number of users within a 5-mile radius.
In addition, its Bluetooth technology will also allow you to automatically connect with members of your group that have lost connection during your ride.
Range
If you are planning to only communicate effortlessly with your passenger, any Bluetooth headset will work for you and your intended purpose.
However, if you plan to join a rider’s club that consistently has long rides, it is best to choose a headset that will allow you to communicate with your group if you are way ahead of the pack or lagging behind the ride.
The industry standard on the effective range for a good-quality motorcycle headset is one mile, especially if you are joining a motorcycle club.
SENA 20S-EVO-01D
If you want a worry-free ride, the SENA 20S-EVO-01D is the headset that you should have with you.
Its Bluetooth communication and intercom technology allow you to stay in touch with up to eight riders of your group within a radius of 1.2 miles.
Likewise, the headset’s ability to connect and configure to your iPhone and Android smartphones will allow you to virtually connect with a nearly unlimited number of riders over a wide range as long as you are connected to a mobile network.
Price Ranges
As with any other product that relies on the latest technology, you will get what you pay for. Bluetooth motorcycle headsets come in a wide range of prices ranging from budget-friendly sets averaging $75 or less in price to high-end sets worth more than $300 a pair.
However, it is important to note that the price you are willing to pay will limit the number of features you will get.
If you are on a budget, you can specify what features are important to you and choose a headset with that option available.
For example, you can choose a headset with a decent speaker driver for less than $100 a pair; however, you may be sacrificing certain features such as having a long-range intercom system or having a long battery life.
On the other hand, you might end up paying the top price for a headset that may end up being used seldomly in the future.
Key Take-Away
There are a lot of options to choose from when you plan to purchase a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet.
To get the most out of your money, it is first important to assess your riding needs and preferences and determine what features will be important to you. If you foresee that you will have many long riders with a large group in the future, then splurging money on a pair of motorcycle headsets that will give you seamless connection and functionality is the right thing to do.
