Best Motorcycle Intercom Bluetooth Headset – Buyers Guide & Reviews (2023)

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Headset tech has come a long way in recent years, with the best Bluetooth motorcycle intercoms offering a dizzying array of settings and features.

There’s a vast selection, and we’ve spent dozens of hours making a shortlist of the best options in each category.

We researched:

  • 5 retailers websites
  • 150 product reviews
  • Reddit and motorbike forums
  • A bit too much Youtube!

And, with over 80 years of combined riding experience, we’ve personally tested many of these products ourselves.

It’s safe to say we know a bit about motorcycle intercoms!

So, let’s get straight into it and look at what you need to know before deciding.

Premium Pick
Cardo Packtalk Bold Cardo Packtalk Bold

Mesh technology, Waterproof, Plenty of Features

A quality intercom that offers excellent features including universal connectivity.

Budget Pick
Sena SMH5 Sena SMH5

Reliable and Sounds Great

This unit is a step up from the cheap, knock-off brands, and the extra money is well spent.

The Top 5 Bluetooth Motorcycle Intercoms Reviewed

Let’s dig into our top choices.


Cardo Packtalk Bold JBL

Cardo is one of the leading intercom brands, and the Packtalk Bold, for a while, was the flagship intercom sold by the company.

It is still top-of-the-line kit offering connectivity for up to 15 riders and a range using Mesh technology of 1 mile, but it extends up to 5 miles if 6 riders are connected. 

The DMC technology means that if one rider goes out of range, they automatically link back into the conversation as soon as they are back within range. 

It is easy to fit in your helmet, easy to use, and the instructions are very clear; once you get the hang of it, you are good to go. 

Another nice touch is that you can charge it as you ride by plugging it into a battery pack or 12v charger. 

While we also cover the newest flagship intercom, the Packtalk Edge, later on, we think that the Bold offers excellent quality and features at a great price. 

Pros

  • 15 rider multi-intercom compatibility
  • DMC intercom range of 1 mile
  • Range can be extended up to 5 miles between 6 riders
  • 13-hour talk time
  • 4 hours of charging time
  • Dual audio channels 
  • Waterproof construction
  • Universal connectivity (Non-Cardo intercoms)

Cons

  • Voice control can be a bit temperamental at times

Sena SMH5

This basic intercom will deliver a great experience for most riders with the peace of mind of a quality brand behind it. 

Sena does make several more advanced products, but we still think this tried and tested unit offers the best value for money for the average rider.

See our Sena 20s EVO review and Sena 30K reviews if you want to dig into the newer models.

Note: if you want 2 intercoms buying a dual pack is generally cheaper.

Pros

  • Up to 4 other users
  • Can use with other brands of intercoms
  • 8-hour talk time; 7-day standby time
  • Reliable voice controls
  • Great sound quality
  • Hands-free integration with mobile phone
  • Bluetooth music controls and FM tuner

Cons

  • Only 437-yard range
  • Doesn’t have all of the features available in newer, pricier intercoms
  • Not completely waterproof

Sena 10S

Here’s another great Sena product. It has almost all of the same features as the SMH5 but has a much better range and longer talk time.

Of course, you will have to pay a bit more for these features. If you don’t use motorcycle intercoms often, it might not be worth the price.

Note: if you want 2 intercoms buying a dual pack is generally cheaper.

Single Pack | Dual Pack

Pros

  • Up to 4 other users
  • Can use with other brands of intercoms
  • 12-hour talk time; 10-day standby time
  • 1.6km range
  • Superb sound quality and volume
  • Hands-free integration with mobile phone
  • Bluetooth music controls and FM tuner

Cons

  • Figuring out the “priority modes” can be a bit confusing
  • Water resistance could be better

See full Sena 10s review.


Interphone Tour Bluetooth Intercom

Interphone was slower to the market than Cardo and Sena, but since their arrival, they have produced quality intercoms with great features.

The Interphone Tour intercom is a fully waterproof set with a talk time of up to 20 hours and a fast charge rate of up to 80% in 1 hour. 

The range is only 1.5km as it doesn’t use the Mesh technology of the Cardo intercom, and you can only connect up to 4 riders with this unit. 

Features include universal fitment to all helmets, compatibility with all Bluetooth smartphones, making calls, receiving calls, listening to music, listening to the FM radio and GPS instructions and, of course connecting via Bluetooth to 4 other intercom users. 

One thing that does come up is that the buttons on the unit can be fiddly to operate and takes some getting used to, so you can use the buttons easily with gloves on. 

Audio quality is excellent at normal riding speeds, with wind noise being an issue requiring you to turn the volume up at highway speeds in some circumstances. 

Read our full Interphone tour review

Pros

  • Waterproof construction
  • Up to 20 hours of talk time
  • Fast charge (80% in 1 hour)
  • Intercom range up to 1.5km
  • Up to 4 bikes can be connected up

Cons

  • Buttons can be fiddly to operate with gloves on
  • Radio needs to be manually adjusted when signal goes

Sena 10C Pro – Combined Intercom and Camera System

The Sena 10C Pro is the unit for riders who want one device to do-it-all, to perform as both an intercom and a camera and to do so well.

The 10C Pro does everything you would expect from a good intercom: make calls, listen to music, built-in radio, connect up to 4 riders, GPS connectivity and use voice commands to keep things hands-free. 

On top of this, the 10C Pro has a camera that can capture all your riding footage. 

The camera has 2K video capture and can record up to 2 hours of footage. 

Pros

  • 17-hour talk time
  • 1-mile range and 4-unit connection
  • 2K video capture
  • 2-hour video recording
  • Advanced Noise Cancellation
  • Built-in FM radio with 10 channels to save

Cons

  • Not waterproof
  • Average camera

Cardo Packtalk Edge Mesh Intercom

The Packtalk Edge is the latest intercom from Cardo and has set about to improve further on the foundation that the Bold built.

The unit uses the second-generation Mesh technology and Bluetooth 5.2 for an improved user experience. 

It will connect to any other brand of intercom, which can be up to 15 riders in a pack for a total range of 5 miles.

In terms of what makes it different to the Bold intercom, the Edge has the latest connectivity options, improved audio, automatic volume control, and integrated FM radio with 6 preset channels. 

Besides that, it offers the same range, battery life, charge time, and features as the Bold. 

Currently, we can’t justify the price difference for the Edge over the Bold, which is why the Bold is still our favourite intercom.  

Pros

  • Connects up to 15 riders using Mesh connectivity
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • Links to any other intercom brand
  • Improved audio experience
  • Built-in FM radio with 6 channel presets
  • TFT connectivity to certain bikes for data display on the bike’s screen.

Cons

  • Not enough of an improvement over the Packtalk Bold. 

FreedConn Bluetooth Headset

This is a cheap solution aimed at people who ride in smaller groups and want a unit that can act as an intercom and Bluetooth headset paired to their phone.

And for someone who only rides in groups of 2-3, this represents a good investment.

It’s surprisingly well-built for its price, pairs easily with phones and other generic Bluetooth comms systems, and is reasonably simple to install.

Note: if you want 2 intercoms buying a dual pack is generally cheaper.

Single Pack | Dual Pack

Sound quality isn’t up there with dedicated speakers like the JBLs, but the noise-cancelling is decent, and we could imagine listening to some music without getting a stress headache.

The battery is OK, too, with a 3-4 hour charge time getting you 300 hours of standby and up to 10 hours of talk time.

This control unit has been designed with gloved hands in mind – essential for a set in the UK. It is also surprisingly intuitive and well-designed at this price point.

Overall, this reasonable intercom would suit an infrequent user on a tight budget.

Pros

  • Excellent value
  • Decent sound

Cons

  • Limited to 3 riders on the intercom
  • Unknown brand

Buyers Guide

Considerations, Care and Cost


A motorcycle intercom is a device that lets you talk to someone else while riding. Depending on the type of intercom, that someone else can be a passenger, a fellow rider, or many other riders.

Here’s why I chose a Bluetooth headset:

  • GPS\Music\Phone connectivity: Most Bluetooth intercoms connect to your smartphone (and we’ll talk about those in the motorcycle intercom reviews), allowing you to get directions, make calls or listen to music wirelessly.
  • On long rides, I like talking to my pillion: My wife often sits behind me when we go on trips. It is great to point things out and chat a bit. This wouldn’t be possible without a motorcycle intercom. Try talking through a full-face helmet at 60+ mph, and you will know what I mean! *If you haven’t taken a passenger yet, read this Guide to Riding Pillion.
  • I don’t have to stop to talk with other riders: My wife recently got her own bike, and we often go cruising without any particular destination in mind. It’s so handy to be able to communicate without having to stop.

Motorcycle intercoms have come a long way in the past few years. Before looking at the reviews, ensure you understand what you’re looking for!

Here are the key questions to ask to make your choice.

Who Do You Want to Talk To?

This is important because some headsets only work well with pillions. If you want to talk to many people in your group, the range becomes more critical.

  • Just to your pillion or for solo use with a smartphone: In this case, range is not an important consideration.
  • To other riders and\or pillions: Once you start wanting to talk to other riders, the range begins to matter. The larger your group is, the more extensive coverage you’ll need. Generally, 500 yards is adequate for small groups of 2-3. You’ll need approximately 1,000 yards range for larger groups.

Where Will You Be Riding?

A big problem with wireless motorcycle intercoms is that objects can lessen their range.

For example, let’s say that you are riding in a city. You turn around, and your riding partner is stuck at a red light. The buildings between you can interfere. Suddenly, you’ve lost contact with your partner!

  • City riding = need a more extensive range
  • Open country = need a lesser range

What Will the Weather Be Like?

I bring this up because I’ve heard of many riders who’ve had their cheap motorcycle intercoms ruined by a mild rain. Pay attention to waterproofing!

How Will You Mount Your Motorcycle Intercom?

There are two options for mounting: clamps and tape. Most people generally prefer the clamp mount because it is more secure.

The video below gives you an idea of how to mount an intercom in your helmet.

Motorcycle Intercom Features to Look for

When reading motorcycle intercom reviews, try not to get overwhelmed by all of their fancy-sounding features.

These are the ones you need to pay attention to:


Intercom Range

If you are only going to use your motorcycle intercom for talking to a passenger, then range isn’t so important. With city riding or larger groups, though, you’ll need more range. As a general guideline:

  • For smaller groups or open-country riding: A Range of up to 500 yards is adequate
  • For larger groups or city riding: A range of at least 1000 yards is necessary

Sound Quality

I tried my friend’s Bluetooth motorcycle intercom system. It was working great – until we hit 40 mph. Suddenly, the wind was so loud we couldn’t understand what the other was saying.

To make sure you can communicate with your intercom, look for:

  • Noise-reducing capabilities
  • Digital signal processing (DSP)
  • Wind and engine sound reduction

Wireless Technology Used

There are two types of intercom on the market today. The first is standard Bluetooth, and the latest is Mesh technology. Both use radio frequencies to send across data but how they form connections is the key difference. 

  • Bluetooth uses a chain connection to link riders up; should a rider fall out of range, the chain is broken for everyone, and you will need to reconnect to join the conversation again. 
  • Mesh is an adaptive wireless technology that is self-healing and self-optimising. Mesh sends out multiple links to everybody in the group instead of a chain, so if one rider drops out, everyone else is still linked up via their own direct link. When the dropped rider is back in range, they will automatically reconnect.

Battery

Look at the battery life and also how the battery is charged. You don’t want your intercom dying on you during a ride!


Voice Control/Hands-Free

Many of the top motorcycle intercoms are voice-activated. There are some situations where you won’t want your intercom coming on when you speak (such as if you have to stop to answer your phone).

So, look for an intercom that lets you override voice control and use manual switches instead.


Number of Connections

The more connections you need, the more expensive the motorcycle intercom will be.

However, think twice before skimping on the number of possible connections. You might want to ride in a larger group later on and have to get a completely different intercom!


GPS

All the intercoms featured here can connect to your smartphone, which allows you to use GPS – but don’t assume that all do!

If you want this feature be sure to check for it before buying.

Alternatively, check our guide to the best motorcycle sat nav if you want a dedicated navigation unit.


Waterproofing

Virtually all units will say that they are “weather resistant.” This is NOT the same thing as waterproof!

If you ride in the rain (or might be caught in the rain), be sure your intercom is waterproof. Or have a plastic bag to put around it.


Helmet Speakers – Radio and Music

I find it distracting to listen to the radio or music while riding.

However, some riders like the “music sharing” feature on Bluetooth intercoms.

All reviewed intercoms can act as motorcycle helmet speakers to play your music when connected to a phone.


The Verdict?

After hearing many riders complain about problems they’ve had with their cheap motorcycle intercoms (and then ditching them to buy better quality units), I’ve got to say that the Packtalk Bold is the best choice for most riders.

The Sena SMH5 is our budget pick and has all the features you need to communicate safely and reliably.