Sena 50R Evaluate [Motorcycle Helmet Mesh Intercom Headset]

The Sena 50R mesh intercom headset has been round for some time. It’s the highest of Sena’s intensive motorcycling helmet communicator vary, standing side-by-side with the 50S. They differ solely in switchgear—the 50R has three buttons for the principle controls plus the mesh intercom button on the again edge, whereas the 50S replaces the three buttons with a jog wheel and retains the mesh intercom button on the again edge. The 50R and 50S every have an MSRP of $359 ($639 for the Twin Pack), and now we convey you the Sena 50R overview.

For a few years, I used a long-in-the-tooth Sena 20S with that very same jog wheel management and cherished it. Now it’s time to attempt buttons, together with the numerous and highly effective new options built-in into the 50 sequence models. Let’s take a deep dive into the Sena 50R and what it presents since Affiliate Editor Kelly Callan reviewed the Sena 50S final yr.

Sena’s 50 Sequence headsets are full-featured models that skimp on nothing, providing nearly each characteristic identified within the motorbike helmet communications gadget universe, aside from a digital camera. The Sena 50R options embody voice command operation, GoPro voice command (Hero8 Black and newer), FM radio, Harmon Kardon audio system, mesh and Bluetooth (BT) intercoms, GPS pairing, smartphone pairing (calls, music), second cell phone pairing (HFP or A2DP), firmware updates by way of Wi-Fi by way of a smartphone, and BT 5 operation for quicker information pace and longer battery life. Plus, should you mount your smartphone on the handlebar, the Sena Bikes app is a good way to regulate all the things on the 50R.

I put in the 50R on a Scorpion Exo-ST1400 Carbon helmet, which has lengthy been one in every of my favorites, and one that’s tremendous straightforward on which to put in communicators. It has ear pockets that assist the latest 40-45 mm audio system, and its AirFit inflatable cheek pad system bladders barely overlap the underside of the speaker pockets, giving a bit extra assist to the audio system. Spacers are included with the 50R to convey the audio system nearer to the rider’s ears if a helmet’s speaker pockets are too deep and also you need the audio system nearer to your ears. These weren’t wanted with the Scorpion helmet.

As soon as the set up was full, I did what I all the time do with a brand new helmet intercom gadget—I charged it and checked for a firmware replace; one was obtainable. Till now, I had all the time labored with the easy-to-use Sena Machine Supervisor on my desktop. Nevertheless, now I can replace my firmware by way of the charging cable/Wi-Fi adapter included with the 50R, so I needed to give this a go.

Doing this enables customers to replace firmware and requires a Wi-Fi entry level to get the job accomplished. I adopted the directions and was rewarded with a straightforward process and set up to the most recent firmware model. It’s not difficult, so I gained’t go into particulars, nevertheless it did take a few tries. Photographs within the gallery accompanying this overview present a few of the updating screenshots. Sooner or later, I could do updates utilizing the Machine Supervisor. Nevertheless, it’s good to know I can do that on the highway in a lodge room or anyplace Wi-Fi is offered, when mandatory.

With the firmware up to date, I’m able to take this unit out for a trip and expertise its options and whether or not it delivers the efficiency I need in a communicator.

The button controls require that I get a really feel for his or her location. Happily, with light-weight gloves, it isn’t onerous to search out all of them. Heavier gloves require a bit extra apply to find the proper buttons. I should still be keen on the spherical jog dial for ease of use, as there is no such thing as a want to search out buttons. Regardless, the Sena 50R’s button setup is straightforward to make use of.

I additionally paired the unit with the sprint infotainment system on the Final Motorcycling BMW R 1250 RS Venture Bike. This labored splendidly and took away the necessity to contact the unit. All of the controls, together with quantity, are actuated by the multi-controller marvel wheel on the BMW’s left handlebar. I’ve not tried this on different model bikes.

On bikes with out infotainment techniques, I can use the Sena Handlebar Distant I’ve reviewed. It permits me to have management from the distant clamped to the left grip. Pairing these remotes to the 50R is a two-minute course of.

After all, I can remove most button pushing through the use of voice instructions, beginning by saying, “Hey Sena.” Eight languages are supported, and I discovered that the unit was conscious of my accent-free English instructions and precisely carried out capabilities like music on/off, mesh on/off, FM radio, and phone operation. I didn’t have a GoPro to check these voice capabilities.

Additionally it is straightforward to say “Hey Google” or “Siri” and have your smartphone deal with a few of the performance not included with the Sena 50R, comparable to calling numbers not already saved within the unit or studying messages whereas shifting.

No motorbike helmet-to-helmet intercom overview is full with out, at the least, briefly referring to intercom operation. As talked about above, the 50R presents each BT and mesh intercoms. Mesh is the most recent and biggest for ease of use, readability, flexibility, and vary. One button push allows open mesh (the principle channel of 9), and that’s all it takes for a gaggle to attach. Extra choices for group mesh with non-public conversations can be found; nonetheless, I by no means had sufficient riders to discover this. Additionally obtainable is the Mesh Attain-Out Request characteristic, which lets you ask one other compatibly outfitted rider to activate their intercom.

Sena does provide the Sena +Mesh unit we reviewed to permit Sena BT-only legacy customers to hook up with a mesh group and the Sena MeshPort Blue accent we now have reviewed, which permits any producer’s BT intercom to hook up with a Sena mesh group.

The Sena 50R’s 40mm Harmon Kardon audio system ship a suitable quantity stage, even at freeway speeds. Producers restrict the utmost quantity to forestall potential listening to lack of the consumer.

All instructed, I discovered the Sena 50R to be all it claims to be, and operates seamlessly. It’s a excellent instance of a well-thought-out and impressively constructed piece of electronics that has been fine-tuned to present easy and trouble-free service.

Sena 50R Specs

ELECTRONICS

Speak time: Bluetooth, as much as 13 hours; mesh, as much as 8 hours

Battery cost time: 1 hour (quick cost: 20 minutes = six hours of discuss time)

Battery: Lithium polymer

Mesh intercom working distance: As much as 1.2 miles unobstructed (5 miles with six riders or extra)

Bluetooth working distance: As much as 1.2 miles unobstructed

Bluetooth: 5.0

Audio system: Harmon Kardon

DIMENSIONS

Top: 1.9 inches

Width: 3.8 inches

Depth: 1.1 inches

Weight: 2.29 ounces

Speaker diameter: 40mm

Speaker depth: 7.2mm

Guarantee: 3 years

Sena 50R Worth: $359 MSRP (Twin pack: $639)

Sena 50R Evaluate Photograph Gallery

Sena 50R Screenshot Gallery