Cardo Scala Rider G4
4.3
5
67
67
I recommend this product
I have used this product during several long distance races and cross country trips. I only had to charge it 4 times in 18 days of use 16,500 miles. I love the way it works with my iphone for playing music directly through the bluetooth. I have used other products but this is the one I recommend to my friends and family.
July 2, 2012
Great idea, lousy execution
To start, I consider myself very tech capable. I am an airline pilot and have been using motorcycle comm. equip from different manufacturers for years.
The pairing process worked initially, but no thanks to the manual. After awhile, the pairing process quits, and off we go with the typical reboot, restart etc. After a call to tech support I was told my first problem was following the manual, here's how you really should do it. Great.
Still no luck. I have a Mac, and there is nothing on the box that says you can't use the software with a Mac yet. Great. Using windows on my mac (Parallels software) was troublesome. Finally getting that working I turned of VOX (voice activation) mode as it's very difficult to carry on a conversation impromptu that way. No go. You have to use the buttons to turn off VOX, and the manual is very difficult to follow.
A second call to tech support. Again, disregard the manual, it's no good, again: "here's how you really do it", the first guy gave you wrong info. Getting the settings right requires a complex set of steps and lights that the manual absolutely doesn't explain.
Oh, and yah, I have a Nolan flip face and you have to use the glue pad to mount it. Of course, the glue pad came lose and on a 9 day trip I had to duct tape my wife's headset cradle to the helmet.
The unit mounts very UNfirmly into the cradle. Put the helmet down on the bike seat and it comes off. Now I just came home and it fell off again as it's mounted so insecurely it fell off on the ride!
This is a very frustrating piece of equipment and way too expensive. It it did what it's supposed to do without all the hassle then OK on the price, but like most bluetooth products, pairing and trustworthy usage is still pretty much a disaster.
Can you tell I'm not happy?
Hopefully, after my third call today they will replace the lost unit. Oh yah, and after two calls giving me ridiculously detailed reset instructions and telling me the manual is no good, I heard the tech support guy "dissing" me in the background when he thought I couldn't hear. Nice.
June 27, 2012
Easy to use and nice to have.
This G4 unit replaced one that went down the road at 55mph attached to a helmet and my wife. The wife got broken a little as did the G4 unit but both were in usable condition after a good dusting off. I replaced the unit because it was severely scarred and was starting to not hold a charge as well as the one on my helmet. Scala Rider is top-notch gear. RevZilla is a top-notched dealer.
May 28, 2012
This really makes riding together alot of fun
This scala unit we bought for our daughter who rides with us.Three of us talk with no problems.Sometimes all at the same time LOL! It makes riding together very easy.There is no guessing what is going on.
May 28, 2012
Good bang for the buck
Had the Q2 previously. Sound quality of the G4 is much improved. Install is easy. The VOX doesn't seem to work quite as well as the Q2 did but I've read a tip to speak a long slow command to initiate the VOX, something like heeeelllllllooooooooo. Going to try that. Otherwise very happy with the G4 and would purchase again.
May 9, 2012
Great Product!!
I've had this set for about 2 weeks now. The setup and installation is as simple as it gets. The hardest part of the entire setup is just placing the speakers where they match your ears in your helmet. (Which is not all that hard) When I purchased the G4, I also purchased the "wired microphone" accessory set to use in my full faced helmet. (HJC IS-16) Once you have the speakers in the right position, the sound is great. The volume has plenty of range and there have been times I've had to turn it down to hear traffic. I've used the bluetooth phone, the intercom (paired with an older Q2 Pro) and the plug in for iPod. All work flawlessly. The only thing you need to realize is, when you are using a plugged in MP3 player, the Vox is disabled. You must actually push the button to answer the phone or initiate an intercom call.
Contrary to popular belief, you can also use this on a half-helmet. I also have a GMax G-55 and used the glue mount and original boom mic on the helmet. To mount the speakers, I used the "cool weather" ear covers and they work awesome. Wind noise is almost non-existant and my ride partners said it sounded great over the intercom. Again, sound in the speakers, even on the half-helmet is great.. I highly recommend this product..
April 20, 2012
Awesome
This is exactly what I was looking for. Easy to use, easy to install, durable and setup was simple. Very simple to connect to my iPhone and set radio stations via computer connection. I had previously owned a Scala Rider, and it did not have the features I was looking for, and very awkward to use.
April 16, 2012
Cardo G4 the best around
I have had my Cardo Scala G4 for a week now it’s fantastic. I previously owned the Q2 Pro. The G4 is superior in every way stereo audio, full iphone compatibility, improved FM antenna and the best part the audio automatically adjust based on the speed of the bike. Of course you still have manual control of the audio. My only gripe is you need access to a 32-bit PC for the initial setup to update it to the newest firmware.
March 20, 2012