Sena 20S Motorcycle Bluetooth Communication System
Last month we introduced you to this top of the line motorcycle communication system from Sena Technologies. You can read about it here. Called the Sena 20S Motorcycle Bluetooth Communication System, it is here to make our lives easier when commuting in the city, and on longer rides out on the highways, and on our shoots as well. We will get to that in the next report. For now, let’s look at how easy or difficult it is to install the 20S on to your helmet. The helmet we have chosen is a mid-level Arai helmet but the installation process will remain the same no matter what helmet you use.
Step 1: Screw on the universal helmet clamp
This one is simple. With the ‘Sena’ branding pointing outwards, slip the clamp inside the helmet so as to have one plate sitting between the shell and the padding inside the helmet and the other on the outside of the shell.
Once the clamp is firmly inside, further tighten it by using the Allen key provided. It should only be tighten to the point where it refuses to move.
Step 2: Placing the speakers
Most helmets come with a cutout area for your ears to fit in comfortably. Remove the cheek pads and the headliner and stick the provided 3M onto the shell in what is the ear cavity. The speakers then sit on this stickpad via Velcro. Installing speakers behind the liners might take away from the loudness of the speakers somewhat, but it makes for a more comfortable fit for your ears.
Step 3: Click on the headset
Once you have tried on the helmet with the speakers and universal clamp installed and you are happy with the installation, it is time to click the headset in place on the clamp. It’s easily done by just slipping on the headset with the jog dial at the tail end of the headset. To release, press on the quick release, chrome button, and the headset pops up. Simply slide it out thereafter.
Quick pointers
The Sena 20S comes with two mic options – the boom mic and the wired one. If you choose the boom mic, make sure you angle it out of the helmet while slipping on the lid to avoid a bad gash. This is especially true if your helmet is a snug fit (which is how it should be, always).
If you have a big forehead (and therefore need a larger sized helmet) but small ears and find the speakers to be too far off inside the helmet’s ear cavity, the Sena 20S comes with speaker pads to help close the gap.
The Sena 20S also comes with rubber pads that can be stuck on the universal clamp if the shell is too narrow or oddly shaped to hold the clamp tight.
Next month, we will have the Sena 20S performance review covering everything from how it handles entertainment to call quality to voice commands and our verdict on whether this motorcycle communication system is actually worth buying.
Photography by Kapil Angane
Gallery
1/6
Double Tap to Zoom
