Are intercom headsets any good for enduro? ︱Cross Training Enduro

www.crosstraini... Motorbike intercoms and headsets for enduro riding. Are they worth the money? And do they make riding safer, or actually more dangerous if you get distracted? Over the years some riders in our group have raved about their Sena intercoms and said I have to buy one. I always said no. I'm old school. Enduro headsets? An adventure motorbike with no ABS, radiators or fuel injection suits me just fine. Try our training vids for working on your extreme enduro techniques. So what are all these alleged benefits of Motorbike intercoms and headsets for adventure riding? The biggest plus? No constant stopping to discuss route changes, who is low on fuel, who needs to piss, or stopping to take a phone call. Enduro intercoms. If you want extreme enduro training see our playlists of enduro skills to learn. Safety for dirt riding. The lead rider can tell everyone about traffic hazards. You can hear GPS instructions instead of looking down at the GPS screen. You can talk with your pillion passenger without turning your head and yelling if using headsets for adventure riding. If a rider crashes down an embankment but is still conscious they can alert the group immediately. The social aspect of motorbike intercoms. For many of us, catching up with friends is at least half the fun of a ride. Chatting while riding can actually be great, although it can also be distracting. Our dirt riding tips are great for developing your hard enduro skills. Entertainment using motorbike intercoms. Some riders love being able to listen to music or podcasts while riding, especially on those long straight boring sections of highway. The negatives of headsets for adventure riding? The biggest potential issue is safety. But while the wheels are turning they don't want music, phone calls or constant chatter. And the riding group can always use hand signals for basic communication while on the go instead of motorbike intercoms. In some groups there can be just one guy who just doesn't shut up. Everyone can tolerate him at lunchtime, but having him in your ears non-stop while riding is not fun. What else? Into enduro and dirt bikes? Check out our dirt bike videos. Some riders can be easily distracted by conversations or the phone suddenly ringing. If you have the volume high you may not hear emergency sirens. Need hard enduro training? Work through our video lists. Hard enduro techniques are covered in our training vids. Some guys enjoy the almost meditative aspect of riding. Sure, it's fun to catch up with mates during a break. The good intercomms and headsets are expensive. Most of the guys I know started with cheap units but quickly moved to the expensive Sena or Cardo intercomms. Remember to check your helmet has enough room for fitment. Having to buy a new helmet just adds to the expense. I am very new to motorbike intercoms. I got the Sena 50S which I've used on three rides now. So what has the experience been like so far? Our group is pretty sensible and knows to shut up when the traffic is heavy or the terrain is unpredictable. But chatting away on the easy sections has been a pile of fun. To date the biggest benefit of headsets for adventure riding is the lack of stopping to discuss stuff. We all wear ear plugs so every time we stop to discuss things we are all yelling at each other and sound like deaf old men... which isn't far from the truth! Much better than expected. I reluctantly bought the intercomm after a rider crashed and died on a group ride a while ago. Intercomms would not have helped in that situation, but it did get our group discussing safety issues. The motorbike intercom has already been good in that respect. There's a car coming. Watch out, this clay is really slippery. The road is wet on this corner. You can overtake, no cars in sight. So far I haven't been distracted. Extreme enduro training vids are our focus. If you are enduro riding get into our enduro training vids. It has been great not stopping to debate navigation or fuel stops. I'm keen to do a review on the pros and cons of the Sena 50S after plenty of use. Watch this space. Which intercomm would suit you? Our dirt riding tips are great for developing your hard enduro skills. The first consideration is choosing between Bluetooth or the new mesh technology. Mesh has a longer range, allows big groups, and forms a network that a group to stay in touch over long distances. The only real advantages of Bluetooth? It's cheaper, and different brands can still connect. Next, what is the purpose of your intercomm? If you just want to chat with your pillion passenger and connect to your phone then a basic Bluetooth setup will be fine. But just remember there's usually a compromise with cheap units. Poor noise cancelling so lots of wind noise.
Music: Round 2 by Dolby
#crosstrainingenduro #enduro #hardenduro #extremeenduro

[@darinmosier7683]

Absolute game changer. Being able to tell my buddies when I crash is a tremendous advantage

[@kappanegra4400]

Its great to hear our friends laughing when we crash 😂

[@ryunruly1227]

I bought a cheap intercom for use with the kids! Complete game changer! You can discuss trail obstacles, techniques in real time instead of stopping and turning the bikes off.

[@remysaville2771]

I bought them to ride with my three kids for cruising easy FSRs. It was way too expensive, but also worth it. As a Dad to be able to hear their laughter going through puddles or getting their front tire off the ground would have me over pay again in a heartbeat. Without intercoms I wasn't sure they were even having fun. With them I was connected. I felt like I was truly riding with my kids, their joy at the most simple things became my joy. Best use of money ever.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Totally agree!

[@kirkc9643]

Yep, using them with my son was priceless. In tricky situations such as a large crest on a narrow sandy track, I could have him wait at bottom, ride to top, stop and then call him when it was clear

[@hegteam5220]

Our group is using "expensive water proof" intercoms (Cardo Bold) for adventure and enduro riding from 2019 and it has proven its usefulness time and time again. We are using the same units for 5 years in the hardest conditions from snow in the Winter to extreme heat in the Summer and we had no problems. We must also state that the intercoms using a MESH system really work for adventure and enduro riding, as they don't need a linear connection (standard Bluetooth intercoms), as in the group we usually change positions. Especially for enduro riding we believe that the MESH units from Cardo or Senna are the only option, as the linear and line of site need of the simple Bluetooth systems from the first to the last rider is not often possible. The only recommendation we can make, is that with your riding friends you should decide if you are going to use Cardo or Senna systems and everybody buy the same brand unit, as their MESH systems are not compatible.

[@aidangillett5396]

I bought a 2-pack of the FodSport BT-S2 for about $60, which seems to be the most popular of the cheap units As someone who mostly rides solo or with just 1 other rider i've been very happy with it. I mostly use it via the phone and do a call as the range is unlimited (but obviously requires phone reception). Intercom mode does work, real world range is approx 600m of open road or a couple turns in the twistys. Much closer in woods riding, maybe 200m or so which is still very good, and the audio quality is slightly better (but slightly more annoying to get going again if disconnecting or turning off/on) Vocal quality is good, wind/noise cancellation is excellent. I almost never hear the wind noise of the other rider and vice versa, even with helmet lid open at highway speeds. So for all intents and purposes you have complete silence until the other person speaks. Will get a little bit of engine noise with a loud bike under hard acceleration but 99% of the time no ambient noise comes through the mic Overall volume is acceptable and I can still hear the other person whilst wearing earplugs. However past 80kph ambient wind noise does make it hard to hear, anything below that is a complete non issue Battery life is excellent i've never had it go flat except when I forgot to charge it over 3-4 rides. Have never landed on it or smacked it against anything, but its seen plenty of rain. Mine has lasted more than 2 years so far Sound quality for music is good enough, there are better options for quality such as ear buds but i'm there for the ride not to listen to phenomenal music. It gets the job done well enough and I have no problem just leaving it on the helmet constantly, only ever taking it off to charge Only issue i've had is the adhesive on the microphone is not great and has come loose a couple times but to be fair its mostly the fault of my helmets material in the chin area. And if it moves then it dramatically lowers audible quality. Other helmets it sticks fine and the velcro where the actual intercom sits has never come off so I just need to find some better adhesive One major annoyance is the intercom will auto-answer phone calls after a certain number of rings. This can't be turned off so if you don't have your phone in front of you to hit cancel, you will always be accepting calls, major PITA. And play/pause doesn't seem to work for me Considering the price jump to a brand name unit this is absolutely hands down better value, it gets the job done totally fine. Now if you need multi-rider meshing and all that fancy stuff probably not. If you effectively want decent speakers/microphone for phone calls with excellent noise cancellation and acceptable music quality then its unbeatable Pro Tip: Flip the speakers around so they are facing the helmet and not your. This way the high pitched 'ding' notifications don't pierce your ears, and it gives it a more balanced music profile with better lows

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good review 🤔👍

[@darinmosier7683]

@@aidangillett5396 this is what we use as well. 3 works very well. We have had hot to 7 connected but it takes some time and patience to get them all talking

[@Bubbleuprubberdown]

A buddy and I got the Cardo Paktalk. Definitely added to the entertainment factor. We talk $41+ on our rides. The only issue we ran into was when the mic would get damp from condensation buildup. Our solution was cutting a finger off a latex glove and covering the mic.

