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If you’re never ridden in a group ride before, it can seem daunting.
For starters, you have no idea about whether the other guys in the group who you just met and are trying to look cool in front of think you’re weird for walking with your chest and shoulders out.
Yeah, a lot of things that I don’t miss about being 19.
Teenage insecurity aside, it still can be overwhelming to keep up with the dynamics of a group ride your first couple of times.
- In staggered formation (as all group rides are), you always have to stay in your spot. If you pull over without letting your group know, you risk being left an uneasy distance behind.
- If you can’t keep formation, you’re always behind/near the behind of the group. To allow yourself to pace yourself and have time/space to accommodate any mistakes you make while riding.
- On the other hand, if you’re doing commutes like canyon carving that involves a lot of twisties, you have a lot of space between you and your buds. Because if you tailgate someone into a corner, you have no idea whether they’ll take the inside of the outside.
And that’s just 3 points (out of many) off the top of my head.
But all of this can be made much easier if you keep a medium of constant communication within your group. Resulting in you not having to worry about any of the things above. Which means you can enjoy the views and the roads without the anxiety.
This is why we love intercoms. Stupid easy to install, intercoms provide a massive amount of convenience for most people.
But you don’t jump into the deep end of the pool before you learn how to swim.
And intercoms are notoriously expensive. This is why it’s smarter to try out a cheaper alternative- that covers all the basics, and then some- before you find your footing.
And after going through hundreds of hours of research, we’ve shortlisted the best motorcycle BlueTooth headsets after trying them out ourselves.
The Vnetphone V6, Uclear Amp Go and Lexin B4fm are by and large 3 of the best Bluetooth intercoms within their price range, which are cheap Sena alternatives and offer tremendous value for money.
But how do I pick the intercom that suits me best?
You need to ask yourself how relevant the purchase you’re considering is going to be to your life. This goes for intercoms as well.
Are you riding with 2 of your best friends or with your local motorcycle club? (How many people can I hold a conference with?)
Is your commute going to be long or short? (How long do I want the battery life to be?)
Do you have to answer a lot of calls? Or do you just like listening to music?
There are a lot of questions you need to ask before you buy one.
But lucky for you, we’re going to make it a lot easier for you.
The factors listed below are guidelines that I always abide by:
Bluetooth- This decade has seen different versions of Bluetooth- 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.0. Data transmission rates increase exponentially for each version.
Battery life- Most intercoms have a standby battery life of up to 300-400 hours, but their streaming/calling lives vary across the board.
Sound quality – Sound quality falls under the overlap of factors like BlueTooth efficiency, stereo quality and the number of participants on the channel (inversely proportional due to bandwidth allocation). It also depends on how good the noise-cancellation as a barrier against wind noise.
Range- The range of your helmet intercom is to be noted, particularly in areas that are prone to low visibility (like areas that are high altitude/fog prone).
The maximum limit for conferences- Depending on the BlueTooth intercom, you can hold a conference for anywhere from 2 to over 16 people.
The best budget intercoms
Lexin B4FM
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Bluetooth: V3.0
While having no problem most of the time, the older BT version unfortunately comes with minor hang-ups, such as abrupt restarting.
Battery:
- Lithium-Ion composition
- Up to 15 hours of music streaming
- Up to 8 hours of talk time
- 120 hours standby time
Voice transmission/sound quality: The noise-cancellation in the B4FM is so good that you’ll barely hear any engine or wind noise, even at highway speeds.
Call quality and music quality are good for a Bluetooth headset in this price range.
Maximum limit for conferences: 4 riders
Range: The Lexin B4FM has an impressive conferencing range of 1.6- 1.9 kilometers (depending on altitude and speed), rivaling ranges of higher-end intercoms like the Sena 20S EVO.
If you need more detailed info check out our in-depth review.
Uclear Amp Go
Bluetooth: V 4.2
Surprisingly well-equipped for an intercom in its price range, the UClear AMP Go comes with a Bluetooth version 4.2- currently the second best on the marketplace.
Battery:
- Lithium-Ion composition
- Up to 15 hours of music streaming
- Up to 12 hours of talk time
- 400 hours of standby time
Voice transmission/ sound quality: The UClear AMP Plus sound system includes both the revered Bass Boost and standard Pulse Speakers.
The basic version of the Go has a decent sound system, but nothing to write home about.
The call quality (a testament to the BT4.2) is superb.
Maximum limit for conferences: 4 riders
Range: Unfortunately, the range offered is quite short, hovering at ~300 meters.
If you need more detailed info check out our in-depth review.
Vnetphone V6
Bluetooth Version: Version 3.0, comes with the same hangups as in the B4FM.
Battery:
- Lithium-Polymer composition
- Up to 12 hours of music streaming
- Up to 12 hours talk time
- 450 hours of standby time
Voice transmission/ sound quality: As with the Lexin, the V6 offers excellent noise and echo reduction.
The call quality is crisp enough to make out from the background noise, which carries over to sound quality as well.
Maximum limit for conferences: 6 riders
Range: The V6 offers a great range of up to 1200 meters, good enough for most commutes.
Conclusion
You need to get used to a cheaper, basic intercom before you move on to something on the higher-end. And there are no budget intercoms that are better for starting off with, than the ones we’ve listed in this article.
How To Install An Intercom In Your Motorcycle Helmet 
Cardo Packtalk Bold vs Sena 30K Review 
2 Of The Best Bluetooth Communication Systems: Cardo Freecom 4+ vs Sena 20s EVO Review 
Sena 50R Vs 50S: Which One Is The Best For You?