Performance of 'imported' radar detectors?

[Digitdion]

I am looking to get a radar detector for my bike. What I would like to know is if you have got one in from the states direct for your self how have they performed? I am heading over to the USA for a quick visit soon. Exchange rate no worries as got US dollars ages ago for trip.

It will save me heaps if I buy one over there, But how do they perform here with our cops? And there radar?

Do they work just as well as radars bought here through 'official channels' ? You always read from sellers here that they are programmed for NZ use. IS this just Seller B.S trying to get a sale. I would love to hear from people who bought there own device in from the states as to its performance.

Cheers!

[Chooky]

Yer it will work fine....just like the stuff you buy here.
Little ole NZ with a population of 4mil does not have a different system to the rest of the world [ where the things are made ]
Just buy a good one, and you wont get hit with GST if you bring it in yourself.:cool:

[3umph]

the radar is usually the cheap part... its the extras that add up...

Wireless led warning for in the helmet, lights on the screen, screamers etc...

I see there is a new one out that is designed for use on bikes and is waterproof and comes with the extras...

http://www.radardirect.co.nz/new/motorbike_radar/index.html

not that I endorse speeding... :bleh::sleep:

[Digitdion]

Yeah, its called a TPX by adaptive. They look the goods. Does any one have one? How does it perform?
I guess its a radar eqivilent of the garmin zumo GPS. Built to handle motorbikes And comes with all the extra little bits you need for a bike.

[LBD]

. Exchange rate no worries as got US dollars ages ago for trip.
My TPX from Radar Direct with mount was NZD1300 . If buying from seppo land, cost would need to be less than USD500 by the time you take x rate .516, and freight and customs duty and customs clearance into account, and then there is the back up and support.


the radar is usually the cheap part... its the extras that add up...


The TPX comes with a wired in LED which fits where you want, (On the top of the gauge panel works for me) It also comes with a wireless volume adjustable screamer for the helmet. (My screamer did not work from new and was replaced, no hesitation, by radar direct, (see comment above regarding product support) However for me the visual LED's worked fine (5500km/8days/not slow) and I will not be using the screamer in the future.


Yeah, its called a TPX by adaptive. They look the goods. Does any one have one? How does it perform?
The TPX worked really well,I had a play with a constable friend to try it out, well over a km and probably more, but only line of site. In the 5500km run, only once was I told to slow down, (When the cunning....turned the radar on from hidden behind another vehical) several occasions I had slowed down when the lights flashed and sure enough there would have been a fine at least.

TPX and Radar Direct get the thumbs up from me.

[3umph]

I run an Escort X50 passport in the plastic shield case with screen mounted LED's which work off the earpiece jackport and the wireless LED in the helmet...

So far it has informed me when boys in blue are about....

Disclaimer: all done at legal speeds of course and only done for scientific purposes... the X50 seems to work very well...

I also only have it detecting Ka band

[ynot slow]

Valentine 1 or Belltronics rx65.

[Dschubba]

If any have disabled the X and K bands (as I have) on your escort or valentine to get rid of the false alarms. The new cameras in the vans are now back on K-band- which will need to be switched back on to detect em.

A shame, since I was false alarm free just running Ka. (escort & screamer)

[Gizzit]

IMHO ..... Definitely import one from the USA, with the stuff you need, like a mount, plastic weather cover, a screamer or visual display ... which ever works for you.

Bell STI are good, and others here prefer other detectors. Just be sure of the exchange rate, and you can't go wrong. They work here just the same as the do in the USA. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. All the new models will work here just fine. Some dealers will definitely try to tell you different, and that overseas models are not set up for NZ. That is just a lie. Pure and simple.
In the past, we have had K band and X Band (i think ?) turned off ... which is simple to do on an STI anyway, and probably on any of the other top models. Its simply a setting you can turn off in the menu. Thats the difference from imported models ..... they still have those two bands switched on. Just turn them off !!! Easy !
As someone else mentioned, some Camera's are now using K band again, so we will have to leave that band on now.
Do your research before you go, know the prices of stuff, and you'll be fine !!
Good luck.

[Bladeslapper109]

My TPX from Radar Direct with mount was NZD1300 . If buying from seppo land, cost would need to be less than USD500 by the time you take x rate .516, and freight and customs duty and customs clearance into account, and then there is the back up and support.



The TPX comes with a wired in LED which fits where you want, (On the top of the gauge panel works for me) It also comes with a wireless volume adjustable screamer for the helmet. (My screamer did not work from new and was replaced, no hesitation, by radar direct, (see comment above regarding product support) However for me the visual LED's worked fine (5500km/8days/not slow) and I will not be using the screamer in the future.

The TPX worked really well,I had a play with a constable friend to try it out, well over a km and probably more, but only line of site. In the 5500km run, only once was I told to slow down, (When the cunning....turned the radar on from hidden behind another vehical) several occasions I had slowed down when the lights flashed and sure enough there would have been a fine at least.

TPX and Radar Direct get the thumbs up from me.

