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View Full Version : Radar detectors - good idea?



HDave
Wed Apr 20th, 2005, 09:34 PM
Anyone use a detector? What kind, wired, cordless, etc.

and is it a worth while investment?

Thanks

towneh
Mon May 2nd, 2005, 09:44 PM
escort 8500 x50 (wired) various sources claim that the cordless units don't perform as well.... it has certainly been a worthy investment for moi !!! i also use the Screamer peizo to get my attention.
.02
Hayabusa Henry

Bueller
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 07:43 AM
Everytime I've gotten a ticket, cage and bike I haven't had mine with me.
BTW Henry were did you get the screamer, buy it or build it?

«TigerTamer»
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 08:20 AM
escort 8500 x50 (wired) various sources claim that the cordless units don't perform as well.... it has certainly been a worthy investment for moi !!! i also use the Screamer peizo to get my attention.
.02
Hayabusa Henry


Did you get the kit to mount it to the windscreen? How did you mount it? I'm looking into getting either the x50 or the Bel xr65

towneh
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 09:12 AM
i got all my goods (detector, mount, screamer) as a bundle at http://www.radarbusters.com/default.asp it would be easy to build the screamer (almost as easy as a TRE...). my mount is a double platform (gps and detector) that is stem-inserted into the center of the triple tree. i am seriously considering the windshield mount myself because it makes for easy access for the key and outta the way when i fuel up with my double-high tank bag.... valentine systems are popular
my.02
Hayabago Henry :D

swademaster
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 02:44 PM
I use a Whistler. It was a cheaper one but it seems to work fine. I used a headphone speaker for the earpiece. Here is a pic of how I mounted mine.

johnthemick
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 04:38 PM
I just put one on my bike, had one in my car for 10yrs and never got a ticket with it and it has saved me 100s of times. I got the mount from motorcycleradar.com, it mounts to the brake or clutch lever bolts.

I also ordered the power unit for the Escort 2500.

Hopefully, I will have it all working tonight.

My recommendation would be to go with either an Escort or Valentine1. Vastly fewer falses and superior advanced warning.

swademaster
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 04:45 PM
The reason I went with a cheaper one was because I didn't want it to get ruined if I get caught in the rain or it manages to fell off going down the road.

towneh
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 05:39 PM
The reason I went with a cheaper one was because I didn't want it to get ruined if I get caught in the rain or it manages to fell off going down the road.

I understand your thinking; i chose to go with velcro attached units with tethers. my gps is waterproof and i put a saran "shower cap" on the radar detector. Escort is the best with the POP technology.

henry the yellow sub commander!

Fly boy
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 06:10 PM
escort 8500 x50 (wired) various sources claim that the cordless units don't perform as well.... it has certainly been a worthy investment for moi !!! i also use the Screamer peizo to get my attention.
.02
Hayabusa Henry



screamer = ???


I thought about getting one, do you guys use head phones to listen for the bleeps?

towneh
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 07:14 PM
the Screamer has three modes of operation that can be selected with a small toggle switch.

1. silent--pretty useful when you approach a patrol car that you've seen or at the pumps when you power-up the detector (usual self-test)

2. normal--in town use or slower speeds

3. loud--on the highway with higher speeds

I can hear the loud at 130mph while wearing earplugs!!!

my ears are filled with earplugs or gel earbud headphones.

:lol:

Fly boy
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 07:20 PM
How do the old, wal-mart, 60 dollar radar detecters work?

not looking to spend 250 on one :(

Bueller
Tue May 3rd, 2005, 08:50 PM
Ya get what you pay for. New radar technology requires new detectors. I've got the $300 Escort Solo S2 and a Arapahoe sheriff was pointing a gun directly at me (was not speeding) and the detector didn't go off. So they have something new out.
Had the same happen in denver at a school zone were they just stand there shooting and waving people over, and my Beltronics didn't make a peep. It is a 2 year old and has laser but it didn't see what they were using.

Fly boy
Thu May 5th, 2005, 09:21 PM
Ya get what you pay for. New radar technology requires new detectors. I've got the $300 Escort Solo S2 and a Arapahoe sheriff was pointing a gun directly at me (was not speeding) and the detector didn't go off. So they have something new out.
Had the same happen in denver at a school zone were they just stand there shooting and waving people over, and my Beltronics didn't make a peep. It is a 2 year old and has laser but it didn't see what they were using.



that sucks... don't think I will be getting one then :(

Artnshel
Fri May 27th, 2005, 10:50 AM
I use a V1 and bought the HARD thing. It works well but uses batteries when I forget to turn it off.

PharmerKyle
Sat May 28th, 2005, 07:23 AM
How do the old, wal-mart, 60 dollar radar detecters work?

not looking to spend 250 on one :(

They're great at registering the "your speed is" wagons on the side of the road :lol:

I got a ticket about a year ago and was using a Beltronics. I got pinged mid-corner by an unmarked- not a good place to grab some brake. It's still a useful thing and has saved me too many times to mention, but "on a long enough time line..."

FZRguy
Sat May 28th, 2005, 11:23 AM
Here's a link to HARD...a wireless, LED warning light mounted inside your helmet.

http://www.motorcycleradar.com/products_pg2_4.htm#HARD

«TigerTamer»
Sun May 29th, 2005, 07:19 AM
I looked at that, but it was just too expensive. I ordered this instead.

http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=17169&cat=336&page=1

eric
Tue May 31st, 2005, 05:08 PM
I love my V1 - it's saved me more then I can count.....

