We’re always searching for the ultimate motorcycle helmet setup. I’ve worn a lot of helmets in my days. For the past eight months, it’s been the Bell Race Star DLX Flex (in Tantrum 2 Matte/Gloss Black/White). I just grab it without thinking. It’s my buddy, ya know? We’ve grown close. Especially with Sena’s handy 50S Mesh Intercom Headset. Having a comfortable lid you feel confident in while being entertained, well, as Roy Munson would say, “That’s sweeter than Yoohoo.”

The Race Star took some getting used to at first. I’d just come off a Shoei X-Fourteen and was very pleased with its overall feel and reduced sound penetration. It did however feel a bit heavy (3 pounds, 7.9 ounces), especially after long rides. My neck and shoulders would get sore. When I first slipped the Race Star over my head (3.3 pounds), I immediately noticed a weight reduction, which I liked. Maybe it was more psychological with only a 5-ounce difference, maybe not. But as long as I believed it was lighter, that was all that mattered, right?

The cheek pads were kinda stiff at first, but after about a half dozen rides—some long, some short—the Race Star felt like it was made just for me. The venting is adequate, too. Nothing more, nothing less. It works fine. But the ProTint visor, now that’s something to talk about. It works exceptionally well. It adapts to changing light conditions, providing enhanced vision during any ride. Tinting comes on smoothly without even knowing it. When the sun drops, the visor goes back to clear. It’s that simple.

The Sena 50S Mesh Intercom Headset works pretty well with the Race Star. I remembered how much I appreciated Sena’s jog dial technology from my older 20S. “That was a great unit,” I thought. “The 50S must be even better.” While the 50S is pretty damn good, I wouldn’t say it’s that much better. In fact, maybe a little bit over-engineered in my opinion. Mesh is cool and all, but if your firmware isn’t up to date, then your unit can definitely be glitchy in group rides. And nobody wants to stress about making sure their firmware is up-to-date before a group ride with their buddies. And if you don’t have your laptop and USB-C cable on hand, then fuhgettaboutit.

With that out of the way, typical headset functionality works seamlessly. I can take or make calls (with voice activation). And music pairing is as easy as it ever was. But the speakers in my 50S aren’t great. What’s strange is phone call audio volume is ample. Even at speed. Intercom volume works fine too. But music? Not really. When I listen to a Spotify playlist I can barely hear shit. I checked Spotify’s output levels and it’s set to loud. I’ve even checked the levels in my Sena Utility app, and it’s also set to max. So what’s the deal with music volume? I know I’m not alone because Sena is now offering upgraded speaker kits from Harman Kardon. I’ll try to get my hands on an updated speaker kit and report back soon.

After months of riding with the Bell Race Star and Sena 50S, I saw a review on these Moto PRO earplugs from EarPeace and wanted to give them a shot. I used to have a pair of molded earplugs that I absolutely loved. I got them around 2006 at a bike rally from one of those Ear molding gypsies that shoot some goo in your ear and in about 20–30 minutes you get a set of molded plugs. Well, I had them, I loved them, but one day my damn dog ate them. Literally. And I haven’t gotten another pair since. Nor have I worn any other type of ear plugs while riding since…I think I just kind of forgot about the idea of wearing them.

I chose the Moto PRO ear plugs (High – 20dB (Clear)): Great for track racing, shorter rides, and situations where communications equipment is used extensively. The technology is cool in that these earplugs offer next-level filter technology and comfort to replicate sound at a safe volume while reducing wind noise and Fatigue.

Most importantly, the EarPeace Moto PROs are designed to block out ambient noise, while streamlining quality audio directly to your ear. So if you’re listening to music, a podcast, or having a chat with someone on the phone or via intercom/mesh, you’ll be able to hear them more precisely and clearly. Not so much the chaos happening all around you that you’re trying to tune out. We received a cool little cylinder carrying case (one might mistake this as a place to store blow), two sets of Moto PRO earplugs in standard and large sizes, one set of PRO filters. Overall we really like how clear the audio is while riding. I swear it even made a difference with the Sena 50S volume levels.