Long term Autocom user considering move over to Bluetooth any advice please?

Roadrash Rider

Roadrash Rider

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Ok guys it’s like this, dabbled with Bluetooth headsets years ago and found them to be unreliable, used the early Scarla kit at the time, which got water damaged and charge only lasted 6 hours or so.
So quickly went back to Autocom, used Autocom on every bike I have had over the last 10 years, fitted them to quite a few mates bikes as well, with all the ruddy bits you accumulate you tend to stick with the brand you know.

However having switched over to a 16 build LC GS with Nav5 you need Bluetooth connection and there’s feck all space to mount an Autocom SPA, Bluetooth adaptor and radio anymore, due to the the nice men at BMW have used the only space under the back seat now for the Lean sensitive ABS module thingy and the Dynamic rear brake light thingy module.

I don’t want to do the Handlebar or tang bag thing again, its £700 new, for replacement Autocom SPA Bluetooth module and Kenwood & bag if it gets whipped at a tea stop.

I have read lots and lots of the threads in this section and the choice and opinion now seems vast compared to 8 to 10 years back.

My wishlist for a good Bluetooth headset is:

Charge that will last a full days riding
Good sound quality at speed
Waterproof (We never get dry weather when we tour, just lucky us)
Good bike to bike range via Bluetooth
Easy to use on the move

THE TWO THAT I AM STRUGGLING WITH

Can be linked to other brands of Bluetooth headset (nobody has the same brand in a group)
Or easy to link to a PMR radio via some form of gadget?

Sorry for the long winded intro, all views welcome, cheers :beerjug:
Andy
 
I have tried:

Autocom (couldn't get on with all that connecting and unconnecting)
Cardo scala G4 (too complicated, under developed, too many bugs, unreliable. All in all pretty crap really)
Interphone F4 (bough 2nd hand but poor quality sound, picked up road and helmet noise, battery life too short (2nd hand I guess), but it always worked unlike the G4).
Sena SMH5. Best of what I have used so far: loud & clear, easy to use, good battery. I think it connects to any BT system).

The G4 I used for Bike to bike and when it worked was good for up to a 3/4mile or so if there was line of sight. If not line of sight then depending what was in the way then it could be as low as a 100yards - like if mountains are in the way, but generally good for 1/4 to 1/2 mile in towns or traffic.

I have only used the F4 and the Sena for rider/pillion but the sena says range around 500metres, which I would guess is line of sight, so considerably less if not.

BTW, you probably know this but for intercoms the BT bit is only to pair the intercoms, the bike/bike or bike/rider intercom is a radio. BT is used for headset to Sat Nav and phone so only works within the 10m or so BT range.
 
Reckless said:
Have a look at the new Bluetooth/PMR combo just advertised by Intaride - I have been using their PMR radio for a while now and it is very good - the quality of their gear seems excellent - the pricing is also good.

http://www.intaride.com/bluetooth-1.html



Pete
Click to expand...

That looks interesting except hard wire connection for Sat Nav, will give him a call.

Ta
 
AustinW said:
I have tried:

Autocom (couldn't get on with all that connecting and unconnecting)
Cardo scala G4 (too complicated, under developed, too many bugs, unreliable. All in all pretty crap really)
Interphone F4 (bough 2nd hand but poor quality sound, picked up road and helmet noise, battery life too short (2nd hand I guess), but it always worked unlike the G4).
Sena SMH5. Best of what I have used so far: loud & clear, easy to use, good battery. I think it connects to any BT system).


The G4 I used for Bike to bike and when it worked was good for up to a 3/4mile or so if there was line of sight. If not line of sight then depending what was in the way then it could be as low as a 100yards - like if mountains are in the way, but generally good for 1/4 to 1/2 mile in towns or traffic.

I have only used the F4 and the Sena for rider/pillion but the sena says range around 500metres, which I would guess is line of sight, so considerably less if not.

BTW, you probably know this but for intercoms the BT bit is only to pair the intercoms, the bike/bike or bike/rider intercom is a radio. BT is used for headset to Sat Nav and phone so only works within the 10m or so BT range.
Click to expand...

Cheers :thumb2
 
Like yourself I have used the older bluetooth systems and went back to autocom wired .

I now have a sena bluetooth set up and find it fantastic. I use the Sena 20S. this is the headset and mic set up which i can connect to the phone or the Nav on the bike etc , It also connects to other Senas easy and other makes of bluetooth headset like Scala .

For the Kenwood PMR i use the Sena SR10 , this has a small cable which you link to the kenwood ,in turn it makes it a Bluetooth radio that now connects to my Headset ( Sena 20S). It also comes with a PTT which is very nice and discreet and Waterproof.

It lasts for around 10 hours of riding . It does not drop signal at all , It used to for some reason but since the latest firmware upgrade its been great. The speakers are loud yet clear and the people i speak to on PMR say I come across loud and clear.

i have used this for most of the year and its been excellent BUT for some reason I still have my autocom in the Garage …just in case

http://www.gizmag.com/sena-20s-review-bluetooth-headset/32991/

http://www.motorcycle-tourer.co.uk/sena-sr10-bluetooth-two-way-radio-adapter-uk/
 
DC said:
Like yourself I have used the older bluetooth systems and went back to autocom wired .

I now have a sena bluetooth set up and find it fantastic. I use the Sena 20S. this is the headset and mic set up which i can connect to the phone or the Nav on the bike etc , It also connects to other Senas easy and other makes of bluetooth headset like Scala .

For the Kenwood PMR i use the Sena SR10 , this has a small cable which you link to the kenwood ,in turn it makes it a Bluetooth radio that now connects to my Headset ( Sena 20S). It also comes with a PTT which is very nice and discreet and Waterproof.

It lasts for around 10 hours of riding . It does not drop signal at all , It used to for some reason but since the latest firmware upgrade its been great. The speakers are loud yet clear and the people i speak to on PMR say I come across loud and clear.

i have used this for most of the year and its been excellent BUT for some reason I still have my autocom in the Garage …just in case

http://www.gizmag.com/sena-20s-review-bluetooth-headset/32991/

http://www.motorcycle-tourer.co.uk/sena-sr10-bluetooth-two-way-radio-adapter-uk/
Click to expand...

DC thanks for that, I had sort of narrowed it down to the 20s or the Scala pack talk, can I ask do you have BMW nav4 or Nav5 connected?

Thanks

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I almost made the switch from Autocom this summer due to us both getting flip helmets for the first time but the deal breaker was only the rider would hear the gps prompts, no good for us as we both wanted that!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
The Interphone F5MC gets my strong vote. After a year of daily use it still lasts 10+ hours per charge, and with the latest firmware update a couple of months ago, it works brilliantly with the Nav 5. It can connect to other systems, but I've used it on two French trips this year with 3 other riders, all with the same model, and it's generally been brilliant (lesson learned...solve occasional pairing issues by deleting pairing then re-pairing..takes 2 minutes and all is good).

I don't think it can easily connect to a 2-way radio but if it easily connects to other intercoms and has such an effective duplex capability, it may not be an issue.
 
I have used the Scala Q2 after a brief flirtation with autocom but one of the Q2 units have reached the end of its natural life and I have taken delivery of the PackTalk today, this claims that you can connect any brand of bluetooth headset to it as normally scala will only connect with other scala, sena's with other sena's etc which if your riding in a group is not really that useful!!
 
Andy. I have the nav 5 , in all honesty I don't use it as a nav , the screens on and showing me were I'm going , I have an SD card loaded in it with music so listen to that .

I'm pretty sure I could sort it so the music plays then cuts when the nav speaks directions . My phone is linked to the nav and the nav to the headset . When music is playing and the phone goes , the music cuts and if I answer the phone , which I don't often , it is nice and clear
 
DC said:
Andy. I have the nav 5 , in all honesty I don't use it as a nav , the screens on and showing me were I'm going , I have an SD card loaded in it with music so listen to that .

