Recommend me a rider to pillion intercom

Neil W

Neil W

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Okay I fully admit I know nothing about intercoms etc and have managed to avoid them for the last twenty odd years of marriage BUT now my wife has decided an intercom would be nice for touring .

If I buy one I want something fairly robust, reliable and easy to use , any reccomendations ?

What puts me off is the comms we had built into our lids at work ( back in the early 90's) were very susceptible to buggering up in heavy rain (Sonic) and I hope newer systems are better.
 
We've had ...

... excellent results from the Cardo Scala bluetooth set ups; worked well as bike to bike up to 400m so rider to pillion would be a breeze. No wires and a charge easily lasts a days riding :thumb
 
oblertone said:
... excellent results from the Cardo Scala bluetooth set ups; worked well as bike to bike up to 400m so rider to pillion would be a breeze. No wires and a charge easily lasts a days riding :thumb
Click to expand...

Same as above but ours are Schuberth C3 Flipfront helmets with the SRC(Schuberth Rider Communication system) which clips into the helmet base.

Again no wires and you charge it up every night or every couple of days

You can also use your phone, GPS and there's a built in FM radio

FP.
 
I use an Interphone F4 for rider to pillion, and when my wife isn't on the back, use it for bike to bike. It's an awesome system that I can thoroughly recommend.:beerjug: Plus, there is a new F5 version, which doesn't have any extra features that I need, so there are good deals on the F4 at the moment.:thumb
 
Many people like the Sena SMH10 and I must admit I was very impressed, however after a few days use we found it isn't quite as flexible as the wired intercoms, or perhaps we can't get used to it working differently, either way we are going back to a wired one, Starcom1 Digital this time. SMH10 will be in the for sale section in the next few days.
 
The Nutty GSER said:
I use an Interphone F4 for rider to pillion, and when my wife isn't on the back, use it for bike to bike. It's an awesome system that I can thoroughly recommend.:beerjug: Plus, there is a new F5 version, which doesn't have any extra features that I need, so there are good deals on the F4 at the moment.:thumb
Click to expand...

+1 - effective, and is wireless, which you only appreciate after all the faffing around with wired systems.
 
+1 for the Sena, full day use chatting all the time, never a worry about battery life.
 
rce said:
+1 for the Sena, full day use chatting all the time, never a worry about battery life.
Click to expand...

Wired system, full 2 week holiday chatting bike to bike up to a couple of miles apart, GPS phone and music no problem. Absolutely no concerns about battery life as it's all bike powered :D Maybe I'm just old school but plugging-in/un-plugging a headset is 2nd nature and takes all of 5 seconds :nenau
 
Bumpkin said:
Wired system, full 2 week holiday chatting bike to bike up to a couple of miles apart, GPS phone and music no problem. Absolutely no concerns about battery life as it's all bike powered :D Maybe I'm just old school but plugging-in/un-plugging a headset is 2nd nature and takes all of 5 seconds :nenau
Click to expand...

+1 :thumb2

I have been using Autocom for about 6 years now, the kit works a treat, started with a basic 200 unit which I had for 5 years then last year upgraded to Super Pro jobbie.

Clearly audible music at 90 (with earplugs) comfortable chat - and we tested it at 150 on the ZZR and we could still hear each other (Need to shout though)

I have music going all the time so not having to charge anything is a bonus, wiring up takes 3 seconds, unplugging takes 1 second - no real hardship IMO.

No issues with either autocom units or headsets and we have doen a fair bit of rain testing, many weekends away, Alps, Pyrenees, Black Forest etc.

Sam at Chainspeed is a good guy for advice on all things comms and can fit stuff too.
 
Lots to think about there, I personally prefer quiet whilst on the bike , I don't like music ,being interupted by my mobile , the sat nav bleating on or hearing a pillion BUT I look like having no choice in the matter.
Will have to look in more depth at the options available.
 
I am a dedicated Autocom user and would not use anything else.... but for your use I would go for a simple Bluetooth-based intercom.

The Sena seems particularly easy to use with one large-ish button and the Cardo and Interphone have their advocates.

I would go into a shop that you trust to support you if you have difficulties. After all, every combination of machine, standard/aftermarket screen, rider height, pillion height, gloved hand and helmet is different, not to mention road speed. Try it out in the shop with your better half and make sure that you can both operate it satisfactorily and tell the shop what speeds you will be doing on the Autobahn/Motorway. If SWMBO does not trust the gear, then it is effectively worthless.

If you are not totally happy, then try another brand. If it is not fit for purpose then will they take it back?

Hope this helps...

John
 
Another very happy Autocom user here. We've used ours primarily as rider to pillion, but on occasion I've hooked it up for bike to bike and to play music.

Not using their most up to date system, because the one we bought 10 years ago still works well. The only fault has been with my microphone, which started crackling a couple of years ago, following a thoroughly wet 15 hour ride. No problem getting a replacement, which is working well.:thumb2
 
Recharging? the vagaries of bluetooth pairing?


Sod all that.....Autocom hardwired.:thumb

Don't connect a phone or even your satnav.....just a music source and rider to pillion comms.....job done.

I've had phones connected up before now, and very successfully to, but why?

You're out on your bike with the missus....do you really want to be on the fekking phone at the same time? :blast

keep it simple, keep it sweet:thumb2
 
We've just switched to a Sena SMH10 system after our Autocom packed up and much prefer it. The sound quality is much better at high speed and there are no wires to connect/disconnect :thumb2

The ex wouldn't use an intercom, but I started using one when the new model started riding on the back and wouldn't be without one now - it just so much more pleasurable being able to chat about the sights you see or where the next stop is etc.
 
By the time you start paying for cablies, PushToTalks switches, helmet sets (with Starcom / Autocom) - I suspect it will all add up.


Go for the Scala G4 powerset. :rob

Don't worry about charging the units - the battery lasts all day, even on open comms.

If you do want to charge them - either do it overnight, or on the bike at lunch-stops. Just get a Hella/USB adaptor.

Blutooth is really the way forward. :thumb2

Al
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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