Which Radar Detector for Motorbikes?

**Biff** · 16th June 2005, 10:49

Originally Posted by TonyB

I must say, I'm surprised they use IR for the lasers- you'd think there would be some risk of burning someones eye..... but then the lasers are red aren't they, so that does put them down the IR end...

Thanks Tony.

Geek hat on.

Not all lasers are red, some are green and some are blue, the blue ones having a shorter wavelength than the red ones. By definition a laser is actually any beam of light where the wavelength is constant (coherent - a focused beam of photons) and directional. Unlike normal light which scatters. In fact the term laser is actually an acronum for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". Some so called lasers, such as laser pointers, are in fact nothing more than high powered directional LED's - so not 'true' lasers.

The laser guns used by the police, at least in Europe and the US, operate in the low UV portion of the radio spectrum I believe. But I'm not sure about NZ. But I may be wrong. Anybody else know the answer to this ?

The radio spectrum goes:

Radio (as in audio transmissions) >>Microwave>>Infrared>>Visible>>Ultra Violet>>X-Ray>>Gamma.

Wavelengths from UV to IR (nm):
262, 266, 349, 351, 355, 375, 405, 415, 430, 440, 473, 490, 523, 527, 532, 638, 658, 671, 685, 785, 946, 1047, 1053, 1064, 1313, 1319, 1340

And all of these are radio waves they travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles a second). So you've not much of a chance of avoiding a laser hit from a police laser gun, and even a ticket, unless you've got a laser jammer or your detector picks up a laser actually aimed at someone else.

Any red lasers have a wavelength of 630nanometres (nM - billionths of a meter), while blue lasers have a wave length of around 505 nM. I can't remember what the wavelength of a green laser is.

Geek hat off

Now let's talk porn.

**Blackbird** · 16th June 2005, 11:05

There hasn't been much discussion on laser jammers (mainly because most of them are a complete rip-off, but here's some info on the Bel: http://www.ixxra.com/detectors.html.

Have also attached photos of my detector mount which clamps to the brake or clutch bolts. Beautifully made in alloy with teflon ball joint. Cost me just under $100 delivered from www.motorcycleradar.com in the US. Only took 4 days to arrive too.

**lukehyslop** · 16th June 2005, 12:44

From what I've read it seems that laser jammers which have seperate jammers units etc work very well and some even guarentee that you cant get a ticket from laser. Radar detectors with a laser jamming feature have been proven time and again to be useless in most magazine tests. I've never seen lasers being used outside the main centers and I dont reckon you should be speeding in town anyway so I dont see the point (athough I guess on a motorway its a bit different).

**Blackbird** · 16th June 2005, 13:23

I hadn't seen many police lasers used out of town either until I did the Southern Cross. I saw them being used in real out of the way spots in Otago, Canterbury and between Whangarei and Kawakawa!

**Biff** · 16th June 2005, 14:30

Originally Posted by Blackbird

I hadn't seen many police lasers used out of town either until I did the Southern Cross. I saw them being used in real out of the way spots in Otago, Canterbury and between Whangarei and Kawakawa!

There are a few in use in and around ChCh these days. I saw one (before my detector did!!) out towards Akaroa sometime ago. Bloody cop was hiding behind between his mufty and a van.

Thankfully I always stick to the speed limit in built up areas.

**TonyB** · 16th June 2005, 15:00

I've only ever seen two. The first one was a cop in mufti sitting on a traffic island on a deck chair. Seriously I thought he was a nutter pointing a gun a people

The other one was obvious as hell, but I still thought "Why is that nice police man pointing something at me?" took until I was nearly past him for the grey matter to go squuEEEAAAK CLUNK! Wasn't speeding on either occasion.

Didn't know about the laser pointers. Thanks gee.....er Biff

**geoffm** · 16th June 2005, 18:06

Originally Posted by Biff

The laser guns used by the police, at least in Europe and the US, operate in the low UV portion of the radio spectrum I believe. But I'm not sure about NZ. But I may be wrong. Anybody else know the answer to this ?
.

The NZ laser guns are the same as the US (Kustom Prolaser) since that is where they come from. Nine hundred and somehting nm wavelength
Some years ago, I had a play with one on the RamaRama overbridge. It was when they were new, and a cop was up there pinging people on the long straights, and his mate was pulling them over. Doing a roaring trade. I pulled up and asked if I could have a go...
Really easy to use, and you could get a car 1km away. Bikes were a lot harder to pickup, although practise helps. Under 500m, it is like shooting fish in a barrel with a machinegun... Lockon time was generally under a second at 500m. Extreme ranges took slightly longer. Eitherway, you are toast if they are aiming at you.
Geoff

**lukehyslop** · 16th June 2005, 23:58

Who uses a Valentine 1 on their bike? I've got one that I use in my cage (actually I don't have a bike at the mo but thats soon to change). Just been looking at options for using on a bike. Seems like you either need something like the hard system (really expensive but maybe worthwhile). Or the remote audio adaptor plus some kind of speaker or headphone (still expensive) and as if the detector wasn't expensive itself. Why cant they just put a headphone jack on. I'd try to wire one on - but way to much to lose if I fuck it up! Has anyone played around and wired a speaker or headphones straight to valentine without audio box etc.

**dangerous** · 17th June 2005, 06:55

Originally Posted by lukehyslop

Who uses a Valentine 1 on their bike? Just been looking at options for using on a bike. Seems like you either need something like the hard system (really expensive but maybe worthwhile). Or the remote audio adaptor plus some kind of speaker or headphone (still expensive) I'd try to wire one on - but way to much to lose if I fuck it up! Has anyone played around and wired a speaker or headphones straight to valentine without audio box etc.

The V1 has a external ear jack dosent it? just get a hed phone plug type set up from Dick smith bout $10 cut one ear piece off.... or if you dont like being attached to the bike by a wire then try the piezo beeper, a high pitch beeper that will sound off.... shouldent be to dear for one of them see Pixie on pg2
I use the h.a.r.d which is brilant but does cost $400

**lukehyslop** · 17th June 2005, 07:30

Nah the V1 doesn't have an earphone jack they want you to by their remote audio controller ($150+) which has an earphone jack and volume control.

**Lou Girardin** · 17th June 2005, 08:06

Originally Posted by lukehyslop

Nah the V1 doesn't have an earphone jack they want you to by their remote audio controller ($150+) which has an earphone jack and volume control.

Contact Pixie, he'll make an audio adapter as per his V1.

**Biff** · 17th June 2005, 08:22

Originally Posted by lukehyslop

Nah the V1 doesn't have an earphone jack they want you to by their remote audio controller ($150+) which has an earphone jack and volume control.

Or if you're feeling brave, open the unit up and solder the ear piece cable directly onto the speaker.

Be careful if you decide to cut one of the headphones off. Avoid shorting the + and the - of the headphone cable together when connected to the V1. Worse case scenario you may find that you can blow the final stage audio amp circuit (or whatever the internal final audio stage is). Just cut the hadphone cable back to different lengths (the = and - cable) and tape them up

**k14** · 17th June 2005, 09:02

Originally Posted by Biff

Any red lasers have a wavelength of 630nanometres (nM - billionths of a meter), while blue lasers have a wave length of around 505 nM. I can't remember what the wavelength of a green laser is.

Yeah I'll just put my geek hat on and correct you, blue laser is 405ish nm, red is 630nm (the most common one) and green is in between. Yeah I know

but I do

Anyway back to the topic, I've got a Bel 985 and I can not fault it, perfect every time. Only problem with it was it didnt come with a headphone jack but I have remedied that and it is sweet as now.

If money is no object go for a valentine 1, but I would take the Bel RX65, its about the same price as the escort and I am very impressed with my bel. Will perform the same as the V1 aswell.