Motorcycle radar and/or lidar detector options?

[Nickds7]

I've never gotten as much as a speeding ticket in my life.. I'd like to keep it that way... Has anyone had any experience with motorcycle radar/lidar detector options? Are people just using wireless car ones or what?

[Alex]

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.

[Alex]

Here's the setup I used on an R6:



Similar on a 12R, but I didn't have that bright bank of LED's yet:

[kkim]

crap, Alex... how do you find the time to watch the road??

[Alex]

Heck, that was old tech on those bikes. You don't want to see what I can play with on the BMW.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Alex

. You don't want to see what I can play with on the BMW.

TMI!! Can't they put you in jail for doing that in public? ask Pee Wee Herman!!

[SteveL]

You should think your selves lucky most of the police forces in Europe use laser for the mobile traps, there is no way you can detect it until you have be been zapped.

Steve

[Elfling]

Originally Posted by Nickds7

I've never gotten as much as a speeding ticket in my life.. I'd like to keep it that way... Has anyone had any experience with motorcycle radar/lidar detector options? Are people just using wireless car ones or what?

I have a really great way to avoid speeding tickets.

Don't be excessive

Also, around here, I'm not sure what the LEOs have been using, but friends with a standard radar detector have been caught unawares lately. Two of them have told me they got pulled over with no warning in the last couple of months, and one claims the officer tapped his radar detector and said something to the effect of "Yeah, we're working on getting past those." Grain of salt and all that but you never know.

[Syphen]

In Canada, radar detection devices are illegal.. and a little hard to hide on a bike.

That being said, I've only got one ticket on a motorcycle and it was years ago on my old F2. being an idiot. He got me with radar in 6 lanes of traffic. I fought it but still got dinged hard.

[CC Cowboy]

I had a radar detector made just for bikes on my Yamaha Venture Royal. It was a waste because I couldn't hear it and I was always watching the girls in heels (I mean the road) so I couldn't tell if it was going off.

I've outgrown the speeding rush (most of the time) and since the speedlimit is 70 instead of 55 (until Obama realizes the tax implications from speeding tickets) I just ride along with the flow of traffic.

I'm not sure but a jammer seems to be the best way to go.

[addy126]

Originally Posted by kkim

crap, Alex... how do you find the time to watch the road??

Lol Kim, I was just looking at his setup and was thinkin just that thing

[TheGoodLyfe]

It is my understanding that radar detectors WILL NOT protect you from Leos using laser. For that you need a laser jammer. You will have to do the research but I know in WA where I live it is NOT illegal for me to run a radar dector and a laser jammer. The key thing is once you are alerted from the jammer, slow your speed down and TURN IT OFF so that the po po can get a reading on your speed cuz it is illegal to obstruct an officer from getting a reading on your speed.

Like others have said, just don't speed. I can understand 10 above the posted speed limit every now and then but if you are up that high or higher all the time, your asking for it period and most likely will get a ticket without using a jammer even if you have a radar detector.

Jay

[Alex]

Some states (including California) have passed laws outlawing laser jammers, but it's my understanding that they are of limited effectiveness against the newer LIDAR guns anyway. If they provide enough power to actually affect the return of the signal, they are easily detected and the LIDAR unit posts up an error message on its screen saying it's being jammed. Since they are able to be aimed reasonably precisely, it's trivial for the LEO to figure out which vehicle is attempting to jam the device. Even in states where that's not explicitly illegal, I imagine it would perhaps interest the officer to have a little chat with you about any other infractions that may be found on/in the vehicle.

Laser detection is not particularly useful, as by the time it goes off the most likely scenario is that you've already been clocked. There are some instances where there's a small chance that the beam had enough strength for you to pick it up but the reflection wasn't strong enough to be picked up by the LIDAR gun itself, and in that case you may have a second or two of warning at most. But overall, LIDAR is much different than trying to pick up a radar signal, and is much harder to defend against.

[TheGoodLyfe]

There are some models that are able to jam LIDAR and the officer operating the gun would not receive any error whatsoever. However you get what you pay for. I was doin some research and I think the Blinder M25 X-treme with laser veil and laser shields for your license plate with one side coated with laser veil would fit the bill. Unless you speed excessively on a daily basis that is a big investment that could be spent on parts for your bike! All you gotta do is not speed haha

[Alex]

Originally Posted by TheGoodLyfe

There are some models that are able to jam LIDAR and the officer operating the gun would not receive any error whatsoever.

There were. There aren't any longer. Technology always marches forward, on both sides of the battle.

[TheGoodLyfe]

People who speed are SOL then hahaha.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Alex]

Originally Posted by SteveL

You should think your selves lucky most of the police forces in Europe use laser for the mobile traps, there is no way you can detect it until you have be been zapped.

