Sena 20S Anyone?

[View from behind]

We currently have been using Autocom for our driver to passenger communication (hard wired of course) and think we would like to convert to Bluetooth. We have heard the VOX function is not all they say it is and may not work all the time. Our Autocom system has worked flawless for years and we hate to have to settle for "so so". Does anyone have experience with this?

thanks for any insight, Susan

[BeRight]

I'd recommend: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-intercoms/ - covers major players for 2015

[SpyderAnn01]

I have been less than happy with the Sena 20s and am currently on my 4th unit and the 2nd one for my husband. Customer service is also horrible.

The functions offered on the system are great but if they don't consistently work then what good are they?

[PaladinLV]

Customer service is also horrible.

Ah so true! But I think it's more hit and miss all depending on "who" you get.
I've gotten excellent help, but also completely worthless help.
What I did on one occasion was close the ticket then reopened.
I got a different "tech" (using them lightly) who got to the problem immediately!
So WHY did he know and the other did not - lol

Regardless, their tech/customer support is NOT what one should expect!
Horrible? Well I'd definitely say PISS POOR :D

AJ

[tehrlich]

I've had mine a couple of months. It's glitchy, but I'm not always certain if it is my iPhone blue tooth that causes the problems on the Sena.

It is so "simplified" that it is complex to remember all of the features. There are only a few buttons, and it's how you use them to achieve all of the features that makes it confusing. I finally read the full instructions this last week, and I discovered how to use it a lot more. The VOX seems to work perfectly on my system, but it ONLY works when it is supposed to work! When I read that, it all made sense.

I play my music from my iPhone primarily through it. The speakers are pretty good, especially if you switch them to the HD option in the Sena App. Scrolling through songs is easy and fast. I bought the two-unit combo and the conference function is very good. Little static and very clear sound.

The jury is still out for me whether I think it was worth the money, but I'm liking it more that I'm studying the directions.

[SpyderAnn01]

Ah so true! But I think it's more hit and miss all depending on "who" you get.
I've gotten excellent help, but also completely worthless help.
What I did on one occasion was close the ticket then reopened.
I got a different "tech" (using them lightly) who got to the problem immediately!
So WHY did he know and the other did not - lol

Regardless, their tech/customer support is NOT what one should expect!
Horrible? Well I'd definitely say PISS POOR :D

AJ

One of the things that was driving me crazy with their customer service was the auto generated emails they would send me telling me that they had closed my case. I would get a response from their tech and then a short time later I would get an email saying they had closed my case since I hadn't responded. :banghead:

[SL Ken]

I have had my unit(s) since January. I never could get it to work and found on here that microphones were the issue. I called Sena, which meant I had to take a day off work since they work the same hours I do, no weekend, and they were nice and sent me new microphones. There are three different sets included with the unit. The ones that I want to use are directly plugged into the unit without wires. I use a modular helmet so the little button microphone is worthless to me. They sent two sets of each of the microphone WITH wires. Not one that plugs into the back of the unit. Luckily, I read Finless' post about using toothpicks to wedge in to help the connection. So, I did that and then they worked hit and miss. Rode to SITR and we were able to talk back and forth about half the way up there. Had a guy look at it while we were up there and he rearranged the toothpicks, which helped. About three quarters of the time. I decided to take it off and reposition it on the helmet and that worked for the whole trip home. Woohoo! :clap:They are very noisy, a lot of static. Since I didn't have a Bluetooth phone that had music downloaded into it, I tried the feature which allows my old iPod Nano to be plugged directly into the unit. Well that doesn't work either. BTW, I only hear the communication on my left ear. My wife has it in both ears. I haven't tried the toothpick trick yet into the speaker side. Long story short, I'd look for something different. I don't believe the design is great that requires the use of TOOTHPICKS to facilitate the use. :banghead:

[SpyderAnn01]

I have had my unit(s) since January. I never could get it to work and found on here that microphones were the issue. I called Sena, which meant I had to take a day off work since they work the same hours I do, no weekend, and they were nice and sent me new microphones. There are three different sets included with the unit. The ones that I want to use are directly plugged into the unit without wires. I use a modular helmet so the little button microphone is worthless to me. They sent two sets of each of the microphone WITH wires. Not one that plugs into the back of the unit. Luckily, I read Finless' post about using toothpicks to wedge in to help the connection. So, I did that and then they worked hit and miss. Rode to SITR and we were able to talk back and forth about half the way up there. Had a guy look at it while we were up there and he rearranged the toothpicks, which helped. About three quarters of the time. I decided to take it off and reposition it on the helmet and that worked for the whole trip home. Woohoo! :clap:They are very noisy, a lot of static. Since I didn't have a Bluetooth phone that had music downloaded into it, I tried the feature which allows my old iPod Nano to be plugged directly into the unit. Well that doesn't work either. BTW, I only hear the communication on my left ear. My wife has it in both ears. I haven't tried the toothpick trick yet into the speaker side. Long story short, I'd look for something different. I don't believe the design is great that requires the use of TOOTHPICKS to facilitate the use. :banghead:

:roflblack: Ken that made me laugh out loud. Have you ever felt like throwing the units under the tires of your Spyder? I know I have.

[SL Ken]

:roflblack: Ken that made me laugh out loud. Have you ever felt like throwing the units under the tires of your Spyder? I know I have.


Many times while on the way to Blue Lake

[motoswami]

We currently have been using Autocom for our driver to passenger communication (hard wired of course) and think we would like to convert to Bluetooth. We have heard the VOX function is not all they say it is and may not work all the time. Our Autocom system has worked flawless for years and we hate to have to settle for "so so". Does anyone have experience with this?

thanks for any insight, Susan

Like you Susan, I'm a long time Autocom user, and comfortable with that system I've come to know so well. That's not to say it's always worked for me, however. Using VOX for bike-to-bike via FRS radios has not always been seamless.

Definitely understand wanting to get unhooked from the unit-to-helmet cables.

Used Sena 20s headsets for our first time on a VA to GAtrip this weekend. Sound in helmets was usually pretty good, but occasionally had a lot of "echo" which I never had with Autocom. No toothpick issues yet, fortunately. Haven't got all the Bluetooth pairing figured out yet, either, so I'm sitting down with helmets, chargers, GPS, etc. in the calm of my own living room (away from traffic and weather) to see what I can learn.

Good luck,

Pete

[Highwayman2013]

We have the SMH-10's for 3 years and they work fine. No comment on the customer service, we haven't used it. We do not use the vox option because wind noise sets it off. We have had to put some spacers behind the mount on the out side of the helmet to get both speakers in the helmet to work. I think this has to do with how tight the screws are. Batteries last all day and music from the phone plays well. Sometimes if I turn it on too close to my wife's phone I will hear her music, then I have to reboot the my headset to hook up with my phone. We ride separate bikes.

[JRWW]

I have the Superpro Autocom unit on my 2010 RTS SE5 and have added the Autocom Bluetooth unit which connects to my Sena S20. Had a few issues with connecting IPhone, Garmin GPS, Autocom Bluetooth and listen to my IPod through the bikes system. Several emails to Sena sorted out how to pair each device, now works really well and I can also intercom with my wife on her bike. PM me if you want to know more, happy to help.

[funrider]

We currently have been using Autocom for our driver to passenger communication (hard wired of course) and think we would like to convert to Bluetooth. We have heard the VOX function is not all they say it is and may not work all the time. Our Autocom system has worked flawless for years and we hate to have to settle for "so so". Does anyone have experience with this?

thanks for any insight, Susan


I use Sena 10 and like them, however I've heard Chatterbox has a more versatile unit. you might check them out on the Web

[Fatcycledaddy]

I have these and love them. The sound quality is great, a phone call answered while riding is crystal clear on the other end to the point my boss cant tell I am out riding:clap:

The only problem I have had is when they are not latched down all the way, then you get static, random request asking you to say a command and so on. There was one other time when I road in a major downpour and the helmet clamp got wet causing the main unit to act up. I removed the unit, dried the connection points with a towel, reinstalled the units and we were trouble free again.

I love these and will recommend them.

[otter28169]

I have had nothing but problems with these units since the week I attached them to the helmets. Customer service is awful and useless. I registered them the day I got them. Customer service seems to be more worried about whom I bought them from then they are about what problems I am having. I won't buy another set from them.

Just sayin'...........

[tehrlich]

I have had my unit(s) since January. I never could get it to work and found on here that microphones were the issue. I called Sena, which meant I had to take a day off work since they work the same hours I do, no weekend, and they were nice and sent me new microphones. There are three different sets included with the unit. The ones that I want to use are directly plugged into the unit without wires. I use a modular helmet so the little button microphone is worthless to me. They sent two sets of each of the microphone WITH wires. Not one that plugs into the back of the unit. Luckily, I read Finless' post about using toothpicks to wedge in to help the connection. So, I did that and then they worked hit and miss. Rode to SITR and we were able to talk back and forth about half the way up there. Had a guy look at it while we were up there and he rearranged the toothpicks, which helped. About three quarters of the time. I decided to take it off and reposition it on the helmet and that worked for the whole trip home. Woohoo! :clap:They are very noisy, a lot of static. Since I didn't have a Bluetooth phone that had music downloaded into it, I tried the feature which allows my old iPod Nano to be plugged directly into the unit. Well that doesn't work either. BTW, I only hear the communication on my left ear. My wife has it in both ears. I haven't tried the toothpick trick yet into the speaker side. Long story short, I'd look for something different. I don't believe the design is great that requires the use of TOOTHPICKS to facilitate the use. :banghead:


Have you gone into the settings for the unit? This is on a computer or a smartphone. I found that I could fix many issues, like the L/R balance. I think the HD sound mode is really nice.

[GreenDragon]

We bought our SMH10 units from Motorcycle Dave. For the most part we are very happy with them for helmet to helmet on the same Spyder. Work great and no connection issues. When I was trying to figure out how they work the customer service was great, about a dozen times!
However when using with other riders that have SENA units, regardless of the model, there are issues with line-of-sight. As long as we can see each other and are within a quarter mile or less of each other, they seem to work well. As soon as they have a hill or curve between us, the reception goes to He__ in a hand bag.
As I really don't care about communicating with other bikers, it is a non issue. But I still have issues with the music from my iPhone. Sometimes it works, then riding along, it disappears and then 10 minutes later it comes back on. Sometimes I have to hit the jog dial twice to listen, sometimes it is just "on". Have not been able to figure that out.

[PaladinLV]

I believe 1/4 mile 400-500 meters is about correct of that particular unit depending on atmospherics and terrain.

AJ


We bought our SMH10 units from Motorcycle Dave. For the most part we are very happy with them for helmet to helmet on the same Spyder. Work great and no connection issues. When I was trying to figure out how they work the customer service was great, about a dozen times!
However when using with other riders that have SENA units, regardless of the model, there are issues with line-of-sight. As long as we can see each other and are within a quarter mile or less of each other, they seem to work well. As soon as they have a hill or curve between us, the reception goes to He__ in a hand bag.
As I really don't care about communicating with other bikers, it is a non issue. But I still have issues with the music from my iPhone. Sometimes it works, then riding along, it disappears and then 10 minutes later it comes back on. Sometimes I have to hit the jog dial twice to listen, sometimes it is just "on". Have not been able to figure that out.

[daveinva]

My GF and I have had a pair of SMH10's for 3+ years now. Sometimes a little tricky in pairing, but otherwise, very happy with them, would buy another pair tomorrow. :D

Bought my brother a 20S this past Christmas. VERY tricky in pairing, and worse, it's impossible for him to update the firmware on it. Sena acknowledges that some units just won't update their firmware, their solution was for him to send it back to get a replacement model... that also didn't update. He's just sucking it up now.

My advice: Go with the SMH10, it's a proven model. :thumbup: