Can You Listen to Music With a Bluetooth Helmet?

Music is a powerful thing. It can help you focus, calm you down, and get you pumped up all at the same time! When you drive a car, listening to music is a no-brainer, but if you regularly get around on a motorcycle, listening to music is a luxury. Luckily, thanks to modern technology, Bluetooth helmets have been invented.

A Bluetooth helmet can be used for several purposes, from taking calls to listening to directions or your favorite tunes. It is generally safe and legal to do so in most states. There are a few things you should know, however, about Bluetooth helmets before you go out and buy one.

Can You Listen to Music on a Bluetooth Helmet While Riding?

Generally, listening to music on a Bluetooth helmet while riding is legal in most states. You will want to check the specific laws in your area, however, as they may vary. Additionally, there are some other rules that you must follow when listening to music while riding a motorcycle.

In most states, wearing headphones while driving a motorcycle is illegal. This means that any Bluetooth helmet you buy should have speakers rather than earbuds that go into your ears. Additionally, some Bluetooth helmets offer noise-canceling abilities—and this can be very dangerous.

Therefore it is best to get a Bluetooth helmet with speakers that sit by your ears but not in them. Most states allow motorcycle riders to legally listen to music while they drive, as long as the music doesn’t interfere with their ability to drive. Most Bluetooth helmets have buttons on the outside for skipping and pausing songs, and you should memorize these before using your helmet.

What is a Bluetooth Helmet?

Maybe you have never heard of a Bluetooth helmet, and you are here because you are looking for a way to listen to your tunes while riding your motorcycle.

A Bluetooth helmet is a helmet that has a Bluetooth connection built-in with speakers. This means that you can hook up your phone to the Bluetooth device in your helmet and listen to tunes while you cruise down the road. You can also use Mp3 devices with a Bluetooth helmet, as long as they have Bluetooth capabilities.

Besides just songs, you can also listen to directions, take phone calls, and do anything else you can usually do with a Bluetooth connection in your car. You have to be careful, however, as these things are not always legal in every state.

Can You Use a Bluetooth Helmet to Make Phone Calls While Riding?

Because it is legal to listen to music while you ride your motorcycle, you may be wondering if this includes taking hand-free calls on your motorcycle helmet. And honestly, this will depend.

All states have laws about people using their cell phones while driving. You will want to look into the laws for your state before accepting calls on your Bluetooth helmet. Most states allow hands-free calling while driving, and if this is the case, your Bluetooth helmet will qualify.

This brings up another problem, though, because not all Bluetooth helmets have a microphone. If it is legal to call while driving in your state, and you want to do so using your Bluetooth helmet, be sure that you purchase one that has a built-in microphone for this purpose.

Don’t forget that you will want to ensure that your phone is set up in a way that you can answer it hands-free as well. This is because your phone will probably be tucked away while you ride and not easily accessible. Typically services like Siri can help you to answer your phone hands-free.

Pros and Cons of a Bluetooth Helmet

If you love listening to music, then you are probably already on your way to the store to buy a Bluetooth helmet to wear while you ride! But if you aren’t sold just yet, then it’s time to look at some of the pros and cons of using a Bluetooth helmet to listen to music while you ride.

Pros

One of the great things about music is that it can help keep you alert and awake. This is especially important after you’ve had a long day and could be liable to fall asleep or get distracted while behind the wheel. Besides just that, music can also make the ride more fun and give you a much-needed mood boost!

Don’t forget that riding a motorcycle can often be noisy, especially if you spend a lot of time riding on the highway. Listening to music can help block out this external noise and make the ride more pleasurable.

Cons

Although music is great for focus, it is also a distraction. And if the rider is playing music too loudly, this can cause them not to hear important things that are going on around them, like a car honking, for example. This is why all riders have to be careful of the volume of the music they are listening to while they ride.

This brings up the next con, as having speakers as close to your ear as they are in a Bluetooth helmet can be really easy to damage your hearing. This is because it isn’t healthy to have a speaker right at your ear, and it is easier to turn a speaker up to too high of a volume than headphones.

How Do You Pair a Bluetooth Helmet to Your Phone?

Pairing a Bluetooth helmet to your phone is quick and easy, so easy that once you have it set up, the helmet will likely connect to your phone automatically in the future.

When you get your helmet, be sure that it is turned on and charged or has the proper batteries installed. Then pull up the settings on your phone and select Bluetooth.

