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Thread: Has anyone's radar detector ever failed them?

  1. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by Swoop View Post
    Have a proper read of this information. The Valentine is struggling to keep up with the game nowadays..

    11 Miles and 7 miles, STi and V1 respectively.
    Yeah seen that and a few other similar ones, also other tests biased towards Escort and/or Valentine. Like most 'tests' I take the info onboard but don't believe them as the gospel truth. If you dig further you find that a lot of those websites and/or magazines have vested interests either by way of association with resellers of a particular brand or advertising contracts with a particular brand.
    What matters to me is the real world performance, I know a lot of professional/commercial drivers and nearly all of them use either Valentine or Bel. I own a Valentine as do several friends, I also have friends who own Bel STi's - experience has shown there is little difference in the real world, however the Bel STi does have an edge under some circumstances but it is very minimal. The Valentine has the advantage of dual antenna's and more importantly to me the unique 'bogey counter' and direction finder - I have found both these feature invaluable. I also like the fact that it has a metal case rather than plastic which is not an ideal material for something placed in direct sunlight for very long periods.
    I'm certainly not promoting one over the other, just stating that these two seem to be far and away the most popular brands/models amongst people I know/associates etc.
    At the end of the day I am more than happy with the V1 - it has never let me down and has saved me so many times that it has more than paid for itself. Just passing on my experience (as opposed to possibly biased tests) -what people choose to do with this info is up to them. I couldn't give a rats arse -I'm happy!

    I should also point out that whatever the brand, no detector will save you if you are travelling at excessive speed (these days that's probably anything over 120/125km/h at least as far as penalties etc go) but they will reduce the cost/points tally if you react quickly enough. Where they are really good is having that extra pair of eyes that will hopefully stop you getting those annoying 'just over the limit' tickets that often arise from momentary inattention, sneaky/over zealous radar operators etc.

    At the time I bought mine the comparable Bel model (I forget what it was) was nowhere near as good - they have come a long way in the last few years and are an excellent product, I certainly wouldn't knock them.
    I should add that from what I've heard the late model Escort's are also very good - though there does seem to be varying reports on this, from what i gather the late model ones are much better which is probably something to do with them being bought out by Beltronics (or so I've heard)

    Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that, who cares? ...He's a mile away and you've got his shoes

  2. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by firefighter View Post
    aghummmm........
    Honest, its no BS. When it is on highway setting and in line of sight it sees then for miles and miles. On the Culverden straights when the radar detector has gone off and I an riding like a Nana there is stuff all else to do but work out how far away the cop is.
    Going south down the Kaikoras it went off a few times and I slowed up a bit. A rep in a white maxima motored past me at a great rate. When I passed him and the cop who had stopped him I would say it was a similar distance. This has happened a few times now.
    Ive only had one Laser alarm it was going into the Lyttleton tunnel a few weeks ago. I think they were in the control room.
    Radar detectors are not fool proof, they dont see around corners or see cops who turn the radar units on when they are on top of you. But they do work better than I expected.

  3. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick View Post

    Nope - much quicker....

    .
    i was being generous - a bike at 1km away will take a little longer, 2 seconds would give a good solid tone though. i've done much quicker, and if the split between patrol speed and target speed is great, it's quicker again.

    but you know all that

  4. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by jrandom View Post
    And that's why I'm pondering spending the dosh on a Beltronics STi, if it'll pick up scattered radar signals from behind the crests of hills, etc.

    I'm all about reducing speed before the cop's bouncing a signal directly off me.
    The STi is the bees knees no doubt about it! However, it will not save your arse every time. (but 90+ out of 100 is pretty good though)

    If the cops are using instant on radar you have to rely on other motorists to lure them out or you're shit outta luck... However, I suspect that wouldn't be an issue on the North Island quite as often as down here.

    Quote Originally Posted by scumdog View Post
    So for about 12km+ you had to ride like a nana.

    When in fact it only needed to be for a half km or so.

    Then detectors have a lot to answer for.
    A member of the law-enforcing community has just formulated the prime reason why any attempt to ban radar detectors is counter-productive to the cause of getting motorists to "slow the FUCK down".

