Radar detector

[ryoshiggy]

Will a black (not transparent at all) windshield affect my radar detector? Or does the transparency/color of the windshield not affect performance?
I know that radar detectors see radar bands as a form of light, but I'm not sure if the black windshield reflects/absorbs/blocks the radar detector from detecting the radar band.

[Alex]

Won't affect radar, as long as it's not a metallic film. Will affect laser detection performance, but that's not terribly effective even when it's working perfectly.

[ryoshiggy]

Okay thanks for the quick reply!

[cadd]

Great question!!! I have no idea. Lol. I have a V1 detector for my car. But never tried installing it on the bike when I plasti dipped the stock windshield.

I'll let you know soon. I have that plasti dipped windshield in the garage. Next time I drive the car, I'll place it in front of the V1 to see if it picks up on the radars.

[Kurgan]

Just make sure you don't live in a state where the cops have a radar detector detector that can detect your detector. They'll know if you're using one and bust you for it

[ryoshiggy]

Originally Posted by cadd

Great question!!! I have no idea. Lol. I have a V1 detector for my car. But never tried installing it on the bike when I plasti dipped the stock windshield.

I'll let you know soon. I have that plasti dipped windshield in the garage. Next time I drive the car, I'll place it in front of the V1 to see if it picks up on the radars.

That would be great thanks so much! And V1 all the way!!!!

[ryoshiggy]

Originally Posted by Kurgan

Just make sure you don't live in a state where the cops have a radar detector detector that can detect your detector. They'll know if you're using one and bust you for it

Nah haha I'm in TX.

[Alex]

Detectors are legal for cars and bikes in every state in the US, other than Virginia. They are only illegal for use by trucks in other states. No need to worry about detector detectors unless you're in VA, and if you are, it's not trivial to hide a detector completely and still keep it usable.

That said, human nature likely leads to many fewer warnings and more tickets if you are pulled over and the LEO sees a detector on the dash. Over the years I've tried all sorts of bright lights and other accessories to have the detector alert be noticed while on a bike, and none of them were foolproof. The only thing that has worked well for me is getting audio alerts directly to the helmet. This has led me to run radar while on my larger bikes, but not on any sportbikes where I don't run an audio system.

[ryoshiggy]

Originally Posted by Alex

Detectors are legal for cars and bikes in every state in the US, other than Virginia. They are only illegal for use by trucks in other states. No need to worry about detector detectors unless you're in VA, and if you are, it's not trivial to hide a detector completely and still keep it usable.

That said, human nature likely leads to many fewer warnings and more tickets if you are pulled over and the LEO sees a detector on the dash. Over the years I've tried all sorts of bright lights and other accessories to have the detector alert be noticed while on a bike, and none of them were foolproof. The only thing that has worked well for me is getting audio alerts directly to the helmet. This has led me to run radar while on my larger bikes, but not on any sportbikes where I don't run an audio system.

Ahh I have bluetooth speakers in my helmet and the YaV1 app which sends audio alerts through the bluetooth. It will be amazing

[Alex]

Let us know how it works for you when you get it set up.

[rojoracing53]

I always have radar, music, nav with the potential for phone calls(no one calls me) feeding into my helmet via Bluetooth. Works great all the time.

[ryoshiggy]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

I always have radar, music, nav with the potential for phone calls(no one calls me) feeding into my helmet via Bluetooth. Works great all the time.

which radar do you have?

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Alex

Detectors are legal for cars and bikes in every state in the US, other than Virginia......

Washington DC also bans detectors (Although they are not a state and they make more money off of photo radar tickets so I don't think many DC cops bother giving out speeding tickets anymore.)

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by ryoshiggy

which radar do you have?

I use a Belltronics STI.

I also have the darkest smoked shield on my bike which you can still see through. It detects lazar and radar just fine but like I said, my shield isn't totally black. The key to getting audio detector alerts on top of everything else is you need to have a Bluetooth helmet unit that can connect to two sources. Then you need a $30 Bluetooth transmitter from eBay or Amazon. Then....you need a very hard to find Y splitter audio cable with two male and a single femal connector. One male to the detector, one male to you phone, the female to the $30 transmitter, then sync everything up and you good to go.

I know it sound complicated but it not and once it's all wired up you only have to connect you phone each time then sync both it and the transmitter. Some of the best money I ever spent on my bike when you consider the speeds I travel on my 1000 mile a day Moto trips.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by ryoshiggy

Will a black (not transparent at all) windshield affect my radar detector? Or does the transparency/color of the windshield not affect performance?
I know that radar detectors see radar bands as a form of light, but I'm not sure if the black windshield reflects/absorbs/blocks the radar detector from detecting the radar band.

RAdio Detection And Ranging uses radio waves. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation does use light.

[ryoshiggy]

"*** ryoshiggy, I'm not your mom and I'm not paying for your parts, so do whatever you want with your own bike. ***"
???????????

[ryoshiggy]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

RAdio Detection And Ranging uses radio waves. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation does use light.

oh thats just your sig.. i was confused for a sec

[Brother Michigan]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

RAdio Detection And Ranging uses radio waves. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation does use light.

Radio waves are light, just not visible light.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by Brother Michigan

Radio waves are light, just not visible light. ;)

Yeah, all electromagnetic radiation can be considered light. IR remotes use light outside the visible spectrum, but are still close enough to it that they behave similarly - your TV remote has to be pointed in the general direction of the TV, with nothing blocking it, for it to work. Laser is the same way. On the other hand, radar is more like TV or FM radio broadcasts. You don't need a perfectly clear path directly to the transmitter to pick up those signals.

Because of the different areas of the spectrum they fall into, "radio" and "light" behave quite differently (which I think most people have a basic grasp on), even if they are both technically light.

(I spent a few years working at a Motorola two-way radio shop about 15 years ago. They handled pretty much all the public safety radios in this part of the state, plus a lot of businesses.)

[Brother Michigan]

It depends on the frequency and the method of broadcast. Radio broadcasts work differently from your example because they typically originate from omni-directional antennae and, because of they're low frequency, interact less strongly with any matter that gets in the way (FM is more strongly attenuated by the "stuff" between you an the transmitter than AM. AM also has the benefit of ionospheric refraction, meaning you can bounce the signals off the ionosphere to go "around" stuff that gets in the way. You know, like the Earth.)