The Parani M10 Is The Sub $100 Comms System You Didn't Know Existed

[SweatHog]

Motorcycle intercom systems are perhaps one of the most useful things out there, especially if you’re one to frequent group rides. They’re one of those things that, once you’ve gotten a taste of, you can’t imagine riding without. There are quite a few well-known name brands out there, but one thing they have in common is their astronomical price. 

Your typical range-topping comms system, such as the Cardo Packtalk Bold, will set you back a sweet $339—quite a bit of money especially for beginning riders, or those on a tighter budget. However, a new player in the motorcycle intercom game seeks to make a reliable, high quality setup more attainable to the riding majority. 

Backed by Sena technology, Parani has introduced the M10, a lightweight, sleek, and easy to use comms system. It uses the same speaker and mic system as Sena—and the best part? It costs just $59.95 USD. It boasts the same ease of use as its upmarket counterparts such as automatic and seamless phone pairing, and easy-to-set up communications with up to 3 other devices. Apart from that, the manufacturer claims a total of 6 hours playback battery life. 

Now, on paper, all this sounds pretty solid given the price point. But I’m not one to blindly trust what the manufacturer says. It just so happened that I’ve been in the market for a comms system, but the astronomical price point saw me prioritizing other things first. Alas, when I got word of this new product backed by Sena, I went right ahead and bought a set for my helmet. 

Right off the bat, I was very impressed with the sound quality of the speakers, as well as the crispness of the microphone. A friend of mine also bought one for his helmet, and setting up the intercom was pretty straightforward, although not as instant as I was made to believe. We had to wait a good 20 seconds before the two devices paired together. Automatic phone pairing, on the other hand, is seamless and instant. 

The next day, we immediately tested the Parani M10 on a 150 mile ride out of town. Advertised with 6 hours of continuous operation, we were surprised to see it still displaying full battery even after 4 hours of continuous use. After parting ways with my buddy, I had another hour-and-a-half ride back to my place wherein I continuously played music on my way home. To my surprise, it still displayed a full battery. 

As far as connectivity is concerned, it takes a few hundred meters before the connection to your riding buddies starts getting wonky. If you’re a slowpoke and get left too far behind, the pairing is lost all together, and the device reverts back to music automatically. It subsequently reconnects you to your group once you’re within close proximity. Granted it’s nothing like the mesh systems found in high end comms systems, but again, given its price point, I wasn’t complaining. 

The Parani M10 makes use of an ergonomic jockey wheel to adjust volume and cycle between tracks. The same jockey wheel can also be pressed to toggle pause and play function, as well as shift from music to comms. I never got to test out the built in FM radio—but then again, who even listens to the radio these days? Charging is done via a USB type-C, and takes around 2 hours to fully charge. Overall, the Parani M10 could quite possibly be the best low-priced comms system out there. Its enticing price point makes it hard for me to fault it, and its ease of use and quality fit and finish make it look and feel like a premium setup.

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