Most motorcycle helmet manufacturers design the helmet first and add communications technology later. SENA has turned that thinking on its head with the new Outlander.
For more than 20 years, the company has specialised in motorcycle communications, developing intercom systems that allow riders to talk to one another, listen to music, and follow spoken navigation instructions.
Now it’s taken that experience and applied it to designing its own adventure helmet. But there’s an interesting difference in the way SENA has approached the project.
Rather than designing a conventional adventure helmet and finding somewhere to attach an intercom afterwards, SENA developed the Outlander around its communications system from the outset.
That means the helmet’s shell, speakers, controls, and ergonomics have been designed to work together as a single package. So, what does that mean for the rider?
Keeping the conversation going
If you’ve ever toured with a group of mates, you’ll know that keeping everyone together can sometimes feel like herding cats.
Someone misses a junction, another needs petrol, and there’s always one who’s disappeared over the horizon just as you’re trying to decide where to stop for lunch.
And things can get even more complicated off-road, where dust, trees, and changing terrain make it difficult to keep everyone in sight.
This is where SENA’s communications expertise comes into its own. The Outlander features Mesh Intercom 3.0, which allows riders with compatible equipment to communicate over distances of up to 1.2 miles (2km) in open terrain, according to SENA.
Open Mesh can accommodate a virtually unlimited number of participants, while Group Mesh creates a private conversation for up to 24 riders.
That’s probably more people than you’d want to organise for a week in the Alps, but it’s a useful capability for larger groups. And what happens when your mates ride beyond the range of Mesh?
SENA’s Wave Intercom uses the mobile phone network to keep everyone connected over greater distances, provided there’s sufficient coverage.
It also allows riders using different brands of intercom to communicate with one another, which could prove particularly handy if your mates haven’t all bought the same equipment.
The benefit is obvious. Whether you’re riding through the Highlands, touring Europe, or tackling a trail with a group of friends, keeping in touch makes life easier.
No more fumbling with gloves
Of course, sophisticated communications technology is only useful if it’s easy to operate. Anyone who’s tried pressing tiny intercom buttons while wearing thick winter gloves will appreciate that.
Because the Outlander’s communications system was part of the original design, SENA has been able to integrate its controls directly into the helmet. There’s a four-button control panel centred around a joystick, with dedicated controls for Mesh and Wave Intercom.
Voice commands provide another way of operating the system, while AI-based microphone noise reduction is designed to make conversations clearer by filtering out unwanted background sounds.
And SENA has partnered with Harman Kardon to equip the helmet with integrated 40mm speakers for conversations, music, phone calls, and spoken SatNav instructions.
Battery life is another consideration, particularly on multi-day adventures. SENA quotes up to 20 hours of talk time from the Outlander’s 1,000mAh battery, with a full charge taking approximately two and a half hours.
If you’re running short of power, a 20-minute fast charge provides up to three and a half hours of Mesh communication. There’s also a Safe Power function that allows the helmet to operate from an external power source without drawing on its internal battery.
From motorways to mountain trails
While communications are at the heart of the Outlander, SENA hasn’t forgotten that adventure helmets need to cope with very different types of riding.
One minute you’re covering motorway miles in the rain. The next you’re standing on the pegs, picking your way along a rocky trail in hot weather. So, the Outlander has been designed to adapt.
Its peak can be removed without tools using hand-operated screws, while the visor can also be taken off if you prefer wearing off-road goggles. For road riding, the visor is Pinlock-ready to help prevent misting when the weather turns nasty. Comfort hasn’t been overlooked either.
The Outlander uses a composite fibreglass shell with a multi-density EPS liner, and it’s certified to the latest ECE 22.06 safety standard.
Inside, there’s a removable, washable Coolmax lining designed to wick moisture away and dry quickly, along with ventilation at the chin, forehead, and rear of the helmet.
It weighs approximately 1,720g in a size medium and uses a micrometric chinstrap buckle.
In other words, SENA has made sure the Outlander has the features we’d expect from a modern adventure helmet, alongside the communications technology that makes it different.
A brake light on your head?
Now, here’s something we weren’t expecting. As well as incorporating its communications system, SENA has equipped the Outlander with integrated front and rear LED lighting.
And the cleverest feature is arguably the brake light. Yes, a brake light on the back of your head. It uses an accelerometer to detect when you’re slowing down, illuminating the rear of the helmet without needing to connect anything to your motorcycle.
Positioned higher than your bike’s brake light, it provides an additional warning to following drivers that you’re slowing down.
It doesn’t replace your motorcycle’s existing lighting, but it’s a useful way of making the rider more visible to other road users. The front-facing LED lights serve a rather different purpose.
They can be used as a handy built-in torch when you’re off the bike. Whether you’re rummaging through your luggage at a campsite, searching for your keys in the dark, or trying to find that elusive bolt you’ve dropped during a roadside repair, having a light attached to your helmet could prove surprisingly useful.
The lights automatically switch off after approximately 10 minutes to conserve battery power, although the timing can be adjusted through the SENA app.
It’s another example of SENA thinking about how riders actually use their helmets throughout a trip, rather than simply while they’re moving.
A different way of thinking about adventure helmets
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Outlander isn’t any single feature. It’s the thinking behind the helmet as a whole.
For years, riders have bought helmets and then fitted separate communications systems, often adding external control units, speakers, microphones, and wiring. SENA has approached the problem from the opposite direction, bringing its communications expertise into the helmet design process from day one.
The result is a helmet in which the communications system is part of the original design, alongside the controls, audio, ventilation, lighting, and the ability to switch between road and off-road riding.
Comms included in the price
For adventure bikers who regularly tour with friends, carry a pillion, or rely on spoken navigation, that’s an interesting proposition. And the Outlander has another string to its bow.
At £459, the price includes the integrated communications system, Harman Kardon speakers, and LED lighting, so there’s no need to buy a separate intercom.
Available in matt black or gloss white, in sizes S to XXL, the SENA Outlander brings a different approach to designing an adventure helmet.
After more than two decades helping riders stay connected, SENA has decided to build the helmet around the conversation. And we reckon that’s an idea worth paying attention to.
Find out more about the SENA Outlander at the SENA Europe Store.
