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I've noted in several posts that some of the limitations of the wired setup of the 2018 Star Venture can be overcome with a Sena Freewire setup. I wanted to put up this post to explain how this works, what you need, some gotchas to look out for, and the various ways you can use the setup to accomplish what you want. BEFORE I BEGIN Let me say up front that I'm not a Sena employee, nor am I getting any kind of monetary compensation for any of this. I mention these products because a) I own them or have ordered them, b) I know that they work, and c) I use them because they work and/or I like them. This post isn't meant as an advertisement for Sena. Honest! PROBLEM STATEMENT The issue at hand is that the 2018 Star Venture does not have the capability to pair a wireless Bluetooth headset to the infotainment system. The only way to get a headset hooked up to the system is via a 7-pin headset connector (available for both rider and passenger). This is all well and good, but poses some issues. 1) You and the passenger are tethered to the bike. Step away, and you have to unplug, losing your connection, among other annoyances. 2) You are forced to use the on-board intercom to speak to each other. This causes issues because the PTT for the intercom is also used for the CB, so if you use both, every time you talk via the on-board intercom, you broadcast the conversation via CB. You can certainly use BT headsets and chat with your rider via the BT intercom, and then have your bike audio play out via the speakers, but then you have no way of talking out via the CB. SOLUTION The Sena Freewire is a wired-to-Bluetooth adapter. The adapter plugs into the wired connection on your bike; then, you pair your BT headset to the adapter using the BT headset's phone pairing feature. This allows two-way audio (speakers and mic) between your BT headset and the bike's on-board audio system. The 2018 Venture uses the same 7-pin connector as modern Harley-Davidsons, so the Freewire for Harley-Davidson is the version you need to buy. PROS Your helmet is no longer tethered to the bike. More flexible options on how to handle intercom. One headset can accomplish music, intercom and CB communications without overlapping. CONS Expensive. Current price is $225 per unit, and you'll need two if you want to include your passenger's access to the on-board audio. Keeping the various options straight can be a bit of a learning curve. It's wireless/BT, so expect some delay when using the mic. Passenger can't have access to their own phone AND a Freewire at the same time (the infotainment system only allows one phone to be connected for calls at a time). SETUP - NO PASSENGER Sena has a video on Youtube that quickly shows how to pair the Freewire with your BT headset (see below). Thus, it's just a matter of 1) plugging the Freewire into the bike helmet socket, 2) mounting the Freewire on your bike (handlebar is easiest), 3) turning the Freewire on, and 4) pairing your BT headset with the Freewire. Once this is done, you're pretty much set. You can leave the intercom off in the infotainment system and use the PTT for the CB. If you're using a smartphone, pair the smartphone with the infotainment system on the bike, not the BT headset. This is because most headsets only let you pair one phone, and since the Freewire uses the phone pairing feature, you wont be able to use it for phone and Freewire at the same time. This isn't a problem, as the Venture infotainment system shows you when someone calls (along with their number) and flashes text messages on the screen, etc etc. You can answer the phone, and the Freewire will handle all the audio for the phone call, both in and out. SETUP - WITH PASSENGER Follow the same setup as before, adding a Freewire to the passenger mic socket. You'll need to find a place to mount the passenger Freewire; I'm going to try to put it on the side of the passenger grab handle. Now the passenger has access to the infotainment audio, and this is where the fun begins. EDIT: I managed to find a way to mount the passenger Freewire in the trunk. See this post: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?135982-First-Mod-2018-SVTC-Hide-the-Freewire Intercom and CB Most motorcycle BT headsets come with a built-in headset-to-headset intercom feature. Probably the biggest limitation for CB enthusiasts on the Venture is that the PTT button functions for both the on-board intercom and the CB, as I previously mentioned. With this setup, you can use the BT headset intercom instead of the bike intercom (which you can turn off). Now the PTT button only has to be used for CB, and the headsets can function as your intercom. Of course, if you don't plan on using the CB, you can turn the CB off, and now you have the option of using either the BT headset intercom or the bike intercom, whichever you prefer. Dual-Zone Audio Since your passenger is connected into the bike's infotainment system via the wired connection (via the Freewire), they can take full advantage of dual-zone audio. That's it for now. This post is meant to be a living document, and I'll update it as my setup gets some shake-down runs in.
