Kawasaki Concours Forum

Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: Conair on December 22, 2015, 06:59:19 PM

Title: Radar Detectors
Post by: Conair on December 22, 2015, 06:59:19 PM
Curious! is anyone using radar detectors for obvious reasons! I can see even trying to drive responsibly,its quite difficult to keep it at 55 or at the speed limit, its just to much fun! and you get up there so fast, what brands work and dont!! 
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on December 22, 2015, 07:05:02 PM
Valentine One wired to a single helmet speaker.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Daytona_Mike on December 22, 2015, 07:50:19 PM
TPX with super bright LED  warning option  mounted on the dash. This plus WAZE and I stay put of trouble
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: just gone on December 22, 2015, 07:58:37 PM
I use a Valentine 1 as well, mounted in the gap between the right mirror and windshield with a clear view front and rear.
I also use the remote display mounted up alongside my high mounted GPS with the main unit running in dark mode.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Rhino on December 23, 2015, 09:22:32 AM
Passport Escort 9500x. Love it. It has gps and remembers the same radar signature at the same spot for more than 3 times and maps it out. So after awhile, driving in the same area, most false alarms go away. Also the gps knows your speed and automatically adjusts between city and hwy sensitivity. I use it with a Marc Parnes Visual Alert so I get a bright red flash on the instrument panel.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: lddave on December 24, 2015, 07:07:10 AM

Valentine 1 also.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on December 24, 2015, 05:45:24 PM
I run a passport in my tank bag with Bluetooth to the helmet. Works great and is concealed.  I made a quick disconnect to make it removable when I remove the tank bag.  I looked around to find the right tank bag that is tall enough so the detector is in the upper map pocket, but shaped so it won't interfere with sport riding conditions.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on December 24, 2015, 05:48:04 PM
And what bag did you find to accomplish that?
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on December 25, 2015, 07:16:10 PM
I run a passport in my tank bag with Bluetooth to the helmet. Works great and is concealed.  I made a quick disconnect to make it removable when I remove the tank bag.  I looked around to find the right tank bag that is tall enough so the detector is in the upper map pocket, but shaped so it won't interfere with sport riding conditions.

Pictures and info on the bag that you found that works please...
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: stevewfl on December 28, 2015, 10:44:09 PM
geez.  such speeders!  ;D
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on December 29, 2015, 03:32:44 AM
I just use it for the construction alerts.  8)
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Cold Streak on December 29, 2015, 01:10:31 PM
Quote
Passport Escort 9500x. Love it. It has gps and remembers the same radar signature at the same spot for more than 3 times and maps it out. So after awhile, driving in the same area, most false alarms go away. Also the gps knows your speed and automatically adjusts between city and hwy sensitivity. I use it with a Marc Parnes Visual Alert so I get a bright red flash on the instrument panel.

+1

Of course you can still get popped if you aren't alert yourself.  Laser is faster than you can react, but you can usually see them before they can legally zap you.  Ka is also tough to out brake but again, be alert and you should be okay.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on December 29, 2015, 05:44:51 PM
+1

Of course you can still get popped if you aren't alert yourself.  Laser is faster than you can react, but you can usually see them before they can legally zap you.  Ka is also tough to out brake but again, be alert and you should be okay.

Agreed, Radar detectors are not without flaws and if you take a direct hit from Laser or KA you are likely toast... However, the majority of LEO's run full-time hot or if your lucky they are targeting a driver ahead of you so that you get a hit off of their signal as a early warning... Playing it safe and keeping your eyes open is the best defense, but sometimes people just need to have a bit of fun and a bit of cheap insurance will hopefully keep it that way.. JMHO...
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: stevewfl on December 29, 2015, 06:10:38 PM
i lubs me some WAZE on the interstates and high traffic roads (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on December 29, 2015, 06:16:34 PM
i lubs me some WAZE on the interstates and high traffic roads (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)

Agreed, I use WAZE in conjunction to my 9500ix and it works great in areas of strong cell service.. WAZE LEO notifications is worthless anywhere that there is not cell service, your GPS still works but no one can make LEO updates making it a blind area and trust me when I say the LEO's have that figured out.. If not for my 9500 ix in dead areas, I would be writing a lot of checks for a trip to S. Cali and back...
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on December 30, 2015, 05:38:47 PM
ok here is my tank bag.  It is a cortech.  I think it is a 2.0 liter, but I could not find a part number.  It is magnetic and it has the slanted rear end.  This allows for me to lean off the bike a bit without impacting my arms against the tank.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on December 30, 2015, 05:47:08 PM
I purchased the passport hard wire kit and a telephone two-ended coupler.  The hard wire kit has an in-line fuse.  You can wire it directly to the battery and pull it to the front fairing.  OR... I wired mine to the bike's accessory wires that are not used.  They are located in the black wiring boot just on the inside of the left fairing near the steering neck.  You can do a search to see photos to find the accessory wires.  This way the passport will turn on and off with the bike.  Once I determined the right length, I cut the wire and crimped on a new phone jack.  You can buy a crimping tool for 10 bucks and a bag of plastic ends pretty cheap.  Mark or tape the wire where you cut it so you can crimp a new jack back on without reversing the wiring.  Then I put some double sided 3M tap on the coupler and taped it to the frame near the steering neck.  I then made up a new phone wire to go from the coupler to my tank bag and into the passport.  This is the one that I disconnect at the coupler if I want to remove my bag.  I have ridden in the rain probably a thousand miles and never had a fuse problem caused by water.  I do put a piece of tape over the coupler when I wash the bike though.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on December 30, 2015, 06:09:06 PM
I then purchased a Chatterbox Bluetooth Transmitter.  Careful here as the receivers look the same.  You will need a transmitter, not a receiver.  I slide the Passport into the inside upper map pocket and then fish the power wire from the phone jack coupler I installed on the frame up through the iPod opening in the tank bag to the passport.  I use a little piece of wood and slide that in the map pocket with the Passport just to fill the space of the pocket and keep the passport from twisting sideways.  I then connect the chatterbox transmitter to the passport to give it Bluetooth capability.  You just plug in the chatterbox to the headphone jack and turn both of them  on.   The Chatterbox battery will last about 12 hours on a charge.  I then pair the chatterbox to my bluetooth headset in my helmet.  Once everything is installed the only thing I have to remove is the Chatterbox so I can charge it.  The passport always stays in the bag.  If I ever want to remove the bag, I just disconnect the power wire at the coupler and pull off the tank bag.  Easy as that and everything stays in the bag. No recalibration of the position of the passport is needed because the passport is always in the right spot when I set the bag back on the tank.


It is really pretty simple and a nifty setup that is not visible to anyone looking at the bike.  The radar detector can receive signal through the fairing and tank bag... just not metal.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on December 30, 2015, 06:14:22 PM
Passport slides in here.  Please read previous posts for install instructions.  Good luck and ride safe.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on December 30, 2015, 06:27:34 PM
Nice setup. Thanks for the info.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on December 30, 2015, 07:14:48 PM
Passport slides in here.  Please read previous posts for install instructions.  Go luck and safe riding.

Amazing write up, Thank you for the amazing amount of detail.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on January 01, 2016, 12:05:09 AM
What I hate are what I believe is backup sensors in a lot of new cars. Driving down the highway these cars will have my radar detector going off from Houston to San Antonio.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on January 01, 2016, 12:14:00 AM
Agreed... And in my area they use laser.  So you will likely be tagged when you hear the alert.  But the detector is pretty effective in rural areas.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on January 01, 2016, 11:28:09 AM
What I hate are what I believe is backup sensors in a lot of new cars. Driving down the highway these cars will have my radar detector going off from Houston to San Antonio.

It's my understanding that the rear sensors on cars only activate when in reverse, but the blind spot indicators, front crash indicators and the adaptive cruise controls are a whole other story... The great thing about the 9500ix is that it can learn and or be taught to ignore specific signals. All of the ones put out by the previously mentioned are within the K band and most of them are the same band on all cars and not the same as the police use in their units. Once the 9500ix has learned them, you will stop getting the false alerts and can drive without a ton of issues... The more you drive, the more it learns and the smarter and more accurate it gets...
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on January 01, 2016, 11:47:23 AM
Agreed... And in my area they use laser.  So you will likely be tagged when you hear the alert.  But the detector is pretty effective in rural areas.

Yeah a direct hit from laser is almost always a certain citation. There are only two ways to get away from laser, as I posted earlier one is to hope that the laser is used on another vehicle ahead of you first and gives off enough residual signal to provide safe warning to you and time to slow. The other is to fight the laser with a system designed to defeat it (fight fire with fire), this is why my end goal is to install the 9500ci on my bike. This has been done successfully on motorcycles in the past. You get two sensors installed in the front and one in the rear of the bike, if they shoot a direct shot at the bike it gets picked up by the sensors and directed away from the source. This effectively shuts down the LEO's until and forces a reboot, this provides time for you to slow down to a or near the posted speed and deactivate the 9500ci so that the following shot will send back the single... Very tricky and well proven systems on cars that since the sensors are closer together is even more effective on motorcycles... Not cheap, but neither are tickets and insurance rates... JMHO
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: VirginiaJim on January 01, 2016, 01:08:39 PM
Not riding as fast works as well.  Doesn't cost anything and you may even go further on a tank of gas.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on January 01, 2016, 01:55:57 PM
Not riding as fast works as well.  Doesn't cost anything and you may even go further on a tank of gas.

 :rotflmao:
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on January 01, 2016, 02:01:17 PM
 :yikes:
PASSPORT 9500CI WITH LASER SHIFTERPRO
$1999.95
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on January 01, 2016, 02:45:16 PM
:yikes:
PASSPORT 9500CI WITH LASER SHIFTERPRO
$1999.95

 :rotflmao:

The 9500ci can be had for $1,500, but it is still another $1k or so to have installed professionally...  :_shudder_Emoticon   But as I said, if you ride or drive a lot of miles it can pay for itself in no time...  Long term investment, I know people that have been running them for years with out issue and constant updates are available...
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PolterGeist on January 01, 2016, 02:56:01 PM
Not riding as fast works as well.  Doesn't cost anything and you may even go further on a tank of gas.

You can ride "slow" and still get citations.. My only ticket of record in the last 15 years is for 30 in a 25 and on a road that had zero speed limit signs. Little did I know that the city ordnance states that the speed limit is 25 unless otherwise posted an in such it is a great place for a speed trap. One revenue making piece of road for sure... It was one of the few times that I was not in possession of my 9500ix and even if I had it I doubt that I would have been doing 25 though I tend to drop the pedal whenever I get it, so maybeon a road that was unmarked as who would have thought... Needles to say, I don't go down that road without my cruise control on and my finger prominently out the window since they know my car now (one of a kind paint job).... I won't even ride my bike down that road as it idles faster then that...  :nuts:
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on January 01, 2016, 06:28:21 PM
It's my understanding that the rear sensors on cars only activate when in reverse, but the blind spot indicators, front crash indicators and the adaptive cruise controls are a whole other story... The great thing about the 9500ix is that it can learn and or be taught to ignore specific signals. All of the ones put out by the previously mentioned are within the K band and most of them are the same band on all cars and not the same as the police use in their units. Once the 9500ix has learned them, you will stop getting the false alerts and can drive without a ton of issues... The more you drive, the more it learns and the smarter and more accurate it gets...

Quote
The lane change assistant Audi side assist aids the driver when changing lane. With its radar sensors in the rear bumper, the system monitors traffic in the driver's blind spot. When a vehicle approaches from behind, the LED warning signal lights up.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: wally_games on January 04, 2016, 11:33:04 AM
Yeah a direct hit from laser is almost always a certain citation. There are only two ways to get away from laser, as I posted earlier one is to hope that the laser is used on another vehicle ahead of you first and gives off enough residual signal to provide safe warning to you and time to slow. The other is to fight the laser with a system designed to defeat it (fight fire with fire), this is why my end goal is to install the 9500ci on my bike. This has been done successfully on motorcycles in the past. You get two sensors installed in the front and one in the rear of the bike, if they shoot a direct shot at the bike it gets picked up by the sensors and directed away from the source. This effectively shuts down the LEO's until and forces a reboot, this provides time for you to slow down to a or near the posted speed and deactivate the 9500ci so that the following shot will send back the single... Very tricky and well proven systems on cars that since the sensors are closer together is even more effective on motorcycles... Not cheap, but neither are tickets and insurance rates... JMHO

The last time that I checked, laser defeating devices were illegal in Texas. Not just to use one, but to even have one mounted (if they catch you). There was a specific year after which it was illegal to install one. It's been a while since I looked, so I might need a little fact checking done to be sure that's still correct.

I think there may be an old thread on the site about it.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on January 07, 2016, 07:24:44 AM
http://www.guysoflidar.com/usa-laser-jammer-laws.html (http://www.guysoflidar.com/usa-laser-jammer-laws.html)
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on January 11, 2016, 09:57:39 AM
In my study of the Laser jammers, what you are supposed to do is first be aware. After that, when you detect a laser hit you are supposed to immediately slow down and then turn off the jammer. Don't slam on the brakes as that is too obvious.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Rhino on January 11, 2016, 10:47:58 AM
Very rare I see LIDAR come up on my Escort. I've always assumed that if I am speeding and I get tagged by laser I am caught.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on January 11, 2016, 01:01:28 PM
The only time I ever see it is when I drive by our airport, then it goes crazy.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Conair on March 16, 2016, 05:06:01 PM
guess Ill try to be good, mounted detector on brake cover,takes my attention away from the road to much. Ill i do is find myself watching it all the time cause I cant hear it. Guess Ill forget it dont have extra money for all the fancy detectors and ear plug options.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on March 16, 2016, 05:43:36 PM
I ran a hard line from my V1 to a five dollar Radioshack speaker I mounted in my helmet.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Cold Streak on March 17, 2016, 07:13:57 AM
Escorts can use a cheap mono ear jack (or stereo).  That is the easiest way to go.  You can add an ear jack option to some of the others which don't come that way. 
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Rhino on March 17, 2016, 10:59:07 AM
guess Ill try to be good, mounted detector on brake cover,takes my attention away from the road to much. Ill i do is find myself watching it all the time cause I cant hear it. Guess Ill forget it dont have extra money for all the fancy detectors and ear plug options.

This works well for me: http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm (http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm)
I mount it on top of the instrument cluster and it reflects off the windshield like a heads up display. I can see it in bright sun light. I already paid a lot of money for my Escort Passport 9500x, to make it useful, another $64 seems well worth it.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: spinned on March 17, 2016, 11:44:36 AM
Quote
Escorts can use a cheap mono ear jack (or stereo).  That is the easiest way to go.
+

Agreed!

If you don't want the extra cost of the bluetooth set up, you can still install the radar detector in the tank bag as I posted on page 2, just get an ear phone and plug it in to the phone jack of the detector.  You don't have to buy a special mono ear jack, any double earphone will work.  Snip off the extra speaker by first activating sound on the detector to hear what side is mono, and cut the other speaker side off.

