Radar Detectors

[Jim Ford]

Hey Guys, I am interested in a portable radar detector, one that I can use for both bike and car. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jim Ford

[Trinity]

The "search" function is your friend.

 

After a fair bit of research, I purchased a Valentine 1 (directly from Valentine, on-line) about 5 years ago when I had my K1200RS. I consider the V1 to be one of the best motorcycle related investments I've made...my S.O. has been so impressed by its performance, she purchased one for her car.

[racer7]

The only top choices are the top of the line Escorts and the V-1.

Choice probably comes down to what you use it for. In NC laser is nearly non-existent and camera speed traps also. For me, that makes the choice the V-1, I love those directional arrows.

 

See the Radar Roy site for more info. For the AZ photo stuff I think he lkes the Escort at the moment but AZ is also getting away from cameras as are some other places- I think the pols are getting the message that the public is fed up with a lot of their behaviors.

 

Both can be used with helement repeater (HRD). See legalspeeding for more info on that.

[Paul Mihalka]

If you want to go cheap, the Escort 8500 is on Ebay sold by Escort refurbished with warranty, for $150. Not the latest technology but a good detector. That's what I have. ... Hi Jim!...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Escort-PASSPORT-8500-Radar-Detector-w-Factory-Warranty-/330478440606?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf20cd09e

[upflying]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

[allikanbe]

Hey Guys, I am interested in a portable radar detector, one that I can use for both bike and car. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jim Ford

 

Since you live in Md, you may ride/drive in VA too. The Bel STi driver is undetectable by police RD detectors. It comes with a car mount w/cigarette lighter power cord. You can also mount it on your bike. I move mine back and forth easily as needed. Check www.radardetector.net for more info.

[RockBottom]

When I lived in VA in the 80s, the cops used to sit on overpasses on I81 and shoot the back of cars that has passed them. Any brake lights than popped on when the radar hit them was considered probable cause for checking them for a detector.

[Paul Mihalka]

When I'm riding in VA, I take the detector off and watch my speed. When I travel in the car, I usually am with Maria - I don't need a detector

[TyTass]

I picked up a used TPX. Supposedly made for motorcycles ... waterproof ... compact ... easy to operate. Works in the car after I purchased the additional cable.

 

Last month, on our trip to Western NC for our honeymoon, I got a speeding ticket while trailering my bike - wedged between two semis and a mini-van ... just plucked me out from between them. I was only 15 miles into Virginia. Needless to say, I had put my rad detector away to obey at least that portion of the law.

 

I'm not so sure about this detector. Seems too sensitive. The entire time I was around the Dragon, Cherohala, Wayah, etc., the danged thing alerted to Xa band ... I mean non-stop (with no LEOs anywhere to be seen in those remote areas). Turned it to City mode and got fewer alerts. Let's face it, too many false signals is a pretty useless alert.

 

So I can't say I recomend what I have, Jim. BTW: Hi!

[tlc]

I have a TPX, and I think it's great. I leave it in "city mode" about 90% of the time.

[Shaman97]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

 

Right you are, Bob. Not much chance with a determined, experienced LEO.

 

I'm hoping to be alerted to the lazy ones that keep their RADAR on all the time. So far, so good. Knock, knock.

[bobanddianne]

The Valentine One has been a steady companion for us. Saved many tickets in Central and Northern California along with Oregon.

Solid information, consitent results.

And when we do our midnight rides down the coast in So Cal, it's interesting to see the little communities that are poaching, waiting for people over the speed limit between 12 and 3 AM.

We don't ride without ours on alert.

 

[FLrider]

This biggest threat to an RD user is the use of "instant on" by a capable LEO. However, even that risk can be mitigated.

 

The key is, you can't simply turn on your RD and go to sleep. To have an RD be effective, you must combine the input of the RD with your own situational awareness.

 

If you are one of those drivers/riders who just switch it on and zone out....you will get painted.

[BrianM]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

 

When a car is lasered, some of the laser will go past the car and can set off a laser detector in a following car. I have had it happen many times. As previously stated, the detector is just another tool. In 14 years owning a V1 I have never gotten a ticket while using it.

[Alan D]

I have a V1 and rarely use it. I patiently wait about 90 seconds and somebody will go flying past me. I sit about 400 yards behind them and slow down when they hit their brake lights. No more false signals and no more annoying alarms from the construction area speed signs.

[tallman]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

 

When a car is lasered, some of the laser will go past the car and can set off a laser detector in a following car. I have had it happen many times. As previously stated, the detector is just another tool. In 14 years owning a V1 I have never gotten a ticket while using it.

 

At 1000 feet I believe the dispersion of a police laser is less then 24 inches.

Not likely it will hit the vehicle behind the target.

When used at shorter distance the dispersion is even smaller.

[RocketMoto]

Jim:

 

In the car and truck I use a Valentine-1; have had it for years. The directional arrows are really good, IMO. Used it for a long time on bikes, and have customers that do, as well. Given that it is not weather resistant and the external audio interface to connect into your helmet audio system is a total kludge, and I've never liked it.

 

That said, I purchased a TPX for personal use about three years ago. After giving it a thorough workout for over a year, we started selling them in our shop. Have sold lots of them and customers are happy with 'em. Overall, I give the nod to Valentine on sensitivity under certain conditions, like country roads with lots of hills or curves. Adaptiv's (they make the TPX) support is terrific, and they go out of their way to accomodate us if we have any issues.

 

The TPX's remote visual alert is terrific and built-in audio out for connecting to an Autocom or similar is really nice. Also easy to remove from the bike - takes about 3 seconds to undock from the mount and unplug just one cable.

 

On laser, I have yet to see an effective detector that will prevent one from getting a ticket. The V-1 false alerts on laser anytime there's one of those Nissan Murano or Infinity G-whatever's in range - those have some sort of laser warning system, I guess - it's a nuisance. Adaptive is introducing a laser jammer, next month, we expect. This will cause 'ERROR' to display on the LEO's zapper :-).

 

So, if you're OK with having to cover up the V-1 with a Zip-loc bag in the rain, it's a good choice and the ability to update to the latest software for a fee is nice. Else, the TPX is designed for bike use and is a good performer, in our experience.

 

Hope that helps.

[FLrider]

Jim:

 

 

On laser, I have yet to see an effective detector that will prevent one from getting a ticket. ...And you never will. By the time the laser DETECTOR has alerted, the LEO already has your reading. A laser detector just let's you know that you are about to get a ticket !

 

The V-1 false alerts on laser anytime there's one of those Nissan Murano or Infinity G-whatever's in range - those have some sort of laser warning system, I guess - it's a nuisance. The V1 alerts if it sniffs radar. It can't distinguish between police LIDAR and Laser used in vehicles that use vehicles to adjust speed on cruise control, etc.,

 

Adaptive is introducing a laser jammer, next month, we expect. This will cause 'ERROR' to display on the LEO's zapper :-). Hope it has a feature that allows you to turn it off once you've been alerted and have 2-3 seconds to scrub off speed. Nothing will piss of a LEO more or faster than some jerk who jams his gun and grins at him as he flys by at 15+ over the PSL. There are several brands of LJ's already on the market that have been doing it for years and have great support. Combine an LJ with an RD and a little SA and it is unlikely that you will be adding to the state's coffers.

 

 

Hope that helps.

[dsl]

When Valentine 1 incorporates a 1/8" earphone jack, I'll be a buyer, until then, my Escort 8500 has not failed me. (Valentines optional earphone jack is just an added cost, set-up hassle that's a pain to deal with if you have multiple bikes.)

 

As far as the effectiveness of radar, you just have to get used to where the police use laser and instant on radar. On the slab, major through routes, commercial and residential zones with a decent amount of traffic, the police will use laser/instant-on, but I don't care speed significantly on these roads anyway.

 

On the less traveled backroads, and really good twisties, I've only come across patrol cars coming the opposite direction, or parked with constant-on radar. This is where I like to ride to ride fast and the detector has saved my butt countless times.

 

I don't leave home without it.

[upflying]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

 

When a car is lasered, some of the laser will go past the car and can set off a laser detector in a following car. I have had it happen many times. As previously stated, the detector is just another tool. In 14 years owning a V1 I have never gotten a ticket while using it.

Ah, if you think so. Multiply the beam width of the LIDAR by a factor .036 with the distance. The beauty of lidar is the ability to thread the needle and pick out a single target in a sea of vehicles. The use of lidar and radar is always combined with the LEO's visual estimation of speed. Electronic speed detection should never be used without a visual estimation of speed.

[Patallaire]

Jim: I have the Valentine 1 on my bike with the earphone adapter. I don't think Radar detectors are legal in Virginia, but since you don't speed, it is not necessary.

[Paul Mihalka]

Bob, a technical question: when a radar device is turned on solid, does it have a adjuster to a certain speed and it beeps or something if it senses a higher then preset speed? I would think so, because with our local police when they sit on the side of the road and I drive/ride by at a acceptable speed, their radar is on but they don't even look up. I know they look up when I go by too fast

[tallman]

I believe the return tone goes off when vehicle exceeds X, I've been by one where the vehicle braked and a doppler tone resulted showing the vehicle was slowing identifying it as using a detector.

The above is conjecture, but it is what I saw and heard along the side of the road when visiting some friends.

[upflying]

Bob, a technical question: when a radar device is turned on solid, does it have a adjuster to a certain speed and it beeps or something if it senses a higher then preset speed? I would think so, because with our local police when they sit on the side of the road and I drive/ride by at a acceptable speed, their radar is on but they don't even look up. I know they look up when I go by too fast

Some brands of police radar have an adjustable alert tone. It sounds when the pre-set speed of a target is exceeded. All police radar emits an audible sound called a Doppler tone. A low tone (like a buzz) indicates low speed. A high pitch tone (like a squeal, pun intended) indicates a high speed. The idea is the officer is supposed to look for the speeding target when the alert or tone is heard and then take action. The intent of the alert tone is to allow the officer to work speed enforcement while dividing his/her attention to other business. That could be writing a report, making a phone call, reading the computer or heaven forbid..sleeping. The intent of the Doppler tone is to allow the officer is to correlate the visual speed estimation with the sound of the Doppler and the digital display of the speed on the radar. All officers in their testimony in court should be saying something to the effect, "a steady Doppler tone was heard" indicating the radar had "locked" on the nearest or fastest moving object. If the Doppler tone shifts from high to low pitch, that means it is sensing two or more moving vehicles. It is up to the visual expertise of the officer to determine which vehicle the radar is sensing. As you can imagine, using radar on a busy multi-lane highway is very difficult. Radar is at it's best on less traveled two lane roadways. Radar is very indiscriminate and sprays the entire roadway with microwaves. The constant-on radar is what folks with radar detectors love. Lidar on the OTH is very discriminate and picks out lone vehicles with pinpoint accuracy on busy multi-lane roadways. Lidar is for all intents and purposes instant-on. I aim the beam at the front bumper of the vehicle, well below the detector suction-cupped to the windshield. These people may never get a tone from the detector. If they do, I've locked the speed faster than their foot can hit the brake.

Instant -on radar is similar. Many officer wait until you are within 300' and then light you up with microwaves. The speed displays faster than your ability to react with a brake. Officers will testify in court that they noticed front-end weight transfer and rapid decrease in speed a second or two after speed was obtained. That usually means a detector alerted..but too late. If you drive with a detector, you must also rely on situational awareness if you have any defensive chance of evasion.

[BrianM]

Save your money, experienced LEO with LIDAR will light you up before the detector pings. Obeying speed limits is a better investment.

 

When a car is lasered, some of the laser will go past the car and can set off a laser detector in a following car. I have had it happen many times. As previously stated, the detector is just another tool. In 14 years owning a V1 I have never gotten a ticket while using it.

 

At 1000 feet I believe the dispersion of a police laser is less then 24 inches.

Not likely it will hit the vehicle behind the target.

When used at shorter distance the dispersion is even smaller.

 

Since police tend to target low on the vehicle (bumper, license plate), some of the laser radiation will travel under the car. Due to the high intensity of laser radiation very little is needed to set off a detector. I have had mine detect when cars ahead are being lasered, also from behind the police while lasering the opposite direction of traffic. Keeping your eyes open works very well with laser also since the officer must be line of sight and not moving.

[Moto Mike G]

Having had my fair share of tickets. about 6 so far for speeding in 25 years. I was about 25 years old when I got my first speeding ticket and am now 49. In all but one case they were not flagrant violations. Ie over 12MPH over the limit. one was 18 over. and only 1 ticket on a bike 7 over in a 35 all other tickets in the cage.

 

I do not care to be lectured on the safety of my driving or riding. But if you must fire away. It will not change how I drive. When the rest of the driving or riding public pulls its head out of their respective bottom ends I will gladly comply with all the regulations. Ie driving distracted in any way.

 

 

Since my buying a Escort 9500 I have been ticket free when using the device.

 

The key is situational awareness. They are not a get out of jail card.

 

I agree a well trained LEO on a mission will get any body.

 

How ever a detector can give you advance warning in many if not most all situations. And some officers will give you a pass if you demonstrate slowing down, politeness, and remorse for the error of your ways. Again flagrant speeding is a whole other issue.

 

Laser it what it is a pointing device. Its effectiveness is far more limiting in use than radar. If it were the end all all departments would use them exclusively. Something to consider.

 

another thing to consider why does Germany and other European countries have some roads with out speed limits and the remainder of roads that do have limits are sensibly posted, and the US has speed limits that are set 5 to 10 mph lower than what would be a safe and prudent speed.

 

REVENUE is the answer.

[Alan D]

"another thing to consider why does Germany and other European countries have some roads with out speed limits and the remainder of roads that do have limits are sensibly posted, and the US has speed limits that are set 5 to 10 mph lower than what would be a safe and prudent speed."

 

Well when I visited Germany it seemed people actually were paying attention to driving. If you were in the left lane, you better be passing, not just occupying space and never looking in your mirror.

Why can't we drive like that?

 

 

[JOHNNYWISHBONE]

really? for me, valentine works good in so calif. i believe #1 to be the safest lane. doing the legal speed limit will get you snuffed if you commute by bike here. 3 pm, #1 lane, I-5 south from oceanside, expect an honest 3 minutes at 100 mph. it is what it is.

jp

[upflying]

 

Well when I visited Germany it seemed people actually were paying attention to driving. If you were in the left lane, you better be passing, not just occupying space and never looking in your mirror.

Why can't we drive like that?

 

 

Because Germany produces licensed drivers who actually have work for the license. German drivers have both skill and training before a license is issued to them.

California drivers license applicants only need to show a pulse and $25 to the DMV clerk. Applicants take a written test offered in 10 different languages. Skills test involves driving through a quiet residential area for 5 minutes.

Don't get me started on the 15% of California drivers who have no license.

 

[tallman]

Getting a license in Germany costs you thousands of dollars.

It requires many hours of driving with a professional instructor in rural/urban/good/bad weather.

First aid course, vision exams, all at your expense.

I don't think you can start process until age 18.

Fail, start over and spend more $$$.

 

Wish we modeled that system but people would scream and lawsuits ensue about the unfairness of the cost.

[upflying]

Makes sense tallman, America only offers politically correct driver's licenses.