SMART PHONES and satellite navigation kit has become ubiquitous nowadays. When planning a big touring trip, few people dig out the A-to-Z or the AA Road Atlas – instead they dial in the location on their phones or sat-nav. And if they want to listen to the radio or music en route, again, they’ll use their phones to sort it out.
That’s all a bit harder on a bike of course – so enter the Bluetooth headset. They’ve been around for a while now, and the best ones link up easily to your phone and sat-nav, letting you hear GPS directions, listen to music or radio, and even act as an intercom between rider and pillion, or other riders in your group.
Fitting aftermarket headsets to your lid can be a pain though, with stick-on pads, fiddly screws and clamps. So the best option is a bespoke integrated system, designed for your helmet, and actually built into the lid internals, neatly incorporating control buttons, charging ports, speakers and microphone into the bottom padding sections of the helmet.
Top American communications fim Sena has just launched a smart new integrated Bluetooth communication system for the Shoei Neotec II flip-front system helmet. Dubbed the SRL – Shoei Rider Link – it incorporates all the firm’s top headset technology and fits perfectly into the Neotec II’s shell. It uses a low-profile design, with easy-to-use control buttons, a super-long ten-hour talk time, Bluetooth 4.1 and a one-mile range for the intercom function. The boom microphone has advanced signal processing technology to reduce wind noise when talking, and there’s even a built-in FM radio for easy listening to traffic bulletins, or music. It links easily with phones and sat-navs – and the whole unit weighs in at a featherlight 100g, including the lithium polymer rechargeable battery.
The SRL is custom-designed to suit the new Neotec II helmet. This new top-spec flip-up design has three shell sizes for perfect fitting, a new, improved flip mechanism, revised cheekpads and vents, and a stainless steel two-stage locking pivot system. It’s Shoei’s best flip-front helmet ever, and paired up with the Sena SRL system, provides a fantastic touring and commuting package. Superb comfort, fabulous performance, and slick integrated communications – what else could you need?
Shoei UK said, “With the Neotec II receiving positive reviews, the Sena Shoei Rider Link looks set to be one of the most popular helmet communications products on the market. Designed to fit seamlessly into the Neotec II shell, the SRL uses a low-profile design that has proven consistently popular with motorcyclists. It’s another string to the bow of the very impressive Neotec II.”
The Sena SRL and Neotec II are now both in stock in Shoei UK dealers. For more info click here: www.shoeiassured.co.uk
FULL SENA SRL SPECS:
• Talk time: 10 hours
• Operating temperature: -10˚C ~ 55˚C (14°F ~ 131°F)
• Dimensions:
• Speaker: driver unit unit 31.9 mm – thickness 4.4 mm
• Boom microphone: length 55 mm
• Wire between speakers: length 85 mm
• Weight:
• Module: 100 g (3.53 oz)
• Headset Profile (HSP)
• Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
• Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP)
• Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP)
• Bluetooth 4.1
• Working distance: up to 1.6 kilometers (1.0 mile) in open terrain
• Advanced Noise Control™
• Built-in SBC Codec
• Wide volume control
• Sample rate: max. 48 kHz (DAC)
• Built-in FM radio with RDS AF (Radio Data System Alternate Frequencies)
• Radio region: worldwide
• Radio frequency specifications: 64 ~ 108MHz
• 10 preset station memory with automatic scan function
• Charging time: 2.5 hours
• Type: Lithium polymer
* Story produced in association with Sena.
