Seeking RADAR Detector Advice

I want to use a radar detector on my R1150 R with a "hard wire" accessory cord so I could also use the device in my car with the cigarette lighter cord provided with most detectors. My questions:

With which radar detectors does the Forum have positive experience?

Which are considered to be the best for bikes?

How would you mount one on a R1150R with a Parabellum fairing/windshield?

JRD said:

I want to use a radar detector on my R1150 R with a "hard wire" accessory cord so I could also use the device in my car with the cigarette lighter cord provided with most detectors. My questions:

With which radar detectors does the Forum have positive experience?

Which are considered to be the best for bikes?

How would you mount one on a R1150R with a Parabellum fairing/windshield?

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Valentine One. http://www.valentine1.com/ There are several excellent detectors, some of which in some car magazine tests have slightly greater detection range, but IMHO there isn't any product which gives you the quality of information of the V1. Past a certain point, additional detection range is academic, but knowing the number and direction of potential threats helps you make better decisions. Only the V1 has true front and rear detection, and only the V1 tells you how many sources are being detected, their direction (front/sides/rear) and evaluates which one it thinks is the true threat. I know mine has saved me it's price many times over in fines, and helped me avoid unpleasant road-side conversations with local law enforcement.

radar

Joe:

I have the Escort 8500 X50 on my R 1150 RS, and it's an excellent unit. I've picked up Ka band at 7 kilometres, and it's also very well filtered. It is easily moved from bike to car. I had my specialist install the power supply.Before I bought it, I spent a number of hours reviewing the internet radar detector testing sites, (of which some are not independent), but there seems to be a consensus that the Valentine, the Escort, and it's equivalent Bel unit (65?) are the ones to get. If you google radar detector testing you'll pull up lots of sites.

Rinty

I have heard great things about the Valentine 1 as well.

The previous owner of my GS had it hardwired in amongst other things. I removed it since I couldn't afford a unit at the time. He had kept the actual unit. Down the road I plan to get one and reinstall on my bike.

Brian

Valentine 1 for sure. Accept no substitutes. You can only by it from their website.

RTRandy said:

Valentine 1 for sure. Accept no substitutes. You can only by it from their website.

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Don't forget to ask for the OPTIONAL earphone connection.

lkchris said:

Don't forget to ask for the OPTIONAL earphone connection.

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Excellent point. No detector will do you any good if it can't get your attention. I use the audio adapter for the V1 and custom molded earplugs from EAR, but another option which looks good to me is the H.A.R.D. in-helmet LED system. There would be times it would be much easier to use than wired earphones.

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?item=HARD

Oil, tires and radar dectors evoke all sort of responses.

Of course everyone will tell you the unit they use is the best and I am no different.

Beware of internet websites offering "shoot outs" and "side by side" comparisons, most of them are linked to either stores or independent testers who are miffed because unlike everyone else Valentine does not send free units for evaluation and they only sell direct.

The latest Cincinatti Microwave (escort, passport etc) equal or exceed the Valentine in range and various other tests.

What the V1 offers is the ability for you to know what, where and how many.

In today's enviornment having a box that lights up and goes beep when it detects a radar signal is a small part in a total ticket defense system. One needs to be aware of their situation and adjust accordingly. Out on the open interstate and come up on the only billboard in miles? Well if Mr. Smokey is behind the billboard with instant on the only thing the detector will do is give you a moment to prepare for your pending roadside chat so if you were going wicked fast perhaps it would be a good idea to roll off near the billboard.

What the V1 offers is enough information for you to decide what the chances are the noise and lights from the little box really mean. Is there radar coming up from behind sampling traffic? Is the radar stationary and I missed (never saw) it? These are things you can learn from the display of the V1 that you don't get from a unit that picks up x band at 7 miles vs 6.9 for the V1 (x band is only used by Barny Fife police departments).

One other endorsement is from the Iron Butt Rally riders. If you wander the parking lot the night before the IBR you will see that close to 90% of the riders have a radar detector and 9 our of ten riders who have a detector have the V1.

What Rob said.....

Also, remember, if you do get invited to pull over and spend quality time with the local LEO, having a detector screaming and strobing isn't going to involk much symphathy. Having a detector on says, "I am speeding!" I have my V1 hidden in the tankbag and use a HARD with a remote display. I can also turn the tank bag off to stop everything from lighting up.

EastTNBeemer said:

Also, remember, if you do get invited to pull over and spend quality time with the local LEO, having a detector screaming and strobing isn't going to involk much symphathy. Having a detector on says, "I am speeding!" I have my V1 hidden in the tankbag and use a HARD with a remote display. I can also turn the tank bag off to stop everything from lighting up.

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Oh, I think you're being paranoid. Consider that the LEO is a professional. He/she pulls you over and sees you are on a Beemer (and is thinking "Autobahn capable"), you wearing All The Gear (well worn 'stitch, boots, gloves, full-face helmet), a GPS (or two), and the V1. Clearly you are also a professional. As one professional to another he or she should grant professional courtesy and wish you a good day and happy trails!

I have an old Cincinnati Microwave Passport radar detector that I got in 1984. I use it all the time when I am on my motorcycles, with an earphone in my helmet. I have only gotten one ticket since I got the detector and it was from laser-radar. Every now and then I buy another one on eBay for about $10-$15. But I am still using my original one.

I have had several conversations with an LEO by the side of the road over the years. Sometimes we even discussed the radar detector. I once walked on a stop for 96 in a 65 after discussing the detector. (I don't believe his tag was legitimate.)

YRSTMV.

GregFeeler said:

Oh, I think you're being paranoid. Consider that the LEO is a professional. He/she pulls you over and sees you are on a Beemer (and is thinking "Autobahn capable"), you wearing All The Gear (well worn 'stitch, boots, gloves, full-face helmet), a GPS (or two), and the V1. Clearly you are also a professional. As one professional to another he or she should grant professional courtesy and wish you a good day and happy trails!

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In your dreams.

flash412 said:

I have an old Cincinnati Microwave Passport radar detector that I got in 1984. I use it all the time when I am on my motorcycles, with an earphone in my helmet. I have only gotten one ticket since I got the detector and it was from laser-radar. Every now and then I buy another one on eBay for about $10-$15. But I am still using my original one.

I have had several conversations with an LEO by the side of the road over the years. Sometimes we even discussed the radar detector. I once walked on a stop for 96 in a 65 after discussing the detector. (I don't believe his tag was legitimate.)

YRSTMV.

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Jeez, Flash, I didn't know you'd give me $10-15 for that old piece of junk. I just recently found my old (circa mid-1980's) Passport rattling around the bottom of my pickup truck glovebox and tossed it. Were you not aware that it only did X and K band, and that most of the LEO units in use now are instant-on Ka band? (aside from laser of course)

Hey, I haven't been to the transfer station lately. How much will you give me to go dumpster-diving in my own trash barrel for it? As I recall the battery had not leaked (much) and it actually still worked.

I have the best advice. Calibrate your speedometer and simply drive the speed limit. Use the money you save on the detector to buy some gas to go someplace nice on the bike.

soffiler said:

Jeez, Flash, I didn't know you'd give me $10-15 for that old piece of junk. I just recently found my old (circa mid-1980's) Passport rattling around the bottom of my pickup truck glovebox and tossed it. Were you not aware that it only did X and K band, and that most of the LEO units in use now are instant-on Ka band? (aside from laser of course).

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My Passport has saved me from instant-on radar more than once. Around where I live (in northern Colorado), some of them still use X-band, but most are K-band and some have instant-on. I don't think I'd give you money for your old one now that I know the local State Patrol has laser radar. My next one will either be a Valentine-One or the latest, greatest from Cincinnati Microwave.

Motor31 said:

I have the best advice. Calibrate your speedometer and simply drive the speed limit. Use the money you save on the detector to buy some gas to go someplace nice on the bike.

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I do that a lot these days. I used to drive just a bit faster than the traffic and was always open to a ticket for 10 to 15 over. When the Interstates started to get so crowded, I found myself working hard thru clusters of cars and trucks. So I started to just back off the throttle if I came up on a cluster and fall back a bit. Then I noticed that clusters would pass me from time to time, trucks too, and I was left in an empty space of road for long periods of time until the next cluster. Very pleasant. We're usually at a speed of about 5 over.
On two lanes, I did the same, just backing off instead of passing. Then I noticed that most of the vehicles that I would have passed turn off within a few miles. I figure that most of the traffic on two lanes is local. So no real need to pass...just wait a few minutes and the road is empty again. The trouble here is I'm usually at a speed of 10 over (the old speed limit before the "gas shortage"), slower than lots of the traffic, but easy pickings for the local leo. I remember a gal back in the '70s had a sticker on her fairing that said "But Officer...I keep my house at 55...".

Motor31 said:

I have the best advice. Calibrate your speedometer and simply drive the speed limit. Use the money you save on the detector to buy some gas to go someplace nice on the bike.

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Terrible advice, for certain situations. In my particular case, the best secondary roads for my daily commute are posted at 25-35mph which is irrationally slow. These roads have good lane width, good to excellent surfaces, gentle curves with good visibility, very light population/driveway density. Local traffic typically moves at least 40mph. 40-50mph on the bike is a completely rational speed. Heck, 40mph in my ancient, ratty, 4x4 pickup truck feels reasonable and prudent. If they were more heavily patrolled I'd conclude that the irrationally low limit was simply a revenue-generating ploy. However, that's not the case; inforcement is rather intermittent. But, when they are out there, they're "stragetically" (you know what I mean, given your former career) placed.

I was just out west, driving on roads that were extremely similar in every respect, and they were routinely posted at 40-50mph out there. This happened to be New Mexico but I've seen similar in Utah and Colorado too. When population/driveway density starts to pick up, or hazards such as blind corners exist, the limit is ratcheted downward. In most cases it has always felt prudent to run at the posted limit out west. But not where I live.

soffiler said:

Terrible advice, for certain situations. In my particular case, the best secondary roads for my daily commute are posted at 25-35mph which is irrationally slow. These roads have good lane width, good to excellent surfaces, gentle curves with good visibility, very light population/driveway density. Local traffic typically moves at least 40mph. 40-50mph on the bike is a completely rational speed. Heck, 40mph in my ancient, ratty, 4x4 pickup truck feels reasonable and prudent. If they were more heavily patrolled I'd conclude that the irrationally low limit was simply a revenue-generating ploy. However, that's not the case; inforcement is rather intermittent. But, when they are out there, they're "stragetically" (you know what I mean, given your former career) placed.

I was just out west, driving on roads that were extremely similar in every respect, and they were routinely posted at 40-50mph out there. This happened to be New Mexico but I've seen similar in Utah and Colorado too. When population/driveway density starts to pick up, or hazards such as blind corners exist, the limit is ratcheted downward. In most cases it has always felt prudent to run at the posted limit out west. But not where I live.

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Well taken points. I usually travelled with a radar detector just to keep aware of the tax collection going on in some areas rather than intending to speed and avoid.
On the Interstate 74 going past Danville, IL, the speed limit was maintained at 55 when the Interstates went to 65. Just recently, the IDOT raised it to 65 because they said that all the traffic was travelling 65 so that must be the safe speed as determined by the traffic. I suppose there were no speed related accidents as well during this period.
A breath of fresh air.

flash412 said:

My next one will either be a Valentine-One or the latest, greatest from Cincinnati Microwave.

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Ummm, for all practical purposes, the V1 IS the latest and greatest from Cincinnati Microwave (from back when CM actually meant something). Same person, different company.

R100RS said:

Ummm, for all practical purposes, the V1 IS the latest and greatest from Cincinnati Microwave (from back when CM actually meant something). Same person, different company.

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Yeah, I meant to say, "... latest and greatest from Escort."