Instant on SUX!!!! Nothing can beat it....unless you get lucky and you're not the first target and manage to pick up some scatter.

 

+1 joe!

 

Yeah, speeding when I'm the only one on the road is asking for a ticket if I think the detector will save me.

I can turn off X-band with the Bel. X-band is always motion detectors for sliding doors at retail stores. Can't you do that with the Val?

Even radar, my Bel saved my once going around a bend in my Charger. Gotta be REAL quick with the brake pedal though and there needs to be a lot of other people speeding right along with ya. He shot the car in front of me before I reached the bend and the Bel went nuts!!

I think it's important to LEARN to use the radar detector. It takes a little time if it's your first detector. You'll learn how the good ones react in different conditions. I wouldn't just go ahead and put 100% faith in the detector alone. That's asking for a ticket. Detectors alert you of your surroundings, then it's up to you to determine whether to hit the brake or not.

A good K band shot it pretty much a good sign that there is a cop actively pinging someone. A slow building K band strength is usually a sign of either a cop that has already pulled someone over and his radar is still on while he's giving the ticket, or there's one of those speed display warning signs showing people how fast they're going. There's a LOT of them down here.

 

I've been a K40 guy for many years. Both my cars have them built into the dash. You can also get a version that has a head unit. I don't have a RADAR detector on my bike... and I'm not sure how I'd rig one up if I did.

 

Im thinking about taking an old Whistler apart and mounting it remote under the head lamp and just running some wire up to the LED array mounted on the bars somewhere I dont want a big detector sittin up there and couldnt here the sound alert anyway!

 

Pashnit did a review of the TPX Adaptiv radar detector. It is the only Motorcycle specific radar detector I have seen.

http://www.pashnit.com/product/adaptiv_radar.html

 

I was thinking I could put the antenna on the frame, maybe just above or below the voltage regulator. ... one of these days, I'll pull one out of one of the cars and see how it looks.

 

Are they one of those useless electronic toys, like when I see people with GPS' attached to their handlebars? GPS............in Florida? ha ha ha ha ha

 

the Valentine is as far as i know the best.
it does have a lower setting for around town.
you can hit a button to mute the audio for a signal. then when it detects a new signal it will chirp again.
the company will upgrade a unit when new technologies come out.
there are options available to mount it.
there are also options to mount a light in a helmet.

as mentioned earlier, you do have to learn how to 'read' the radar detector. you have to hit the brakes and ask questions later. if you picture the radar as a beam of light, then the cop has to point the light at you and be able to shine on your vehicle. you might be able to see the light (the RD see the radar signal) up ahead from around a curve or over the hill, then again you might not.

but there are other options also. a CB radio can be very informative. nice to know there is a cop with eyes up 5 miles ahead.

and then there are tricks that you can use to help avoid being spotted.
- if you can't see the cop, then he can't see you and can't get a reading on you.
- if you are coming up to a cop and are next to a semi, the cop will get the reading from the semi much more so than you. it bounces off surface area.
- if you are the only one on the road then you have to be selective when speeding. where do cops sit? would they sit in plain view on a flat straight road. probably not. so they will pick a spot where they can see you, but they are somewhat camoflauged. again, they have to see you which means you can see them if you look.
- they will sit over the top of a hill. so if you are going over the limit and coming up to a hill, maybe slow down. your RD will not always pick up the signal until you are at the top of the hill and then it might be too late.
- same thing around a curve.

if a cop is farther down the road and notices you weaving in and out from the right lane to the left and then back in, he can assume you are going faster than traffic and passing all the other cars. you are making an obvious target.

if you stay in the left lane with most other traffic being in the right, another obvious target, as you are probably there to pass the vehicles in the left lane.

should you have a cop behind you, he will watch for someone sitting in the left land and also watch for brake lights. the only reason you would put on brakes on the open road is because you are coming up on someone going slower. if this happens a lot with the same vehicle then the cop will figure you are going faster than others and have to slow up until they move over.

think what a cop has to do to get a reading on you and then drive accordingly.

nothing is better than to find that guy going 90 down the road. hop behind him, not too close, and follow him.

 

+1 Mark