[@jayrowe2093]

I’ve been using Cardo’s Packtalks for at least 5years on Snowmobiles, ATVs, adventure bikes and Enduro. Always enjoyed the ball-busting with buddies, but it wasn’t until my 10yr old daughter started riding did I realize all the value. If you have kids that ride, you don’t wanna miss a second of the funny things they say when they are riding!! I’ve used the same set for 5years so the hold up very well in my opinion.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Very consistent theme for family rides. I figure it must be good for safety too if the kids are about to do something dangerous... you can just yell in their ears!

[@Jrod_FPV]

Love Cardo pack talk headsets. Though beware riding through thick brush as it can step the unit off your helmet. Pro tip. Target it to your helmet, do not reply on the mount alone. Also it's good to keep music on that way you know if the music cuts out, check immediately if you lost your headset. Another tip is that wearing musicians ear plugs greatly increase the clarity of the headphones because they eliminate nearly all engine and wind noise. Even the cheap $10 musicians plugs on amazing do the trick. Traditional ear plugs block too much of the voices and music. .

[@teambogheart7253]

Range is everything for dirt riding and even the good ones(cardo in my testing) don't cut it... If they did I'd be all over it. Best use is riding with less experienced riders and staying in contact, but with the trees and mountains where we usually ride range is less than a quarter mile. With serious dust, varying skill levels, and frequent bike dumps, its harder than you would imagine to stay within range. For adventure on a cleared highway its easily 4-8 times that and is amazing!

[@blackdc2]

My mate and I bought the top Cardo units about 3 years ago for trail riding. They work well when in range, but the range is rather disappointing on the mesh network. Bluetooth is almost a waste of time in the bush. Definitely need to stay well within 100m at most when in the bush for them to work.

[@algee8228]

The positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

[@marshallleach1403]

I ride single track. I decided to experiment with two-way radio's and cheep eBay helmet speaker and mic that connected to the two-way. The radio went into my backpack and routed the call button to the backpack strap. The wire from the helmet to the radio was exposed but I never had anything snag the wire. The helmet I removed the cheek pads and liner to stick the speaker and mic where they fit. Everything fit fine in the end, and it was VERY cool to hit that button and BS with a buddy half a mile away without fiddling with the radio or taking my gear off. I also ran the setup riding snowmachines and again very nice to not have to take a warm helmet off in the cold. Ultimately none of my other riding buddies where interested with having an exposed wire near their necks! I pulled all that crap out after one season but we still use the two-way radios on every ride!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

😎👍

[@HowToGetMoreMetal]

Worked for the us forest service. We use the cardo system. Best part is talkings shit about your mates while you ride. Love telling them how much they suck when they mess up. In all honesty, love telling group of hikers in the trail or if someone in the back crashes.

[@Gembelindo]

I’ve been running the same Sena 30K from 2017 for adventure riding and for enduro in the last 2 years. Had it snag on branches and full on spills. Lots of rain and dust. It has yet to come off or give up the ghost. Of the times I’ve smacked it, it didn’t torque my neck and only glanced off the impact. Considering that Sena still updates the firmware, it’s good value to buy an older model (that has mesh) used for cheap over a newer model with marginal features and improvements. For enduro, mesh is has been solid as long as you don’t stray too far or get masked by terrain. Real world- no more than 75-150 meters in the woods depending on terrain.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Yep, you certainly have to take some of those claimed ranges with a grain of salt!

[@chrisaw93rx7]

My wife and I went from street to dirt riding and brought the intercoms over from our street helmets. Total game changer! I can talk her through technical spots or communicate about the best line coming up on the trail. We don't have to turn around and check on each other to see if we've gotten stuck or fallen. We tell jokes, coordinate taking breaks, and curse a lot!!!

[@cyrex686]

It's great for dirt riding. So much easier to make fun of your buddy when they fall.

[@HDeeGardiner]

My family uses mid-grade Bluetooth headsets with high quality speakers, but we do not use the Bluetooth or Mesh intercom function. The intercom lacks the range needed for riding in dusty conditions and you get too much trail chatter. We pair our headsets with a BTech GMRS-Pro Bluetooth two-way radio. This gives us much farther range, and we only transmit when we push the Bluetooth PTT button on our handlebars. It works great.

