Headlights and Radar

[Paul in NZ]

I've never been picked up by the radar on the Tritanic - I think it's the tinfoil reflector in the gas lamp up front or possibly the stray electrical interference from the bronze age electrical system makes all they high tech gizmos go wonky....

Paul N

Or possibly that 40bhp struggle to propel my blimp like body past 100kph

[RC1]

RCTL, the aliens are gonna get you !

[frogfeaturesFZR]

Paul your ' blimp like body' is absorbing the radar. I should be so lucky. On the other hand, can I ride behind you ?

[Ixion]

The Guzzi immunity to radar has obvious reasons. We all know about Eytie electrics. And the radar beam is ELECTRO magnetic, right. So as soon as the incoming radar beam arrives at the bike , it is captured by the inescapable laws of Italian electrical randomisation. Instead of the radar beam being deflected back to the cop car, it causes the left rear indicator to flash twice. Except if the horn is pushed at the same time. Then it causes the neutral light to flash until the side stand is put down.

I know about Italian electrics. Chaos theory has nothing on them.

[Paul in NZ]

The Guzzi immunity to radar has obvious reasons. We all know about Eytie electrics. And the radar beam is ELECTRO magnetic, right. So as soon as the incoming radar beam arrives at the bike , it is captured by the inescapable laws of Italian electrical randomisation. Instead of the radar beam being deflected back to the cop car, it causes the left rear indicator to flash twice. Except if the horn is pushed at the same time. Then it causes the neutral light to flash until the side stand is put down.

I know about Italian electrics. Chaos theory has nothing on them.

Oddly enough - as much as I cannot understand how the Guzzi wiring works and why it needs a harness the size of a ships hawser - it has been a paragon of electrical stability. A few small issues but always caused by other things..... The other odder thing - all the bits are actually german? Weird.

The tritanic is pretty robust electrically but does waste a lot of effort shooting electrons into the air which is quite annoying.

Neither bike is much chop with an intercom - nothing is sheilded and it's all a bit of a waste of time. Fortunately - they both have glorious exhaust notes to pass the time...

[davereid]

Ive put together a web page on radar ...

http://www.eslnz.com/radar.html

have a look it may help.

[roogazza]

I have had many people giving their thoughts on my light being off. I made the decision and have it off. I only ride very early in the morning and never in cities. I figure I want any advantage I can get . (as far as radars locking on to me ) But on the other hand it is nice to be seen in traffic, tough call but I made it . I have to back myself and my nearly fortytwo years on the road. Gaz. ps . Novices, leave your lights on ! )

[oldrider]

Ive put together a web page on radar ...

http://www.eslnz.com/radar.html

have a look it may help.

So, I am at a disadvantage riding around on my own, I should always look for a group to join up with! Not many groups go my way! John.

[oldrider]

I have had many people giving their thoughts on my light being off. I made the decision and have it off. I only ride very early in the morning and never in cities. I figure I want any advantage I can get . (as far as radars locking on to me ) But on the other hand it is nice to be seen in traffic, tough call but I made it . I have to back myself and my nearly fortytwo years on the road. Gaz. ps . Novices, leave your lights on ! )

Yep, I leave my light off in the country, soon as I hit town or City limits, on she goes.

If a vehicle is turning in front or across of you in the country you can flash your light off and on and they are more likely to see it than if it is just on.

City folk are tuned into bikes with their lights on (well, some of them). Country folk notice flashing lights more than steady light. (my theory anyway)

Notice how many people tell you they saw you because you "didn't" have your light on!

Personal choice, personal consequence. I think/hope I've got it right! Seems to have worked for me for a long time. Cheers John.

[imdying]

Buy a black bike. When they had the gun at Ruapuna, apparently the nice policeman made the comment that black bikes are a bitch to laser. This was confirmed by some of the KBers who gave it a go.

Of course, a black bike is probably be more likely to get mowed down by a car... I'll be keeping those big twin lights of mine on thanks. If you really want to get your groove on, take it to a track. No coppers, no cars, and all the traffic goes the same way as you

[philnz]

putting tin foil will do nothing, radar is reflected on mass and it will probably reflect back better
on the outher hand i believe that head light should be on but it does get seen by the cop at a greater distance so he will prob ping the radar on as he sees the light overtaking

[madandy]

I think the tin foil idea was a joke dude

[stanko]

Where does this " radar is reflected on mass " fact come from, radar signals are reflected by a metal target, 2000 dead chickens will reflect less radio energy than a meter of aluminum foil. Sports cars with thier headlights retracted reflect less signal than with them extended, even though the mass is the same. Just keep repeating it till it becomes a fact.

[Edbear]

I think the tin foil idea was a joke dude

I wuz jes bout t raid the kitchen cupboard, too...

[davereid]

Yep your dead right stanko ...

In fact the Brits used this principle during WW2. They knew the frequency of the German radar transmitters. So they knew the wavelength. So they cut bits of Aluminium foil to exactly 1 wavelength. Then they dropped the foil out of a bomber. The german radar saw the foil as a large target, because it was electrically speaking a tuned length. So the germans would scramble fighters to attack the large formation of bombers, but couldnt find them. Not till they were almost out of gas, then the real bombers would arrive.

With regard to laser guns, black bikes are hard to get a lock on. And I would think a headlight would make it harder again - its hard keeping a good aim at a blinding light, and its possible it desensitises the laser too. Specially if you got a box of IR LEDS and placed em all at the front of your bike.