Escort Radar Detector rain cover

[exskibum]

Did a search. Came up only with Legal Speeding, and also found radarbusters.com offering clear detector rain covers for the 8500. Both are out of stock, and I see negative comments about being overpriced and lacking durability. Anyone have any other suppliers or alternative products that are longer lasting. I'd rather something dedicated than the usual on/off stretching of a plastic baggie when it looks like rain.

 

[Fred W]

Bim Skala bum,

I have the legal speeding version. Here are my omnipresent thoughts:

If you try to put a straight audio cable into it (like with the starcom1) it doesn't have enuff room inside the body to fit the connector without bending the cable sharply. Problem with that is, you do that a few dozen times and the ($50) cable is toast. Why they do not have 90 degree connector ends may become my next jihad.

I think the premium options are: zip lock baggies on rain day, or go without RD in the rain.

I'm tending towards option 2 lately and when it starts to sprinkle toss the RD in the waterproof tank bag.

I just try to keep it to (+/-) 10 over (no wise cracks from the G&W crowd) in the rain and figure I'm improving my safety and keeping the RD dry and safe for the sportier dry days.

(PS - your garage looks great and I'm trying to emulate!!)

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Ex,

I kniow this is not what you are looking for, but for years have been using heavy duty Saran Wrap type plastic with the bottom edges taped to the bottom.

 

[exskibum]

Bim skala bim, Fred??? Has the eastern heat wave moved up ganga harvest time back there? :lol:

Didn't follow that one OR the reference to my garage. It's kind of a mess and the car won't fit. Lotsa sporting goods, 3 motorcycles, and tools though. Thanks for the thoughts on the cheap cover and the cable issue, though.

Thinking I'll just make sure I have half a dozen freezer type zip locks along, since I tend to lose a couple. Problem is that I also kink the starcom cord with the zip locks -- maybe it's in my technique.

Next up -- where to order the appropriate V-Strom handguards and maybe some BMW grips (mine are OEM and need to be changed by now).

 

[madmike2]

CycleGadgeets.com

Rider Warehouse

 

[Fred W]

Your garage is in your signature (FJR, XX, KLR).

And the ganga is (unfortunately) either not affordable or not worthy of partaking these days, at least on the right coast. I just liked the band and thought they were pretty cool. Bim, bum, band, whatever...

But the facts on the Legal Speeding RD covers are on target. (IOW: don't bother)

PS - Mikey: What's with those humongous RD boxes.

I think I could hide my whole bike behind one of those and evade the po-po.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Check out a Pelican case 1020 on ebay.....

 

[dcarver]

I run legal speeding.. Notched a rectangular hole, e.g. enlarged it, so StarComm cables don't get mangled. Still water proof (enough). I prefer it to saran bags cause when it starts raining, it takes just a little water and the escort's are toast. I lost one in only a bit of weather.

 

[HaulinAshe]

I run legal speeding.. Notched a rectangular hole, e.g. enlarged it, so StarComm cables don't get mangled. Still water proof (enough). I prefer it to saran bags cause when it starts raining, it takes just a little water and the escort's are toast. I lost one in only a bit of weather.

+1

Once you lose an Escort 8500 to rain (and it's easy to do!), the overpriced rain cover seems cheap as dirt. Escort doesn't repair water damaged units for their usual $59 price. Instead it's more like $150 or higher.

However, a prominent online motorcycle vendor is locally based in my area. I recently asked the owner to inquire from Legal Speeding if their Escort covers were available. The answer is NO. They are no longer carried.

I am seriously considering having some made with some minor modifications to improve the problems noted in this thread.

Looks like I have a market.

 

[Niehart]

Jeff, I was wondering how long it would take you to jump in..

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I have an Escort 9500 and have come up empty for cover ideas other than what Fred thought of. I've also gone with his option #2 method as the most sane. (Until a cover that is practical and durable comes out for the 9500 series).

 

[Fred W]

I run legal speeding.. Notched a rectangular hole, e.g. enlarged it, so StarComm cables don't get mangled. Still water proof (enough). I prefer it to saran bags cause when it starts raining, it takes just a little water and the escort's are toast. I lost one in only a bit of weather.

Mind posting a picture of how you notched it? I need to do this ASAP. I think I have screwed-up another starcom RD cable (my second one). At $50 a pop this is getting to be expensive. :glare: Why can't Starcom just put a friggen 90 degree connector on the end of the damn RD cables? Sheesh. Time to send Tony Starling st Starcom a little love note.

Once you lose an Escort 8500 to rain (and it's easy to do!), the overpriced rain cover seems cheap as dirt. Escort doesn't repair water damaged units for their usual $59 price. Instead it's more like $150 or higher.

Which is a pretty crappy deal, considering they (Escort) sell their refurbished 8500 units on eBay for $150 all day long complete with a warranty.

That's actually where I bought, and what I paid for, my 8500. No it's not the X50, but in reading up on the differences, they don't seem significant enough to justify the extra $50 difference. Still, the X50's are also there for $200 which is what? like half the full retail on a new one? Having only $150-200 tied up in the thing lessens the worries about the eventual rain damage or it walking away when my back it turned.

 

[Good2Go]

Mind posting a picture of how you notched it? I need to do this ASAP. I think I have screwed-up another starcom RD cable (my second one). At $50 a pop this is getting to be expensive. :glare: Why can't Starcom just put a friggen 90 degree connector on the end of the damn RD cables? Sheesh. Time to send Tony Starling st Starcom a little love note.

Why can't Fred just buy a friggen $6 90 degree extension for the end of the damn RD cable? Sheesh. Time to send Fred a little love note.

 

[Fred W]

Mind posting a picture of how you notched it? I need to do this ASAP. I think I have screwed-up another starcom RD cable (my second one). At $50 a pop this is getting to be expensive. :glare: Why can't Starcom just put a friggen 90 degree connector on the end of the damn RD cables? Sheesh. Time to send Tony Starling st Starcom a little love note.

Why can't Fred just buy a friggen $6 90 degree extension for the end of the damn RD cable? Sheesh. Time to send Fred a little love note.

The friggen cable is only used for connecting an RD to a Starcom1. You'd think they would put the right connector on for the application.

I suppose that I could, except that would add yet another series connection to get wet and screw up at the most inopportune time. If I did that I'd probably want to tape the bajeebers out of the splice to keep it dry and secure.

 

[radman]

I own a legal speed cover. And use this-

 

[Fred W]

yeah, exactly... :glare:

 

[radman]

yeah, exactly... :glare:

Best thing about the baggies is the Legal cover works, but is a PITA, especially on iffy days. It isolates the controls, and if it's not raining, just gets in the way. The baggie, on the other hand, allows access to the controls, is easily attached with just a wire tie, or, as I use, a thick rubber band, completely waterproof, cheap, handy (can have several rolled up in the tank bag for emergency use), which makes it just about the perfect farkle. The big plus is it makes ya look like a cheap ass-the fact it's on a $12k bike just escapes most people. Perfect!

 

[dcarver]

Looks like Legal Speeding still sells the 8500 covers..

Jeff, you make it I'll test/but it!

FredW - will post up pixxies when I get home. Not very scientific.. and Xacto knife.

 

[JamesK]

...
I suppose that I could, except that would add yet another series connection to get wet and screw up at the most inopportune time. If I did that I'd probably want to tape the bajeebers out of the splice to keep it dry and secure.

Easternbeaver sells some really cool shrink wrap, that has glue inside, which once applied makes a permanent and watertight connection.

Sumitube W3B2 - made in Japan high tech shrink tube
Click here to link to Sumitomo's website for a data sheet.

I have selected the best shrink tube in the world for all my Kits and now I'm selling it to you so you can use it at home on all your DIY projects.

This shrink tube is unlike anything you have ever used or seen. It's incredible! Sumitube W3B2 totally waterproofs your connector or terminal!

Sumitube W3B2 has an inner layer of clear glue that melts and completely encapsulated the terminal or connection. Not only does Sumitube W3B2 completely waterproof your connection, but it provides the ultimate wire strain relief.

Sumitube W3B2 shrinks 3 to 1 so you can cover a large terminal and still tightly wrap a thin wire in the same connection. Here below are some finished samples from my own production.