Ownership Review of Sena SMH10D-11 Bluetooth Intercom

Are you also confused about buying the Sena SMH10D Bluetooth headset, don’t know what are the good things and bad things about it? 

I have used it for more than 1 year till now, and I can tell you what are the good things and what are the bad things about this product. So, read along to the end to find out whether you should buy it or not?

Sena SMH10D-11 is easy to install with lots of options and accessories provided in the box, speakers are loud enough that can be used both in half & full-face helmets. This is perfect for those who are looking for a strong build quality & a good battery backup intercom. 

Range	900 m or 980 yards
Bluetooth	3.0
Charging Time	2.5 hours
Battery Backup	8-10 hrs of talk time and 10 days of standby time
Weight	1.38 pounds
Dimensions	‎6 x 9.8 x 3.3 inches

Bluetooth headsets for motorcycles make life much easier, don’t they? You get to take your beast on a long trip with ease and enjoy music, calls and talk to your fellow riders with no interruptions. If that isn’t convenient, what is?

But these Bluetooth headsets don’t always have to be expensive. You can still enjoy all the features mentioned above at an affordable price. 

How you ask, we got our hands (and ears) on the much sought-after Sena SMH10D-11, and we love it! Read on to find out why and be prepared, for the SMH10D-11 will take you by surprise!

Sena SMH10D-11 Review

Sena outdoes itself every time they launch a new product, and the SMH10D-11 is no exception! It is an upgraded version of the Sena SMH10. 

The designers made it especially for motorcycle riders to keep them connected via intercom for close to 1 kilometer! So, if you are far and out of sight, you can still make sure that other riders are still around. 

That allows you to share music or even talk to fellow riders and enjoy your long journey. Not only one user, but you can also speak to three other riders, making it convenient for a four-way conversation! 

Even when the other riders do not have the Sena, this Bluetooth headset connects to all other gear using the Universal Intercom protocol.

The Bluetooth connectivity allows all you adventure lovers to connect the device to your phone. And we all know what that means, listening to your favorite music all through the ride! You can also share the playlist with your friends and enjoy listening together. 

Moreover, you will no longer have to take off your gloves to answer calls as the Bluetooth-enabled Sena SMH10D-11 lets you make and receive calls hands-free. 

We all know how annoying it can be to stop every two minutes, take off the gloves and then access the phone/headset, and Sena knows it too! You can also connect the Sena device to GPS guides for better navigation. 

Thanks to the ergonomic feature of the Jog Dial, it is a breeze to use this device. Controlling the volume for various activities on this device is accessible by using the Jog Dial feature. 

Additionally, it saves the volume levels of previously connected profiles. This means that the volume for calls, music, and intercom are saved separately. The Bluetooth headset also features Advanced Noise Control technology to cut down background noises during incoming and outgoing calls. 

That means you could be riding at a whopping 80MPH on a windy day and call your friend; they still wouldn’t know you’re on the road! It uses advanced digital processing technology to give you crystal clear sound quality that automatically boosts in a noisy environment.

It comes with a universal microphone kit featuring both a boom microphone and a wired microphone to make it suitable for all helmet installations. Sena offers a two-year warranty on this Bluetooth headset against workmanship defects. 

The SMH10D-11 offers a 12hours talk time and takes about 2.5 hours to charge its lithium-polymer battery. You can enjoy using the headset even in inclement weather as this Sena headset is water-resistant. “I took it through a nasty thunderstorm where it got pelted with sideways rain, and it never even hiccuped. 

Stands up to bad weather pretty nicely,” read one of the reviews. The lightweight body of the headsets makes them suitable for long trips. You don’t want the weight of your helmet plus the weight of the headsets on a windy journey!

The Sena package includes the SMH10D-11 headset, microphone clamp unit, universal microphone kit, data cable, and USB power, mounting adapters, mic sponges, velcro pads, speaker pads, 3.5mm jack cable, Allen wrench, mic cap, warranty, and manual. 

Features

• Bluetooth connectivity- easy pairing with phone/GPS device
• Four-way conferencing- lets you connect to three other riders 
• 12 hours talk time
• Speakers are loud while riding with loud silencers all day long
• 10 hours of battery backup with 100% volume

PROs & CONs

Our take on the product: We’ve used the Sena SMH10D-11 for quite some time now and like all features. 

