Everyone knows a motorcycle helmet is the first, and most important, piece of safety gear a motorcycle rider should get their hands on. However, helmets have come a long way from the foam blocks of dad’s day: today’s high-tech motorcycle helmets come with integrated bluetooth technology, enabling riders to seamlessly make phone calls, listen to music, connect to rider intercom, and follow along with their GPS.
Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmet Ratings
To determine winners, we developed a grading system to judge a motorcycle helmet on its bluetooth connectivity features and reliability, weight, build, safety ratings, and price. Here are our category winners after in-depth review.
| Sena Stryker | Sena Savage | BILT Techno 3.0 | Sena Cavalry | |
| Winner of… | Editor’s Choice | Best Open Face | Best Modular | Best Half Helmet |
| Reviews | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review |
 |  |  |  | |
| Style | Full Face | Open Face | Modular | Half Helmet |
| Intercom Range | 5 miles / 8 km | 1 mile / 1.6 km | 0.6 miles / 1 km | 0.5 miles / 0.8 km |
| Participants | 4 (BT), 24+ (Mesh) | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Bluetooth Tech | Sena, v5.0 + Mesh 2.0 | Sena, v4.1 | Sena, v4.1 | Sena, v4.1 |
| Talk Time | 18 hrs (BT), 11 hrs (Mesh) | 11 hours | 8 hours | 10 hours |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs | 2.42 lbs | 3.81 lbs | 2.13 lbs |
| Sun Visor | Drop Down | Snap-on | Drop Down | None |
| Safety Ratings | DOT, ECE | DOT (ECE option) | DOT, ECE | DOT |
The bluetooth helmet is a fantastic piece of technology, but like many other tech products out there, it’s hard to tell which ones are overpriced, under-featured, or downright frustrating. That’s why we scoured forums, talked to experts, and tried out a few helmets ourselves to pick out the best bluetooth motorcycle helmets. Read on for more detailed reviews of each of our top picks.
Best Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmet: Sena Stryker
The best motorcycle helmet with bluetooth for 2022 is the Sena Stryker. This full-face lid improves on its predecessor – the Momentum EVO – in key ways, bringing Mesh 2.0 communication supporting up to 24 participants in a group or unlimited in an Open Mesh, fixing ventilation issues with seven vents, getting DOT certified as well as passing ECE, packing a LED tailight plus sun visor, and still providing 18 hours of talk time on bluetooth.
This helmet may not only be the best bluetooth helmet, it might rank among the best helmets money can buy. Sena even partnered with Harman Kardon to build the 40mm speakers and microphone in the Stryker. Best of all, this lid comes in at a reasonable price point considering the quality of the helmet and especially the bluetooth system in it. As an integrated Bluetooth motorcycle helmet the Sena Stryker knocks it out of the park.
Highlights of the Sena Stryker
On the Stryker, you’ll find everything you would expect from a high-tech motorcycle helmet: top-notch Bluetooth 5.0 technology that connects to your phone for music, calls, and GPS; intercom for 4 people on bluetooth and 24 on Mesh; and a stellar 18 hours of talk time on bluetooth with 11 hours on Mesh.
Sound quality also doesn’t disappoint, thanks to great sealing around the neck and the amazing Harman Kardon speakers and microphone. Best of all, the designers of this lid packed all of these features into a 3.85 pound shell (medium), one of the lightest we’ve reviewed in this category.
Mesh technology is one of the standout features of this motorcycle helmet. Mesh 2.0 is the latest and greatest standard for riding communication, surpassing bluetooth technology in range, increasing the number of riders able to participate in one conversation, and improving on the pairing process. With Open Mesh, riders can connect to a virtually limitless number of people and communicate across up to 9 channels. If a rider goes out of range, there’s no need to stop and re-pair devices like with bluetooth – the device automatically reconnects when it’s within connection distance again. While Mesh uses more battery and offers less talk time, it’s still impressive at 11 hours.
We’re big fans of a good deal, and that’s where the Stryker really shines. To get a similar tech experience with another helmet, you’d need to purchase a Mesh 2.0 enabled headsets. The cost of a decent helmet plus the cheapest Mesh-enabled headset (the Sena 30K as of the time of writing) will run you more than the cost of the Stryker, and you’ll have to install it yourself plus deal with a device hanging off your helmet.
Sena Stryker Specs
Tech
- 4-way Bluetooth Intercom, 24+ on Mesh – universal pairing to other brands
- 1.2 mile / 2 km Intercom Range (6+ people? Extends to 5 miles / 8 km)
- 18 hour battery life (talk time)
- Bluetooth 5.0 and Mesh 2.0
- FM Radio
- Voice Prompts and Digital Assistant (Siri, Hey Google) via Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
- Advanced Noise Control
- WiFi Firmware Updates
Helmet
- Full-face style
- Drop down sun visor
- Integrated tail light
- Composite fiberglass shell with multi-density EPS
- 3.85 pounds – incredible for a full-face helmet
- DOT and ECE certified
Best Modular Bluetooth Helmet: BILT Techno 3.0
The best modular bluetooth motorcycle helmet was a tough choice, but ultimately we found the BILT Techno 3.0 took the crown. Standout features noted in reviews include a solid Sena DWO-6 built in bluetooth system, simple to operate drop down sun shield, and great ventilation.
The modular category is heating up lately, thanks to many manufacturers creative flip-up variants of their existing full face bluetooth helmets. BILT is no exception: their popular Techno 2.0 full face helmet came prior to the Techno 3.0, which improves on the 2.0 in almost every way while allowing you to flip up the front. We also looked at the Torc T-28B, which is an improvement on the T-27B and a modular version of the popular T-14B and T-15B full face models. Finally we compared the ILM 953, but found the construction of the ILM helmet to be too shoddy to recommend.
Highlights of the BILT Techno 3.0
The BILT Techno 3.0 stands out for its use of a high-quality bluetooth system to deliver communication for up to 4 riders in a sleek, integrated package. Other helmets unfortunately use subpar brands for their bluetooth or support less connections, making them more suitable for rider-to-passenger communication.
What you see is what you get with the Techno 3.0 – a solid lid with good technology, decent sound quality and great weight for a modular. Talk time is respectable at 8 hours – enough to get you through a normal day’s ride, but possibly frustrating if you like a long day or multi-day camping trips. The best feature of this motorcycle helmet might be its affordable price.
BILT Techno 3.0 Specs
Tech
- 4-way communication, universal pairing to other brands
- 0.6 miles / 1,000 meter Intercom Range
- 8 hour battery life (talk time)
- Sena DWO-6 with Bluetooth 4.1
- FM Radio
- Voice Prompts via Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
Helmet
- Modular style
- Injection molded alloy composite shell
- Drop down sun visor
- 3.81 pounds – lightweight for a modular
- DOT certified
Best Open Face Helmet with Bluetooth: Sena Savage
The best bluetooth open face helmet goes to the gorgeous and aptly-named Sena Savage. This helmet captures the iconic ¾ or open face style while integrating state-of-the-art features. For a stylish motorcycle helmet with built in bluetooth, look no further.
Highlights of the Sena Savage
Launched in 2018, the Sena Savage delivers smart technology in a small and lightweight package. Engineers must have put a lot of thought into microphone placement and signal processing technology to achieve an open face form without a boom mic hanging in front of your face. The result? “Noise canceling and intercom quality surprised me with how good it works” says one reviewer on Revzilla. That means clear phone calls and crisp conversations with your crew.
This helmet comes with two visor options to clip on to provide a bit of shade and wind protection, and is available in an ECE rated version in the European market. Talk time battery life delivers on this model, and range is excellent at a full mile. Additionally, the jog dial controls on the helmet both look sleek and operate easily with a gloved hand.
The cost is a bit high for an open face helmet, but if you’re looking for a safe and stylish lid with built in bluetooth, the Sena Savage is in a league of its own.
Sena Savage Specs
Tech
- 4-way communication, universal pairing to other brands
- 1 mile / 1600 meter Intercom Range
- 11 hour battery life (talk time)
- Bluetooth 4.1
- FM Radio
- Voice Prompts via Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
- Advanced Noise Control – cuts out wind noise without needing a boom mic hanging over your mouth.
Helmet
- Open-face style
- Composite fiberglass shell with multi-density EPS
- 2.42 pounds – very light
- DOT certified (with an ECE certified option for a slightly higher price, in the European market)
Best Bluetooth Half Helmet: Sena Cavalry
The best bluetooth half helmet goes to the stunning Sena Cavalry. While we aren’t a fan of half helmets for their lack of protection, we understand and respect the riders who prefer this form. If you’re that kind of rider, the Cavalry is for you.
Highlights of the Sena Cavalry
Somehow, the team behind this helmet was able to integrate a noise cancelling microphone in the brow of the helmet plus smart signal processing to cut down on wind, road, and exhaust noise. On a road test, you can clearly hear the rider speaking through the helmet. No ugly boom mic!
Reviews also say the speakers – after some fiddling with the included ear pads and plates – are able to direct sound to the ears effectively while deflecting wind, making for clear intercom and phone calls on both ends.
One drawback highlighted by reviewers is that this helmet cannot charge while you’re using it, and some reviewers have said the battery life while listening to music can be much lower than advertised – more around 3 hours than 10.
Sena Cavalry Specs
Tech
- 4-way communication, universal pairing to other brands
- 0.5 miles / 800 meter Intercom Range
- 10 hour battery life (talk time)
- Sena 10R with Bluetooth 4.1
- FM Radio
- Voice Prompts via Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
- Advanced Noise Control – works beautifully on this helmet
Helmet
- Half-helmet style
- Composite fiberglass shell with multi-density EPS
- 2.13 pounds – super light
- DOT certified
Other Top Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmets
We also looked at Bluetooth motorcycle helmets from a few other brands that didn’t make the top rank, but have unique advantages we want to highlight.
Torc Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmets
Torc is known for their budget-friendly retro helmets. While they don’t make the best bluetooth motorcycle helmets out there, their offerings are great for those on a budget just wanting a smart helmet for phone calls, music, and to communicate with their passenger.
The Torc T-15B and Torc-28B are similar lids, with the 15 coming in full face style and the 28 in modular. Both have stellar battery life at 24 hours and come with DOT and ECE safety ratings. Reviewers note the vents and spoiler help eliminate wind buffeting and wind noise while providing great ventilation, and the inclusion of a sun visor is welcomed on sunny days. However, these helmets come on the heavier side at 5.15 lbs each, and they use a built in bluetooth system from Blinc with a few drawbacks vs other units.
The Blinc bluetooth system lacks the popularity of Sena or Cardo units, and unfortunately they don’t have the same universal pairing feature we’ve come to expect from a smart device. However, they still boast the ability to connect to 6 riders and hear music and GPS directions through the integrated speakers. If you’re only riding with a passenger, or you and your friends all use Blinc bluetooth, Torc might be a great choice for you.
HJC Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmets
You might notice we did not include any HJC bluetooth helmets in our reviews. That’s because HJC unfortunately does not sell any motorcycle helmets with a pre-integrated bluetooth system – they simply sell helmets with recesses ready for custom-made systems.
This cannot compete with an integrated system on many of the important dimensions – cost, looks, battery life and more. HJC does however build high quality, DOT certified (and often higher) helmets with lightweight shell for the high end of the market. We may decide to review a few of these “bluetooth ready” helmets in the future, but for now, they just don’t fit the bill.
Sedici Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmets
Sedici is another budget-friendly motorcycle helmet maker entering the bluetooth integrated space with the Sedici Strada II Parlare full face helmet and the unique Sedici Viaggio Parlare ADV helmet. Both lids use decent Sena systems providing 8 hours of talk time, and come in at very attractive weights: 3.3 lbs and 3.75 lbs respectively. They come DOT certified, but miss the more stringent ECE benchmarks.
