'EarlyWarning' cheap (?) radar detector

[rustyrobot]

I spotted this radar detector on a 'deals' website today and am considering picking one up. Has anyone used an 'EarlyWarning' brand radar detector? Any feedback?

http://www.firstin.co.nz/products/earlywarning-radar-detector-7568/

Also - it is set up to go into a cigarette lighter, presuming it would be a fairly simple workaround to attach this to the electrical system on the bike?

Seems like $70 would be a good buy if it even saved one ticket.

[Gremlin]

$70? Thanks, I'll pass. I'm sure it's as useful as a $10 helmet.

The top ones are Valentine V1, Bel STI Driver and ?Escort 9500? They're top for a reason.

[awa355]

You may find that for that price, it wont stand up to the vibration of a bike, nor work in damp / wet conditions. Take it from one who's bought heaps of "bargains" over the years.

[avgas]

You can get a TPX for about $750 now.

[sleemanj]

Also - it is set up to go into a cigarette lighter, presuming it would be a fairly simple workaround to attach this to the electrical system on the bike?


You have to be careful there, a lot of these devices have a simple voltage regulator tucked into in the "plug" dropping the voltage down, direct wire your gadget to your 12v bike and you let the magic smoke out. Always check the voltage specified on the device before you wire it in even if the plug looks like just a plug.

[bsasuper]

Looks like another radar detector detector:yes:

[GrayWolf]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CGvXR998c0

one being tested in the USA

[rustyrobot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CGvXR998c0

one being tested in the USA

Ah sweet thanks - hadn't even thought of looking on youtube. Comments here pretty disparaging though, so might just use sixth-sense and keen eye-sight until I can afford something decent.

[Subike]

You already own the best weapon against getting tickets for speeding

Common sense....dont ride fast enough to get one

No matter how empty the road might seem

Nature will get you one day, and she hurts.....

[300weatherby]

$70? Thanks, I'll pass. I'm sure it's as useful as a $10 helmet.

The top ones are Valentine V1, Bel STI Driver and ?Escort 9500? They're top for a reason.

Agreed, at $70, somethin aint right.... I run a six year old Escort 8500, it has around 50,000 kms behind it (give or take)and it has never let me down, you can get one for way less than a grand with stand, cover, and wireless led to helmet, money well spent, especially with the adoption of the "4km tolerance". I won't ride without it!

[ckai]

God I hate cheap radar detectors! They leak out so much "crap" that mine goes off all the time. Of course, because they have stuff all range, they only go off when I'm meters away from them and only for a few seconds.

Still, it gets annoying when you're driving around Auckland. Or Hamilton on a Friday night :)

[Crabby]

Had a Valentine 1 on my ZX9R with the eye flasher in the helmet... best money I ever spent. Never forget one day, I had the Hauraki plains almost to myself and I was investigating a misfire at 11,500rpm in 5th gear along the road from kopu to maramarua,the v1 started lighting up so I air braked and came back to a reasonable speed, about 4 kms down the road there were two cop bikes parked up with radars...

[Flip]

I have a Belltronics detector, on a straight road I have detected cops 12km away.

[scumdog]

I have a Belltronics detector, on a straight road I have detected cops 12km away.

Be aware though that if there's not much traffic and the cop is not checking EVERY car then you won't get much warning at all...

[Flip]

I don't reily on the thing as I don't normally speed, it's a Harley thing. But saying that I have never been suprised by a Rozza checking only a few cars, usually they check enough the radar detector has seen them miles away.

Overall I have not had a speeding ticket since 06 when I first brought a detector. How many would I have got, probably one every 18 months on average.

[Flip]

God I hate cheap radar detectors! They leak out so much "crap" that mine goes off all the time. Of course, because they have stuff all range, they only go off when I'm meters away from them and only for a few seconds.

Still, it gets annoying when you're driving around Auckland. Or Hamilton on a Friday night :)

Mine goes off, gives a chirp from time to time. I would say only 1/3 of the time I actually see the Rozza. I have always assumed that they were behind me or off to the side some where. Not that I have ever driven around Auckland or Hamilton on a Friday night.

The moment mine starts to chirp I will be doing the speed limit, every time.

[pritch]

I
Also - it is set up to go into a cigarette lighter, presuming it would be a fairly simple workaround to attach this to the electrical system on the bike?


My Ducati S4R had a cigarette lighter fitting and I tested it to see if I could avoid paying for the hard wire. No go! The plug vibrated out in short order.

YMMV but potentially expensive.

[1998gsxr]

have a bell top of there range but i find if you are cruzing by the time it picks them up there pritty much got you,Remember what there doing now is they switching there radar system on and off and of course when they switch it on they have you,so you may think that your radar is not working that well then all of a sudden your nabbed,be careful mate shes a long time walking .

[1998gsxr]

also went to repco brought a cig lighter socket wired it up to - and a + taped down and plugged in radar,no worrys.
good luck

[SMOKEU]

You already own the best weapon against getting tickets for speeding

Common sense....dont ride fast enough to get one

No matter how empty the road might seem

Nature will get you one day, and she hurts.....

Try that when you ride something fast.

[caspernz]

Try that when you ride something fast.

Yeah well, for some of us that gets easier as we get older and wiser.

[SMOKEU]

Yeah well, for some of us that gets easier as we get older and wiser.

Riding a big sports bike is probably enough to turn any motorcyclist into someone who acts like a kid in a candy store, regardless of age.

[caspernz]

Riding a big sports bike is probably enough to turn any motorcyclist into someone who acts like a kid in a candy store, regardless of age.

True enough, but with age generally comes a dislike of tickets and/or hospital food. Both are inevitable unless a bit of restraint is used, at least on public roads.

That might be why strip clubs and massage parlours are popular? :clap::drool:

[slofox]

I am pretty happy with the TPX v2.0. It has pretty good range now compared to the v1.0. It fired up as I left my driveway the other morning. Highway patrol car was on a parallel street about 1km down the road. Have had a couple of experiences on the highway when it fires up for a car that is not even in sight at the time. So plenty of warning.

I find using the RD has modified my driving and riding habits simply because when it goes off, it prompts me to check the speedo. The positive reinforcement is finding that I am not travelling at illegal speeds. If I look and find I am at warp factor 9, then there is no positive reinforcement. Over time I find I am travelling at much more sensible speeds than I once did. Really, it is just a reminder to keep one's hair on.

Mind you, it works better in the wagon than on the bike for some weird reason...:crazy:

[slofox]

Riding a big sports bike is probably enough to turn any motorcyclist into someone who acts like a kid in a candy store, regardless of age.

Sage, bro - sage.