Bluetooth Pro and Con

[Longtimer]

What are the Pro and Cons of hooking the Bluetooth to the bike and then to helmet or everything straight to the Bluetooth on the helmet. Phone. GPS. And how many things can you hook to the Bluetooth on spyder. Also with two helmets. Thanks

[JayBros]

I look at it this way; if one doesn't want to hear anything through a helmet one has no need for Bluetooth. I keep it simple. First, I don't want to pollute other people's space with loud noise, other than the engine, from my Spyder so I have a Sena 20S EVO headset on my helmet. Second, my helmet is Bluetooth paired to my Zumo 590 GPS so I can hear turn by turn directions from the GPS. Third, my iPhone is Bluetooth paired to my GPS and I use the GPS phone app if I need to make or receive a call which I do only if stopped. Third, my GPS has an MP3 player app through which I can listen to music of my choice that is loaded on a mini-SD card in the GPS. Fourth, I have a Sena SM10 Dual Stream Bluetooth transmitter that is paired to my helmet so I can listen to the Spyder's radio if I so desire. Fifth, my iPhone is connected to the switched 12V socket in the trunk so it stays fully charged because I don't need/use it when rolling and if stopped the GPS phone app uses all my phone contacts. Sixth, my 20S EVO headset is paired with other riders as necessary if riding with a small group.

My setup works well for me and I find only two Cons: #1, the GPS MP3 player overrides the SM10 Bluetooth transmitter so if I want to switch from listening to my music to using the Spyder's radio I must go into the Media app on the GPS and pause the MP3 music that is playing and the Spyder radio immediately plays in my helmet, and #2, unproven by me but recommended by Garmin, each time my iPhone updates I unpair and repair the phone to the GPS. This is a minor and simple step I follow after each Apple phone update; takes just a couple of minutes.

[Flamewinger]

Pair the headset to the bike only. Pair the phone to the bike. Pairing headset to phone only confuses things. Once both are connected you can make/receive calls as well as enjoy music.