[@socalflyer9]

Yeah, I’m like you. I still ride a horse to work and never use any technology. LOL Once you try riding with comms, you’ll never go back. Started with my kids and use them for group rides in all sports (snowmobiling, Skiing, mountain biking, enduro riding, etc…). I use Ham radios and push to talk comms. Audio in helmet with a breakaway cable to the ptt button near my grips. Long range comms if were spread out. If there is a chatterbox, we remove his/her comms. As long as some people can communicate, we’re good.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Commuting by horse... 🤔👍 I'm thinking of selling my phone and going back to carrier pigeons. 😊

[@tincho1979]

Me sumo a la consuta 👍🏻 En mi caso para ADV utilizo un Cardo4X y me parecen magníficos, tanto para rodar en grupo, como con mi esposa. No lo utilizo para escuchar música, no me gusta atender el teléfono cuando manejo, pero todas las otras ventajas descriptas en el video también las comparto. Alguna vez me planteé comprar un juego para enduro, pero tengo exactamente las mismas dudas que mi amigo australiano 😉 Así que apreciaría las opiniones de quienes ya lo experimentaron. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

[@TimPaddy]

I love them. When we have a big group, we have one on the leader, middle, and last. Holy shit, we hardly stop! Also, I ride with my 8yo and 5yo. It's great. Feet on the pegs! Stand up! Traffic coming, stop on the right.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

That's probably what would convince me, Tim. We have so many intersections on our dirt tracks. And new guys to the group are always shit at corner marking lol.

[@bryce6267]

I've heard some people use walkie talkies with push to talk speakers n mics which seems like a good idea. also walkie talkies r usually water proof and great range

[@rocks4brains]

Never had a serious comfort issue. I like being able to chat but have had to mute it sometimes. Sena and Cardo are not on speaking terms. For many it’s just a fad - lately group rides have them but don’t use them, though some of that may be the trouble with syncing.

[@billmiller6532]

I couldn't imagine not being able to talk when trail riding with my mate. The safety aspect is a big part of it but theres something to be said for having a chat while the bikes cool down after a rough spot.

[@destryrobinson3708]

I've been nagging my riding buddy for a couple years now to look into intercoms, because when we ride log roads we can sometimes get separated from our other riders. Maybe I'm a charter box but he just doesn't want to say so.😊

[@Reichaus]

Just buy a vhf radio and tethered mic/speaker, works great in the sledding world.

[@James-nc2ed]

I don't use comm systems when riding single or two track. There's enough traffic, and I want to be able to hear other bikes on the trails.

[@nick4506]

cheap or expencive they all have the same range, radios are a heavily regulated and it costs nothing to hit the legal limits. same with walk-e talki-es, if its sold withought you haveing to show a ham license its all the same. if anything the cheap ones would have a longer range if the Chinese factory dosent care about legal complyance. the only advantage expensive ones have is software, thats the filtering. wind noise and exhaust noise. i have the cheap ones and they work great if the helmet is in clean air and the bike is running constant rpm. outside of that you hear it, not loud but is there.

[@minkusmcminkus7598]

I tend to sing, cry or prey on climbs way to much , gets real bad on climbs

[@khowdyshell6606]

We love our Cardo systems. Durability is incredible. Have made it through 5 seasons, many crashes and whatever we have thrown at them. Still going strong. Only issue is they are pretty much line of sight functional which is usually fine for our trail riding. They do occasionally pick up exhaust noise of others but it's rare. I opted for the jbl premium sound upgrade, it was well worth it. Love rocking out while riding.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

No problems fitting into dirt helmets? Chatted with our guys about it and some reckon they might not fit well into various enduro helmets.

[@TheSpanishmuscle]

Very important for you geriatrics. Makes it easy to find a mate who has gone off the side of the trail 😂

[@2Smoke-AClae47]

I got a sena 30k and i use it on vancouver island single track all the time. It's awesome

[@joelmo4437]

Group chat synced to the stark varg

[@glennalderton1313]

You know what is amazing about intercoms? The fact that my road riding buddies and I can get into a conversation the second we have connection, and then keep that conversation going for as long as we ride, continue it through lunch, and then when back on the bikes again. AND then keep going over drinks and dinner AND do it all again the next day, and next. A lot of sh*t talk for sure and heaps of laughs, but really???!!!! 😆 Great idea actually. Might try it on the dirt.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

The shit talk is probably the best and most important part of our rides, Glenn 😂

[@mudbrats]

Been using Uclear Motion for years, on motorcycle off road, and snowmobiling on my channel…. No issues. But you nailed all the pros and cons on point. Nice job 😊. Best part I find is safety - lead rider calling out turns and hazards. We also like talking shit about the riders without comms 😂. But all in all if I ever ride without one, I feel like a the ride sucks. Love comms. They are not for everyone and the people that never try them will say they don’t want chatty Cathy’s, but I have turned so many riders onto comms. It’s a thing you try and never knew how great it makes the ride

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I figure riders will either hate or love them. I love them for adv riding. There was one viewer saying you'd have to be an idiot to use them. 😒 I reckon it's whatever floats your boat.

