Radar Detectors

[cuppa]

I have started looking for a radar detector and am wondering whats hot and whats not and were to buy.So any info would be well recieved.Its to be fitted to an VTR1000.

[pritch]

I don't yet have one so can't comment. If you do a Google search for motorcycle radar detectors though, you should get something to read while you await replies from the experts.

[saul]

I have started looking for a radar detector and am wondering whats hot and whats not and were to buy.So any info would be well recieved.Its to be fitted to an VTR1000.

Hello cuppa.

I have an escort 8500x50 and it rocks.

I have a mount coming from the stem, very tidy

Has ear phone jack in the side so it is pretty simple to sort.

Really helps me relax when I am riding.

opps the pic of the R1 is a mistake should have been another shot of the detector

[Blackbird]

A search of this website will find you dozens of posts on detectors and the performance of them.

[Leong]

Its to be fitted to an VTR1000.

If you're looking for a stem mount, I have one for sale that probably fits - 19mm Stem mount. http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=33788

I've used a V1 in the cage for years, recently mounted it onto the bike and got a HARD for it. Only been using this 2 weeks. Doesn't false, and picked up 2 radar signals well in advance so far. HARD is good but diff to remember to turn it off

[Swoop]

The search button is your friend.....

Bel RX65 Pro.

[Timber020]

I second the escort 8500- awesome little tax saver

[scumdog]

They're all a waste of time

(Where's Lou when you need him?)

[Clivoris]

I think he is ironing his blouse?

I think they are a waste of time in the sense that by the time they have detected a laser locking onto you the officer has locked it and into the process of pulling you over or noting your plate.

They radar detection doesn't work well when cops adopt the passive scanning technique.

You can't get a wholeproof system that will protect you, it comes down to luck and chance more than anything....and if you decide to speed.

Is it true that they don't pick up laser unless it is aiming directly at the unit sensor?

[StoneChucker]

Even though this has been done before, there are always new people and they don't/can't always search every thread, so I'm happy to add my $2.35

If you don't mind paying a little extra, then there is only one choice. It is:

The Beltronics XR AUNZ Series
Price: About $1195.00
Available: A few places, one of which is Radar Direct (Click Here)

The Valentine One (V1) USED to be the best detector, but as times change, so does technology. Bel completelly surpassed the the Valentine One with their new Bel XR AUNZ. I got mine a few months ago, and it blows the competition away. I was on ACC funded taxis for about a year, and my regular driver had a V1. It used to chirp / alarm the whole bloody way to work, and the whole way back, and there was never ever any bloody police car or speed van. It was picking up petrol stations, garage doors, other detectors (according to the excuses my embarrased driver used to make up), etc... If you want your own mind made up, go to a shop and ask to look at the two, it's quickly quite obvious which detector is the one to go for, even if you go on looks alone. The V1 looks very tired.

With my detector (When I bought it, it had the full name of the Beltronics STi XR AU/NZ Series), I often drive to and from work (a 60km round trip) without it going off once. That's because the quality and settings make sure that it only goes off when there is a reason to. Most of the time there are no speed traps, and you don't need to have your detector going off constantly to make you feel better! When mine does go off, you can be bloody sure there is a reason to stop! (Ask CrazyLittleShit, he went for a drive with me the other day - heaps of warning and no false alarms).

It is completely user friendly, comes perfectly setup up out the box. You can however change all the settings if you want eg: turn bands on/off, change brightness, make it run in full dark mode (for discretion, although they are legal so I never use that function), change volume, options, everything. You can keep the standard alert setting which flashes the band detected AND gives you an initial voice alert of the detection and what band it is, and shows via a bar what the signal strength is (band = type of radar that is detected i.e. laser, different types of radar bands, etc...). While it detects a "threat", it carries on beeping (beeps speed up as the signal strength increases), but it auto mutes from the good initial volume to a softer volume so you can still hear it but it doesn't drive you crazy. That of course, you can change if you so desire.

It comes in a nice aliminium case, with a winscreen mounting bracket and two sets of suction cups, a cigarette lighter power source and a hard wiring power source. I use the hardwired power source (it's neater and I had it done with the other gadgets I added during pre-purchase) which has a remote mute button and detection alert LED (If you run the detector in full dark mode, only the LED flashes. And, if you turn auto-mute of the alert off, you use the mute button on the remote to mute the detection alert volume when you want it muted). The actual detector is very sturdy, made of a light but solid and sturdy metal, probably aliminium, coated in black. The detector has a quick-release button which quickly (duh!) and easily detaches from the winscreen mounting bracket for secure storage when not in use.

