'EarlyWarning' cheap (?) radar detector

**rustyrobot** · 16th April 2012, 10:31

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/ea...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** · 16th April 2012, 10:43

$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** · 16th April 2012, 12:31

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** · 16th April 2012, 12:52

You can get a TPX for about $750 now.

**sleemanj** · 16th April 2012, 15:31

Originally Posted by rustyrobot

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** · 16th April 2012, 15:49

Looks like another radar detector detector

**GrayWolf** · 16th April 2012, 17:48

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

one being tested in the USA

**rustyrobot** · 16th April 2012, 18:28

Originally Posted by GrayWolf

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** · 16th April 2012, 18:51

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** · 16th April 2012, 20:06

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 17th April 2012, 09:10

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** · 18th April 2012, 07:28

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** · 18th April 2012, 12:51

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

**scumdog** · 18th April 2012, 13:04

Originally Posted by Flip

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** · 18th April 2012, 14:11

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.