I'm pretty sure I could sort it so the music plays then cuts when the nav speaks directions . My phone is linked to the nav and the nav to the headset . When music is playing and the phone goes , the music cuts and if I answer the phone , which I don't often , it is nice and clear
Click to expand...

Thanks sounds like the set up I am looking for, just breaking the wired link is a hard choice, but I will have a good look at the sena tomorrow, thanks.
Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Max_W said:
The Interphone F5MC gets my strong vote. After a year of daily use it still lasts 10+ hours per charge, and with the latest firmware update a couple of months ago, it works brilliantly with the Nav 5. It can connect to other systems, but I've used it on two French trips this year with 3 other riders, all with the same model, and it's generally been brilliant (lesson learned...solve occasional pairing issues by deleting pairing then re-pairing..takes 2 minutes and all is good).

I don't think it can easily connect to a 2-way radio but if it easily connects to other intercoms and has such an effective duplex capability, it may not be an issue.
Click to expand...

Heard good things about the F5MC, do you have that connected to a BMW Nav?

Thanks

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
rossman999 said:
I have used the Scala Q2 after a brief flirtation with autocom but one of the Q2 units have reached the end of its natural life and I have taken delivery of the PackTalk today, this claims that you can connect any brand of bluetooth headset to it as normally scala will only connect with other scala, sena's with other sena's etc which if your riding in a group is not really that useful!!
Click to expand...

Would be nice to hear how you get on with it (no pressure can you have it up and running and tested by the weekend) so I can make my mind up


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I thought Sena's had done any-brand pairing for a while now. My little old Sena 5 has it (though I've never needed it). Consider the newer 20S if you want mixed audio rather than sources cutting in and out. Useful when in cities with lots of prompts as your music will be faded to background rather than cutting in and out every 30 seconds.


- Outsider (via Tapatalk)
 
Roadcrafter have same problem, needing both rider and pillion hearing the sat nav mainly for music but sometimes for nav reasons two sets of eyes better than one. Watching thread with interest...
 
I think I read somewhere that the Sena 20S can be configured to pass nav instructions to both rider and pillion. Might be worth a Google?


- Outsider (via Tapatalk)
 
Ok quick update, had a chat with a pal of mine today, manager of a decent sized bike gear shop, about the new Scala Packtalk, said it was the dogs dangly bits, then I mentioned BMW sat nav, ah he says having problems getting them to work with BMW sat nav, given four refunds because of it, ok which version sat nav "Blank look" off he goes to check with the importer faradex I think it is. Called me back this afternoon and said yes they have had several issues with the units working with BMW sat navs but not asked what bloody version!

So scala £250 a pop says waterproof, might have issues connecting to BMW sat nav but can't be sure unless you take a punt. And how do you connect a PMR Radio if you want to

Sena 20s all the same features many people have it working on BMW sat navs, can have separate module for PMR radio, costs about £165 a set + £160 for PMR but it's Water resistant?

Pro's and cons for both was leaning toward the Sena but worried about possible water damage as we do tend to tour Scotland a lot in proper weather! Scala looks good but need to understand the sat nav issue.

Time for a bit more research.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
U
Roadcraft-Rider said:
Heard good things about the F5MC, do you have that connected to a BMW Nav?

Thanks

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yes, I have my iphone paired to the Nav 5, and the Nav 5 paired to my F5MC. This allows me to get live traffic updates on the Nav 5 because I have the free app on the phone, and I can use the phone with really good call clarity. The Nav 5 interface also allows you to call out, not just receive, in a way that is safer than the equivalent in my cars.

I have loaded up an SD card with MP3 tracks and these stream to the F5MC easily. Music fades out for navigation directions and incoming calls, then fades back in once finished.

I can't comment on the other bluetooth systems, and have no reason to believe they are any worse, but the F5MC works really well for me.
 
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