Sena SMH10R Review

 

Yay! It's review time. I finally upgraded my bluetooth head set to the Sena SMH10R. Oooooooo. Aaaaaaaaah. Ohhhhhh. Read my review here. Did I also mention that I upgraded my helmet to a Shoei RF-1200? :D

Since my Qwest fit me so well, why not go for a lighter, quieter version of it? I'm an XS, and this helmet only weighs 3lbs 5oz! So light. The shell is also really compact, so when I turn my head I don't hit my backpack or my shoulder. It's quieter, less resistant in the wind at high speed, stable and ridiculously comfortable. It comes with a Pinlock faceshield and insert, bonus!

I just picked up this helmet yesterday and have only ridden 10 miles in it so far. I will report back in a month or so. In the meantime, a couple pics of the Graffiti graphic. 

I found calculus equations underneath the graffiti:

I guess it's fitting since I was an Econ major in college, I did take 2 quarters of Calculus....... :D

Sena vs Cardo

Another reader question! What is a better communicator, the sena smh10r or cardo scala g9x?

Thx for your help, Patrick

So if I had to answer this question in a quick minute, I have to say the G9X. However, that answer is based solely on features and functionality when you compare the two side by side.  But that is simply because the G9X is designed as the master of Group Riding, assuming all of the riders are using Cardo units. It's a robust bluetooth intercom to ride with a ton of people. Whereas the SMH10R is really a low profile unit designed to interact with maybe 3 riding friends, not all of the members of your local riding club.

sena smh10R shoei qwest

I whipped up this chart to compare what features each unit has in common, and then who wins in certain categories so you can see how different these units are. In the first section "Shared Features", you can see they do have similar functionalities. In the "Cardo Wins" category, there are a few cool features that the SMH10R doesn't have.  And then in the "Sena Wins" category, it has a few features that the G9X doesn't have.

SHARED FEATURES:

CARDO G9X

SENA SMH10R

4-Way Intercom Conferencing

yes

yes

A2DP Stereo

yes

yes

Answer Intercom Calls via VOX

yes

yes

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

yes

yes

GPS Connectivity

yes

yes

Hot Dial

yes

yes

Make and Receive Mobile Calls via VOX

yes

yes

Mobile Phone Connectivity

yes

yes

MP3 Connectivity

yes

yes

Music-Sharing™(between Rider-Passenger)

yes

yes

Plug-In Speakers (3.5mm)

yes

yes (optional)

Replaceable Mics

yes

yes

Software Updates

yes

yes

Spoken Status Announcements

yes

yes

Voice Commands

yes

yes

 CARDO WINS:

Web platform to change settings

yes

no

FM Radio with RDS

yes

no

Automatic Volume Adjustment (AGC)

yes

no

Click-to-Link®

yes

no

Flash Pairing®

yes

no

Group Signal

yes

no

Intercom Bike-to-Bike

Up to 1mile

Up to 0.55 mile

Intercom Toggling

between 9 bikers

between 4 bikers

Talk Time

13 hours

8 hours

Standby

7 days

7 days

SENA WINS:

Universal Intercom

no

yes

Ultralight Profile

no

yes

Cardo Scala G9

I would say that if you're looking for the Cardo version of the SMH10R, look at the Q3. Lower profile than the G9 and offers practically the same features as the SMH10R, with the exception of it's low profile, thin unit. For ME, this trumps everything else. It's aesthetics, and purely superficial. But it totally depends on what your priorities are as a rider. Having ridden with the SMH5 for so long, I really like the low profile look of the SMH10R and am getting comfortable with the controls each time I ride.

Bike Review 2012 Triumph Street Triple R

Goldie in front of sunflowers, somewhere in Maryland. Thanks Maryland!

4/29/2020: Updated with a few more thoughts!

As you may have noticed from my most recent social media posts, I am in LOVE with my new-to-me motorbike. It's the best one I've owned and ridden so far. 

Background

Before I start, I want to give you background info. It's good to know where the reviewer is coming from, so you can get a handle on what his/her experience is on bikes in general:

• 5'3", 130lbs. 28.5" true inseam

• Most recent rides: '06 SV650, '03 SV650S (both stock)

• My bike ownership history; none of my bikes have been lowered because I value my ground clearance and lean angle

• All the bikes I've ever ridden but not necessarily owned

So as you can see, this isn't a first bike for me. I would also NEVER recommend this is as a first bike. I'm not saying it can't be done, because some of you are reading this and have already purchased one as your first. What you didn't realize is this bike is not just a 675cc, it's a 675cc triple with 105 hp! That's 30+ horsepower over other 650cc bikes (ninja 650, sv650, fz6, etc).

