Fed up with sena

[Gixxus Christ!]

I've had an smh10 for a few years now and while it was initially a good product, I ended up ripping mine out today for a number of reasons. 

 

They don't fit bell star helmets. 

My last star was a 2011 model I bought used off of a forum member. I had to alter the helmet to clamp the sena on. I resorted to this after the 2nd adhesive panel failed. Even then, it would need tightened periodically or it would let go while riding and dangle by the wires. Bought a brand new bell race star helmet this year and no fucking way was I going to take a razor to it just to mount my sena, so I ordered a new adhesive mounting kit, cleaned my brand new, never rode helmet with the alcohol pad and stuck it on. Lasted less than 1000 miles before it let go. 

It had also been cutting out last year and continued to get worse this year, not sure if wires,  pins or internal electronic issue but it was fucking annoying. The speakers took up so much space in the ear recesses that my ears would get pinned down against my head, not comfortable. 

 

So there, I'm pretty much done bitching about it. You want it? $100 obo.

[JustinNck1]

Sounds like more of a fitment issue than an issue with Sena. Correct if I am wrong, cause I know very little about Bell helmets, but isn't the Star a race fit helmet? I would assume if it is, it wasn't designed for any kind of speaker installation.

I have had my issues with Sena for other reasons, but I've looked at the competition and no brand is perfect.

[Steve Butters]

My sena fits like shit in my rf1200... It's a nice product, but sometimes I don't even ride because I don't feel like wearing that helmet anymore... I took the removable ear panels out but the speakers don't fit in the recess for speakers so they pin my ears when I put it on....the more I think about it, I might put it up for sale on here 

 

Edited May 24, 2018 by Steve Butters

[Killer_kaw]

Never had sena so not sure of speaker size. Had great luck with uclear with boomless microphone though. Anyhow you can do a very clean job of opening up speaker pockets with a soldering iron. Go slow. The heat gets close and the eps will shrink. Wouldn’t go nuts due to safety factor though. 

[Casper]

33 minutes ago, Killer_kaw said:

Never had sena so not sure of speaker size. Had great luck with uclear with boomless microphone though. Anyhow you can do a very clean job of opening up speaker pockets with a soldering iron. Go slow. The heat gets close and the eps will shrink. Wouldn’t go nuts due to safety factor though. 

Doesn’t that destroy the integrity of the helmet? If it is damaged in any way, even from just a small fall, you should replace the helmet. Seems like this is much more damage. 

[Connie14]

I had two 10Us that I got very frustrated with.   Each unit lasted approximately 1 year before they crappier out.   I recently got a 30k, and it is much better than the 10u. 

I still have 2 smh10s that my kids use while riding with me.  They are very good and reliable units.  I wouldn't trust the adhesive mounts.

[TimTheAzn]

I have zero issues with my rf1200 and my smh10. They fit well together. I've never had the clamp let go. I've never had to tighten it. It's never moved since I installed. It's been at least 5 years and tens of thousands of miles and a few rain storms.

[Steve Butters]

21 minutes ago, TimTheAzn said:

I have zero issues with my rf1200 and my smh10. They fit well together. I've never had the clamp let go. I've never had to tighten it. It's never moved since I installed. It's been at least 5 years and tens of thousands of miles and a few rain storms.

My clamp fits fine but the speakers are larger than the speaker cutout in the helmet... You're saying yours fit? I have the 20, maybe they're bigger 

[Steve Butters]

Since yours fit i decided to check out mine again... I was using the included spacers since it allowed the speaker to mount flush.. I just pulled it out and tried to fit them again... The speaker is small enough for the cutout but because of where the wires come out doesn't fit... I placed the speaker into the recess and smashed it down in there fairly tight but it's not secure since the velcro isnt gripping much.... I think I could get away with double sided tape.... I used to have them mounted with the spacer and they'd sit flush but they bother my ears.. When you look at it, it would be seem to fit, but if you press on the speaker is rocks around because it's not flush... Thick double sided tape might work 

[TimTheAzn]

I took out those little foam cut outs and tossed them. Then put the speaker in there. I wish I wore that helmet to work today, I'd take pictures. But again, I'm on a slightly different model than you. SMH10 vs. 20

I can even wear ear plugs. Depending on how far I shove them in my ear they will sometimes rest against the speaker. That may help you since you said it bothers your ear. But then its a trade off of a very slight pressure of the foam plug pushing slightly against your ear canal (really not a huge deal since there is very little pressure, at least for me.)

Edited May 24, 2018 by TimTheAzn

[Steve Butters]

Here's a pic... They look like they fit, I don't know if the speakers are different between the 10 and the 20 or not... But these rock around and will come out... If I press them any harder I'd break them or dent the speaker itself... I don't blame sena or shoei, i just can't get a good fit unless I use the spacer they included... I could probably permanently mount them in with tape, I might try that before selling it 

[Tonik]

5 minutes ago, Steve Butters said:

Here's a pic... They look like they fit, I don't know if the speakers are different between the 10 and the 20 or not... But these rock around and will come out... If I press them any harder I'd break them or dent the speaker itself... I don't blame sena or shoei, i just can't get a good fit unless I use the spacer they included... I could probably permanently mount them in with tape, I might try that before selling it 

 

 

Get some sticky backed velcro. Put the correct side on the helmet. The velcro will stick to the foam cover that goes over the speaker that you don't have on yet in your picture. Or put the other side of the velcro on the back of the speaker.

[Steve Butters]

It has velcro on it already unless I'm not understanding you... It doesn't lock together because there's a gap.. The tail where the wires come out are at such an angle that the speaker doesn't sit flush in the recess. I'd have to trim away foam to get them to mount flush... If I use the thick spacer (not pictured) it brings the speaker up where the wires can then sit flush, but I couldn't use the foam covers because the speakers were so close to my head that the foam pulled off every time I put the thing on... I think double sided tape on the back of the speaker directly removing all the velcro mounting stuff might do the trick, but I haven't messed with it any since I haven't been riding much

[cOoTeR]

11 minutes ago, Steve Butters said:

Here's a pic... They look like they fit, I don't know if the speakers are different between the 10 and the 20 or not... But these rock around and will come out... If I press them any harder I'd break them or dent the speaker itself... I don't blame sena or shoei, i just can't get a good fit unless I use the spacer they included... I could probably permanently mount them in with tape, I might try that before selling it 

I have a rf 1200 with a Sena 20S evo. It came with a bunch of foam pads with an adhesive on one side and soft velcro on the other. I trimmed the foam pad down to a smaller diameter so it fit in the speaker recess better without touching the edges. I stuck that in the recess and mount the speakers to it. They fit fine. 

[Steve Butters]

5 minutes ago, cOoTeR said:

I have a rf 1200 with a Sena 20S evo. It came with a bunch of foam pads with an adhesive on one side and soft velcro on the other. I trimmed the foam pad down to a smaller diameter so it fit in the speaker recess better without touching the edges. I stuck that in the recess and mount the speakers to it. They fit fine. 

You all are giving me hope that I can fix this bitch ? maybe I just have big ears 

I guess if I cut the foam pad down then there'd be more room for the wires... I'll have to get out all those little mounting pads and take a second shot at this install because my helmet sucks to wear right now using the thick foam pads I've been using to mount them 

[Steve Butters]

/threadjacked

[Tonik]

14 minutes ago, Steve Butters said:

It has velcro on it already unless I'm not understanding you... It doesn't lock together because there's a gap.. The tail where the wires come out are at such an angle that the speaker doesn't sit flush in the recess. I'd have to trim away foam to get them to mount flush... If I use the thick spacer (not pictured) it brings the speaker up where the wires can then sit flush, but I couldn't use the foam covers because the speakers were so close to my head that the foam pulled off every time I put the thing on... I think double sided tape on the back of the speaker directly removing all the velcro mounting stuff might do the trick, but I haven't messed with it any since I haven't been riding much

 

got ya. So what if you double up the velcro on the helmet side. Make it a tad thicker instead of super thick with the spacer.

[Steve Butters]

2 minutes ago, Tonik said:

 

got ya. So what if you double up the velcro on the helmet side. Make it a tad thicker instead of super thick with the spacer.

I'm going to try this combined with cooters advice... The velcro pads are much larger than the recess, so by trimming them I can eliminate some of the odd angle with the wires... They came with a few different thickness spacers just have to find the one that will fit best without pushing them so far out... The spacer I've been using covers the entire speaker pocket so they're basically sitting flush against where your ears should be.. In my pic is the thin base velcro layer, I'm gonna cut that away some with a razor and see how they fit 

[Casper]

2 hours ago, Steve Butters said:

My clamp fits fine but the speakers are larger than the speaker cutout in the helmet... You're saying yours fit? I have the 20, maybe they're bigger 

I’ll try to take a pic of mine later. 20s fits fine. 

[TimTheAzn]

My speakers are thicker than yours. It may be your ears.

[Steve Butters]

Just now, Casper said:

I’ll try to take a pic of mine later. 20s fits fine. 

Cool thanks I'd be interested to see your setup... I think that's the same sena I have... I'll try all your guys advice and if it still doesn't fit for me it's going up for sale on here lol... I'm starting to feel like my ears are the problem if nobody else has fitment issues ?

[Steve Butters]

2 minutes ago, TimTheAzn said:

My speakers are thicker than yours. It may be your ears.

In that pic I don't have the spacer in... They fit wonderfully as pictured, but they are not secure since they aren't mounted completely 

Edited May 24, 2018 by Steve Butters

[TimTheAzn]

What spacer are you talking about? I dont think I have anything in mine besides the speaker itself stuck to the inside of the helmet. No extra tape or anything. How are they not fit in the pic you sent? They look like they sit in that little area.

Edited May 24, 2018 by TimTheAzn

[Steve Butters]

15 minutes ago, TimTheAzn said:

What spacer are you talking about? I dont think I have anything in mine besides the speaker itself stuck to the inside of the helmet. No extra tape or anything. How are they not fit in the pic you sent? They look like they sit in that little area.

I'll send a pic later, I'm at work now. In that pic, where the wires comes out hits that recess for where the wires are supposed to go and it leaves a gap between the speaker and the helmet.. So it's in the recess, they could slip a business card or something behind it because it's not flush 

[Bad324]

3 hours ago, TimTheAzn said:

I have zero issues with my rf1200 and my smh10. They fit well together. I've never had the clamp let go. I've never had to tighten it. It's never moved since I installed. It's been at least 5 years and tens of thousands of miles and a few rain storms.

 

2 hours ago, TimTheAzn said:

I took out those little foam cut outs and tossed them. Then put the speaker in there. I wish I wore that helmet to work today, I'd take pictures. But again, I'm on a slightly different model than you. SMH10 vs. 20

I can even wear ear plugs. Depending on how far I shove them in my ear they will sometimes rest against the speaker. That may help you since you said it bothers your ear. But then its a trade off of a very slight pressure of the foam plug pushing slightly against your ear canal (really not a huge deal since there is very little pressure, at least for me.)

this is the same experience I had with my rf1100 and smh10. Wore ear plugs too and never felt like I could even touch the speaker. Maybe I just have a narrow head