Radar detector

**tamarillo** · 26th October 2010, 15:17

Originally Posted by slofox

What sort of system does it have to let you know when it goes off? My TPX has an LED cluster that mounts on the dash plus a wireless headset that chirps in your ear...

Tell us how well that TPX works - looking myself but some info suggests they can all be uselss when cops use stealth - leave it on hold untill they see you then turn it on full - by which time it is too late. In traffic yoru detector may pick up cop using it on someone else but on empty roads down here?

**slofox** · 26th October 2010, 15:48

Originally Posted by tamarillo

Tell us how well that TPX works - looking myself but some info suggests they can all be uselss when cops use stealth - leave it on hold untill they see you then turn it on full - by which time it is too late. In traffic yoru detector may pick up cop using it on someone else but on empty roads down here?

No radar detector is totally foolproof - not even the top of the range models. They can only detect a signal when there is one. So if the copper is using stealth he may well catch you out, detector or no.

How well does the TPX work?

My own opinion is that it does a good job but I don't think it has the range of the very top end models. They may well pick up a signal further out than the TPX.

Howsumever, it seems to give me adequate warning. I deliberately leave all bands active so that any alert triggers checking the speedo and closing the throttle a bit...so far so good. I was using it in the car last Friday night (4km speed tolerance time) and it fired up for the copper on Hampton Downs straight as I rounded the corner at the far end which gave me plenty of time to check speed (which was OK anyway!) It has also reacted to radars that are way off axis - like around corners etc so it's not too bad.

The other thing to bear in mind is that I rarely exceed the speed limit if there is any traffic in sight. I don't mind pushing it a bit on deserted roads but when there is a car anywhere in sight I take it carefully. Busting my own arse is one thing. Busting someone else's is another.

The radar detector, for me, is there to make sure I don't get pinched because I am dreaming and not keeping an eye on my speed. I don't look upon it as a license to hoon. If anything, it has brought my highway speeds back a little rather than encouraged me to go faster.

**CRM** · 27th October 2010, 09:53

Originally Posted by slofox

Howsumever, it seems to give me adequate warning. I deliberately leave all bands active so that any alert triggers checking the speedo and closing the throttle a bit...so far so good. I was using it in the car last Friday night (4km speed tolerance time) and it fired up for the copper on Hampton Downs straight as I rounded the corner at the far end which gave me plenty of time to check speed (which was OK anyway!) It has also reacted to radars that are way off axis - like around corners etc so it's not too bad.

The other thing to bear in mind is that I rarely exceed the speed limit if there is any traffic in sight. I don't mind pushing it a bit on deserted roads but when there is a car anywhere in sight I take it carefully. Busting my own arse is one thing. Busting someone else's is another.

The radar detector, for me, is there to make sure I don't get pinched because I am dreaming and not keeping an eye on my speed. I don't look upon it as a license to hoon. If anything, it has brought my highway speeds back a little rather than encouraged me to go faster.

Agree - I've found that using the detector in my car I actually drive slower. I got it because I was getting really annoyed at getting tickets for totally lame things that were completely unnecessary and not in the least bit unsafe

- not so I can go faster.

I haven't used it properly on my bike yet - I seem to be a able to spot them easier from the bike and I think bikes are a smaller and harder target for them too (never had a ticket on the bike but lots in the car - not because I ride slower than I drive!) I tried just sticking the mount on the Bel to the screen but it shakes too much and would fall off so wondering how to mount it better before I do my next big trip in November - a few good ideas here...

**SMOKEU** · 27th October 2010, 11:20

I mounted the detector on my bike and it fell off the bike while I was riding it. Luckily the earphone and power cables were still attached to it so it didn't hit the ground.

**imdying** · 27th October 2010, 11:32

RD to slow you down... interesting concept.

Any time I've used a RD, it was to help me speed like a motherfucker, definitely didn't use it to speed check or remind me not to

**slofox** · 27th October 2010, 13:52

Originally Posted by imdying

RD to slow you down... interesting concept.

Not that unusual from what I have read...

To be honest, it works better at slowing me down in the car. For some strange reason, it is a little less effective on the bike...

But the innate suspicion is better on the bike anyway (see above post). Like this morning...I was approaching a sweeping left hander catching up to a slow car and the temptation to go fanging 'round said car was pretty strong. For some reason the inner voice said "nah - not now"...so I hung back. At which point the highway patrol car appeared coming t'other way. So I didn't end up looking like a dork after all...

**imdying** · 27th October 2010, 13:59

Originally Posted by slofox

Not that unusual from what I have read...

Yeah, I keep reading it too... but then I keep seeing these too...

**CRM** · 3rd November 2010, 12:59

Two problems with radar detectors on bikes:

Can't see them
Can't hear them

I'm wondering about getting a clear plastic box big enough to velcro or clip somehow under the top lip of my windscreen so that the detector lights are angled up at just under my line of sight. So now you can see the warning lights. Then in the bottom end of the box put a small mirror so that the signals are deflected up onto the right angle so that you get correct line of sight.

Anything wrong with my brilliant plan?

I'll put up some pictures when it's made...

**avgas** · 3rd November 2010, 13:03

Originally Posted by CRM

Two problems with radar detectors on bikes:

Can't see them
Can't hear them

I'm wondering about getting a clear plastic box big enough to velcro or clip somehow under the top lip of my windscreen so that the detector lights are angled up at just under my line of sight. So now you can see the warning lights. Then in the bottom end of the box put a small mirror so that the signals are deflected up onto the right angle so that you get correct line of sight.

Anything wrong with my brilliant plan?

I'll put up some pictures when it's made...

Your buying the wrong ones.
I suggest you google
"motorbike radar detector"

there are a few out there custom made for motorbikes......with all these things you whine about fixed.
they are called features

**SMOKEU** · 3rd November 2010, 13:52

Originally Posted by CRM

Anything wrong with my brilliant plan?

I'll put up some pictures when it's made...

I wish you luck in getting it to stay fixed without falling off. You will need something much stronger than velcro, superglue might work if you don't mind getting it all over your windscreen.

**CRM** · 3rd November 2010, 14:03

Originally Posted by avgas

Your buying the wrong ones.
I suggest you google
"motorbike radar detector"

there are a few out there custom made for motorbikes......with all these things you whine about fixed.
they are called features

Yeah but I'm too tight for that

. The challenge is to make this work for under $20 using my Vector XR950

**CRM** · 3rd November 2010, 14:06

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

I wish you luck in getting it to stay fixed without falling off. You will need something much stronger than velcro, superglue might work if you don't mind getting it all over your windscreen.

They said the same thing about the space shuttle and that worked (well - mostly it did)

**SMOKEU** · 3rd November 2010, 14:10

Originally Posted by CRM

They said the same thing about the space shuttle and that worked (well - mostly it did)

I've given up on the whole idea of fitting a radar detector to my bike. It's not really worth it in the end because it keeps falling off and I don't want to damage the detector.

**slofox** · 3rd November 2010, 14:34

Originally Posted by CRM

Two problems with radar detectors on bikes:

Can't see them
Can't hear them

I'm wondering about getting a clear plastic box big enough to velcro or clip somehow under the top lip of my windscreen so that the detector lights are angled up at just under my line of sight. So now you can see the warning lights. Then in the bottom end of the box put a small mirror so that the signals are deflected up onto the right angle so that you get correct line of sight.

Anything wrong with my brilliant plan?

I'll put up some pictures when it's made...

The TPX has a "visual alert" - which is a triple LED doover that you fix on the windshield and point at your eyes. Kind of hard to miss when it goes off...and burns your retinas off...

For fixing, try the Dual Lock from 3M. I use it to stick stuff to the outside of the helmet. Nothing's ever fallen off using that stuff...