Best Rider to Rider Bluetooth Communications

 

Beat The Heat Tour 2023 at Lizard Head Pass, Colorado

Group rides can be a lot of fun but when a group is large it can be helpful to have communication with at least one other rider to help ensure the group is doing well and staying together.  Although, for me the primary season I started using a Bluetooth communication set up was for music and in extreme cases the ability to make a call or receive a call while still moving, the ability to have up to date information about my group when I am leading is also important.

My first Bluetooth device was a Sena 20S I purchased in January 2016 and reviewed a three months later.  That Sena was a good system.  I used it up until the spring of 2023, I even removed the Sena from my helmet and took it with me to Italy when I rented a BMW (and helmet) and rode in the Alps for a week.

In the Spring of 2023 my wife's Sena 10S was not working well and battery life had degraded greatly.  The 20S had served me well, but it time for a pair of new Bluetooth headsets.  Of course all the research showed me the top two brands were Sena and Cardo.  There are pros and cons with both brands and their different models.  After a good amount of research and some input from friends I decided on switching to the Cardo Packtalk.  Now over a year later what do I think?

Arai Nicky Hayden and Cardo Packtalk

 

Here are some of the notable differences that I like:

     1) Cardo is Waterproof - Sena 20S water resistant (On various trips the Sena got wet and kept working, but I always took it off if the rain was going to hard or for a long time).

     2) The Cardo is slimmer so it does not stick out from the helmet as much as the Sena.

I love the slim Cardo Packtalk.

     3) Cardo mesh system connects easily with other Cardo's and with a little work it connects with Sena systems. 

     4) The JBL speakers that come with the Packtalk are great!  When using the Sena I would plug in headbuds to the Sena and use them because even with my full face helmet the music was difficult to hear.  (I understand Sena has upgrade and now has much better speakers.)

     5) Taking the Packtalk off the helmet and replacing it is very easy.

 

Of course there are other difference but the five above are the ones that standout to me. 

The controls are very easy to use even with a riding gloves.  The sound quality is great!  The Cardo Packtalk has voice activation for Siri so I can talk to Siri without using any of the controls.  This feature is really nice to skip a song, have a text read, compose a text, make a call...

Sleek and yet easy to control and use.

 

So after riding over 23,000 miles with the Cardo as my communication system I have no regrets.  The battery life has been great and the system has worked flawlessly.

If you need a high quality Bluetooth communication system I highly recommend the Cardo Packtalk.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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AGV Helmet Review

Comfort and Brain Protection

My son on a ride and discussing helmets

This past fall it was time to replace my Arai Profile helmet.  I had enjoyed the comfort, performance and durability of the Arai Profile for several years.  I had no complaints and was planning to replace it with another Arai helmet.  

When I started looking I called my Bell Qualifier into service.  The Bell is a great helmet, but the road noise is noticeably louder and airflow less evident. It is an adequate backup helmet, but I wanted another helmet with low road noise, good airflow and was comfortable.

 

Partnership Perk!

Earlier in the summer my blog and I had developed an affiliate partnership with Dainese and AGV.  To my surprised, about the time I was to beginning to look for a new helmet, Dainese/AGV sent me an email providing me with an affiliate "perk."  I was provided with an affiliate partner 25% off code for one item!

Well, with that "perk" I had to at least look at the options available to me.  I looked at all the AGV helmets, read professional and amateur reviews and visited some shops to try on some AGV's.  After quite a bit of research and though I decided to order the K1 Rossi Mugello helmet.  

The AGV sitting on my VFR

Disclosure

It is important to note I did receive a discount, but I am under no pressure or agreement to provide a review of any kind, especially no agreement or pressure to provide a positive review.  The following are completely my honest thoughts of the helmet.

                                                             

Riding and Testing the AGV K1

The Mugello paint scheme is from the 2015 MotoGP season.  It is clearly a Valentino Rossi helmet, the number 46 is prominently displayed on the crown of the helmet and a smaller 46 is on the right side of the helmet.  The silver, blue and neon green make the helmet highly visible. 

DOT approved K1 Rossi Mugello

AGV states that the K1 is "Aerodynamic shape, racing-developed front air vents and wind-tunnel engineered aero spoiler maximize performances while providing stability at higher speed."  

At 1,600 g/3.527 lbs. it is one of the heavier AGV street helmets, but when I wear the AGV it does not feel as heavy as the Arai Profile.  When riding at a spirited pace the rode noise is low, but maybe just a little louder than the Arai Profile.  I use Bose earbuds plugged into my Sena 20s Bluetooth communication system and listen to my music.  I noticed no difference in the music volume between the Arai and AGV helmets.

The Sena 20s works great

The AGV comes Pinlock(c) ready, but I have not added insert. 190 degree horizontal view increases visibility.  The five large vents provide good airflow which is important to me considering the warmer weather in Texas.  A "micro-opening system" is part of the helmet.  a "quick-action" button on the chin bar lifts the visor a small amount which increases airflow. I really like this feature!

The AGV micro-opening system is very useful

The base of the helmet is contoured which is reduce the possibilities of helmet impact with the collarbone in a crash situation.  AGV also states the helmet's impact protection has "4 Densities EPS Max protection in every area.  Hopefully I will not have to report on the efficiency of  the design or the impact protection.   

Contoured base profile increases safety

The interior cheek and crown pads are removeable and washable.  They are made with a dry-comfort fabric.  They are comfortable and soft, although the Arai interior fabric was softer.  On first ride I found the comfort to be on par with the Arai.  T
he K1 uses a standard double D helmet strap, but the helmet is not what I would call "standard."  

Comfortable and removeable interior pads

One aspect I like a lot better than the Arai is the easy of exchanging the visor.  At the time of purchase I also ordered a tinted visor.  I use the tinted visor during daylight savings time.  The visor mechanism is intuitive and works smoothly  during the visor exchange. 

The visor exchange system is quick and smooth

Final Thoughts

I like the K1.  It is comfortable, provides good airflow, has superior visibility and keeps road noise on the lower end.  I love the contoured base and the spoiler on the back of the helmet.  The paint job is very visible and my favorite so far, but I am a Rossi fan.

Photo from Motorionline

Have now purchased and used three really good helmets.  All three I would wear on a multiday trip with no reservations, but how would I rank them?

1) Arai Profile

2) AGV K1

3) Bell Profile

A high quality helmet is worth the investment.  What has been your favorite helmet?  Let us all know by leaving a comment.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

        

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Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Arai Profile Helmet Review

 Do you wear a helmet?

Once a rider gets past the debate of to wear or not to wear a helmet if the decide to wear a helmet there are still many more helmet questions to answer.  There are half helmets, full-faced helmets, 3/4 helmets and modular helmets.

So many helmets

There are a numerous helmet manufactures each with dozens of models.  A motorcycle rider can find a helmet for less than $100 or up to over a $1,000.  So many choices.

This can be overwhelming for a new rider.  Making a good decision and keeping the cost in a budget can be difficult.  New motorcycle riders will have friends giving a lot of advice and opinions. Probably the hardest and yet the most important decision revolves around cost.  Does a higher price make that big of a difference?

I have owned six full face helmets made by four different manufacturers over the years as well as multiple half helmets and one 3/4 helmet.  I have been very budget-minded when purchasing gear.  I had to be careful and not spend too much.

I had friends who did not wear helmets, some only half-helmets and among those who wore full-faced helmets there was a wide range of brands and cost.  I would look at the helmets of riders who wore more expensive helmets and I wondered if the money spent was really worth it.  Of course they thought so.

Time for a new helmet

In July 2016 I decided to increase my budget on gear.  So after some shopping around I made a purchase and spent the most I ever had for a new helmet when I bought the Bell Qualifer DLX.  The helmet came with the  Transitions® Adaptive Shield which intrigeud me .

In November 2016 I wrote a review on the Bell Qualifer DLX.   I was very pleased with the helmet and the visor.  The full review gives more details.  You can find the helmet at the Motorcycle Gear Superstore.

Bell Qualifier DLX

Upgrade opportunity

As luck would have it I attended a friend's event called the Martin Hootenanny in October of 2016.   At the event there was a silent auction benefiting CMA Run For the Son.

I noticed a pre-owned Arai helmet up for auction.  I examined the helmet and asked some questions.  I decided to bid on it and I won the silent auction for the pre-owned (worn about 5 times) Arai Profile Hotrod helmet (Hotrod graphics).  The helmet had no signs of usage and reports were it had been worn very little.  For $85 I thought "how can I go wrong?"  This was an inexpensive way to get first hand experience and knowledge about a high-end helmet. The graphics are not what I would have chosen in a perfect situation, but the yellow stands out and probably is more visible to automobile drivers. 

Arai Profile - Hotrod

 hime to wear the Arai

I did not start wearing the Arai helmet until January, after I secured a second Sena 20S helmet mount.  I could now transfer the Sena 20S from Bell helmet to Arai helmet without having to move the mount and speakers.  You can find Arai helmets at the Motorcycle Gear Superstore and
if you make a purchase I get some gas money.

At first I rotated between usig the Bell helmet and the Arai helmet.  By March I had decided on wearing the Arai for every ride.  The three major reasons for wearing the Arai full time were comfort, ventilation and reduced wind noise.  The fit and feeling of the Arai was so comfortable.  The material on the inside was smooth and soft.  The shape fit me well, although I know some motorcycle riders where the shape is not best for them.

