In a bid to make intercoms more financially approachable, Cardo has launched a new unit with a cheaper buy-in price, but the ability to pack a punch with subscription features.
The new member of the PackTalk family will sit in the centre of the range, with the Edge still the top dog in terms of the range, while the Spirit remains the entry point. The Packtalk Custom will offer some of the best of both worlds, with a similar waterproof design to the Packtalk Edge.
While pricing is yet to be set, Cardo’s local distributor Darbi Accessories expects the unit to be priced at around $549 and it will only be sold as a single unit and won’t be available in a twin pack as many of Cardo’s other units are also offered.
The baseline specs are pretty good and the Packtalk Custom can connect to up to 15 riders and has the same 1.6km potential bike-to-bike range as the leading Packtalk Edge. However it ships without the high-end JBL speakers of the Edge and unlike that unit, cannot be charged while you’re riding. Battery life is on par with the Edge as well with up to 13 hours on offer according to Cardo.
So how do the plans work?
There will be three options starting with the basic “Silver Plan” which offers music sharing, three audio profiles and a speed dial function for US$19.99 a year, the “Gold Plan” which adds Universal Bluetooth Intercom, Bluetooth bridge and 2nd Channel Connection to the Silver functions for US$29.99 a year, while the “Platinum Plan” goes for US$39.99 a year and unlocks Voice Commands and Eco Mode as well.
Essentially if you go for the Packtalk Custom you can get all the same functionality as the Packtalk Neo for $200 less.
It actually sounds pretty tempting.
Stock is expected to arrive in New Zealand dealers by mid-year.