What do you mean by line of site? It didnt pick up the radar bouncing off things around corners or what. Would of thought if its line of sight hes allready got you before you can react.

[Titanium]

Got a Valentine 1 while in the states a few years ago ($200 USD). Still does the goods. Bought a HARD kit from radar direct and mount from techmount.

I think this "tuned for NZ" from the local importers is just bollox!

[Bladeslapper109]

When they say NZ tuned i think they mean they have just turn off the k and x band which anyone should be able to do if the model allows it.

[LBD]

What do you mean by line of site? It didnt pick up the radar bouncing off things around corners or what. Would of thought if its line of sight hes allready got you before you can react.

I came around a corner on to the straight some 1 km away from the radar, The radar was a hand held and car was out of site. There was thick bush either side of the road. The detector went off as I was coming around the corner and there was a car in front of me.

The radar definately picks up the threat well before it registers to my sight/mind.

And the signal has to travel twice the distance back to the radar than it is to the detector

Cheers

[Bike-aholic]

Dont buy any radar made by rocky mountain radar they are rubbish.

[Digitdion]

Thanks guys, just the info I am after. Cheers

[Bladeslapper109]

I came around a corner on to the straight some 1 km away from the radar, The radar was a hand held and car was out of site. There was thick bush either side of the road. The detector went off as I was coming around the corner and there was a car in front of me.

The radar definately picks up the threat well before it registers to my sight/mind.

And the signal has to travel twice the distance back to the radar than it is to the detector

Cheers

Hand held radar??? You mean a hand held laser?
Never heard of a hand held radar before

Travel times are really irrelvant. Radar travels at 186,000 miles per second which is about 7.5 times around the world in a second

[MD]

If any have disabled the X and K bands (as I have) on your escort or valentine to get rid of the false alarms. The new cameras in the vans are now back on K-band- which will need to be switched back on to detect em.

A shame, since I was false alarm free just running Ka. (escort & screamer)

Thanks for that info. My Cobra detector was picking up vans fine when I bought it last year but recently I have just about run over a parked camera van twice now and ..nothing! Had me wondering what was up.
Time to turn X back on and test your theory. Yeah mine is false alarm free too.

[Bladeslapper109]

Most instances parked cameras shouldnt be a problem for us.
They usually only get the front and very rarely have someone sitting in van taking pictures as you go past.
ANd at least they dont have demerits which is the biggest thing.

X band is the band service station doors operate on isnt it??

[LBD]

Hand held radar??? You mean a hand held laser?
Never heard of a hand held radar before

Travel times are really irrelvant. Radar travels at 186,000 miles per second which is about 7.5 times around the world in a second

Yes lasar.

Not times, distance in schrub and bushy areas it has to travel through twice as much interference back to the gun as it does to the detector.

[Jantar]

...Not times, distance .... and because of the quadratic relationship between distance and signal strength, a good detector will pick up the radar at four times the distance that the cop can get a lock. That is why they use instant on mode to overcome that disadvantage.

[LBD]

and because of the quadratic relationship between distance and signal strength, a good detector will pick up the radar at four times the distance that the cop can get a lock. That is why they use instant on mode to overcome that disadvantage.

Bit like the inverse square law in other words?

[carbonhed]

If any have disabled the X and K bands (as I have) on your escort or valentine to get rid of the false alarms. The new cameras in the vans are now back on K-band- which will need to be switched back on to detect em.



Where did you get this info from mate?

I've had a couple of encounters with vans that the STi or V1 hasn't alerted to at all... wrote it off at the time as just setting the system up and not operational. Maybe there's a more sinister explanation :argh:


Turning K band back on would suck moose schlong. Is there no depth these scum won't sink to :ar15: :laugh:

[Bladeslapper109]

Yes lasar.

Not times, distance in schrub and bushy areas it has to travel through twice as much interference back to the gun as it does to the detector.

Yea but your talking about a laser, a laser shoots in one direction and only when the cop pulls the trigger so your detector will only go off when he sees you, lines up the crosshair and pulls the trigger. Laser doesnt shoot off every direction and bounce off everything like radar.

[3umph]

Yea but your talking about a laser, a laser shoots in one direction and only when the cop pulls the trigger so your detector will only go off when he sees you, lines up the crosshair and pulls the trigger. Laser doesnt shoot off every direction and bounce off everything like radar.

And quite a narrow beam...

[MaxB]

And quite a narrow beam...

It is wider than you might think. The LTI 20 20 unit uses a carbon dioxide laser which had quite a large spread. At 300m it is the width of a small bike. It gets even worse when rain, road dust and pollution are thrown into the mix.

[Karl@Alpha]

www.speedcheetah.com
Uses the blinder brain but is made for bikes...
Stops those pesky lasers from making you walk home!
Works with your (high end) detector and comes with a LED display for your helmet.
The down side is the $1,270.00 price tag but thats still a LOT less than my last hit of Life Enjoyment Tax!
We can fit them here but its not hard to do yourself, just time consuming on some bikes.