We’ve been testing the Sena 10C Evo motorcycle Bluetooth headset for most of 2020, here’s our full review
MOTORCYCLE Bluetooth headsets are invaluable pieces of kit for people who spend many and long days on the road. One of the most high-spec devices currently on the market is the Sena 10C Evo. We’ve been testing one for most of 2020 and have covered tens of thousands of miles with the unit.
Yamaha Tracer 700 (2021) review using Sena 10C Evo for video footage
First and foremost, the Sena 10C Evo is much more than just a motorcycle Bluetooth headset. The sleek unit contains a massive amount of features and hardware that almost no other product can match. The cherry on top with this unit though, especially given that Visordown creates a lot of video content, is the fact the 10C Evo includes a 4k, ultra HD video recording device within the headset.
Sena 10C Evo price and features
The 10C Evo has a UK RRP of £390 and comes with everything you’ll need in the box to get the unit set up and working.
Aside from the ability to make and receive phone calls, the unit includes an FM radio, the ability to control music streaming from a Bluetooth enabled device, a bike-to-bike intercom (up to one mile), the ability to listen to GPS navigation directions, and the ability to record, store, and download high-quality 4K video and audio.
The unit saves all video and audio from your ride onto a removeable micro SD of 128gb in size. While testing the unit and recording continuously in the highest recording format, 4k video and 20fps, I managed 1 hour 17 minutes before the card was full. Talk time is a claimed 20 hours, although I never got close to using it all. In fact, the Sena has never run out while I’ve been riding, its battery has only drained when I’ve stupidly left it all switched on for long periods when not riding. The unit takes around two and a half hours to charge from flat to full using the enclosed USB lead.
Sena 10C Evo review
The biggest draw of this unit over other units, for me anyway, is the 4k camera built-in. And while that is the headline-grabbing bit of tech, don’t think that the product falls short on any other fronts. The audio quality of the system is very good, with the voice of the person on the other end of the phone coming across crisply and cleanly. I was also surprised by how good the microphone and noise-suppression software of the unit is exceptional. So good in fact, my other half didn’t realise I was riding when I called her, you can imagine her shock when I advised I was travelling in the outside lane of the M69 at about 80mph!
The controls of the unit are all large, easy to find buttons on the exterior of the device, with a big jog-wheel on the side of the unit that can be pressed and turned depending on what you want it to do. The buttons are multifunctional and do different things depending on how/how long you press or hold them. As with any Bluetooth device, there are a lot of functions to get your head around, although after a couple of days the main functions become easy to recall while on the move.
The main buttons you’ll need are the phone button, located on the rear edge of the Sena, and the camera button, located on the top. The buttons are different shapes and fairly large, making them easy to find even when wearing thick winter gloves. One point to remember is that the jog-wheel, used to increase and decrease the volume, has no resistance against movement, meaning that you have to carefully increase the volume to prevent turning it up too loud.
The lens on the Sena 10C Evo is adjustable allowing you to level the image off with the horizon
You can also control the Sena with two apps available on iPhone and Android. The Sena Camera app is for previewing, downloading editing video footage. The other is the Sena Headset App and this allows you to set up the communication settings of the device prior to riding. This app also includes an interactive quick-start guide and will help you to pair the 10C Evo to your smartphone if you’re stuck.
Sena 10C Evo verdict
You may be looking at the cost of the Sena and thinking it’s a little steep when compared to other motorcycle Bluetooth devices available. The way I’d describe it to you is to calculate the cost of another Bluetooth system and then add in the cost of a GoPro Hero7, which in my mind is a camera of equal quality. Having the camera, the Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to talk to other headset using riders all wrapped up into one compact and easy to use product, really does put the Sena 10C Evo in a class of its own.
For more information on this and the rest of the Sena range, head to sena.com
