Are there any recent threads on this subject? The most recent one I could find was 2013.
Shep

I bought my first Cardo unit, a basic Q1 rider helmet to passenger helmet system, not meant for talking to a lot of other riders, in 2013 and hated it when in the wet, as it would scream bloody murder inside my helmet when damp riding and the connections got wet. I mentioned it to my local Cardo rep and he slipped me a new set of Cardo Packtalk. That was mid-2016 just before I headed off for a month to Alaska. I have used them on every ride & commute in No. America and Australia since then with only a slightly diminished battery life from new. It used to be 7 hours of continuous operation and now it's more like 5, even tho' I charge them before every ride and refresh them when I arrive home. There's Bluetooth, FM radio, phone calls - if you must - and voice activated comm between you and pillion. The speakers can be upgraded to JBL which is like a concert hall in your scone if you're up for it.

I laugh when the programmed female voice comes on, to remind me that she'll soon be switching off due to a running-down battery, in her mid-western US school marm accent - with her hair tied up tight in a bun atop her pinched face - that means "low battery" but comes out more like "lo...badderee". I wince as I think next she'll smack me round the earlobe with her ruler for misbehaving in her class. 

I admit, my childhood was a mess of visits to the headmaster and being stuck in the cloakroom for chronic misbehaviour.

But Cardo, yeah, solid, reliable, stuff. I used to sell Sena at the shop, too, but am out of touch several years with their offerings.

That original Q1 set is now parted out to my son-in-law in the US and a riding mate from OZ who is currently heading West across the Nullie and both units are performing as intended still.

HI Shep,
I've been using Sena for quite a while, and whilst they are ok their support leaves something to be desired.
I started with an SMH 10 which has 10 hrs of use and you can charge it whilst using it.
I graduated to the SRL unit which fits inot a Shoe Neotec, very slick but you cannot charge whilst using.
When they came out there was an issued with the battery life only 6 hrs instead of 10, my local dealer replaced after a couple of tests etc. I bought a Shoei Neotec 2 and a new SRL to go with it.
One day it would not recognise my mac to upgrade the firmware, so a support ticket raised. Holy Christ talk about incompetent, the support really was abysmal, despite the previous Neotec upgrading with the same system ie Mac and Cable and Software, the new system would not upgrade to this current version, it had previously upgraded a few months ago. Anyway after about a toilet roll in emails, where they sent me the Windows version to test ! I managed to get the local supplier to have a look and after a quick test thy replaced it on the spot. I know why didn't I go to them directly, silly me, thought I'd raise a ticket from the Sena website and they would send me there....
Anyway they are a good unit clear comms and works with about a K distance between riders.
Usual stuff, voice activation, can link to phone GPS etc
Worth giving them a go.
Mike

I have used the Sena 10U in my Schuberth C3 helmet for years, the girlfriend has one in her helmet too. We used them for years bike to bike.
We then changed the bikes. I bought a new BMW R1250RS and she has a new BMW S1000XR. Both bikes come with the TFT dash so the intercom needs to be connected to the bike for navigation, music and calls with the BMW connected app. I never use music nor calls. The Senas could not cope with being connected to the bike and to the other riders helmet. 
Went out and bought a pair of Cardo Packtalk Bold intercoms, what a revelation. They make the Sena look steam driven! 
Anyone in the market for a Sena 10U that integrates into a Schuberth C3 or C3 pro?

I have a Nolan helmet with it's proprietary Bluetooth commo unit. I'm satisfied with its performance, but I've never had it in rain.  With the drought here in the west, it's not likely I will ever be in the rain anytime soon.

brickrider2 wrote:I have a Nolan helmet with it's proprietary Bluetooth commo unit. I'm satisfied with its performance, but I've never had it in rain.  With the drought here in the west, it's not likely I will ever be in the rain anytime soon.

For the record, since 2019, Sena has manufactured the Bluetooth units for Nolan helmets called N-Com. 

For a while, Cardo made the integrated neckroll Bluetooth unit for Schuberth, at least in the C3 and C3 Pro helmets. They were problematic to say the best about them. We cleared faults, reprogrammed, or adjusted 90% of them at the bike shop parts counter on very busy Saturday arvos with no compensation from Schuberth USA. Bastages.

We are much drier than normal here, too, on the west side of the mountains, but it has rained hard here lately and everything is green. My gardens are bursting with life. The Pea crop is tender and likely to beat Jack's beanstalk record - over 7' tall and climbing!

My wife and I have been using sena xx10 units for 4-5 years (the xx20 unit had to much stuff in them for me). We have used them hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of miles in all kinds of weather with out issue. I did get mounts that provide for using upgraded speakers for music and get 10 to12 hours of use on a full charge. FWIW I wear a c-3 and she has a shoi GT air.

Two Wheels Better wrote:

brickrider2 wrote:I have a Nolan helmet with it's proprietary Bluetooth commo unit. I'm satisfied with its performance, but I've never had it in rain.  With the drought here in the west, it's not likely I will ever be in the rain anytime soon.

For a while, Cardo made the integrated neckroll Bluetooth unit for Schuberth, at least in the C3 and C3 Pro helmets. They were problematic to say the best about them. We cleared faults, reprogrammed, or adjusted 90% of them at the bike shop parts counter on very busy Saturday arvos with no compensation from Schuberth USA. Bastages.

The C3 pro neckroll coms in both of our helmets are made by Sena. Mine is a 10U and the girlfriends is a Shuberth badged 10U. They were great units, but the newest Cardo works better with the newest BMWs.

I'll just throw another vote for Cardo.

Myself and wife have a Cardo Q1 (ancient) set.  One is on a C3 pro and the other on a Neotec.

They still are working as good as they day we bought them, which is so long ago I can't remember. 

If I am going out for a spin solo with my mate, we team his Q3 to my Q1 and talk bike-to-bike but the range is line of sight, which is fine for us (Q1 is really a bike to pillion unit with low range).

I look at the newer Cardo ones, but see no reason to upgrade what we have. 

The only bad bit is the radio reception is pretty poor, but as it is teamed with my smartphone, I can listen to any radio station worldwide through the phone anyway.

And as it now has an App for connetivity and settings, I no longer have to try and remember the button sequences. 

Oh, and another one, I can't wear a Samsung Gear watch when using it, as it gets confused between the gear watch and the pillion Q1 as the watch is bluetoothed to my phone as well.  Not a biggy as the watch is pretty bulky to wear under the bike jacket anyway.

Corkboy wrote:The only bad bit is the radio reception is pretty poor, but as it is teamed with my smartphone, I can listen to any radio station worldwide through the phone anyway.

I've never truly understood why anyone would want to do this. I want to hear the engine (in case it starts making nasty noises) and what's going on around me at all times.

In my case I want to ride across Canada in the next two years. I will probably ride solo and I want to have my GPS talk to me as required on the 5600 km trip (Prince George B.C. to Halifax N.S.).
I have had no desire to listen to music or podcasts of any type while riding, I just want to ride.
As I will probably be on my own, the telephone availability for any emergency is a safety factor wanted by my wife and family.
As so many have quoted "It is the ride (journey) not the destination".
Thank you for all the responses and I will probably purchase a Cardo/DMC Packtalk Bold.
Shep

One thing I forgot to mention about the Cardo Q1, and I presume other cardos have it as well.

You can program in a phone number (in my case, my wifes mobile) as an emergency number.

If you tap the phone button (rear of the two on the unit) three times it automatically dials that number.

I find it handy if I want to call her, and would be a safety feature if you are trapped/can't get to your phone/get your gloves off etc.

Shep wrote:I have had no desire to listen to music or podcasts of any type while riding,

That stretch across most of Albert, Saskatchewan and a good part of Manitoba is enough to have you playing solitaire on the gas tank. Once passed a guy reading a book somewhere in there.

Of course back roads help if you have the time. Even Saskatchewan has some great place if your timing is right.

It has been a few years but in place to pot hole dodging will keep you busy and scared after dark.

Hope you get to go and enjoy every mile

gorio wrote:

Shep wrote:I have had no desire to listen to music or podcasts of any type while riding,

That stretch across most of Albert, Saskatchewan and a good part of Manitoba is enough to have you playing solitaire on the gas tank. Once passed a guy reading a book somewhere in there.

Hope you get to go and enjoy every mile

US2 across the Dakotas and Montana is a close second. Done that and the Canadian plains. Lots of time to ponder things...

Point-Seven-five wrote: Done that and the Canadian plains.  Lots of time to ponder things...

That's why the Cartwrights named their ranch the Ponderosa.

Laitch wrote:

Point-Seven-five wrote: Done that and the Canadian plains.  Lots of time to ponder things...

That's why the Cartwrights named their ranch the Ponderosa.

Post of the day.