GEAR REVIEW |
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By BRAD Hall |
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06
August HeartBeat
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SENA 5 AND SENA 5S HELMET COMMUNICATIONS
riders prefer to
MANY ride without the ability to hear others talk or answer the phone. I get that! Thatβ s why we ride; to listen to the wind and experience the beauty of Godβ s creations without the interruptions of daily life and routine. The more Shawna and I rode together, the more I wanted to share the experience with her by talking about the things we see along the way. For the record, Iβ m not convinced Shawna always wants to hear from me as she is enjoying the peaceful ride. That discussion is for another day. Even if you donβ t like talking to your riding partner, these come in handy when navigating traffic or directions, as you can share hazards or directions with each other. Both units are Bluetooth-compatible also. Shopping for helmet communications on a budget, I found the Sena 5( most affordable) and the Sena 5S. These are two budget-friendly options that work well for us. The
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package comes with two different mic options. You get a boom mic for modular-style helmets or a fixed mic for regular full-face helmets. These mics are not suitable for open-face helmets because they donβ t effectively reduce wind noise, but they work great in a full-face helmet. My experience is that the boom mic is best, as you can pull it close to your mouth for the best voice pickup. Also included are highdefinition speakers, two different mounting brackets for the side of the helmet, and charging cables. One bracket sticks on, while the other clamps on. Both work great. The best-case scenario is that you order additional speakers so you have two mics and two mounting brackets to be able to switch the unit between two helmets. We find that both the Sena 5 and Sena 5S work great and are waterproof. Each has a couple of different features, such as radio options, but they are comparable.
Limitations, if you want to call it that, are the inability to mesh with other riders. These units are simple
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and designed to connect with another rider at a short distance. I, however, do not see this as a limitation. I ride my motorcycle to escape crowds and social interaction. No offense, but I really donβ t want to talk to a ton of folks while riding. Shawna and I bought Arnie and Lily( our two younger children who ride with us) their own units so they can talk privately to each other. As much as we love them, we also donβ t desire to hear their crazy antics in our ears for hours while we are riding.
Finally, speaking of hours, we have found that these units are good for a full day of riding. There have been a few days when we rode some 8-10 hour days and we would charge them during a meal, but they are good for about 7 hours. Shawna and I have been using these affordable helmet communications for many years and plan to continue as long as they are on the market. They can be found on several online stores. CMA
Brad and Shawna Hall oversee the Southeast Region as National Evangelist.
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