You should see a list of available Bluetooth devices nearby. All you have to do is select your Bluetooth helmet, wait a few seconds for it to connect, then head over and start playing music!

As mentioned above, your phone and helmet should connect automatically in the future. When this happens, music may start to play independently, or you may still have to press play on your device.

Are There Other Ways to Listen to Music While Riding a Motorcycle?

As great Bluetooth helmets may be, they may not be for everyone. This can leave you wondering if there is any other way for you to enjoy your favorite songs while you ride.

The good news is, you can also install speakers directly into your motorcycle if you would prefer not to use a Bluetooth helmet. There are several problems with this solution, however.

First and foremost, if your bike is older and not already equipped with speakers, they can be very expensive to install—much more expensive than a Bluetooth helmet would be. Also, if you are wearing a non-Bluetooth helmet and trying to listen to the music, it could be muffled.

Not to mention that other drivers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians might get annoyed by the sound of your music. Or if you are listening to something private, there is no way to keep it private—as anyone you drive by will be able to hear.

Even if your bike already has speakers installed frequently, these speakers are only able to hook up to the radio and offer poor quality when it comes to music. This means that listening to music on your built-in radio will not be near as fun as it would be with a Bluetooth headset, and the quality would probably annoy you more than anything else.

How Do You Pick a Bluetooth Helmet?

There are several different types of Bluetooth helmets on the market. And what may be right for you may not be a good selection for someone else. Therefore you should shop around a bit before you commit to one Bluetooth helmet.

Type of Helmet

Just like a regular motorcycle riding helmet, there are several different types of Bluetooth helmets. Some will have a longer visor; others will have a different shape in the facial area. Be sure to try a couple of different ones to find the one that fits that you will enjoy wearing while you ride.

Comfort is very important when it comes to choosing a motorcycle helmet—as this is something you can expect to have on your head for hours at a time. If something presses weird or hurts while it is on your head, then it is probably better to try a different style or size of helmet.

Price

Of course, different styles of Bluetooth helmets will cost different amounts of money. And if you are on a budget, then your price range might choose the type of Bluetooth helmet you can get for you.

Check price on Amazon

Generally, a good Bluetooth helmet will run you between $100 and $300. Some will cost more, and you might be able to find a few that cost less. But remember that, like everything in life, you get what you pay for. This means that you shouldn’t go out and buy the cheapest one on the market because the sound quality could be bad.

And if you find you don’t have the money to get the exact Bluetooth helmet that you want just yet, then it may be worthwhile to wait and save a little more money. This way you can get the exact one that you want!

Devices It Pairs With

In this day and age, most Bluetooth helmets will pair with almost all devices. But if you have a phone that is from a unique manufacturer (such as outside of the US), it is important that you check that you can pair your phone to your Bluetooth helmet before you buy. This way, you won’t purchase it then find yourself unable to connect.

Most stores will let you try on the helmet before you buy, as well as check the Bluetooth pairing capabilities. Be sure you take advantage of this before you shell out your hard-earned money.

Sound Performance

While you are checking that your device is able to pair with your potential Bluetooth helmet, it is also a good idea to see if you like the sound performance of the helmet. This is because you may find that different brands have different sound qualities.

Keep in mind that you won’t be able to listen to music too loudly while you ride, so don’t worry too much about how loud the speakers can play—instead, focus on the sound and clarity of the music at a comfortable volume.

This is also the part of shopping where you will want to consider if you want a microphone in your Bluetooth helmet to make phone calls or if you would rather skip it and stick to just the speakers for music.

Conclusion

For music lovers, hours on a motorcycle with no music can feel like pure torture. But thanks to helmets with built-in Bluetooth speakers, you can now listen to music while you ride. Listening to music with a Bluetooth helmet is legal in most states as long as the music is listened to at an appropriate volume.

Before you rush out to buy a Bluetooth helmet, be sure that you know all the pros and cons and options available to you. Be sure to try on several different helmets to make sure you get the right fit at the price and sound quality you desire. And once you find the perfect helmet, you will love all the time you can spend cruising the open roads with your favorite tunes!

Sources:
https://www.13abc.com/content/news/AAA-warns-of-dangers-wearing-headphones-while-driving-408551075.html
https://www.motormaids.org/earbuds-while-riding-motorcycle/