Benchmark Helmets intros Bluetooth headsets for bikers

We've certainly seen our fair share of nicely-equipped motorcycle helmets, but Benchmark Helmets is looking to spruce up your everyday noggin protector rather than forcing you to buy a whole new one. Marketed towards "scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts," the Camos lineup includes two new headsets that utilize Bluetooth 2.0 and support A2DP / handsfree profiles. Additionally, both tout waterproof housings and connectors, directional microphones with noise canceling technology, stereo speakers, and 10-hours of talk time (150-hours in standby). The BHS-500 is set to land for $149, while the $199 BHS-600 ups the ante by allowing users to pair up another BHS-600 for a "complete wireless intercom system."

[Thanks, Spencer]

[Easty @ Sep 13th 2007 9:57AM]

Riding a sports bike while listeneing to rock music is just going to end in tears.

[steve @ Sep 13th 2007 10:11AM]

well, I was getting a little tired of singing "highway to the danger zone" to myself in my helmet. I think this might be a little less distracting. although getting a call from my girlfriend bitching at me while i'm crusing I-90 might get a little distracting...

[KaBaL @ Sep 13th 2007 10:23AM]

Yeah, I have to admit, after using my bike as my daily driver for the past 3 years, that's one thing I always enjoyed, knowing I had at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time ( no phone calls ). But it always was a pain especially if you were expecting an important call. I also like that the 600 has linking capability. That would be nice, over trying to interpret muffled conversations, or vague hand signals. I'd get it just for that.

definitely putting on my xmas list.

[jimmyfinch @ Sep 13th 2007 8:31PM]

Don't do it.

I put my phone on vibrate and pull over when i am expecting a call.

Distractions = Death (at least in Los Angeles)

[KaBaL @ Sep 14th 2007 8:12AM]

Thanks for the concern, as stated, I'd be getting this mainly for the intercom feature, as other decant systems cost upward of $250+ plus this one looks a little more sleeker (low profile). Also, my daily commute is in deadlock traffic, I could literally get off my bike have a 5 min phone conversation, and then get back on to roll forward 10 paces.. haha

But yeah, I do agree, phone + "real riding" = bad idea...

[Nate @ Sep 13th 2007 10:40AM]

The Blueant Interphone bluetooth helmet headset got amazing reviews and you could probably get two of them on ebay for the price of one of these... if anyones interested.

[Jonathon @ Sep 13th 2007 10:46AM]

Can I be the first to say...FINALLY!!!

It seemed like such a logical thing, I'm still baffled that it took this long for someone to come out with a product like this.

[j0x0r @ Sep 13th 2007 10:50AM]

Finally! Connect a PMR radio to it, along with MP3 and phone...

[tmoffett @ Sep 13th 2007 11:13AM]

I'm very excited to see this. Not so much for using the phone but to have some tunes on the road. Although they don't say anything about the controls. I see a + and - button but I'd assume that is for volume. I'd like to see a track forward and pause/mute option.

[Jason O @ Sep 13th 2007 11:30AM]

I guess I just don't see what's so new about it. There's quite a few products that do similar things. HJC Chatterbox has been around for years and does most of this. And others that do the phone thing.
I listen to audiobooks (just for some background noise on long trips to the twisties) on my ipod using etymotic earplug headphones. The headphones save my ears since they are earplugs and they sound great at low volume since I don't have to crank them... It's simple to slip them in and throw the helmet on rather than wire up multiple helmets for audio gear. if needed, I can also throw a chatterbox on outside of them to communicate.

[Al @ Sep 13th 2007 11:39AM]

I'd never buy anything like this - part of the enjoyment of biking is to forget about phone calls, if it's someone that knows me trying to ring they all know if there's no answer I'm probably on my bike and will ring them back when i can.

Al.

[Brent @ Sep 13th 2007 12:04PM]

Can I put this in my ski helmet, I really don't want to buy a new one just to add speakers.

[dkochheiser @ Sep 13th 2007 1:17PM]

Any bets my Treo 650 cant sync with it? ;)

[John Abraham @ Sep 13th 2007 2:13PM]

I just want to listen to music on my bicycle. Looks like these won't do much for windnoise in an open-style bicycle helmet. Anyone have any other ideas?

For winter cycling I use the Giro-9 ski helmet with the speaker pads, which works a treat. But I need something for summer.

[Zarko @ Oct 18th 2007 4:32PM]

They have a "half-helmet" version which looks similar to the 'round the back of the head style headphones. Go to the manufacturer's site.

[Zarko @ Oct 18th 2007 4:54PM]

http://www.scootershop.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=103_656

[Mikey B. @ Sep 13th 2007 2:34PM]

Scala Rider is another option, been around a while.
As far as music while riding goes, I do it all the time. My helmet (Icon Alliance) is rather noisy at speed, so I use in-ear noise reducing headphones and my PDA to play music.
Never tried in-helmet speakers, but since my lid is so noisy, I'd still have to have earplugs in. Those speakers better be loud.

[Russell @ Sep 13th 2007 3:01PM]

So far all the bike bluetooth helmets have been total ass... This one may be slightly better due to actually supporting bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP for stereo however every "speakers in ur helmet" solution is also total ass.

So far there are also no A2DP bike GPS systems that also do the XM/MP3/etc...

One of the few solutions I've found I've got running on my bike now.

Take an Autocom Pro-7 unit or similar, chop the speakers off and replace them with a headphone plug, insert etyomic er-6 or similar canalphones, tape up whole package in the helmet and you just have the autocom cord coming out.

Then you get a Zumo 550 and bike mount/power it for xm/mp3/gps/phone support. It will bluetooth to your phone and you can wire it to the autocom or go for autocom's bluetooth module which has better quality/volume.

What you end up with is stereo XM/MP3/GPS audio with mono bluetooth phone cutting over it. I also have the Valentine 1 radar audio mixed in.

It's still a pain getting clean audio on most bike powered gear so expect to put ground loop isolaters and probably even isolated power transformers/filters to power the gear, plus relay wiring and a feed from the battery to said isolated transformer.


Right now it's still the only way to get all of that together, but if Garmin comes out with a Bluetooth A2DP capable unit with gps/mp3/xm/maybe an aux audio input for your own mp3 player or a radar unit AND there is a good long battery life bluetooth 2.0 a2dp canalphone based unit with a good noise cancelling mike then we have something.

I'd also like a garmin type unit to support multiple headsets so you can talk to a passenger on the bike as well. Would be nice to have push to talk switch option and FRS radio connection option.


I could design out the specs for the "perfect" unit and it would probably run $1500 but a lot of long distance tourers would buy up every one you could make. Too bad Garmin/TomTom don't "get it"

[Spencer Ellis @ Sep 13th 2007 6:57PM]

Brent,

You could add it to a ski helmet, however you would need to have ear flaps for the speakers to mount otherwise you would need to use the 500H or 600H which comes with an over the ears style headset.

The unit can pause/resume music remotely from the headset by pushing both the +/- buttons at the same time.

[JBDragon @ Sep 14th 2007 3:39AM]

Using this with my PDA with GPS for Voice Navigation when I'm off on a trip someplace I've never been. No need to bother looking at a screen or nothing. Enjoy my ride and every so often hear that I need to turn left or right. Other time I can play a little Music as I'm riding along. Not basting, just some background music. I wouldn't use it for a cell phone. I may have one on me on Vibrate or something, but I'm not going to be chatting it up while riding around. They can leave a message and I'll get back to them while I'm stopped someplace.

[hnkelley @ Sep 14th 2007 4:19PM]

This is most likely a big NO for me. I put the phone in the saddle bag and check it (maybe) when I get somewhere. The only selling point is to be able to talk with my friends who are biking with me, but there are cheaper ways to do that.

[Chris @ Oct 31st 2007 3:20PM]

@Lance,

Haha, that is HILARIOUS I checked the manual out as well, and wow!

[Lance @ Nov 20th 2007 9:52AM]

Could someone please offer a manual in english? The so called "englinh" version is anything but.

" Headset custody. Keep where power secures by state that turn off...keep to avoid high temperature, direct ray of light...performance of product is fallen if keep at high temperature..."

p.9 BHS-600/500 insturction manual "english"

http://www.benchmarkhelmets.com/Camos-IMC%20BHS_500,600%20Bluetooth

I was about to buy one of these but one should assume that if the manual is so screwed up, there is a good chance that the product is as well.

I'll wait for Sony's version.