If you ride with a group, buy the Cardo Packtalk Edge. If your group is big or spreads out, the Sena 60S EVO has more range and battery. If it's only ever you and one other rider, you don't need mesh at all. A two-rider Bluetooth unit like the Cardo Spirit HD costs about a third as much, and it's what we use.
Every unit below is from Cardo, Sena or Interphone, the three brands with proper UK support, spares and software updates. We've left out the unbranded £30 twin packs. Specs were checked against each maker's own spec page, and prices are rough UK street prices on 21 September 2026.
The "Check price" buttons are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through one, Holloway earns a small commission at no extra cost to you, which goes toward keeping the site and the map running. It doesn't change what we recommend.
Our picks at a glance
| Intercom | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cardo Packtalk EdgeMesh, up to 31 riders | Best overall | ~£300 |
| Sena 60S EVOMesh, 2km range | Big groups | ~£359 |
| Interphone U-COM 8RMesh, joins Sena groups | Mesh on a budget | ~£160 |
| Cardo Freecom 4XBluetooth, 4 riders | Small groups | ~£205 |
| Cardo Spirit HDBluetooth, 2 riders | Budget, and what we use | ~£115 |
| Sena VortexBluetooth, 2 riders | Battery life | ~£139 |
The best motorcycle intercoms
Cardo Packtalk Edge
The one to buy if you ride with other people and want it to just work. Strong sound, a mount that snaps on and off, and mesh that copes with riders dropping in and out.
- Connection
- Mesh + BT 5.2
- Riders
- Up to 31 on mesh
- Range
- 1.6km
- Talk time
- 13h
- Speakers
- 40mm JBL
- Waterproof
- IP67
Pros
- Mesh keeps the group connected when someone drops back and rejoins
- JBL speakers are clear at motorway speed
- Magnetic mount, and it charges while you ride
- "Hey Cardo" voice commands, plus FM radio
Cons
- About £300 for one unit
- Magnetic mount is fiddly to release in thick gloves
- Mesh won't join a Sena mesh group
Sena 60S EVO
Sena's new flagship, and the longest range and battery of any mesh unit here. The pick for organised group rides where riders spread out.
- Connection
- Mesh 3.0 + BT 5.3
- Riders
- 24 in a group
- Range
- 2km
- Talk time
- 19h mesh
- Speakers
- 40mm Bose
- Waterproof
- IPX7
Pros
- 2km range, the longest here
- 19 hours on mesh, enough for a two-day trip
- Works with older Sena Mesh 2.0 units, so mixed Sena groups work
- Open mesh mode has no rider limit
Cons
- Launched May 2026, so no long-term reviews yet
- The most expensive unit in this guide
- Won't mesh with Cardo
Interphone U-COM 8R
Mesh for roughly half the price of a Packtalk. It can also join a Sena mesh group, which is useful if your mates already ride with Sena.
- Connection
- Mesh 3.0 + BT 5.2
- Riders
- Up to 24
- Range
- 1.6km
- Talk time
- 18h
- Speakers
- 40mm HD
- Waterproof
- IP67
Pros
- Real mesh at a budget price
- Joins Sena Mesh 2.0 groups
- 18 hours of talk time
- Charges while you ride
Cons
- Owners rate the sound below Sena's
- No spoken commands, only a voice-activated mic
Cardo Freecom 4X
Most of the Packtalk experience for less, if your group is never more than four. It links riders over Bluetooth rather than mesh.
- Connection
- Bluetooth
- Riders
- Up to 4
- Range
- 1.2km
- Talk time
- 13h
- Speakers
- 40mm JBL
- Waterproof
- Not stated by Cardo
Pros
- Same JBL speakers as the Packtalk range
- Voice commands and FM radio
- Pairs with other brands over Bluetooth
Cons
- Pairing four units takes some patience
- Links in a chain, so one rider out of range can break it
- Cardo doesn't publish a waterproof rating
Cardo Spirit HD
A no-frills Bluetooth headset for you and one other rider. Cheap enough to leave one fitted in every helmet you own.
- Connection
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Riders
- 2
- Range
- 600m
- Talk time
- 13h claimed
- Speakers
- 40mm Cardo HD
- Charging
- USB-C
Pros
- Cheap enough to fit one in each helmet
- 20 minutes on charge gives about 2 hours of talk
- Pairs with Sena, Interphone and others over Bluetooth
- FM radio and free software updates
Cons
- Two riders only
- Range drops quickly in hilly country
- No voice commands, one button calls your phone's assistant
- No official waterproof rating
Sena Vortex
A two-rider Bluetooth unit with the biggest battery in this guide, so you can go several ride days between charges.
- Connection
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Riders
- 2
- Range
- 1.2km
- Talk time
- 27h
- Speakers
- 40mm HD
- Waterproof
- IPX7
Pros
- 27 hours of talk time
- Wireless (Qi) charging as well as USB-C
- IPX7, the top waterproof rating here
Cons
- Two riders only
- New in July 2026, so little long-term feedback yet
- No voice commands listed
What we use, and why
We run a Cardo Spirit HD, and not because we couldn't stretch to a Packtalk. It comes down to how we actually ride.
"It's low cost, so I can have one on each of the three helmets I use for different riding. I mostly ride solo or as a pair, so it's all I need."
Mat Stuckey
Riding solo, an intercom is really a headset for your phone: directions, calls and music. Riding as a pair, you only need a two-way link. Neither needs mesh, so on most of our rides a £300 unit would be paying for features we'd never switch on. A cheap unit per helmet also means no moving a clamp and speakers from lid to lid before every ride.