The Strada II Parlare achieves that weight with a composite fiberglass and aramid fiber creating a strong, lightweight shell. They also provide 3 shell sizes for a snugger fit – most helmets make all sizes out of two shells. Sedici also achieved stellar sound quality according to reviewers, likely due to the seal created by their seamless face shield gasket, which minimizes wind noise. However, the cost is quite high unlike other Sedici models.
The Sedici Viaggio Parlare helmet covers all your basics for a good ADV lid – a big field of view, removable peak visor, and drop down sun visor. All of that comes at about the same price as a standard ADV helmet without Bluetooth.
ILM 953 Bluetooth Helmet
The ILM 953 Pro is “Amazon’s top selling bluetooth helmet.” However, this might have to do more with its low cost than its quality. The ILM comes with decent bluetooth technology from FreedConn that supports 6-8 riders speaking simultaneously, but the unit can only pair with other FreedConn units. The lid is otherwise basic – DOT certified, with a built in sunshade and coming in a few colorways. Reviewers note the helmet runs small, so go a size up.
The ILM 953 is a great choice if you’re on a budget and want a simple way to communicate between a few riders or with your passenger.
FAQs
Are Bluetooth motorcycle helmets worth it?
The question of whether a bluetooth motorcycle helmet is worth it for you depends on how you ride. If you want a seamless experience for communication with your buddies, GPS directions, media and phone calls, an integrated bluetooth helmet from our list of best bluetooth motorcycle helmets might make sense for you. If you just want audio GPS directions or tunes, the right set of headphones or speakers could do the trick. If you want the absolute newest tech, buying a more expensive add-on system might make more sense.
An integrated bluetooth helmet is advantageous over an add-on unit for several reasons:
- Better deal: A helmet plus bluetooth system will run you over around $300, depending on the exact models you choose. An integrated bluetooth helmet will run you around or below that anyway, without any installation hassle.
- Bigger batteries: Integrated helmets offer more talk time by hiding batteries in the shell.
- Better microphone and speaker placement: The placement of mics and speakers with a built in bluetooth system is determined by expert sound engineers – leading to better sound quality than self-installed systems.
- Lower profile: An integrated helmet hides all the electronics inside – no bulky bluetooth device hanging off your helmet.
- No installation: Save the obvious for last – no hassle installing a system onto another helmet!
Cons of integrated bluetooth helmets:
- Less choice of bluetooth device and helmet: Buying an add-on unit means using any helmet you like, and accessing the latest tech. Pre-installed bluetooth technology usually uses mid-range tech, not the latest and greatest systems.
- Device not removable: If you ever want to remove your device from your helmet – say, to charge it without carrying the helmet or switch to another helmet – an add-on device gives you that flexibility.
Can you listen to music with a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet?
Listening to music is one of the key functions of a bluetooth motorcycle helmet. If this is what you’re looking for, then you can rest easy because the best bluetooth motorcycle helmets for you will be on the cheaper end – like the Torc T-15B or ILM 953.
You’ll want to look at reviews to see whether owners like how the speakers sound and whether the helmet seals well to block out wind noise. Remember that many bluetooth technology units come with apps to help you tune and customize the audio profile.
How much does a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet cost?
Bluetooth helmets are surprisingly affordable, especially when compared to the alternative option of installing an add-on unit to another helmet. Here’s what to expect:
- Under $150 for Bluetooth-ready helmets: You’ll have to add your own unit, but sometimes the helmet makes it easy to at least hide away the bulky bits.
- $150 – $300 for Entertainment-style Bluetooth-integrated helmets: You’ll find solid helmets with a decent bluetooth system from Blinc or Freedconn. Great for rider-to-passenger or a ‘smart’ helmet with speakers and a mic.
- $300+ for Top-Notch Bluetooth-integrated helmets: These are lightweight, DOT and ECE certified helmets with high-quality bluetooth technology already pre-installed. You’ll be able to communicate with a large group, listen to music, and have a high-quality helmet shell to boot. Take the Sena Momentum EVO for example, our pick for the best bluetooth motorcycle helmet.