New Shoei GT Air with Sena fails to pair with RT audio

[BamaRider]

A search on this subject yielded no results.

 

I have a 2018 RT with audio.  I recently purchased a Shoei GT Air II with the built in Sena.  I cannot get the unit to pair with the RT.  Instructions are pretty straight forward.  The closest I could get was a guy on Youtube pairing his K1600 with a Shoei 20.  I figured it would be close enough but maybe not.  I know technology and how to pair stuff (most of the time.)  Previously the RT was paired with the old Sena 10.  

 

After putting the Sena in pairing mode (long press on the center button) and using the menu on the RT= Settings>audio>BT paring> helmet one, and all I get is no devices found.  Am I missing a step?  I even turned the Iphone off to make sure not trying to connect somewhere else, but no dice.  Surely the GT Air and the Sena are compatible?

 

The Sena has convoluted instructions for sure, but maybe its me.  Help.

[Cap]

I had some frustration initially with my Schuberth SC10U integrated Sena system.  I am not familiar with your setup, but on my Schuberth, there are only 2 buttons: a plus and a minus.  But there is a top-level menu with about 20 different things you can do, including about 10 different things to which you can pair.  I need to initiate pairing, and then scroll (audibly) through the menu until I find the correct function, and then select that function, and then pairing will take place quickly.  

 

I need to repeat this whole process to pair my intercom with other riders.

 

I found a better way -- using the RC4 remote control that Sena sells as an add-on.  Pairing the remote requires following the steps above.  And then, once the remote is paired, I can use the remote to invoke the top-level menu, scroll, and pair with other devices.  The whole thing is a PITA, but once finished, the integrated audio is a lot better than the Sena models that attach to the side of your helmet.  

 

If your integrated system is similar, perhaps this will help,

 

Cap

[Bighopper]

Using the BMW Bluetooth, is at best a pain. You can only pair 1 headset unless you use BMW comm system.

I had had enough so I did this LINK. It is much better sound that you can control the volume using the magic wheel.

[Sirby]

I have had similar issues.  I found this video helpful.  Mostly I found the 2018 RT Audio manual explains it well as well.

http://rka-luggage.com/A46 SENA/Video Instructional Page.html

 

It does get tedious, but follow the instructions exactly for your particular setup. Mine is #4 in the manual: One headset communications device plus Nav VI, plus cell phone.

Start with completely removing all pairings from the Sena with "factory reset",  bike audio, GPS and Cell phone, then pair the bike audio to the helmet communicator Sena menu "audio pairing", shut it all off and restart, turn off the bike audio with the side panel "ON" button, pair the GPS Nav to the helmet using the Sena "multipoint pairing" option and finally pair the GPS Nav to your phone. It might be best to get out in the street somewhere or a parking lot where there are no other bluetooth signals interfering.  

 

You do have to be quick in making the menu selection as the BMW and Sena only gives you 60 seconds to make your selection.   RKA has it nailed in the video.

 

I purchased the new Shoei NeoTec II helmet, but installed my Sena SMH10R instead of buying the one made for the helmet.  It installed fine.  The battery fit into the interior battery compartment and boom mic attached to the provided interior "channel" provided (sorta). All works fine.

[BamaRider]

On 8/9/2019 at 10:30 AM, Sirby said:

I have had similar issues.  I found this video helpful.  Mostly I found the 2018 RT Audio manual explains it well as well.

http://rka-luggage.com/A46 SENA/Video Instructional Page.html

 

It does get tedious, but follow the instructions exactly for your particular setup. Mine is #4 in the manual: One headset communications device plus Nav VI, plus cell phone.

Start with completely removing all pairings from the Sena with "factory reset",  bike audio, GPS and Cell phone, then pair the bike audio to the helmet communicator Sena menu "audio pairing", shut it all off and restart, turn off the bike audio with the side panel "ON" button, pair the GPS Nav to the helmet using the Sena "multipoint pairing" option and finally pair the GPS Nav to your phone. It might be best to get out in the street somewhere or a parking lot where there are no other bluetooth signals interfering.  

 

You do have to be quick in making the menu selection as the BMW and Sena only gives you 60 seconds to make your selection.   RKA has it nailed in the video.

 

I purchased the new Shoei NeoTec II helmet, but installed my Sena SMH10R instead of buying the one made for the helmet.  It installed fine.  The battery fit into the interior battery compartment and boom mic attached to the provided interior "channel" provided (sorta). All works fine.

A review-

Unpair the Sena from everything with a factory reset.

 

-turn off the bike audio from the panel

-pair the helmet sena with the BMW per instructions in the Motorrad manual (audio pairing)

-shut everything off and restart, turn off the bike audio from the panel.  Ok 

-pair the Nav with the helmet using sena multipoint

-pair the navigator to the phone.  The purpose?

 

I'm connected to 3 friends. I'm gonna assume have to repair?  I had no problem connecting to them initially, but will anything change in the connecting process with all that just happened?

 

I need a drink, my head hurts.

[Sirby]

BamaRider, yeah, you will need to pair with your riding buddies (Intercom Pairing) again, as you did a factory reset on your Sena. Be sure that you deleted all pairings on the bike bluetooth audio, NAV system and cell phone.  Then start the process as per the Audio system manual for the bike.    There is a section in the manual covering the step by step instructions for connecting two helmets if both are riding on the same bike, but for other riders, you will be using the intercom pairing section of the Sena which is separate from your bike system connections which are using the configuration menu.

 

You do not need to pair your phone to the bike's NAV system unless you want to make/receive phone calls. Turn your phone off, or at least the bluetooth off, before trying to connect and pair up devices.  Also if there are other bluetooth sources broadcasting nearby, like your TV wireless genie etc. it might help to move out of range of them .

 

 

yeah, my head hurts thinking about it too..

[Sirby]

Just completed a 1200 mile trip, with more to report on communication link to the Sena SMH 10R. 

I was having frustrations with the connections between devices failing after shutting off the bike and Sena. I finally got the devices all working together day to day.

 

PROCEDURE I FOLLOWED

I did the complete unpairing of the bike to the Sena.

I Unchecked all the Bluetooth connections and pairing between the Nav VI and the Sena and the Nav and the android smartphone (note 8 )

I deleted all pairings from the Sena, using the last configuration option on the long list in the Sena "Delete all pairings"

Finally I cleared the Bluetooth pairings in my smartphone.

Smartphone turned OFF, Nav VI turned OFF,  Bike turned off and Sena turned OFF

Turned ON the Sena

Turned ON the bike and turned OFF the audio system with long press to "ON" button (This may not matter or maybe audio can be ON)

Selected Audio from bike menu and turned loudspeakers to off (it was already)

Selected BT pairing from the bike audio menu

Long press on Sena center button to get to configuration menu

Quickly select the bike audio to pairing headset #1

Quickly poke Sena plus button to get to the "Media Select" pairing and poke center button to connect to bike

Bike menu sees the Sena then confirm with the wheel

Turn ON the audio system and check connection in helmet speakers to radio or music source. If already on set to radio or music source

Music plays OK in helmet , then shut off audio system on bike with long press to "ON" button.  Headset is successfully paired to bike audio system.

Turn off Sena headset

Plug Nav VI unit onto the bike, bike is on, Nav comes on, Set Nav to settings/Bluetooth and check scan for connection to your Sena

Quickly turn ON Sena and long press center button to get to configuration menu, then select using the plus button to get to the "Multi-point pairing" option, select with center button

Ensure all green check-marks on Nav VI set to connect to the Sena and it will connect, acknowledge pass-code on Nav when prompted.

Turn off your Sena and turn on your smartphone

Set phone to Bluetooth pairing search

Set NAV VI to search for Bluetooth connection with your phone, pairing should complete readily as before with Sena.

Confirm connection with NAV on your phone Bluetooth page.  Your phone does NOT connect directly to the Sena, now it connects to the NAV VI which uses your phone for traffic and free weather downloads  as well as phone calls which are placed through either the NAV VI or the phone directly.  When your Nav starts directing you around traffic, construction and weather you know your smartphone connection is bringing that all to you.  This is the "Multi-point" connection at work for ya.

TEST

Power OFF the bike with NAV still installed

Leave phone ON

Power off the Sena

Power ON the Sena- It should just say "Hello"

Power up the bike and turn ON the audio system on bike with long press to "ON" button

Sena should then announce "Media Connected" and pause for a bit then announce "Device connected"  Music should play in the headset from audio system if selected , GPS directions should override music as needed and phone should be heard in headset when you place or receive a call from your phone.

You should be able to pair your separate helmet of a co-rider with the "Intercom Pairing" function of the Sena which should not conflict with the configuration settings already made.

Caveat: The above procedure was written from memory after having set my own system a few days ago. It may not be perfect.  Please get out your Audio system manual that came with the bike and follow the instruction for your particular setup.  I used the option #4 for one helmet, NAV, and phone to the bike. 

USING

I found that it is important to ALWAYS power up your helmet Communications device , in my case Sena SMH-10R, FIRST and let it discover the bike and NAV as they come on.

When you stop for more than a re-fueling, shut off the bike first and the Sena/Comm unit Last. If you are only making a short stop leave the helmet on to avoid powering it up after the bike is on and trying to connect.  It seems to me that this was the problem I was having with losing pairing between Sena and the bike/NAV.  If I stopped the bike and shut it and the Sena OFF, then started the Sena first then the bike, it seemed to connect every time after that. So, it wasn't really losing the pairing but rather the Sena couldn't find the bike when the bike started up first. Crazy fun eh?

-Sirby