The trade-offs are real. It links two riders, no more. Its 600m range shrinks behind hills and hedges, which on narrow lanes happens a lot. If your weekends are mostly group rides, buy a mesh unit instead.
On group rides and at meets, most of the helmets we see carry a Cardo or a Sena, and the Packtalk Edge more than any other. That matters more than it sounds: your intercom only works properly with your mates if it speaks the same mesh as theirs, which is why it's worth checking what your riding group uses before you buy.
Mesh or Bluetooth: which do you need?
This is the choice that decides your budget, so settle it first.
| Mesh | Bluetooth | |
|---|---|---|
| How riders link | Everyone joins one network | A chain of pairs, rider to rider |
| Someone drops out of range | They rejoin by themselves when they're back | The chain can break, and may need re-pairing |
| Group size | Up to 24 to 31, depending on brand | 2 to 4 |
| Price for one unit | About £160 to £360 | About £115 to £205 |
| Works across brands | Mostly no | Yes, rider to rider |
A simple rule: if you ever ride with three or more people, buy mesh. If it's you, a pillion or one mate, Bluetooth is enough and much cheaper.
Will a Cardo talk to a Sena?
Over Bluetooth, yes. Since a 2023 update, Cardo units (the Spirit HD included) can pair with current Sena, Interphone and Midland units rider to rider. The Cardo rider has to start the connection, and you can't share music across brands.
Over mesh, no. Cardo's mesh and Sena's mesh can't join each other's groups. Cardo's "Live Connection" can bridge one Cardo rider and one Sena rider between two mesh groups, but only while those two stay within about 90m of each other. The exception is Interphone's U-COM 8R, which can join a Sena mesh group directly.
Will it fit your helmet?
Check this before you choose a unit, not after it arrives.
Speaker pockets. Most road and adventure helmets have recesses in the liner, around the ears, for 40mm speakers. Many motocross and enduro helmets don't, because the liner is too thin. Speakers pressed against your ears get painful within an hour, so if you lane in an off-road lid, feel for those recesses first.
Where the unit mounts. A clamp mount slides into the gap between the shell and the liner on the left side, so it needs that gap to exist. A stick-on mount needs a flat, clean patch of shell instead. Most units come with both in the box.
Which microphone. A full-face helmet takes a small wired mic stuck inside the chin bar. Open-face, flip-front and peaked adventure helmets need the boom mic on a flexible arm. Again, most kits include both.
Helmets with one built in. Shoei's GT-Air 3, Neotec 3 and J-Cruise 3 each have a Cardo made to fit them (the Packtalk-S and Freecom 4X-S), which sits flush and only fits those helmets. If you own one, look at those before a clip-on unit.
What matters on a green lane
Most intercom reviews are written for motorway touring. Green laning asks for different things.
Buttons you can find in gloves. On a lane you're in off-road gloves, often wet or muddy. Big, well-spaced buttons or a dial beat small touch areas. Voice commands help most here, since you never have to take a hand off the bars on a rutted climb.
A handlebar remote. On a rutted climb you don't want to lift a hand to your helmet at all. Sena sells the RC4, a four-button remote that clamps to the bar and runs about five months on a coin cell. Sena says it works with most of its units, but check yours is on the list before buying. Cardo doesn't make one, and its phone app is the only remote, so on a Cardo it's voice commands or the helmet buttons.
Range in hilly, hedged country. A stated range assumes clear line of sight. Down a sunken lane between high hedges, expect well under half of it. Mesh copes better, because each rider passes the signal on to the next.
Mounting that survives a drop. Lanes mean the odd low-speed tip-over, and a helmet on the ground. A clamp mount is sturdier than a stick-on one if your helmet shell allows it.
Turn-by-turn in your ear. An intercom pairs with your phone, so directions come straight through the speakers. Tap Navigate on any lane in Holloway and Google Maps guides you to the lane's end by voice, so your phone can stay in your pocket.
Before you buy
Make sure it's loud enough with earplugs in. Most of us ride with plugs, and some units struggle to be heard through them, especially with a loud exhaust. Reviewers flag Cardo's cheaper Freecom 2X for this. The JBL and Bose speakered units above cope best.
Buy from an authorised seller. On Amazon, check the "Sold by" line on the listing. Stock from third-party or grey-import sellers can come without the UK warranty (Cardo's is two years), and a unit you can't get fixed is no bargain.
Is using an intercom legal in the UK?
Yes. Helmet intercoms and hands-free phone use are legal on a motorcycle. You can still be prosecuted for not being in proper control if a call or a conversation distracts you, so set up your music and directions before you set off, not on the move.
FAQ
Can a Cardo intercom connect to a Sena?
Yes over Bluetooth, rider to rider, as long as the Cardo rider starts the connection. Their mesh networks aren't compatible, so a Cardo can't join a Sena mesh group.
How many riders can a Cardo Packtalk connect?
Up to 31 riders and passengers on mesh, since a free Cardo update in August 2026. It was 15 before that, which is what most older reviews still say.
Do I need a mesh intercom for a pillion?
No. A two-rider Bluetooth unit like the Cardo Spirit HD or Sena Vortex covers a rider and pillion for a fraction of the price of mesh.
Can I use one intercom on more than one helmet?
You can move the main unit between mounts, but the speakers and microphone are fitted inside each helmet. If you swap helmets often, a budget unit for each helmet is simpler, which is what we do.
Planning your next ride? See the best bikes for green laning, or our Tyre Finder to match rubber to the lanes you ride.