    Quote Originally Posted by Biggles2000 View Post
    Honest, its no BS. When it is on highway setting and in line of sight it sees then for miles and miles. On the Culverden straights when the radar detector has gone off and I an riding like a Nana there is stuff all else to do but work out how far away the cop is.
    Going south down the Kaikoras it went off a few times and I slowed up a bit. A rep in a white maxima motored past me at a great rate. When I passed him and the cop who had stopped him I would say it was a similar distance. This has happened a few times now.
    Ive only had one Laser alarm it was going into the Lyttleton tunnel a few weeks ago. I think they were in the control room.
    Radar detectors are not fool proof, they dont see around corners or see cops who turn the radar units on when they are on top of you. But they do work better than I expected.
    I can only say I have had similar experiences.
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  5. #80
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    I have been running a V1 for years, its a great unit . But use eyes and experience and anything else I can.
    Funny enough I don't bother switching it to the bike nowdays but in the car it has paid for itself many times over. Maybe cause the car is so boreing I tend to drift over the limit, where's on the bike I'm zeroed in. Gaz.

  6. #81
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    Quote Originally Posted by Biggles2000 View Post
    Honest, its no BS. When it is on highway setting and in line of sight it sees then for miles and miles. On the Culverden straights when the radar detector has gone off and I an riding like a Nana there is stuff all else to do but work out how far away the cop is.
    Going south down the Kaikoras it went off a few times and I slowed up a bit. A rep in a white maxima motored past me at a great rate. When I passed him and the cop who had stopped him I would say it was a similar distance. This has happened a few times now.
    Ive only had one Laser alarm it was going into the Lyttleton tunnel a few weeks ago. I think they were in the control room.
    Radar detectors are not fool proof, they dont see around corners or see cops who turn the radar units on when they are on top of you. But they do work better than I expected.
    Yeah I just read up on them I had no idea they were that good, after my experience with my Bel RX65 (basically was a piece of shit and never did it's job) that sounded like B.S but I believe ya now
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  7. #82
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    Don’t have time to read all the reply, at the moment, but I have an Escort X50. Had it for 4 years. No tickets since I have had it. I recommend an ear plug. It gives you instant notice and you can hit the brakes hard. They can not lock you down when you are decreasing speed as fast as these bikes can stop. I have avoided tickets with instant on two up at 140 k. Pillion not pleased with sudden hard braking but I pay the fines so tuff. When you crank the speed up you need to have increased awareness for lots of reasons and that will help with the spotting of Cops. Eyes and ears are good. I paid around $490.00 for the X50 with all the bits like hard wiring etc. You should have had a look at it overt the weekend.
    You can't use the Taupo road with out one. It is the cash cow road around here. Sorry you got da tickets. Maybe Chicky will pay them for you

  8. #83
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    If you can't operate a motorcycle within the law on public roads perhaps its time to stop using it on public roads?

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  9. #84
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    I'll confess to travelling above the speed limit on occasions. One reason is that the Duke, while being technically a tourer, is really a sports bike. Riding isn't comfortable below about 100kph because that is the speed at which wind resistance lifts my weight off my arms. I expect many bikes have this configuration.

    So I'm considering a radar detector and the Beltronics STi seems the best.

    What I don't know and need advice with is how it should be fitted and wired. Happy to get an autoelectrician to do it but it would be good to give him instructions - Ducatis aren't common down here.

    The other matter is a screamer which I deduce to be a loud alarm of some sort. How and where should this be mounted and wired?

    Finally, is it sensible to build the detector into my fairing with an on/off switch, or place it in a tank bag for easy removal?

  10. #85
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    I have a cheap EARLY WARNING radar detecter off trademe.Saved my bacon many times.No tickets yet,have had it 3 years.Thought it was not working very well because it only picked up the cops after you saw them but realised they had the radar off to stop dectection too soon.....until i picked a cop up well before i saw him just out of national park.....I travel at about 120kph so its ticket area for sure...
    ANGLO AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE CLUB & KTL MOTORCYCLES PROUD SPONSORS OF Paul Dobbs ON THE FLYING DUCATI'S 749R & 999 www.ducatiracing.co.nz http://blog.dobsyracing.com/ go check it out our sponsor www.ktlbikes.co.nz

  11. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiwifruit View Post
    If you can't operate a motorcycle within the law on public roads perhaps its time to stop using it on public roads?
    lol, http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/vb...5520&p=1613492

  12. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiwifruit View Post
    If you can't operate a motorcycle within the law on public roads perhaps its time to stop using it on public roads?
    where's the crybaby thumbsucking smilie?

  13. #88
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    Fuggit...just bought a Beltronics STi with all the required bits.

  14. #89
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    Quote Originally Posted by DMNTD View Post
    Fuggit...just caught a Bellend STi with all the red bits.
    ouch.......

  15. #90
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