[@LetsrideJ]

put cardo in both my helmets its a must anymore.

[@mortyoreilly]

We have connected UHF radios to our headsets via Bluetooth dongles with push to talk buttons at our fingertips (as explained in detail by Keith Jobson’s tutorials) to significantly extend their range. We also found the Fodsports M1-S Plus units more reliable and easier to connect than the Senas.

[@gasnxt6805]

Been using the cheap ebay Fod Sport unit for just over a year with a recent cape york adventure with a mate with the same. Was overall good but far from great. Even when either of us ate shit in the sand the other could hear the incident. Range was quite short when not in the line of sight and conversation was difficult when travelling around 100km/h. I think for now I will stick with it and not upgrade. It's definitely worth the $80.

[@jakerigby5935]

As a father and child it's an absolute game changer. I love my intercom for road riding also. Not done any enduro intercom with my friends but at the same time I don't think you need it as much In that environment.😊

[@jhill5002]

We use them all the time. Can't figure out how we rode without them for so long. No damage to unit in 2+ years. I have to use earbuds instead of supplied speakers. Cardo noise cancelling mic is effective against wind noise.

[@Tklatti01]

My son and me have used Sena’s for yrs.

[@scoooterbob2321]

The other 3 1/2 people living in my brain is plenty. No need for exterior comm.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

😂👍

[@jamesdenton3692]

I only listen to the voices that speak English.😁

[@adambatchelder4121]

Yep just gotta use them with a good GMRS or ham. As Bluetooth and mesh don't have any range.

[@jacobac42]

I've always wanted to find something that was akin to a FM/AM/CB type of system, but that would somehow allow a always hot mic setting. That way there are no connectivity issues like I have whenever I use my Sena or Cardo, just tune to the correct frequency and you're good to go. Additionally, the speaker and mic mounting system would be infinitely customizable since you could choose whatever components work best in any particular helmet. And finally it could also be used for search&rescue if it was capable of tuning to those frequencies. Not to mention AM is much better at travelling through ground or dense foliage than bluetooth. Haven't been able to find one and haven't taken the time to assemble one so I guess we'll never know.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Looking through the comments... it seems quite a few riders settled on radios for much better range.

[@Uncle-LeRoy]

I thought it was going to suck for trails but I love it!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good to hear. I use one for adv riding but not sure how it will go for enduro...

[@bchin86]

Couple buddies and I took a trip to Hatfield McCoy Trails in West Virginia this year. We decide to pick up intercoms. I picked up a Cardo Freecom 4X. We found it difficult to set up the intercom. So we all just listened to music. Wound up on a 55 minute road ride between trails. I would've gone crazy without music. I'm working on getting the intercom set up down. So we can use them. Especially my son and I. I always worry when we ride the roads with him. I couldn't imagine riding without it now.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

That seems to be a regular problem with Cardo (but not always)... getting connected. The Sena is way better in that respect. But then the Cardo has better waterproofing.

[@kirkc9643]

A couple that cost $50 each are fantastic. Couldn't believe mates and I hadn't bought therm years ago

[@Rossi46Moore]

Been using the Cardos offroad for about 3 years now. Definitely adds to the experience more than it takes away. Never had a fitment issue until my most recent helmet. As for toughness they hold up really well. In 3 years with 10 of us using them we have only broken 2 and in both cases they were hard over the handlebar crashes. One wasn't usable anymore the other still works but wont turn off once its on.

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Was also very cynical because I thought rides might turn into a chat fest. But got Cardo Packtalks and love it. Safety! The guys I ride with aren’t chatty…but the warnings from lead rider regarding steep/slippery/wildlife etc have saved my arse many times. Had to do some carving with Dremel to fit speakers in my Airoh Commander but all works a treat now.

[@rihards1evins]

Quick experience review: 1. Started with a built-in SENA for a Shuberth. Was disappointed. Poor audio quality on above 90 kmh speeds. The mic quality was bad as well. Installed according to both manufaturer instructions. This lead me to beleive that intercom systems are not the best option for listening to music and communicating over the phone. 2. For a while after I used in-ear earbuds for this. However, it took ski-mask to hold them in place when removing the helmet. And also the microphone quality was under any reasonable expectation. 3. Next experience - tried a "non-recognizable" brand that promissed connectivity with Sena on one trip. Connectivity "was possible" however close to using a handwritten letter in age of emails. 4. Tried a Sena 20s [a legendary classic according to some] and was pleased how easy it worked in conjuction with other Senas. Truly seamless. However, the unit size was an issue. I ride my enduro with a neck brace. And the Sena 20s and other large device size that dongles below the helmet restricts the head movement. 5. So in the end I went with the manufatrurer [Sena] that suited my caes - the most used within my riding group and the slimes exterior profile - SENA 50R. The sound quality is superb. Even above the in-ear headphones I had.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

That's a pretty good list of what can go wrong with them. We've had no issues with adv riding (except for hard to hear at highway speeds).

[@destryrobinson3708]

I did go off a small cliff one time, and would have been handy to to have coms that time.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Damn. Glad you survived that one, Destry.

[@abritablondeabike]

Game changer. We all have them here in NZ. Brilliant for trail rides. 👍👍 We all have Sena 20s evo. They seem to last well.

[@enduro-parts-aus]

All my mates would hear from me is heavy breathing 😅 We have been thinking of using handheld uhfs

[@C5turbo]

I had been using the expensive SENA 50r and 50s off road for years. Totally adds to the fun of a ride for me 100%. But I will never buy SENA or Cardo again. The perfect set up that is way better is GMRS TIDRADIO's, with Ear Plug type bluetooth headsets, a cordless bluetooth PTT button on the handlebar. OMG soooo good. SENA can die with all their garbage that barely works 100ft.

[@paularthur7386]

GMRS TIDRADIO sounds nice. How do you get the bluetooth working - none of the units on the website have BT ??

[@C5turbo]

@@paularthur7386 Oops. I said the wrong radio. It's the B-tech GMRS-PRO. Sorry I had Tidradio on the brain.

[@Danger_mouse]

Used borrowed Sena headsets on dirtbikes helping with crowd control in the bush at Rally Australia, in Coffs Harbour. They were great in that situation between three bikes where we could talk without stopping. I could direct my sons off to an area while I spoke to someone and we could all keep moving on.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Do you reckon you'd us them for everyday rides? I'm loving it on our adv rides but still not sure about dirt riding...

[@Danger_mouse]

@@crosstrainingenduro Depends on whether you are the kind of person who likes to hear unfit middle aged men breathing in your ears as though it's their last breath, I guess. 🤣 Would be great in some circumstances, I'm sure. 👍

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Mate, I actually PAY good cash for that sort of thing.

[@Danger_mouse]

@@crosstrainingenduro 🤣😂🤣

[@take5th]

I had a sedici? Adv helmet with built in intercom. The wind noise and speaker placement made it very difficult to use on a loud bike. I use Bluetooth ear buds as ear plugs with a wired controller these days. Not sure if they sell interconnection ‘boxes’ that can use standard ear buds, but they should.

[@mattkeating7446]

My comm unit is one of the best bike things I've ever bought. And it was from amazon.. im sure the fancy ones for 10X the $$ work even better.

[@Motofamilyracingteam]

Loved these for dirt bike trail riding with my kids. Also for coaching when learning to ride. I have one of the headsets that you can wear to communicate with someone on the track. We like Cardo. Freecom 4+ and packtalk bold

[@blacktopimages]

I was talking to the GME rep the other day, he says a lot of bikers are buying the XRS660 with the remote push to talk button. Seems like a good idea.

[@jjustj]

Pairing can be pain in the a## at times IMHO

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Which brand is that? I kept hearing Cardo ain't great in that respect.

[@krisschweikert3632]

My wife and I have cardos for our bikes, and we feel it's excellent for safety, guiding each other through traffic and obstacles. However as said in the vid, there's no Zen. There's no wrong answer

[@mikebressette6291]

Started with cheap Amazon units, waste of time and money. Sena or cardo, end of discussion. For Enduro riding I prefer the Sena 20 blue tooth, only connected to a couple units, the mesh doesn't seem to have as good a range in the trees. The Sena 50 is nice but having it connect to your hey Google while you are talking to someone is a real pain. In 6 years of mounting an intercom unit on the left side of the helmet I have only knocked it off one time while Enduro riding, and luckily realized it wasn't working and turned around and found it laying in the trail, connected it back to the mount and it still worked. Now days I feel lost with out it when I ride with a helmet that does not yet have a mount for the unit. I have several fly dirt helmets with no issues with the speakers behind the check pads. The biggest pain for me is the check pads on my xd4 arai, it's a pain to take the pads apart for cleaning with the speakers inside them and putting the. back together.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I know what you mean about the XD4, just discovered how painful it is to clean the pads myself!

[@joshdoddadbod]

I've spent hundreds per set and never had one work correctly. Friends got cheap Chinese mesh ones that connect automatically and they work wonderfully. I will be getting one.

[@billmiller6532]

Which ones exactly?

[@shanebutler5787]

I’ve never tried intercoms & it does seem like a good idea for enduro especially with a less experienced or a less confident rider. Now saying that I have the top Shoei helmet & theres not a lot of room inside the helmet & once up to speed there’s a lot of wind noise through the helmet

[@OtisFlint]

Everyone local to me uses Cardo. They work great and have for years.

[@Zhaganashi]

My helmet didn’t have pockets. I used a 1.75” metal hole saw to make a metal plug. Bolted to the plug, heated it up with a torch, carefully pressed into foam on helmet. Made holes. Flawless.

[@jmothers]

Seems my previous comment with a link in it, doesn't show up. Anyway, we use them (Cardo Pack Talk) for both riding and racing. We love them. Pretty robust also. One of our riders lost his after swiping a tree. We couldn't find it. Went back a week later and found it buried and frozen in the dirt, and it was still working!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Great hey? I've had a similar thing we a Gopro I thought was permanently lost.

[@tylerlabelle1749]

Me and my best friend have them. We love them. We even race with them. We are same pace so it makes for good fun talking shit to each other the whole day.

[@jarrod1687]

Worth they're weight in gold, just get a cheap pirani for offroad

[@hesutton]

Me and a riding buddy starting using the Sena 10S in 2016. It's bluetooth. However, can only have a max of four riders on intercom at a time and pairing 4 riders was a button pushing pain. We all have bought a Sena +Mesh adapter to use with our 10S comms. Its allows the bluetooth systems to now be on open mesh communications with an unlimited number of riders. So all of the guys riding now can talk together. For us it was a game changer. No more waiting at trail intersections or forks in the trail. The lead rider just says left, right, or whatever. They also call out trail hazards or features for the rest of us. A downed rider can call out for assistance or just a "hey wait a sec, I laid the bike over." We all ski or snowboard too. We use the same adaptor for our ski helmet Sena comms. Never had issues with fitment with Bell or Shoei helmets. Love comms on rides and wouldn't want to go back. 100% worth the cost!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

How much does the adapter cost? We have a rider with the 10S and it always sounds pretty scratchy to us.

[@hesutton]

@@crosstrainingenduro bought mine on sale for $95 US. They typically run $125. The +Mesh adapter works with their app for smart phones. Simple to connect the adapter to the 10S. Once connected you instantly join the mesh comms. There is the option to chose between nine different channels if for some reason the channel the group is using keeps picking up comms from someone not in your group.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good to know, thanks!

[@lhurst9550]

Coms are good.....

[@dmase9057]

I dont want to hear my buddies panting for 4 hours.. lol

[@jamesoso259]

On the cardo you don’t, you only hear when they speak

[@kyleosbun]

@@jamesoso259 i dont wanna hear em talk either lol

[@dmase9057]

@@kyleosbun 😂

[@jamesoso259]

@@kyleosbun well their is always the option to just listen to music lol

[@ezikiel121212]

If i forget my sena, the ride is SIGNIFICANTLY less fun with my buddies.

[@abstractspaces8186]

Don't forget the potential safety hazard of an object on your helmet in a crash that could make the impact worse. Bit like landing on a rock.

[@rushiiiop]

riding all day without music? impossible.

[@JoshThomas-b8d]

You're kidding right? Why not put a cab with a heater, wifi, and a touch screen? Oh ya that's called a side by side. Intercoms are for children. Electric start is already borderline. It's called "hard enduro" not "mamby pamby I'm scared and need constant reassurance enduro".

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I think I've spotted who needs some reassurance about their masculinity here. 😁

[@JoshThomas-b8d]

@@crosstrainingenduro he must have a helmet com.😂