ninjette.org - View Single Post - Motorcycle radar and/or lidar detector options?

Alex · May 21st, 2009, 11:33 PM

I run a Valentine1 detector on my RT, and it is a useful tool. In the past I've installed it on our sportbikes, but currently I only run it on the RT. What I've found to be most important is figuring out how you're going to make sure you are immediately alerted when it does go off. If you miss it for even a few seconds, that could be too late. On the RT I have it run to the main audio system on the bike so the beeps come right into my helmet. The audio makes it as useful as in a car. I've tried a number of solutions before the audio, like extra-bright LED's and even a wireless helmet LED system, but all of them turned out to be less effective than audio straight to the helmet. Nothing more discouraging than getting a ticket because you didn't happen to be looking at the blinking LED's at the right time. And yes, it's happened to me.

The other thing to keep in mind is that detectors are by no means foolproof. While they certainly do help from time to time, they are not a guarantee of no tickets. Instant-on and LIDAR mean that a determined LEO will always have a chance to clock your speed before there's anything you can do about it. The good news is that they typically don't have to be that determined, as it isn't that challenging to find someone speeding without resorting to anything out of the ordinary. CHP's often leave the radar blaring 24/7, even though there hasn't been a technical need for them to do that for many years, which does certainly make life easier for detector users.

May 21st, 2009, 11:33 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	I run a Valentine1 detector on my RT, and it is a useful tool. In the past I've installed it on our sportbikes, but currently I only run it on the RT. What I've found to be most important is figuring out how you're going to make sure you are immediately alerted when it does go off. If you miss it for even a few seconds, that could be too late. On the RT I have it run to the main audio system on the bike so the beeps come right into my helmet. The audio makes it as useful as in a car. I've tried a number of solutions before the audio, like extra-bright LED's and even a wireless helmet LED system, but all of them turned out to be less effective than audio straight to the helmet. Nothing more discouraging than getting a ticket because you didn't happen to be looking at the blinking LED's at the right time. And yes, it's happened to me. The other thing to keep in mind is that detectors are by no means foolproof. While they certainly do help from time to time, they are not a guarantee of no tickets. Instant-on and LIDAR mean that a determined LEO will always have a chance to clock your speed before there's anything you can do about it. The good news is that they typically don't have to be that determined, as it isn't that challenging to find someone speeding without resorting to anything out of the ordinary. CHP's often leave the radar blaring 24/7, even though there hasn't been a technical need for them to do that for many years, which does certainly make life easier for detector users. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)