The curb weight is 416lbs (likely 400, since I changed the exhaust which weighed 17lbs), and the center gravity is quite low (but the height isn’t) since the tank is rather skinny on top. This was my beef with the husband's sPeed Triple. Although I really love that bike it's too topheavy for my taste and as a result I was on my tiptoes and one flat left which even for me doesn't make me feel as good as I do on mine.

Tiptoed on the Speed Triple. Not that I couldn’t ride one all the time, it’s just super annoying to deal with something at the extreme level of height.

I purchased this beauty from good ole' Craigslist with just 4,995 miles on it, which is where I purchased my last SV. Although I was looking at various dealerships, I never saw one that I could afford. I guess it was just meant to be, because I found this one in early February. However, I didn't have the money to pay for it until late March! Lucky me.

Past vs. Present

I often see the question of comparison between this bike and the ever popular SV650/SV650S. Having been a previous owner of both models, I can absolutely tell you without a doubt that this bike triumphs anything the SV line ever offered for me.

The additional cost of which took me about 6 months to save up for. But it was worth every.stinking.penny.

I certainly enjoyed the 6 years I spent on both of my last SVs, but I'm sooooo much happier on this beast. Many folks will tell you that an upgraded suspension on the SV makes it a worthy ride.

True, I could've spent ~$1,500 and upgraded the stock suspension.

But, after spending ~1,000 miles on my husband's Triumph (including an overnight ride to Port Jervis) I knew I wanted one of my own!

Here are a few of the things that I have gained from upgrading to my Triumph:

• More power (30% increase from ~70hp to ~100hp) at the same weight as an SV! I can feel it mostly when getting on the freeway, at approximately 50-60mph, acceleration up to 70-80mph is quicker and faster

• Smoother throttle response especially when rolling off the throttle. The SV throttle is twitchy as hell when you roll on or off, since it lunges quickly if you don't roll off softly.

• Suspension. Fully adjustable, although it's set up for a heavier man, it still feels much smoother and more stable going over bumps. The rebound is far slower, so it doesn't bounce up and down so much. (I’ve since upgraded Goldie with a custom Ohlins TTX Shock with a softer spring to accommodate a better range of adjustment for my weight of 130lbs)

• Seat and Height. Much better for long distance, my flat butt is much happier after a 300+ mile day of riding. My version came with the optional sport seat, which is slightly more elevated and raises my butt a little higher which does make the bike a bit taller than standard Street Triples with the regular seat (which is flatter and not angled as much)

Goldie in 2020 with upgraded Ohlins Shock and lighter, smaller Competition Werkes Exhaust

Going from a V-Twin to a 3-Cylinder engine is definitely different as well. This bike needs to rev at higher rpm's so I need to work on delayed shifting since I'm still used to shifting at lower rpm's. Since it redlines at 14,000, it's definitely an adjustment for me to wait a little longer before the upshift. One cool feature is the gear shift indicator lights. Since I can't take a picture of this while riding, I drew a yellow arrow where the gear shift indicator lights (green, yellow, red) will show up depending on how you program them. I find this to be tremendously helpful as I get used to the way this engine powers up. I can also program them to light up at specific rpms for each color.

Height

I know many of you may be wondering about height. Well if you've read any of my past articles in the Too Short To Ride section of my blog, you know that I just don't care that the seat height on this bike is 31.7". For me, it's a lightweight bike at ~400lbs so it doesn't feel as tall (but I’m also not a beginner, so this is where the line will be drawn for you if you’re shorter).

The nice thing is that it doesn't feel top heavy to me, and the tank isn't very wide on top. No wider than where the turn signal and engine cut off switch sit on the handlebars. I have to emphasize that I've been through really annoying top heavy bikes like the Z750s and am completely used to this feeling.

But it feels just like the SV in terms of weight. I can't really tell the difference. The biggest difference is the Ohlins Shock. Since it’s a softer spring weight, depending on how I change the rebound and compression, my height can change from ~0.25-0.5”. (For track days, I try to adjust it so it’s as stiff as possible.)

