Unlike when riding in a car, it is nearly impossible to verbally communicate with others while riding a motorcycle. This is due to the ambient noise of moving air, the engine, and your surroundings. It’s because of this that intercom systems were developed for motorcycle helmets. These systems vary in features offered, but each can offer benefits to nearly any motorcyclist.

The one common feature among all motorcycle intercom systems is that they are designed to allow you to communicate with others while riding. This can range from someone on the bike with you, to a motorcyclist riding beside you, or even someone over the phone. While it’s true that riding a motorcycle and talking at the same time could prove to be more dangerous than riding normally, sometimes you need to be able to communicate. While sometimes this could be as mundane as letting your passenger know you have to pull off to get gas, there are times when an emergency could arise and communication is essential.

If you mainly want to be able to communicate with a passenger on your own bike, a simple acoustic intercom is a good choice. These types of intercoms don’t involve any electronic equipment at all. These types use the acoustics of a tube-in-ear system to allow you to hear a passenger over the noises around you. A similar method is used for allowing you to speak, with a tube used to carry the sound of your voice to the passenger on the bike. These systems are usually the cheapest, and never require any kind of charging unlike electronic systems. They obviously also have the most limited range.

For those that wish to be able to talk with a friend on another motorcycle, there are several wireless systems available. These include both FM transmitter and Bluetooth varieties. The FM wireless intercoms operate in a similar manner to a normal radio would, with the intercom running off a select frequency that allows communication between each rider tuned into said frequency. The downside of this is that it is not private, meaning drivers on the road could hear your conversation. Bluetooth systems operate on a private channel, and offer more benefits than a FM intercom but also have a more limited range. One of the greatest benefits that Bluetooth offers is that it can easily interface with a smart phone, something other intercoms cannot do.