Communication Devices

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the group ride is.

Did I ever claim to be a poet? Spring is here, though, and the season for group rides has begun. It’s hard to imagine events that accomplish more: get us out into the countryside, give us the chance to meet other motorcycling enthusiasts, and often support a good cause. So, if you wonder where to find a group ride, check out Eagle Leather’s Ride Guide.

If you read the Safety Tip, you’ll know that the Motorcycle Safety Foundation portrays fourteen different hand signals in its pdf about group rides. That’s a lot to remember, though it seems reasonable to remember some of them in case of emergency. Communication devices are a terrific asset on a group ride—even a group of two.

Start with a helmet that allows for communication devices. Eagle Leather has many, many choices. For example, Bell’s Pit Boss, shown in black and gray here has pockets you can use to hold communication devices. The Chatterbox brand Duo Kit includes a microphone for use with full-face helmets. It allows you to communicate with another rider, listen to music from your phone, and get directions from GPS. When you and your passenger both have the Nolan N-Com Helmet and Basic Headset Kit, you can use the Nolan N-Com Intercom E-Box Kit to talk to one another. Using the Mobile and Multimedia Wires, you can connect to your cell phone, GPS, or personal music player.

If you want to chat amongst your group, you’ll need Bluetooth devices. Eagle Leather carries what most people agree are the two best brands: Sena and Scala.

Dip your toe in the water with Sena’s SMH10R Headset Intercom. It has hands-free operation so it responds to spoken commands. It can communicate with a passenger or with another rider who is as much as 980 yards away in open terrain. It also lets you stream music or use your GPS. The battery gives you eight hours of talk-time and seven hours on standby.

The Sena 10S gives you more talk-time. It has high-quality speakers and lets you communicate with as many as four other riders. The 20S has a longer range and accommodates as many as eight riders. And, if you want to make a film of your riding adventure, the 10C lets you film and narrate at the same time. You can film two hours and the battery gives you seventeen hours of talk time. Click here to check it out.

Eagle Leather also carries the Scala Rider brand of intercoms. The Cardo Scala Rider Packtalk is amazing. You can talk to more than ten riders, and the group communication stays seamless even when a rider joins or leaves the group and you can use the bike-to-bike intercom over a one mile range. The device automatically switches to mobile phone mode when you’re outside the intercom range. It’s got voice-controlled speed dial and a customizable hot-dial number. During intercom calls, you can get GPS instructions, hear FM radio, or listen to MP3 music in the background. The FM radio has RDS and presets for six stations. Manual operation is easy and intuitive with Cardo’s roller-wheel interface, and advanced voice recognition technology gives you hands-free operation. There’s an app that lets you use a smartphone as a remote control on the handlebar. The volume adjusts automatically when speed or ambient noise changes. You can talk for thirteen hours and the battery lasts for a week on standby.

If you’re a little overwhelmed by all the available options, the staff at Eagle Leather can help you find the communications device that’s best for you. Start with how you want to use the device, and we’ll go from there.