The airflow was noticeably better.  My head did not get as hot or sweaty and I could feel the air flow over the skull.  The chin vent and forehead air vents allowed a good amount of airflow and they were easy to open and close.  With the amount of air flow provided I was surprised the road noise was not more intense.  The noise level was the least I had experienced with a full-faced helmet!

The Aria helmet is one of my favorite and best motorcycle gear buys so far!  I made a video review of the Aria helmet for my YouTube Channel and you can see it by following this link to Arai Profile Video Review.  You will find other reviews, ride videos and more on the Ordinary Biker Oz Channel.  Subscribe and you will get notice when I post new videos about gear, roads and more.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

 Top Five Oz Videos

  

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

        

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

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Come Ride With Us 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Sena headset Review

The Yamaha Venture I had for four months (until a lady decided to run a red light and hit me) came stock with CB/stereo.  With the help from friends my Yamaha FJR was fitted with a J&M communication/CB system.  Both worked well, but I wasn't sure I got my monies worth from the J&M.  Not because it wasn't great - it was a high quality unit.  I just did not need the communication with other riders (during the ride) as much as I thought I would.

I resisted the temptation to add anything to the Honda VFR and chose to listen to my music using earbuds and my cell phone.  It did not take long to discover I was unable to hear the music very well when riding at a "spirited" pace.  Quality moldable earbuds helped; however, cell phones can only crank out a limited volume. Limited volume gets drowned out during moments of "spirited" riding.

After research and visiting with fellow riders who own various communications/stereo systems I decided to purchase the Sena 20S.  A friend and I purchase a dual set at the International Motorcycle Show in Dallas in January.  He needed another Sena for his wife and we both wanted to save money. After some bargaining we purchased a pair for $400 total (taxes covered by the vendor).

Photo of 20s with antenna - photo from Sena.com

The Sena 20S mounts to the helmet easily and is low profile so it fits snugly on side of the helmet.  Weighing only 2.11 oz I don't even notice it when the helmet is on.

Profile view of 20S

The 20S small size does not upset the way the helmet feels.

The unit is 3.7 inches long, 1.9 inches tall and only 1.0 inches wide.  The size and weight minimizes any unbalancing of the helmet (I did not notice any) and there is no noticeable wind resistance.

When the main module is removed there is very little left on the helmet.

The Sena 20S comes with a claimed 13 hours of talk time, a bike to bike range of 1.2 miles in open terrain and an FM radio is built in the system. I have not tried the bike to bike communication yet, but my friend has and says the unit works great and the sound quality is crisp and clear.

I have answered and made phone calls with the unit and have been impressed.  The sound is clear and those on the other end of the phone conversation could not tell I was out riding.  The noise cancellation system works very effectively.  One friend observed that my voice was clearer than when I am talking through the Bluetooth system in my 2010 Ford F150.

Sena 20S

The unit comes with all you need including speakers for the helmet and three different microphones (options for full, 3/4 and 1/2 helmets) plus additional supplies to custom fit your unit (complete list).

Pairing the unit was easy and quick.  The operation of the unit is straightforward. The jog dial and buttons are easy to use even when wearing gloves.  I recommend spending some time on the couch wearing the helmet learning the functions and operations of the unit.

The system comes with an earbud jack.  I use high quality earbuds with the unit if I am going to be riding at "spirited" paces.  The earbuds reduce the wind noise as well as brings the music and communications straight to the ear.

Two features I like include the ability to charge the unit while using it.  If the bike has an auxiliary power port I can use the car charger while riding and using the unit.  This will be beneficial on long trips.  The Ambient Mode button is a nice feature allowing me to hear what is happening outside the helmet.  When I pull side to side with another biker I can use the Ambient Mode to hear what he or she is saying to me.  It will come in handy.

Photo from Sena website

There are other features I still need to try i.e. voice commands and speed dialing. This small unit is packed with quality and features.  I am really impressed with the Sena 20S and without reservation recommend the unit to anyone looking for a communication system.

My Moto Oz business partner is impressed and is buying a unit so we can communicate when I am leading our Moto Oz Beat The Heat Tours (Summer 2016 we are heading to Breckenridge, Colorado).

I also purchased the Sena Prism camera which can pair with the 20S and can be controlled with the 20S unit.  I will post review of the Prism later after more usage, but the preliminary impressions are very positive.

 

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

 Top Five Oz Videos

  

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

        

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

Christian Motorcyclists Association

Come Ride With Us 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!
 

 

Viking Bags - Quality saddlebags and luggage for your motorcycle travels

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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