Radar Detector

[jkhomes]

I am starting to feel the need for a radar detector. With the Cal Sci windscreen and Doc C tilt block, I seem to be going faster these days since the ride is so smooth. Yesterday I went past a bunch of state troopers and sheriffs, but luckily they already had drivers pulled over.

I am leaning towards an Adaptiv because they seem to be the most well suited for motorcycles and the mounting system looks good. Valentine One has some options for bikes, but I don't plan on wearing a headset under my full face helmet. I have a Escort in the truck and it works great. The Escort worries me on the bike because I don't want to rely on suction cups and I don't need the Red Light Camera warning since I don't ride the scooter in town.

Any experience or recommendations? I expect I may have to do a little wiring. Thanks!

[ErikM]

First let me say I've been using detectors on my bikes for 15 years, I wouldn't ride without one, they have saved my ass more times than I can remember, in fact the only times I've gotten a speeding ticket on a bike is when I didn't have a detector installed on the bike (think brand new bike and hadn't gotten it mounted yet) That said first and foremost is the performance of the detector, that's paramount. The Adaptiv is a nice unit for bikes but it is quite a bit off the performance mark compared to Valentine or Escort. Now the tricky part and this is my opinion but I've found that a visual alert on a bike is next to useless. The reason is that when we ride the primary sense we use is sight, by relying on a visual alert for the detector you are simply asking to much of your visual senses, you can actually have the detector flashing away and not even see it because all of your attention, your focus is on the act of riding. An audible alert is essential to getting the most out of a detector on a bike. So pick the unit you feel comfortable with, me I've been using Valentines exclusively, on both the bike and in the car. But I will say the new Escort Redline looks to be a nice unit. I like the Valentine because of the upgradability, as much as the performance. As for getting the audio into your ears I use in-ear monitors. I've used Etymotic's and Shure's in the past but custom ear molds are the way to go, all day comfortable and blocks out road noise as well as foam ear plugs ( on my bike I also pipe in navigation prompts and music). On the Valentine you'd need the remote audio adaptor for audio, on the Escort you can plug right in to it (although you may want to use an extension cable) As for a mount I've use Techmount's on several bike and they are top quality. http://www.techmounts.com/ Hope this helps a bit. Oh and for weather proofing A ziplock bag and electrical tape have keep my V1 bone dry through all kinds of bad weather. HTH, feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

[Dauntless]

I've heard good reviews using this visual alert device http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm coupled with a Valentine 1. They say it's hard not to see the alert because it really gets your attention without the need for earphones.

[ErikM]

The Parnes unit is very bright, and it will get your attention, IF you can mount it right in your line of sight. The HARD system I think is maybe a better way to go http://www.legalspeeding.com/staging/products.htm , and the Vizalert system is even nicer http://www.cheetahusa.com/scshop/vizalertv2.html

That said I still prefer an audible alert.. but as with all this stuff YMMV :-)

[jkhomes]

Thanks. This all makes a lot of sense. Too bad the Adaptec is sub par. I think I am going to try my Escort 9500 IX with a Techmount and see how it works visually. Using the suction cups that come with the Escort seems way too risky, even with a solid fairing. It has an audio jack built in if I need. I imagine I could get a bluetooth adapter for the audio jack too. Does that sound about right to you guys?

I can get a hard wire cord from Escort. Next thing I need to do is look around this board about the electrical system. Any advice for wiring into an 08 R1200R?

[ErikM]

As for power you can tap off the factory GPS connector, just do a search (here) for it.. it's up near the front of the bike. You will be able to see the Escort on the Techmount you just won't "See It" when you need too because you'll be concentrating on riding.

[jkhomes]

I have a hard wire power cord being shipped for my existing Escort 9500iX radar detector. I also got the 83300413585 Repair Plug from the BMW dealer for $13.09 and have located the gps plug on the bike. I will solder the radar detector wire to the repair plug wire and apply heat shrink shrink wrap. I tested an earbud with the radar detector (hard to drive a car with it) and that worked. Whoohoo, getting close!

My question is about the Techmount systems. Their website is suggesting a control mount system that mounts onto the handlebar control pinch bolts (part #3-21007.) The also have a more universal handlebar mount (part#3-30912) that looks decent. Anyone with experience using Techmounts have any advice for me? Thanks.

[ErikM]

If I remember I used the mount which used the pinch bolts..`

[jkhomes]

I went with a RAM Mount because it was a little cheaper and I preferred a magnetic attachment instead of the clamp. I decided it made more sense to wire for my existing Escort rather than purchase a whole new unit. The Escort has some limitations in mounting. I did not like how high the RAM mount was attached to the handlebars, so I attached it to the windshield bracket just to the right of the instrument cluster. It sits in front of the vent on my Cal Sci windscreen, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. It is just out of the way of the instrument cluster, and I can take off the windscreen for track day and the radar detector mount will come off with it.

The info on this board and others for using the GPS plug worked perfectly on my R1200R. The cord on the BMW brand repair plug was almost long enough that I didn't need the direct wire kit I ordered from Escort. It would have been easy to add the inline fuseholder and attach a standard ethernet style data plug that the Escort uses for the power cord.

I could hear the audible alert in town, but not on the highway. The Escort has a headphone jack, and I started with a pair of earbuds, then made helmet speakers out of a pair of the kids busted up headphones. I looked into a bluetooth adapter for the radar detector, but it is not a priority. I imagine I will get tired of the tether.

So was I going fast because of the radar detector, or did it save me because I would have been going that fast anyway? Hard to say, but I was having way too much fun on long curves and the boxer twin was in the zone. It was definitely worth it for me.

PS, thanks all.

[celticus]

I've heard good reviews using this visual alert device http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm coupled with a Valentine 1. They say it's hard not to see the alert because it really gets your attention without the need for earphones.

This set up works well for me.

Mark