Radar Detector?

[ionbeam]

Also, this topic has been talked about many times on the forum.

What's up with that link? I followed that link and found that there are 111 threads about radar detectors here in the Forum, I not going to waste my time reading all that shit stuff. All I'm looking for is information about radar detectors.

I don't have a lot of money to spend on a radar detector so I bought one that was only $120. It isn't sensitive enough to pick up radar at any long distance so I will accept less warning time. It can't filter friend/foe alerts very quickly so it is slower to respond and sometimes misses alerts. Also, it often makes friend/foe mistakes so that I frequently find myself ignoring all the alerts. I'll still have real good protection against tickets, won't I? After all, it is a radar detector and it works, it does detect radar signals just like the more expensive ones.

Seriously, my biggest problem is speed limits that are <40 mph, I can't go that slow. It gets worse when the speed limit is too low for the road design -- broad lanes, good visibility, good lighting, few intersecting roads or driveways and the speed limit is 30-35 mph. Ouch. Under these conditions my best defense is my cruise control, I set it and gnash my teeth. I have some issues with speed traps too, where the road is well banked, very twisty with good lines of sight and they mark the speed limit down, whatzup wit dat? As near as I can tell these roads need speed signs with motorcycles on them and mark UP the speed limit

As I've mentioned in the past, I've ridden with my brother the cop and if they are out to give tickets to the faster or more dangerous motor conveyances on the roads and the police do it by the book, you are getting a ticket. The only defense against proper traffic patrol/enforcement procedures is to be observant of your surroundings and watch for trends in the traffic flow and traffic behavior. A good detector and continuing vigilance will help you under the remaining situations. It also doesn't hurt to put something in the karma bucket, 'cause sometimes only a withdrawal from the bucket will save you from a ticket.

 

[dcarver]

I have had my 8500 X50 for 4+ years now. (Don't need no stinking arrows!)
It has gotten wet, with no issues other than one time it stopped working for an hour or two until it dried out (It got REALLY wet that time). Of course it IS behind my windscreen (RAM brake resevoir mount with magnetic Power Plate) and shielded from quite a bit of the weather when moving 50+.

If it's really coming down, I unplug both wires (easy-peasy Fred) and put it in my tankbag which is right there. Takes about 5-10 seconds while underway. If it's raining THAT hard, I either A) won't be going fast enough to need it, or B) The flatshoes ain't gonna want to be getting out of there cars to write a ticket. (They're like the wicked witch of the east don't you know, and melt when in contact with too much water.)

I don't use a cover because I like to be able to reach up and hit the 'mute' button on the radar detector. I could not live without that mute button to shut off the occasional long duration false alert.

This is along the lines of a religious thing with everyone having fervent beliefs and not many of us willing to change them. Having said that, I use the a Beltronics RX65 and it just rocks.
- I get warned many turns ahead of the bogey and visually see the LEO to know it was real

- It worked rear facing. Just this past week it alerted to a cycle LEO easing along just a bit faster than traffic that came up behind me (only cause I slowed down)

- I get very few false signals and only on x band which I largely discount anyway.

- Very highly rated detector

- Works perfectly with my Starcom and a 36A cable. You must have tones to the helmet

- Mute button is big and very handy from my brake reservoir mounting place.

Only downside is that it does not work well in the water proof covers due to the audio out placement. I am working on that now.

I don't get directional arrows, but that is only a matter of curiosity for me since I am slowing down regardless and may or may not want to look at the arrows.

I don't understand the waterproofing thing and not being able to hit the mute button. I run a Marc Parnes X8500 cover and mute daily. Just press the plastic cover, it's close enough to engage the mute button.

Works like a champ.

Jeesh, and I'm just a CBA guy and all?

 

[Fred W]

Also, this topic has been talked about many times on the forum.

What's up with that link? I followed that link and found that there are 111 threads about radar detectors here in the Forum, I not going to waste my time reading all that shit stuff. All I'm looking for is information about radar detectors.

Hey, it's 173 hits, not 111, and your post is right there at the top. Imagine that.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I am thinking of getting one. Just wondering what you all are using and how you mounted it. BTW, I am not interested in spending a fortune. Thanks in advance for your replies.

'ionbeam': The only defense against proper traffic patrol/enforcement procedures is to be observant of your surroundings and watch for trends in the traffic flow and traffic behavior. A good detector and continuing vigilance will help you under the remaining situations.

As 'Warchild' says: "Situational Awareness".... B)

And, a good radar detector can help you get there. If you use it often enough and long enough and have it hooked-up properly:

'Geezer': but you do need speakers or ear buds to hear the detector go off. That means that you need a detector that has an audio out jack. Many do not have this feature.

... you'll end-up just like 'Pavlov's Dogs' and will be constantly way more aware of you environment.

You still can lose the game, tho -- to a better 'player' on the opposing team.

 

[ionbeam]

Hey, it's 173 hits, not 111, and your post is right there at the top. Imagine that.

Wasting a slot, that was threads, not posts. PM coming your way Fred.

 

[200cs]

thanks everyone again.

I am a firm believer in situational awareness and have been without a ticket for 16 years and I haul ass to put it bluntly. However, I "know how to speed" as they say: use center lane to accelerate up behind the cager then pass on the left after you can see its clear then back into the center and run up behind the next and so on. This keeps the LEO sitting in the median from getting a fix on me. I am content to run down the interstate when commuting 10 or 15 over and it works for me.

The scenerio I wish to avoid is the speed trap where they are writing for 5 over and hiding behind the bushes with a hand held gun. It would be nice to get some warning that there is a trap in the area.

The other scenerio is the weekend ride where we are out in the middle of nowhere running hard on empty back roads and no one is around. I would like some early warning that there might be an officer up ahead.

One of our out of state riding buddies has the V1 and saved us all from a ticket last year in Colorado. His detector went off and he immediately shut it down before the local could get a reading. We were then followed for about 10 miles and 55 is almost impossible to do on these bikes.

Last weekend we had an awesome ride and I GPS indicated 129 as a top speed. Several miles were well over 100 sustained. This was not an isolated incident for our group but I havent ridden in a few weeks and it was enough of a lay-off to make me think after getting back on that I probably should get some additional early warning other than my sense.

Thanks again for all of your replies.....

 

[Bounce]

Any of you doinks ever consider this. "Don't exceed the posted?"

sell your fjr and get a 650 bergman if that's all you want.

+1 on the V1! Been running one version or another for many tens of thousands of miles (since 1999) and can confirm that no matter how sensitive a detector is, without the locator arrows, you're only getting part of the info needed to make good choices.

 

[RadioHowie]

Any of you doinks ever consider this. "Don't exceed the posted?"

sell your fjr and get a 650 bergman if that's all you want.

Right now, I don't think the sale of my FJR would buy a Burgman. I've got too many speeding tickets to pay for. :****: