How to Install a Cardo Packtalk Edge on the HJC i11

Adhesive mount, Velcro speakers and smart mic placement

The Short Answer: To install a Cardo Packtalk Edge on an HJC i11, stick the adhesive mount on the left side, not too far forward, back, high or low. Remove both cheek pads and pull back the crown liner, Velcro the JBL speakers into the recesses, mount the wired mic center-chin, hide the cables, then reinstall the pads and snap the unit on.

Bluetooth communicators have a reputation for turning otherwise level-headed riders into nervous wrecks the moment they have to pry the cheek pads out of a pricey helmet. Adam Waheed’s SpeedAddictsTV install guides exist to fix that. In this one, he installs a Cardo Systems Packtalk Edge in the HJC i11, one of the most popular budget full-face helmets, step by step, and shows that with a little patience it’s a genuinely easy at-home job.

Sponsored by Speed Addicts

This installation guide is brought to you by Speed Addicts, home of the full lineup of Cardo Systems communicators and helmets like the HJC i11. If you’re in Southern California, visit the Speed Addicts Superstore in Orange, California, to see and try helmets and Cardo units in person. Buy your communicator there and the crew will install it for you if you’d rather not do it at home.

As Waheed puts it, “Sometimes it’s a little bit nerve-racking taking apart a two, three, four, five thousand dollar helmet.” The i11 costs a lot less than that, but the same care applies.

What’s in the Packtalk Edge Box?

• The communicator and its magnetic cradle. “This thing does not come loose.”
• A pair of JBL-designed speakers.
• A wired mic you can position anywhere in the chin bar, and a boom mic with slightly better voice quality. “The difference is very, very subtle. They’re both great microphones.”
• An adhesive glue plate (generally better for dirt helmets, but fine on the street) and a plastic clamp.
• Velcro mounts, shims and alcohol wipes.

Finding the Mounting Sweet Spot

For the i11, Waheed chooses the adhesive mount because it works better with the side of this helmet. Placement matters: always the left side, not so far forward that it’s in the way, not so far back that it’s hard to reach with your left hand, not so high that it interferes with the visor, and not so low that it hits your collarbone when you turn your head left. Do a test run before peeling the backing; the 3M adhesive is designed for one use. Waheed says you can sometimes get a second use if you clean the surface with the alcohol wipes, but it’s best to start with a new one.

Step-by-Step: Installing the Packtalk Edge on the i11

1. Seat the adhesive plate in the cradle, peel the backing and press it onto the left side at your chosen spot.
2. Remove both cheek pads carefully. Pulling too hard can rip out a plastic pin and ruin the helmet.
3. Pull back the top crown liner (you don’t need to remove the front brow) for cable routing.
4. Stick 3M Velcro to each speaker and press it into the i11’s speaker recess. The short-cable speaker goes on the cradle side, the long one on the opposite side. “Look at how clean that… JBL speaker fits into that recess.”
5. Use the double-sided Velcro shims if needed. They push the speakers out toward your ears, which helps narrow heads in deep recesses. Skip them if you have a wide head.
6. Connect the speaker jack, hide it inside the shell, and reseat the crown liner.
7. Mount the wired mic with its Velcro strip in the middle of the chin bar, away from the intake vents and not so low it sits in the wind stream, with the wire facing the Cardo unit.
8. Plug in the mic using the arrow markings and tuck away the extra wire.
9. Reinstall the cheek pads, lining up the plastic pins. On the i11, route the chin straps through the cheek pads.
10. Snap the Packtalk Edge onto the cradle.

Waheed is impressed with the i11’s build: “This i11 helmet’s actually very well put together and easy to work with,” which makes the install very easy, especially for a reasonably priced helmet.

Second Helmet Kit and Refresh Kit

Running two helmets? Cardo’s second helmet kit includes everything except the electronics (mount, speakers and microphones), so you can pop the Edge off one helmet and onto the other. High-mileage riders can also buy Cardo’s refresh kit to replace worn consumables and make the setup look like new.

Cardo Packtalk Edge and HJC i11 Specifications

Related Moto-1 Reading

• Cardo Packtalk Pro Top 5 Review: Cardo’s premium communicator
• Best Motorcycle Helmet Fitment Guide: How to Buy Online: Nail the fit before you install comms
• Demystifying Motorcycle Helmet Safety Ratings: DOT vs. ECE vs. Snell: What the i11’s Snell and DOT ratings mean
• Cardo Beyond GTS Helmet Review: A helmet with Cardo built in

FAQ

Where should I mount a Cardo Packtalk Edge on an HJC i11?

On the left side, in a spot that’s not too far forward or back and not so high it hits the visor or so low it touches your collarbone when you turn your head.

Should I use the adhesive or clamp mount on the i11?

Waheed uses the adhesive mount because it suits the i11’s shell better.

What are the Velcro shims for?

They push the speakers closer to your ears, useful for riders with narrow heads or helmets with deep speaker recesses.

Do I need to remove the whole i11 liner?

No. Remove the cheek pads and pull back the crown liner; you don’t need to remove the front brow.

Can I use one Packtalk Edge on two helmets?

Yes. Cardo’s second helmet kit adds a mount, speakers and microphones to another helmet so you only move the unit.