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The scalas except for their music rendering capability are the best things for rider--rider to pillion--rider to rider comfort

Unless used you cannot possibly fathom what you have been missing

There is actually no issues with their music capabilities, other than the fact that the speakers are quite a distance away from your ears stuck to the helmet, so you cannot actually hear any bass or mid tones. If they could find a way to make on ear, it would be great!

I have used the G4 (these ones will be even better since they updated!) all across the Italian roadtrip with me and Anurag (on the Ducatis) speaking to each other at speeds of 130 kmph constant on Italian autostrada. Perfect way to vent out all our frustrations in-situ! . Needless to say indispensable if you are shooting a biker and want to him to position in someone against a landscape - you dont have to shout anymore. I had also adapted this to be in - car like headphones, for car-bike communication.

This is a wonderful piece of touring equipment. I have the G4 and have extensively used it for rider-passenger talk for our global rides and cant praise it enough. Normally, we switch it ON in the morning and switch it OFF at night. The charge holds.

Like darkknight rightly said, only after you use it do you realize what you have missed.

Highly recommend it.

18,500 & 33,000 ... damn costly man... is there any option in under 5000 rupees.

Actually, the technology is not rocket science, but being wireless Bluetooth stuff, all these intercoms I agree are still priced high. However, if its for the traditional rider to passenger intercom, WITH WIRES, the big old names are still Autocom, J&M etc, but I was earlier using the HJC-50 Tandem Pro and it worked beautifully without any problems. If still available the HJC should run about US$ 140 all inclusive for the unit, cables, earphones, mic to fit 2 helmets.

Just that its a lot more convenient with Bluetooth as you dont have the cables running around you & your passenger. You dont have to remember to disconnect the cables while getting off the bike etc. Besides, during group rides, with the Scala it feels like the rider on other bike is sitting behind you & talking.

How reliable is bluetooth for rider-to-rider communication? We have seen the best of bluetooth headsets getting disconnected from our smartphones in barely a few metre's - or for that matter, even if we keep pur phones in our hip-pockets. So how strong will the communication be, in case of two bikes at constantly varying distances from each other?

Haroon, this is definitely not bluetooth that these devices are working for B2B communication! BT is only used for pairing with your mobile phone which stays in your pocket or on the bike!

This is much more than that - we are talking about powerful radio frequencies here(FM?), because BT is only for short range, especially when you are transmitting secure info like photos etc between mobile devices. The noise cancellation is admirable too. Sometimes though pairing them up is irksome, however once you get the hang of it, it magic~!

don't forget it was with you that I first experienced them on the ducatis

later bought, more for the now additional rider on the back

For Sure!

@everyone, here is the DSG/Scale detail:

I remember using the wired unit on you bike in KSA. If price is an issue and the rider-pillion comm is the need, I would anyday go for that. BTW, there are many cheap Chinese alternatives available on www.dx.com, but going by my past experience with their products, no, thank you.

What I meant is that CB radio (bike specific with PTT button on handlebar) has been in use for a very long time by biker groups with the option of using any one of 20-30 CB channels. However, this is a compact & wireless (on the bike) solution so I mean, its like the Pharma industry where the actual cost of production is not high but you pay a premium for the research or technology.

They are built tough and are reliable. I have ridden for hours in pouring/moderate rain and it did not have any problems. Sound quality is excellent. The only glitches I found was that at times we lose connection while riding thru thickly wooded areas, high mountains etc, but just hold the button pressed on the move and it pairs back & all is well. Another problem I had was that when I pair the Scala to my GPS, the intercom gets disconnected. I am a tech challenged guy so I did not spend too much time experimenting & wasting my riding time and just use the Scala for the intercom only.

In South Africa, I was sitting on the bike on the road with my helmet on, while my wife went into a large supermarket to pick up some urgent stuff. When she wanted to check something with me, she put on the helmet and asked me and I answered. So it worked well inspite of she being inside the building and me outside on the road.