Use of Bluetooth on Motorcycles

Nowadays, many mobile telephones are equipped with Bluetooth, but you'll also find music players, GPS and other portable devices able to communicate with this popular and growing technology. The use of Bluetooth technology can be advantageous on motorcycles, since they don't involve being wired on to the motorcycle. The best application of Bluetooth on a motorcycle is using it as an intercom, since you can talk to your pillion passenger without the need to have been wired together. The communications will be crystal clear and in full duplex. Additionally, depending on the manufacturer, you will be able to receive other audio sources, such as GPS driving information, music (MP3, iPod, etc), bike-to-bike communications and even for the diehards, mobile telephone.

The Survey

To do this survey properly, we've written to all helmet manufacturers which we knew had a Bluetooth offering, and to the larger manufacturers we suspected may be producing one. We asked some simple questions, mostly regarding helmet weight and operating time of the Bluetooth device.

None of the manufacturers deemed it worthy of their time to help properly (this in sharp contrast with motorcycle manufacturers who usually go out of their way to help). Some replied by referring to their public website, some didn't even reply. So we had to distill the information from a variety of sources on the web. In other words, if there's an error there somewhere, blame the manufacturer ! It's amazing how little information they publish on the web. A normal thing, like the weight of a helmet, is sadly missing from most of them...how can anyone make an informed choice is beyond us..

Using Bluetooth with Helmets

All Bluetooth enabled helmets listed below can be used as intercom, i.e., you can communicate with your pillion as long as they're equipped with the same system. You can not mix & match different helmets manufacturers! To communicate between helmets, you need to "pair" the helmets, a simple procedure involving pressing a button for a few seconds.

Additionally, all listed helmets can communicate with a Bluetooth enabled telephone. Not all telephone are supported, and usually the manufacturer's website has a list of telephones supported. Only one helmet will be able to communicate with a telephone. That one is designated the "master".

Only a few helmets also offer the possibility to add other devices (Bluetooth or wired), such as iPods, MP3 player or GPS. What you get then is a complete communication and entertainment unit.

We've listed all motorcycle helmets we could find, even if they didn't have a Bluetooth offering. After this list, you'll find another list of third party Bluetooth add-ons to helmets, ie, from the non-helmet manufacturers.

Helmet Survey Explanation

Many of the data items below have a hyperlink. Clicking on them brings you to whatever you're looking at with more information in a new window. Where we've listed prices, we've also made available the link to the site we've found the price. Obviously prices differ from country to country, so they may be different in your country. Some models may also not be available in your country.

Explanations: BT = Bluetooth, O/D = Supports other devices (iPod, MP3, etc), Ops Hrs = number of hours you can communicate, Sby Hrs = number of hours you can use the unit while not talking, Charge Hrs = number of hours you need to charge the unit.

Both weight and price columns have normally two figures. The first one is without Bluetooth, the 2nd with Bluetooth.

We're sure there are more devices, but so far we didn't find them. If they appear, we'll add them to this list.

Conclusion

If you look at this summary, and compare it with the last one {link}, not that much has changed since then. In fact, nothing has really been added. We're still waiting for Schuberth's all singing, all dancing unit (to be launched this year), but no new helmet manufacturers have added Bluetooth to their lineup.

We have seen more 3rd party manufacturers offering BT solutions. Also, devices such as GPS (TomTom Rider, Sony), XM Radio, Intercom/Communication units (Chatterbox, Autocom) are now starting to offer Bluetooth. So why are there no more helmet manufacturers who offer a Bluetooth range of built-in headsets...???