Steve

My wife and I took a motorcycling trip through Europe a few years ago, and were warned repeatedly by our guides that Switzerland was the strictest about speed. I still set off several speed cameras there, as well as in some other countries, but the tickets, if they were sent, never caught up with us. The bike rental place said that if they received any tickets they'd forward them on to the person who had rented the bike, but I never got any. Perhaps Switzerland just doesn't even send them if there is a German plate on the bike.

[komohana]

to answer the question, i have used a radar detector on my previous bike, pre-laser days. i just had a visual warning, no audio. riding with the detector i learned that i only had moments from the initial warning to react. as long as my speed was in transition (i.e. slowing down rapidly) i was alright. i also learned that grabbing a handful of brake when getting a warning was a dead give-away, and not necessary if i was within the speed limit. so i always needed to know 2 things when playing detector wars of the time:
-the speed limit in the zone i was in at any given moment
-how fast i was going in that zone.

[jonthechron]

Originally Posted by Syphen

In Canada, radar detection devices are illegal.. and a little hard to hide on a bike.

That being said, I've only got one ticket on a motorcycle and it was years ago on my old F2. being an idiot. He got me with radar in 6 lanes of traffic. I fought it but still got dinged hard.

I believe they are still legal in BC, AB and SK.

[CC Cowboy]

I ride at warp speed. It doesn't show up on radar, laser, or to the naked eye.

[tinng321]

I agree with CC.
The safest is to go with the flow of traffic.

[road_rascal]

You should ride 'professionally', and I mean always use turn signals, don't cut in and out of lanes, no tailgating, etc. Dressing the part also helps (full gear). There have been numerous times where I could have easily gotten many tickets (and actually talked my way out of 2 from a State Trooper) from speeding. I know most police officers have a bias against sport bikes (crotch rockets to them) by the chatter I hear on the scanner. I quit using a radar/laser detector years ago.

[Big_Guy]

Originally Posted by tinng321

I agree with CC.
The safest is to go with the flow of traffic.

no not really. I was in my car driving on the 60 east and i was in the fast lane (right next to the carpool) and i was going traffic speed with cars in front and behind doing the same.

the cop used lidar (based off the ticket he gave me and another driver).

i passed the cop but didnt notice him on the right shoulder, he then caught up with us and pulled me and the person in front of me over... (is that even legal?!)

he said he clocked the guy in front of me at 80 and i was going exactl hte same speed after him...

ticket was $396 (second ticket was "enhanced" by my first ticket two years ago.)

$396 (ticket) + $54 (traffic school processing fee) + $26 (traffic School) = $476 total.

[adaptivradar]

You can fine Radar Detectors For Bikes and/or lidar detector options here :- http://www.radardetectorforbikes.com/

[M]

Originally Posted by Elfling

Also, around here, I'm not sure what the LEOs have been using, but friends with a standard radar detector have been caught unawares lately. Two of them have told me they got pulled over with no warning in the last couple of months, and one claims the officer tapped his radar detector and said something to the effect of "Yeah, we're working on getting past those." Grain of salt and all that but you never know.

LTI UltraLyte, Laser Atlanta Speedlaser, Kustom Pro III, and Stalker LZ1 represent the majority of the LIDAR guns currently utilized in the US.

Laser Atlanta Speedlaser LIDAR guns have a 'stealth mode' that is specifically designed to defeat radar detectors and laser jammers. Stealth Mode takes advantage of the filtering algorithms present in most radar detectors and laser jammers. Detectors expect a steady pulse train for police laser. Stealth Mode works by sending out two pulses of laser, after which it then pauses long enough to fool the filtering algorithms, before repeating the cycle. Regular mode uses a constant pulse train of 238 pps. Stealth Mode sends out two pulses, and then pauses for the next five pulse intervals before repeating the cycle, which results in 68 pps

[M]

Originally Posted by adaptivradar

You can fine Radar Detectors For Bikes and/or lidar detector options here :- http://www.radardetectorforbikes.com/

Interesting first post, promoting your product...

For those looking to buy a detector, the above product has lackluster performance. The Bell RX65, Passport 8500 X50 and Valentine 1 all shame that unit (as do many inexpensive radar detectors).

[M]

Originally Posted by Big Guy

i passed the cop but didnt notice him on the right shoulder, he then caught up with us and pulled me and the person in front of me over... (is that even legal?!)

Yes it's legal; LEOs have no limit to number of vehicles they can stop at one time.

[Soujyu]

Originally Posted by M

Yes it's legal; LEOs have no limit to number of vehicles they can stop at one time.

I see cops pull over entire groups of motorcycles before, so it's certainly not unusual.

As for the original question, I use an Escort Passport 9500xi, mounted with a RAM mount over the master cylinder. Yes, it works (at least for the Austin suburbs), but I'm at the point where I'm going to install a lidar jammer. I would have done it last month, but I had unexpected expenses these last couple of months.

[Snafu]

I'm currently using a m27 laser jammer and the adaptiv radar detector. So far so good. Granted I don't ride it like I stole it. I normally go with the flow.