Sena Freewire works on the 2018 Venture

[Zelthian]

I'm a guy what likes a bluetooth headset for my helmet. Last season I bought a pair of Sena 30Ks for me and my son. I didn't know then that the Venture only had wired headset support, but I did know this before I bought the bike. I had a couple of J&M headsets in the queue to purchase.

 

During our club kickoff party this year, one of my club buds told me he got a Sena Freewire for his Harley (newer model, 2017 I think). I didn't think much of that until I started doing the research on the J&M headsets. I noticed something peculiar: The part number for the connection cable for the newer Harleys is HC-ZYH, while the part number for the Venture is YHC-ZYH. Both are seven pin.

 

That got me to thinking... Could they be the same cable? Was the "Y" at the beginning of the Venture cable just there to denote that it's only sold through Yamaha?

 

So I did the only thing a geek like me could do: I called my friend and asked him to meet me to test his Freewire on my bike.

 

Bottom line: IT WORKS.

 

If you're interested, you need the Sena Freewire for Harley-Davidson, part # FREEWIRE-01.

 

Sena Link: https://www.sena.com/product/freewire/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sena-FreeWire-Bluetooth-Motorcycle-Communication/dp/B01M2CCJ8D

[Pelican72]

I'm a guy what likes a bluetooth headset for my helmet. Last season I bought a pair of Sena 30Ks for me and my son. I didn't know then that the Venture only had wired headset support, but I did know this before I bought the bike. I had a couple of J&M headsets in the queue to purchase.

 

During our club kickoff party this year, one of my club buds told me he got a Sena Freewire for his Harley (newer model, 2017 I think). I didn't think much of that until I started doing the research on the J&M headsets. I noticed something peculiar: The part number for the connection cable for the newer Harleys is HC-ZYH, while the part number for the Venture is YHC-ZYH. Both are seven pin.

 

That got me to thinking... Could they be the same cable? Was the "Y" at the beginning of the Venture cable just there to denote that it's only sold through Yamaha?

 

So I did the only thing a geek like me could do: I called my friend and asked him to meet me to test his Freewire on my bike.

 

Bottom line: IT WORKS.

 

If you're interested, you need the Sena Freewire for Harley-Davidson, part # FREEWIRE-01.

 

Sena Link: https://www.sena.com/product/freewire/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sena-FreeWire-Bluetooth-Motorcycle-Communication/dp/B01M2CCJ8D

 

Very cool! I am of the same ilk, as in "I'm a guy what likes a bluetooth headset for my helmet". I had a SENA SMH10 interface harness for my 2012 Gold Wing and would like to set up the same connection for my new Venture. According to a Sierra tech rep I talked to this morning, I should be able to use the Harley version of the Harness:

https://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SIE-SNA-HD-SMH10

Anyone had any experience with this? I tried to contact Steve Schmidt, the original designer of the SENA-Gold Wing harness, but with no luck.

[Ontwowheels]

Very interested in how this has been working out for you! Have you gotten your own Sena freewire and done any more testing? I have a set of Sena 20s and would love to have the radio coming through the helmet speakers. Any more info you could share would be great. Thanks

[Zelthian]

Have you gotten your own Sena freewire and done any more testing?

 

Yes. See this thread:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?135689-Take-your-2018-Star-Venture-wireless-with-Sena-Freewire

[ChiefGunner]

Yes. See this thread:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?135689-Take-your-2018-Star-Venture-wireless-with-Sena-Freewire

Have you tried any of the voice command functions with the wireless?

[Zelthian]

Have you tried any of the voice command functions with the wireless?

 

Yes, though not via Vox. Tap the PTT button, give the voice command. It works through the Freewire.

[ChiefGunner]

Yes, though not via Vox. Tap the PTT button, give the voice command. It works through the Freewire.

While wireless sounds nice, to me I don’t want to have to worry about batteries. Have done many trips in the saddle for 10+ hrs a day for a week. I don’t think those will hold up to that kind of use, although the SVTC has PLENTY of storage for batteries.

[Zelthian]

While wireless sounds nice, to me I don’t want to have to worry about batteries. Have done many trips in the saddle for 10+ hrs a day for a week. I don’t think those will hold up to that kind of use, although the SVTC has PLENTY of storage for batteries.

 

This is a valid concern. Note that, if you have a 12v outlet (and the 2018 SV does), you can run the Freewire off the outlet and, in fact, it will turn off and on with the bike power. Can't say the same for the headset, but that's for the headset manufacturers to solve. I'm getting really good results with my Sena 30k, but my longest day so far has been 6 hours. I've got a long trip coming up mid-May. I'll comment back after.

[Pelican72]

I am happy to report that I received the SENA SMH10 BT interface for the Harley Davidson (https://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail...E-SNA-HD-SMH10) from Sierra last week, and it works like a champ on the new Venture TC, just like my previous one worked on the Gold Wing.

When I first examined it, I called Sierra telling them they had sent the wrong one as it was only a 5-pin DIN connector. I was told the other two pins were not active on the Venture (same on the HD) and the 5-pin would work. Sure enough, it does. I can activate the voice commands with a single touch of the PTT switch, and the CB transmit by holding the PTT down.