Valentine One Gen 2 - Wow, just WOW!

[bigjohnsd]

I have been running an Adaptive 2.0 Radar Detector since I first acquired my FJR in 2014.
It has served me well and prevented multiple opportunities for performance awards over the years. I moved it to my '14 GSA and then again to my '21 GSA. One of the biggest disadvantages of the Adaptive unit was no audio alert in my helmet. There were some work around but I never took advantage of them.

On the trip back from Indiana last month the Adaptive RD finally gave up the ghost after over 150,000 miles. Moisture finally penetrated the weatherproof seal and it began to act randomly turning itself on and off, shifting modes, spuriously alerting etc.

Having ridden over 10,000 miles in company with Pterodactyl and his Valentine One Gen 1 I was impressed with the sophistication of Valentine's false alert rejection, he got many fewer spurious alerts from other than police radar unlike the Adaptive 2.0.

I googled and reviewed and bit the bullet last week, ordering a Valentine One Gen2 detector. Today I set about installing it. All the plastic had to come off to remove the Adaptive RD Power supply buried deep under my GSA's gas tank. Once the Adaptive power supply and wiring were removed it was relatively simple to add sufficient wire to the existing power lead to get the power up behind the windscreen to the Valentine Junction Box/Power Supply.

I have ordered a Quadlock mount for the new detector but it has not yet arrived so I adapted my old mount for temporary use.

The next step was to download the Valentine APP which provides a Bluetooth connection to your phone. Took about a minute. Opened the APP, Turned on the RD, and it immediately paired with my phone. There is a comprehensive Demo program built into the APP which enables one to verify continuity.

I have a Garmin XT, an Android phone, and a Cardo Packtalk Edge.

I pair my Phone to the XT and the XT to the Cardo PT Edge using Fuze earplugs/buds.

Once the XT was on, the Cardo on, the earbuds in my ears, Pandora music running, and the demo program initiated I could hear the Radar warnings over the music and I didn't even have to adjust anything. All I can say is that this is some pretty cool chit!

 

[skibum69]

It looks pretty big, how would you move it from bike to bike?

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

There used to be a water resistant case for the old V1 which was quite nice. I have not used a detector in many years but am looking at one again, so how do you keep it from getting destroyed in bad weather??

 

[oldcamper]

!

I thought radar detectors had gone the way of hula hoops and cb radios, and had never heard of a Valentine V1, so looked it up on eBay.

Wow, just wow is right. Over $600! That must be some detector! Is it an active cloaking device, like a jammer, or just a passive detector? Is it effective at all against laser speed detection?

Personally, I haven’t received a speeding award since the national speed limit was 55mph, but it seems nowadays one has to be traveling at least 10 over anywhere to attract any attention at all from the Highway Patrol. How fast over the posted limit does one have to be going to actually get a ticket these days?

 

[elementist]

I wonder if anyone makes low profile/hidden units. They are illegal here but the fine is less than a ticket and I know many people with them in their cars. The newer stealth ones seem to work well for not being picked up by radar detector detectors.

 

[pglaves]

!

I thought radar detectors had gone the way of hula hoops and cb radios, and had never heard of a Valentine V1, so looked it up on eBay.

Wow, just wow is right. Over $600! That must be some detector! Is it an active cloaking device, like a jammer, or just a passive detector? Is it effective at all against laser speed detection?

Personally, I haven’t received a speeding award since the national speed limit was 55mph, but it seems nowadays one has to be traveling at least 10 over anywhere to attract any attention at all from the Highway Patrol. How fast over the posted limit does one have to be going to actually get a ticket these days?

That depends. In West Texas where the two-lane speed limits are typically 75 about 4 over might get you a ticket. But on urban interstates 10 over might get you rear-ended. Elsewhere the real risk is in rural counties and small towns where ticket revenue boosts the LEO budgets, and the Justice of the Peace won't be in until Tuesday. The speed trap at the edge of town where the 55 or 60 suddenly drops to 25 or 30 right at the church parking lot wherein the Ford Explorer lies in stealthy wait behind the sign with the preacher's name on it is what to fear.

 

[jonnybow]

I've been running the V1 G2 for about 9 months now and feel the same way. Paired with the JBV1 app (android only), the amount of info you get seamlessly sent to your communicator is amazing.
I find myself using the RD in my car and feel lost without it. I've never had a performance award on my bike and now I'm wondering how! I don't think I could ever ride without it again.

 

[bigjohnsd]

It looks pretty big, how would you move it from bike to bike?

Pretty simple - second power supply, mount, and wiring on the second bike, unplug, twist off the Magnetic RAM mount, and reverse the process to install.
The detector isn't as big as your hand and is less than an inch tall.

 

[bigjohnsd]

!
Is it an active cloaking device, like a jammer, or just a passive detector? Radar and Laser Detector

Is it effective at all against laser speed detection? Yes but if the Laser operator is operating correctly you are likely "dead meat".

https://store.valentine1.com/Store/item.asp?i=20020

https://www.valentine1.com/v1-info/tech-reports/motorcycle-radar-detector/

https://www.rdforum.org/forums/16/

https://www.vortexradar.com/2020/03/getting-started-with-jbv1/

 

[bigjohnsd]

There used to be a water resistant case for the old V1 which was quite nice. I have not used a detector in many years but am looking at one again, so how do you keep it from getting destroyed in bad weather??

Plastic bag over the detector in light rain, and put it away in heavy rain, I won't be riding over the speed limit in bad conditions anyway.

 

[oldcamper]

https://store.valentine1.com/Store/item.asp?i=20020

https://www.valentine1.com/v1-info/tech-reports/motorcycle-radar-detector/

https://www.rdforum.org/forums/16/

https://www.vortexradar.com/2020/03/getting-started-with-jbv1/

Thanks BigJohnSD.
The vortex radar site video was especially informative, and the JBV1 app is impressive! Much has changed in the radar detector world…

Just for fun I think I’ll dig out the old Whistler 2 that used to be on my bike many years ago and see if it still works at all. It might be interesting to see how many false positives it gets with all the radar sources operating nowadays. I’ve read that even new cars and automatic door openers will set off old radar detectors.

And that Whistler 2 was a BIG improvement over the earlier Fox detectors that BMW riders first used on airheads. Does anyone remember seeing the two clear plastic and pointed rods poking out from under airhead fairings? Technology! Does anyone still have one of those?

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

Plastic bag over the detector in light rain, and put it away in heavy rain, I won't be riding over the speed limit in bad conditions anyway.

Tx!

 

[cabnfvr]

That depends. In West Texas where the two-lane speed limits are typically 75 about 4 over might get you a ticket. But on urban interstates 10 over might get you rear-ended. Elsewhere the real risk is in rural counties and small towns where ticket revenue boosts the LEO budgets, and the Justice of the Peace won't be in until Tuesday. The speed trap at the edge of town where the 55 or 60 suddenly drops to 25 or 30 right at the church parking lot wherein the Ford Explorer lies in stealthy wait behind the sign with the preacher's name on it is what to fear.

Your post is exactly why we have a detector on the bike. Wide open spaces aren't a big deal, but little towns are.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Thanks BigJohnSD.
The vortex radar site video was especially informative, and the JBV1 app is impressive! Much has changed in the radar detector world…

Just for fun I think I’ll dig out the old Whistler 2 that used to be on my bike many years ago and see if it still works at all. It might be interesting to see how many false positives it gets with all the radar sources operating nowadays. I’ve read that even new cars and automatic door openers will set off old radar detectors.

And that Whistler 2 was a BIG improvement over the earlier Fox detectors that BMW riders first used on airheads. Does anyone remember seeing the two clear plastic and pointed rods poking out from under airhead fairings? Technology! Does anyone still have one of those?

And if you really want to get into the weeds: https://www.vortexradar.com/2020/03/getting-started-with-jbv1/

 

[kurmugin]

I've been very impressed with my V1 G2, also. I've been using the V1 Companion app, since I"m an IOs guy.
Highway Radar is being developed for the iPhone, and that app has promise.

The Bluetooth audio alerts over the phone are game changers!

 

[bigjohnsd]

The JBV1 app solves my biggest concern with the V1 G2 - it turns on the APP and syncs the phone to the V1G2 when power is applied to the V1G2, the Valentine APP does not do that and is a PITA.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

For those who don't have radar detectors, I can highly recommend the Waze app. On my ride to and from CO a week back I found the police warnings to be quite accurate also the warnings for traffic and road debris are quite good too. JMHO YMMV
But yes the Valentine is a sweet piece of kit..

 

[bigjohnsd]

For those who don't have radar detectors, I can highly recommend the Waze app. On my ride to and from CO a week back I found the police warnings to be quite accurate also the warnings for traffic and road debris are quite good too. JMHO YMMV
But yes the Valentine is a sweet piece of kit..

The JBV1 app integrates WAZE into the display and gives audible alerts through your headset.

 

[sharpestjim]

The Mrs and I just closed a week ago on a cabin near Murphy NC. I plan to spend a great deal of time in N GA and W NC on my R1250RS. An acquaintance who lives in the area has suggested that I spring for a Valentine. It's not the open highway or even the small towns that I fear. Rather, it is the roaming, random trooper/deputy patrolling the twisty roads that frightens me. When I first began prowling roads in that area some 30+ years ago, you rarely saw speed limit signs much less an LEO. With all of the sportsbikers doing crazy stuff, po-po are much more common. I'm not a nut on two wheels. Not in my 60s. But I definitely enjoy some spirited riding on these killer roads, many of which are posted at 35 MPH.

Will a radar detector help on roads like US19/129 in N GA or The Dragon? As twisty as these roads are, I'm thinking that scattered reflections are all that a RD would pick up. I wonder if a stationary radar is going to alert on a road like that until you're virtually on top of him. I sure do not mind forking over good money for a Valentine. I'm an Escort owner from back in the day. Yes - I even had a Fox with the two clear plastic antennae protruding from the front. But is it going to be $600+ well-spent?

 

[EUGENE]

Not needed

I guess I'm old school, i don't use GPS, radio or radar dectors while on the bike. Only almost 70.