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Radar Detector
- Thread starter bandman
- Start date
J Brase
Braz
Depending on the dollar/arm-leg exchange rate, Valentine 1 or Escort 8500-X50.
Valentine is only available from the factory and Escort seems to be the same price whether from the factory or from a dealer. Neither are waterproof so you need to pay attention to where and how you mount it.
John
Valentine is only available from the factory and Escort seems to be the same price whether from the factory or from a dealer. Neither are waterproof so you need to pay attention to where and how you mount it.
John
roborider
God? What god?
I have a Bel RX 65 and I'm EXTREMELY happy with it. It has saved me many times. I liked it enough to buy two more for my cars, replacing my 20 year old Passports. The Bel can be configured to read voltage and therefore acts as a voltmeter on the bike.
My buddy has a Valentine which strictly speaking is 'better', but it cost a WHOLE lot more. Like 2X. I think I paid about $269 for mine. I looked and can't find the receipt, but I got it online and googling for price will get you there if you like the detector.
-Robo
My buddy has a Valentine which strictly speaking is 'better', but it cost a WHOLE lot more. Like 2X. I think I paid about $269 for mine. I looked and can't find the receipt, but I got it online and googling for price will get you there if you like the detector.
-Robo
womanridge
New member
wezul
Cage Rattler
Greenwald, since you are retired LEO, maybe you need to share the knowledge with your motorcycle brothers!
460
Sheb style!
redclfco
New member
What Greenwald is saying is that they don't work; by the time your detector/alarm shocks your brake hand to grab a handful of brake, the cops already got you.
the question is...does he want you at all?
Those of you that got a way without a ticket? You are just Lucky or they were waiting for somebody, a VIC (very important criminal) to come along and you failed to register on the BOLO report.
X
XTrooper
Guest
Bingo!
marchyman
Cam Killer
Partially true. Very true with the lasers. If it goes off you're either looking at one of those fancy LED billboards, someones very bright LED brake lights, or you have been notified to pull over!
When I used a detector (I don't any more) it mostly went off to notify me I was around a shopping center. If I was the only vehicle on the road and it went off I could be sure that it was too late to do anything and that I'd get a ticket or not at the officers whim.
In maybe 10 years I can only think of once that I know the detector helped. US 395 is nominally 65 or 70 MPH but traffic moves at 80+. Once in a while the CHP will be out in force to slow traffic down. It was in one of those situation where the radar gave me notice about 3 miles before seeing the grouped officers pulling people over right and left. It helped that the landscape was gentle rolling hills. It was at the top of each hill where the V-1 pointed out activity ahead.
There were maybe 2 other times where the detector might have helped.
roborider
God? What god?
Right, this is VERY dependent on where you live-and of course with laser almost futile. I know in California, with all the instant on, the radar detector is somewhat of a ticket detector. But I have gotten blasts that have warned me, but it certainly is not as useful as it is here in NC.
Here, the cops drive around with radar on, or sit with it on. I get signals way in advance and with great warning. In these situations, it works well.
Also, I've seen cops just sitting at a turn out, etc., with it on, writing reports. I suppose if they get a good number, they'll come after you. With them just spraying radar all over, it works great.
Also, it will tell you when you are hit with radar. I've had a blast on the Blue Ridge Parkway with what I suppose was instant on. It at least let me know what was up so I could nail the throttle and get out, the blue lights just a distant blur in my mirrors as I hauled ass to an exit, or in this case, the Little Switzerland Hotel back parking lot--time for a coffee!
Radar detectors are a tool. They are not 100%, but they do work well in states with lazy cops who don't use instant on or have a long lag time between getting a read and putting down the donut and starting the engine.
Also, shopping centers, etc. use X band. I don't know any counties using X band anymore. The last I saw of it was at least 5 years ago. K and Ka are the prominent bands here now. The Bel, and I'm sure others, allow you to make it insensitive to X band, or turn it off completely, and this thus eliminates the "grocery store" alerts. Where I ride fast, there are no stores, so I don't worry about it since there's nothing but cops if it goes off.
All it takes is ONE SAVE to pay for the radar detector. One save.
Here, the cops drive around with radar on, or sit with it on. I get signals way in advance and with great warning. In these situations, it works well.
Also, I've seen cops just sitting at a turn out, etc., with it on, writing reports. I suppose if they get a good number, they'll come after you. With them just spraying radar all over, it works great.
Also, it will tell you when you are hit with radar. I've had a blast on the Blue Ridge Parkway with what I suppose was instant on. It at least let me know what was up so I could nail the throttle and get out, the blue lights just a distant blur in my mirrors as I hauled ass to an exit, or in this case, the Little Switzerland Hotel back parking lot--time for a coffee!
Radar detectors are a tool. They are not 100%, but they do work well in states with lazy cops who don't use instant on or have a long lag time between getting a read and putting down the donut and starting the engine.
Also, shopping centers, etc. use X band. I don't know any counties using X band anymore. The last I saw of it was at least 5 years ago. K and Ka are the prominent bands here now. The Bel, and I'm sure others, allow you to make it insensitive to X band, or turn it off completely, and this thus eliminates the "grocery store" alerts. Where I ride fast, there are no stores, so I don't worry about it since there's nothing but cops if it goes off.
All it takes is ONE SAVE to pay for the radar detector. One save.
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JohnM
New member
I have an Escort 8500X, although the way I ride, I honestly don't need it.
On several occasions, its saved my bacon. But on at least two other occasions, I got "pinged" without ever seeing the LEO. I was above the posted limit, but I guess not to the degree that I was worth being pursued & pulled over.
Unfortunately, if I do get pulled over, the LEO may (after seeing the Escort) say that I already had my warning, and will write me up.
Mebbe I should swap the Escort for something more functional ... like a coffee pot or blender.
On several occasions, its saved my bacon. But on at least two other occasions, I got "pinged" without ever seeing the LEO. I was above the posted limit, but I guess not to the degree that I was worth being pursued & pulled over.
Unfortunately, if I do get pulled over, the LEO may (after seeing the Escort) say that I already had my warning, and will write me up.
Mebbe I should swap the Escort for something more functional ... like a coffee pot or blender.
greenwald
New member
Dead on.
When I first started using radar (1973), it was primitive, and radar detectors were actually usefull to those intent on breaking the speed laws (rationalize to your heart's content, but by design, that is their only purpose!); units were made by Federal.
And for a while, motorcycles were all but immune to enforcement, because the width of the band was too narrow, and bikes just didn't 'paint a good target.'
Then came better units from Kustom Signals, which allowed us to warm them up, but held back the detectable signal until we visually decided on a target - then by the time you could physiologically react to a detector alert, we already had you locked in.
Then came laser.
And of course, there was VasCar (a timing system based on fixed objects), monitoring from aircraft (no detector for that!), pacing and (in WI), I can visually estimate excessive speed (as long as I am stationary) and cite based on that alone.
Redclfco makes a good point: it's solely how motivated (or lazy, or preoccupied) the officer is, that determines whether or not today is your day. Until you can physically react faster than the speed of light, no detector has ever 'saved' anyone from a citation if the officer follows his/her certified training matrix. And on my department, the 'unofficial' policy was that if you got stopped for speeding, and had a radar detector, well.....today was your day!
Often, while doing reports, I would just leave the radar signal on (we called it 'grazing'), so that all those with detectors would be alerted, and correspondingly slow down, which accomplished the goal of a slower and safer traffic flow in congested areas. Sometimes I would look up at passing drivers and notice smug smiles as they passed my squad, believing they had somehow outsmarted the cop, and that their Whistler, or Escort or Passport or whatever brand was worth every dollar they had paid.
Truth be told, I suspect radar detectors were invented by enterprising cops, who have been laughing their heads off all the way to the bank since day one.
From a technological point of view, they work, but only if the officer allows them time to work - if he/she wants you, there is no where to hide from properly executed LEO technology or tactics.
Spend the money if you wish - certain CEO's are counting on it.
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roborider
God? What god?
So explain this:
On the Dragon, the TN HP will sit in a particular turnout blasting radar, and another THP will pull guys over and write them up. I get about a TWO FULL HAIRPIN notice when these guys are sitting there.
I agree detectors aren't what they used to be, but don't even tell me they don't give you enough alert in specific situations.
Also, if you ride in VA and some other states, carry an old no good detector with you. I was pulled over and instead of a ticket, the cop said he'd confiscate the detector, my choice. I had an old Passport that I gave him. One of my favorite stories....
On the Dragon, the TN HP will sit in a particular turnout blasting radar, and another THP will pull guys over and write them up. I get about a TWO FULL HAIRPIN notice when these guys are sitting there.
I agree detectors aren't what they used to be, but don't even tell me they don't give you enough alert in specific situations.
Also, if you ride in VA and some other states, carry an old no good detector with you. I was pulled over and instead of a ticket, the cop said he'd confiscate the detector, my choice. I had an old Passport that I gave him. One of my favorite stories....
marchyman
Cam Killer
Tactics... like noticing that the rider doesn't have the situation awareness that s/he should have?
The last time I got a moving violation the officer certainly didn't need radar. Hell, he could have been behind me when I crossed the double yellow to pass (safely
) a car while I was doing about 70 in a 55. I was concentrating too much on the road in front of me.I suspect that he too thought my pass was safe (if not legal) as he only wrote me up for the 70 in a 55 infraction. Did you know that you can now take traffic school on line.