KooLaid
Fri Jun 3rd, 2005, 08:18 AM
I gotta Silver Bullet that I use in my truck and bike (at night though). It's got the wireless option but the siren is too quiet to hear on the bike. I haven't REALLY gotten use of it here in colorado since I haven't ran across too many speed traps yet, but in california, that thing RAWKED! Paid I think... $180 or so.

ArrShixer
Sat Jun 4th, 2005, 08:25 PM
Does any of your guys dectors work in the canyons? Thats where I seem to get pulled over the most, in mid corner with some jake coming the other way. Pop radar is sucky...

«TigerTamer»
Mon Jun 6th, 2005, 06:57 AM
Mine seems to work just fine in the canyons. You do have to remember that radar waves fan out and bounce all over the place, so in a tight canyon they don't have as much room to fan out so can be harder to pick up. When you do pick them up, you are usually much closer to the PO then if you were in a wide open area. In my experience, the detector usually goes off when it picks up someone in front of me getting tagged, in a canyon thats alot harder to pick up. I still prefer to have it.

johnthemick
Mon Jun 6th, 2005, 11:51 AM
I have one, an Escort with an earbud. It works very well in a speed trap environment. It has worked well in the canyons too. I find myself much more conscious of my speed with one and actually cruise a little slower in anticipation of it going off and having to grab brake. So, that, in its self is a good thing.

Escorts have different tones for X, K, Ka and Laser, so you can usually ignore the X band stuff as that is usually an automatic door.

Laser though, it just tells you that you are about to get pulled over.

«TigerTamer»
Mon Jun 6th, 2005, 12:05 PM
I have one, an Escort with an earbud. It works very well in a speed trap environment. It has worked well in the canyons too. I find myself much more conscious of my speed with one and actually cruise a little slower in anticipation of it going off and having to grab brake. So, that, in its self is a good thing.

Escorts have different tones for X, K, Ka and Laser, so you can usually ignore the X band stuff as that is usually an automatic door.

Laser though, it just tells you that you are about to get pulled over.


I agree, except that now that I have the detector, I find myself riding faster NOT paying attention to my speed, so if you some idiot on a blue Triumph doin a stoppie, you know the radar detector just went off in my ear :lol:

ArrShixer
Tue Jun 7th, 2005, 01:09 AM
haha...trophey I totally think I've seen you crusing around Boulder, not doin a stoppie though...
Maybe I'll get a detector, if it even goes off two turns before I get to the cop, then I'm good..its a toss up it seems like

«TigerTamer»
Tue Jun 7th, 2005, 06:21 AM
ArrShixer - anytime your in the area and have time to hit some canyons, give me a call (check my profile for #). If your interested, I can show you the whole setup I got for my detector - hard wire, mounting kit, etc.

«TigerTamer»
Wed Jun 8th, 2005, 02:53 PM
Radar detector just saved my ass 3 times on Hwy 93 coming from Golden to Boulder.

It just payed for itself!!

PharmerKyle
Wed Jun 8th, 2005, 05:38 PM
The "Your Speed Is" wagon is on Oakwood, between Dublin and T-Gap road tonight. I'm going to re-test the range on my Bel from a few angles. Keep in mind that this version of the radar is not the current threat.

ArrShixer
Thu Jun 9th, 2005, 11:23 PM
For sure trophy...Next week is lookin good for riding, I'll give you a call

smobag
Sat Aug 6th, 2005, 10:57 PM
I use the valentine One radar detector, I've used it in my Saturn for now. Once i get my bike, ill put it on it. It is top of the line. 400 dollars for one though. :(

Lee
Sun Dec 4th, 2005, 10:15 AM
My wife and I both use Escort 8500 x50 (wired) units on our 3 bikes, car, and truck. They have paid for themselves so many times over that I have lost count.

It's not that we speed all the time, and we often do; it's just that everyone has a momentary lapse of attention, and fines and increased insurance costs are just not worth taking a chance on a speeding ticket.

Speed enforcement, here, in Colorado Springs is VERY high. It is a major source of revenue for the city; there are literally cops hiding behind trees and bushes.

I recommend that you spend the money, even if it's a stretch.

On our bikes, we have the units mounted on a post on our steering head with a small speaker placed in one of our ears. That's has worked very well. And one very important point: if your detector goes off, respond instantly with your brakes. That has saved us both many times.

Something else that will really help you is to get on the web and study how police radar (X,K,Ka bands) and Lidar (laser) work. Knowing the technology you are up against and its limitations will go a long way to making you ticket proof.

Lee

Lee
Tue Feb 7th, 2006, 11:01 AM
Just a note on laser (LIDAR):

I have beat LIDAR 5 times - twice in our car and truck, 3 times on our FJR. I was the only vehicle on the road on the FJR.

Technique for beating it? Brake as hard as you can the instant you hear your detector go off. LIDAR readings for the police officer are not instantaneous. Rapid deceleration may confuse the LIDAR unit and/or the police officer. That little bit of confusion is all you need to avoid a ticket.

Lee

dapper
Tue Feb 7th, 2006, 12:17 PM
:up: You can't go wrong with a Escort 8500 X50.
You can get the optional laser jammer with it too!

Factory default is set on the X50 with the POP mode off, btw. POP mode is one feature of the newer detectors. :D
For POP mode on K & KA transmission is very fast at approximately 67 milliseconds.

Do apply the brake peddle versus engine brake... :yes:

Stay away from any advertised passive radar jamming detectors... RMR!!

:cheers:

sprtbkbabe
Tue Feb 7th, 2006, 12:22 PM
I have a cordless Solo S2. Works great! I should have it on before I get tickets huh? :idea: :banghead: