Sena 30k Headsets with Freewire Intercom Problem

[gl18pilot]

I ride a 2008 GL1800 that my wife and I really enjoy. I recently dumped a ton of money for two Sena 30k headsets and two Freewire units in order to get rid of the cords, since we end up replacing them about 2x each year at about $40 a pop. It appears I may have made a big mistake.

All of the systems work fine (AM/FM Radio, Satellite Radio via Aux, Weather Radio, Navigation, etc.)...on both my wife’s and my connections...that is, everything but the intercom. There is terrible echo with about a one-second delay that renders the intercom unusable. I called Sena support and they said it was a “known” problem, except I can’t find anywhere on their site that discusses the issue. Additionally, they indicated it was a problem with the bike’s firmware.

I’m starting to think we just got duped by the folks at Sena, since it was their rep who “sold” me on the idea and never said a word about the problem. We’ve also tried the Bluetooth intercom between the two headset units, but it can’t hold the connection because it’s juggling the Bluetooth connections between the headset units and the Freewire units in addition to connecting to our phones. Has anyone else experienced this problem and found a solution that works?

[bryanw1]

I use J&M rather than Sena, but have the exact same problem. J&M updated the units since then, which they installed for me at no cost. The problem is not as bad, but definitely still there. Their suggestion to me was to set the helmet BT volume at max., and the bike's intercom vol. at about 10, and that does help a lot. When I connect the helmets directly to each other the problem goes away, but the downside is you have none of the audio benefits on the bike.

If it is any consolation, we've been using them about 2 years now, and it does get easier to use them. For one thing, the problem is much worse at low speed because you can clearly hear the other person talking normally, and then the repeat comes in right behind it. You learn to save it for higher speeds, or flip up the screen and talk as though you don't have BT, or turn it off entirely. I actually was ready to ask J&M to just install a couple of regular wired headsets in them and be done with it, but I haven't because the audio i.e. music and radio, is far superior to anything I've used before.

[Terry D]

Follow the instruction to connect your headsets intercom independently from the Freewire. The same way I can talk to my son and friend on their bikes. My Sena 20S in bluetoothed to my Tom Tom GPS separately from my Freewire. My Sena is also connected by intercom to the other bikers. My Freewire is only connected to the bikes entire audio system to include what you mentioned and blue toothed to my 20S. My phone is connected through my GPS and not directly to the headset or freewire. I ride a 2005. The nice thing is the 20S can Bluetooth to two items and once and up to 8 intercoms on 8 bikes. So I suggest you read your instructions carefully. It took me a while.