Since my husband bought his sPeed Triple last summer, I had been taking it for day rides and even a quick overnight to NY. That bike has the same seat height as mine, but since the seat is sloped a bit, it forces me up on my tiptoes. Whereas my bike lets me plant two balls of my feet where I'm most comfortable. The engine is also larger too, so the overall weight is ~470lbs.

It's amazing how light a bike can feel after you've been riding something heavier and taller.

lifted insoles from Amazon

Since then, I've also added these insoles from Amazon to my Boots. Luckily my boots are a half size too big, so they fit in really well. As you can see the full insole comes with 2 add'l pieces for the heel. You don't have to wear all of them. In fact I only wear the main insole and one of the extensions. Although they don't make both of my feet flat they simply allow me to put my left foot down flat without shifting my butt off the side, a little more convenient. Click here to read my short tips.

Twisties

As far as throwing her into corners, it definitely feels more solid and planted. One thing that really drove me to get this bike was that I didn't want to sacrifice the flickability of getting the SV650S into a corner. I feel like the STR drops quickly without me having to do very much work. I definitely need to spend more time with her in the twisties to improve my timing when it comes to entry speed and leaning but it feels so familiar and easy to work with.

Goldie and I have done 5? track days together. Most recently in Fall 2018 with CLASS.

I upgraded the stock tires to Michelin Power RS and couldn’t be happier. The first time I did a track day with them was with Superbike School and they were absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend those for a mix of street riding, track and sport touring.

Long Distance

This is Not a touring bike. But, some of us aren't ready to call it a day and buy an F700Gs. Frankly, I don't know if I'll ever be ready for that. I'm still in love with twisty riding, and I can't imagine being as happy on a touring bike in my size. I also would be sad to lose the *power*. Once again my husband is right, it's very hard to drop back down to something less powerful when you're used to 100+ hp.

For now I'm making it work for me. The biggest impact for me is the lack of windscreen. Although to be fair, the SV650S barely had one anyhow. As with any bike lacking a windscreen or fairing, prepare to be whipped around a bit and with a strong headwind.

It was especially tiring when I rode for 3 hours on the highway in the pouring rain (150 miles) in 2015. That was NOT fun. I was exhausted when I got to my hotel that afternoon, it felt like I'd ridden all day in 100 degree heat.

At least my booty is more comfortable. The seat is a vast improvement over the SV stock seats. Holy smokes, I can ride a good half day (~200miles) without going numb. Granted, I have a very flat one so that definitely doesn't help. But, this seat is noticeably more comfortable most likely because of how much wider it is. Overall I can do about 350miles a day and feel pretty good on the stock seat.

Our first time together on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2015. Kriega US 10-20 Packs. I don’t camp, so if you do enjoy that type of riding then these aren’t going to give you that kind of storage. I like comfy beds and hot showers at the end of a long day. :D

With the Kriega Packs loaded on the rear, I've got 40 liters of space. This is plenty of room for me on a 4-6 day trip. But I try to pack light and never camp. I love big, comfy beds and hot showers, what can I say?If you're planning on camping, you'll probably need a Givi top box as well. And I never travel far without a tankbag to give me just that extra bit of storage space.

I would also add that overall mileage on this bike isn't that much less than the SV650. I think my record on the SV was 200miles on a tank before it was fully dry. On this one, I can do about 180. I haven't pushed it to the edge but I got 170 miles with ~3/4 gallon left. The tank size is virtually the same, but sadly fuel economy goes down with the extra power.

For even more comfort in colder temps, I've used Oxford Heaterz Premium Grips and Koso Heated Grips a lead to wear my WarmnSafe 65W Heated liner. A quick warning about changing handgrips . You'll have to shave down the throttle tube (it's plastic) so the grips can fit over the handgrip. You only have to do this on the throttle side.  There's plenty of power for these two accessories, but I'm not sure how much additional power is available for fancier headlights or turn signals which might be future upgrades.

UPGRADES

The following is a list of upgrades that I’ve added so far:

• Ram Fork Stem Mount; I’ve used a Garmin Zumo 390 (using the included cradle) and my iPhone X (using the small and large x-grips)

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Garmin Mount

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Same Ram Mount Fork Stem with xGrip

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Woodcraft Front Axle Sliders

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Rizoma Veloce Mirrors

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Rizoma Action Turn Signals Rear

• Rizoma Veloce Mirrors (sold each); these also required the Side Mount Mirror Adapters  SKU 1278562

• Rizoma Action Turn Signals (sold each)

• Rizoma RRC Clutch and Brake Levers

• Competition Werkes GP Slipon Exhaust

• Woodcraft Front Sliders

• Techspec Snakeskin Tank Pads

• SW Motech Crash Bars - unfortunately these are discontinued; I had to order mine directly from Twisted Throttle and they don’t carry them anymore.

WISHLIST

And here are the ones I still want to add:

• Motodemic Headlight Conversion Kit

• Sargent seat or similar comfort seat

• Rear Axle Sliders

• SW Motech Frame Sliders

• Rizoma Turn Signal Fork Mount Adapter + Action Turn Signals for the Front

I love my new bike, I can't express that enough. If you're looking for an upgrade from a sub500cc bike prepare for something that isn't quite what you're expecting with the additional power from this deceptive "middleweight".

But if you've decided to end your relationship with your SV650 / Ninja 650 / FZ6, then it might just be exactly what you're looking for.

Update!

Unfortunately, a month after I wrote my review, I totaled Goldie 1.0. But the really really good news is that I was able to acquire an identical Goldie 2.0 which is the exact same bike, same year, same color. The pictures of me on the Dragon above and doing my track day is with Goldie 2.0. 

I wanted to mention that in August 2015, I was able to drop 18lbs of weight from the bike by adding a Competition Werkes low mount exhaust:

2012_triumph_streettriple_competitionwerkes gp cobra black

I also removed the rear footpeg mounts and subsequently have a lighter bike along with a much cooler butt! Those high mount exhausts were blowing so much hot air on my thighs/butt, they were killing me. After just 5 minutes of engine warmup, they would be blowing so much height underneath my seat. Not so bad in the Fall/Winter but miserable in the Summer. I felt a huge difference in warmer weather and it's far more comfortable to ride with especially on longer trips. I highly recommend it!

My New-To-Me 2012 Triumph Street Triple R

IMG_7122

On Monday I picked up a bike that I've been lusting after for over 5 years. A gently used 2012 Street Triple R! Oh boy. 

A couple weeks ago I sold my SV650 to my coworker. She was looking for an upgrade, and I happened to have exactly what she was looking for at the right price.

2006 Suzuki SV650

So I started my hunt and got very lucky with this gently used, 2012 Street Triple R with 5,000 miles on it. Pretty much in perfect shape, with a few minor scuffs.  Meet Goldie!

Yep, those are gold wheels. I couldn't say no. It was the perfect price and I just couldn't pass it up.

2012 Triumph Street Triple R

I cannot wait to shave off those chicken strips!

2012 Triumph Street Triple R

I picked her up yesterday and had a very, very cold ride home. But it was an awesome 45 minute ride home. It's exactly what I imagined and felt better than I remembered. I think it's been 5-6 years since the test ride I had back in San Francisco. I remember thinking how much I wanted one, but definitely couldn't afford one. I knew I would get one someday, just didn't know how long it would take!

It's been worth the wait. Having ridden my husband's Speed Triple many times, I knew I had to have one. But a smaller, lighter version of his. And that's exactly what I ended up with. I've never ridden on Pirelli Diablo Corsa tires, but they felt fantastic. Since I had a rather straight ride home, I didn't have much of an opportunity to lean her over much but I'm looking forward to the weekend.

It was missing some turn signals, but I reinstalled the rear and need to order some aftermarket options for the front. My plan is to install handguards with integrated turn signals. Before I rode home I installed my heated liner harness real quick. Then when I got home I installed Oxford Heated Grips.

This install took forever, much longer than the SVs took. I had to shave the entire throttle tube down, because the ridges were making the handgrips too thick to slide the Oxfords over. But now I have glorious heat! Is that considered a farkle? If so, then I guess that would be farkle #1. The next set of farkles include:

• Techspec Gripster Tank Pads

• CRG Shorty Levers!!! I couldn't help it and had to order the matching gold ones. :D

• Battery Tender Harness

• Coax adapter for my WarmnSafe