The lightweight body has a large Jog Dial which makes controlling easy even with gloves on. We tested the headset in rough weather and did not find any malfunctions. All in all, great features!

Conclusion

Sena keeps getting better and better with every new headset they release. As we said, the SMH10D-11 is an upgrade to the SMH10 and has unique features.

This Bluetooth headset is designed especially for motorcycle riders and lets you connect with three other riders on the road at a distance of up to 900m. The four-way conferencing is ideal for long-distance trips when you need to communicate about navigation, pit stops, etc. 

Bluetooth connectivity lets you enjoy your trip. You can listen to and share your favorite music on this and can also receive hands-free calls. That means you don’t have to stop at the corner to take your gloves off.  

There’s nothing more annoying than having your boss call you on a trip, but with Sena, you can easily answer the call and continue listening to the banger you were listening to! 

Additionally, the Jog Dial of the Sena SMH10D-11 is intuitive and has an ergonomic design. With playback control on the Jog Dial, you can effortlessly pause, play, and skip music! 

It is easy to install the headset and also quick and easy to detach it after your ride.

Every buyer seems to love its long-lasting battery life, and we definitely agree! With this headset, Sena gives you 12 hours of talk time on a single charge! You can chat with your fellow rider for a long time on a long trip with the SMH10D-11. 

Nobody on a call with you will know you’re on your bike because the headsets offer excellent noise cancellation. It provides crystal-clear audio with an automatic boost in noisy environments. 

So, you can talk to your boss amidst traffic and hear every word clearly. The fact that you can save volume levels for different functions like calls, music, and intercom makes this headset even better (as if it wasn’t good already!)! 

Like us, if you are an adventure lover who enjoys listening to music and talking to your on-road friends, this Sena headset is the best for you.

The makers know precisely what you are looking for; thus, Sena delivers excellent motorcycle-specific features on this headset! 

With the two-year warranty offered by Sena, this SMH10D-11 is tough to beat! If you’re a registered Sena user, it gives you free access to firm upgrades to ensure that the headset is always up to date. One review reads, “Easy to fit, easy to use, and an excellent buy.” We agree! 

Motorcycle Intercom Buying Guide 

If you don’t like both of them, then you can go with another intercom, but there are some important points that you should keep in mind before buying any intercom. Here are those important points:

• Range of Communication: How far can the intercom of the helmet connect? Of Course, if you’re only looking to talk to the passenger, a high range does not matter.

However, if you tag along with other riders, you may want a greater range of communication. If you’re riding in areas with no traffic, you won’t need to cover a considerable distance; however, if there’s traffic and you have spread apart, you need an extended range of communication.

• Users: How many users can connect with each other via the communication system you choose? Some intercoms support two users, while others support 3-4 users. 

So, based on the number of riders, choose an appropriate intercom. But remember, the more people it supports, the costlier it becomes! 

• Connectivity: Does the intercom connect with your phone or other MP3 devices? We all want an epic playlist for our adventurous rides over the weekend. Go for those headsets that pair via Bluetooth easily and also allow corded audio inputs. 

So, if you don’t want to connect your phone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices, you can still use a jack input to connect to a corded audio input. 

• Battery Life: Nobody likes to be interrupted in the middle of an exciting conversation. Imagine if that happens on your road trip! Frustrating, right?

Go for headsets that have a longer battery life that is reliable for long hours of talk-time! Another aspect is the amount of time it takes to charge. Buy those headsets that get charged in a short span of time. 

• Installation: Check the type of helmet before buying a Bluetooth headset and intercom for your helmet. The unit should easily install in your helmet and must stay secure. Most of the intercoms come with clamp mounts or stick-on mounts that stay steady. 

• Design: Nobody wants a heavy, bulky headset while riding! Go for those intercoms that have a lightweight body and allow you to access the buttons easily. 

Most of us wear gloves while going on an adventure. We do not want to stop at a corner, take off the glove, and then raise the volume of our favorite song. Some units have larger dials and buttons that offer easy access, even in thick gloves!

• Audio Quality: An intercom should essentially minimize the sound of wind and other noise to enable clear communication between riders. 

Imagine talking to the passenger through an intercom and still being disturbed by the noise of the wind? Wouldn’t you rather scream at each other?! Oh no, please don’t! Thankfully, both SMH5 and SMH10 promise to reduce the noise of the wind! 

FAQ