extra note*  I also turn the volume up all the way and put a piece of duct tape over the volume control on the radar detector to make sure it doesn't get turned down accidentally while in the bag.  Nothing worse than thinking you have radar when you cant hear it.   :o
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: farrider2 on March 17, 2016, 11:51:28 AM
Valentine V1 inside a Pelican Case 1040-025-100 Micro Case with Clear Lid on a ram mount. Fits perfectly and is water resistant. Use the V1 remote to the right side for added awareness. Well proven technology however no replacement for situational awareness.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: PlaynInPeoria on March 21, 2016, 11:35:21 AM
I don't understand how people use WAZE on a bike.  I had a cell phone mounted on a holder on a recent trip, it seemed like my eyes needed to be looking at the cell phone all the time. I ended up taking it off as I thought I should spend more time watching the road than for a ticket.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Daytona_Mike on March 24, 2016, 10:47:32 PM
I don't understand how people use WAZE on a bike.  I had a cell phone mounted on a holder on a recent trip, it seemed like my eyes needed to be looking at the cell phone all the time. I ended up taking it off as I thought I should spend more time watching the road than for a ticket.
No need to look at it. Play some music like Pandora and listen to your phone via Bluetooth or wired  earphones.
Waze will talk to you and tell you whats going on  and Waze will mute the music
How do you look at the speedometer? Or gas gauge? Same way.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Zacharykro6 on April 28, 2016, 07:31:43 AM
I just wanted to share that I have been busted by a plane before. I was driving my moms VW cabrio on the interstate when I was pulled over and told that a plane timed me traveling between two marks on the road and found I was over the speed limit.  :o talk about targeted fundraising
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: gPink on April 28, 2016, 07:42:34 AM
I just wanted to share that I have been busted by a plane before. I was driving my moms VW cabrio on the interstate when I was pulled over and told that a plane timed me traveling between two marks on the road and found I was over the speed limit.  :o talk about targeted fundraising

Make work project....They can't make enough to cover the overhead.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: freebird6 on April 28, 2016, 07:44:52 PM
I just wanted to share that I have been busted by a plane before. I was driving my moms VW cabrio on the interstate when I was pulled over and told that a plane timed me traveling between two marks on the road and found I was over the speed limit.  :o talk about targeted fundraising

Yeah

I was busted by a plane on US 33 going south out of COlumbus OHio. Followed 2 semis side by side for 15 miles  till one finally cleared. I sped up to 66 in a 55 to clear the lane and let the miles of traffic that had built up behind me clear and pass me as I slowed back to 58.. 4 miles down the road OHIO State Patrol strode out in the middle of the highway and signaled me to pull over. Said I was speeding. I said I was doing 57 ish. He said that I had been clocked several miles back by a plane at 66 mph. I told him I sped up for a couple of hundred yards to clear the lane. I asked him about the multitude of cars in that line that I had seen texting or on their phones. He said "the plane could not see them".....I laughed and told him the Indiana Troopers I know laugh at the OSP because they claim to have a law regarding the real danger which is  texting yet they continue to really ignore that in favor of the speeding ..... he did not appreciate my cajoling.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Rhino on April 29, 2016, 07:06:13 AM
I turned off alerts from X band on my Passport 9500ix as soon as I got it. No I'm thinking of turning off K band. Pretty much all I pay attention to anymore is Ka band. Has anyone seen LEO radar on K band recently?
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Cold Streak on May 02, 2016, 07:25:32 AM
Occasionally but mostly out in small towns.  The problem with K is they are using it for everything these days, including road construction alerts and anti collision systems on cars. 
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Rhino on May 02, 2016, 11:52:35 AM
Occasionally but mostly out in small towns.  The problem with K is they are using it for everything these days, including road construction alerts and anti collision systems on cars.

I was wondering about that. Have seen cases where the proximity to another car was triggering my detector and they were definitely not a LEO.
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: Pilgrim on May 02, 2016, 02:41:35 PM
I was wondering about that. Have seen cases where the proximity to another car was triggering my detector and they were definitely not a LEO.

Yes, I've noticed this too.    Certain vehicles are worse than others.   New Audi sedans and SUVs are wicked. 
 
Title: Re: Radar Detectors
Post by: timsatx on May 06, 2016, 03:03:38 PM
Coming back from Houston one time I followed behind an Audi for probably 2/3 the way and my radar was constantly going off. It never turned off.