Head-to-head
Universal or custom intercom
WHILE SOME RIDERS choose to enjoy their bike to the complete exclusion of the rest of the world, many like to listen to music, need to hear sat-nav instructions, make or take phone call or speak to pillion passengers or other riders in their group. The former rider needs nothing more than their lid but the latter will require an intercom.
There are plenty of intercoms around — enough, in fact, that we will be carrying out a RIDE Product Test on a selection of those on the market in an upcoming issue — but a choice facing many who want to connect to others or their devices is whether to go for a universal-fit version or, if their helmet allows (and more and more do nowadays) an integrated version that is specifically designed for that helmet.
Each has its own benefits but we decided to see what practical differences there are, using two intercoms from Sena. The 20S Evo is one of the company’s latest universal-fit intercoms and uses Bluetooth technology to connect to smartphones, sat navs and other riders. The SRL2 is designed exclusively for use with Shoei helmets, specifically the GT-AIR II, the Neotec II (manufactured after March 8 2019) and the J-cruise II. It uses the same electronic hardware as the 20S but is designed to fit completely within the helmet for a more streamlined and integrated operation.
So, how to they compare?