I bought mine from the company linked above (Radar Direct, the Lower Hutt branch), and they are super helpful. As it's such a good (i.e. expensive) item, they gave me a few freebies (like the soft leather carry case which usually costs about $30.00). I don't work for them nor do I represent this item/manufacturer in any way, I just want people to have the facts when buying a good detector.

With regards to the HARD kit (also available from the above link), my time was cut short before I had the chance to have a bike to put the detector on. If I still rode, I would definitely give the HARD kit a go, even if I hadn't heard any reviews of it. And if I still rode, I would buy the Bel XR AUNZ Series before I even bought a bike, it's that good. Hope you find what you're looking for.

Regards,
Dave.

[StoneChucker]

Is it true that they don't pick up laser unless it is aiming directly at the unit sensor?

As far as I understand:

Yes, to some extent. Laser is detectable if the narrow beam falls in your detectors path. This is a cut 'n paste from a reliable site specialising in detectors:

Laser guns 904 nanometer, infrared beam is only 40 cm wide and does not scatterŠ (bounce off objects like radar). If your laser detectors receiver is out of this 40 cm beam width, chances are it will not alert to laser's use. If the laser gun were pointed directly at your detector, it would alert. The chances of getting any advanced warning of laser being aimed at the car in front of you are slim.

You can however seriously increase your chances of avoiding having a speed registered on the cop's laser gun by adding a laser jammer kit. These however are probably not legal, but they are very clever and allow you to detect the threat, adjust your speed and turn off the jammer - this might cause the cop to think his box of dougnuts may have caused an erroneous reading [pt - I like cops, and I like doughnuts - the principle is serious though ]

There are a couple of things that neither detectors nor jammers can save you from:
1) Instant on radar or laser - Cop sitting on side of road with laser/radar off. Waits till you're in range and wham! turns it on... Radar detector / laser jammer goes off at the same time your speed registers on cop's device
2) Pace setting of a cop - using his car/bike to judge your speed is admissable in court

[Leong]

I was on ACC funded taxis for about a year, and my regular driver had a V1. It used to chirp / alarm the whole bloody way to work, and the whole way back, and there was never ever any bloody police car or speed van. It was picking up petrol stations, garage doors, other detectors (according to the excuses my embarrased driver used to make up)

Obviously not all V1's are the same. Mine virtually NEVER falses. When I got my HARD, and wanted to try it out I spent ages looking for a cop with radar - there are NO auto doors etc that regularly make it false. Mine was bought thru radar direct and is "tuned for NZ" whatever that means - it works!

I think the HARD system (at least presently) only works with the V1 and the Escort.

[What?]

If you don't mind paying a little extra, then there is only one choice. It is:

The Beltronics XR AUNZ Series
Price: About $1195.00
Available: A few places, one of which is Radar Direct (Click Here)

No doubt that it is a good unit Dave, BUT...

1/ It is the same guts as an Escort x50, with a different case (made in same factory by same company).
2/ According to the manufacturers (I wrote to them and asked...), there is no such thing as a NZ spec.
3/ Even if there was, there would not be an Aus spec (detectors being illegal over yonder)
4/ Radardirect are fugginexpensive.

[Lou Girardin]

I'm back scummy. Cuppa you can listen to the cops, or you can search the site for info. I've used detectors since I lost my speeding immunity, I couldn't imagine how much dosh and walking time they've saved me.
Except for lasers, you have to be very lucky to pick up laser scatter off another vehicle before the IRD man targets you, that's why I use a laser jammer.
Contact www.cartertonryan.co.nz for prices.

[Quasievil]

No doubt that it is a good unit Dave, BUT...

1/ It is the same guts as an Escort x50, with a different case (made in same factory by same company).
2/ According to the manufacturers (I wrote to them and asked...), there is no such thing as a NZ spec.
3/ Even if there was, there would not be an Aus spec (detectors being illegal over yonder)
4/ Radardirect are fugginexpensive.

I was in las Vegas a year back at the SEMA show (biggest car show on earth) I spoke to the Bel boys and they informed me the NZ distributor re labels the standard detectors as a marketing ploy, there is no such thing as a NZ spec, you should avoid Radar Direct at all costs. I got my RX65 off trademe, new and sealed for $400 ish, it is perfect, radar Roy gave it 5 out of 5 stars and notes it as the best he has tested ever.
Escort is made by Bel, Bel is the dominant player in the market owning about 90% of the patents for radar detector technology, escorts and bels, great units.
Hard system is a great idea, and Im considering going this way.