Paid for itself...

[Kootenanny]

I'm not one for "farkles," but I do have one on the bike.  It was a bit of work to do the install, because I wanted it hidden away, yet able to do it's job; I can't see it when I'm riding, but with a special extension cord I can plug in my earphones (which work nicely as earplugs).

So yesterday, I'm railing through some twisties, when I hear a single "Chirp!" in my ear.  I immediately slow down, as an other "Chirp," then another, are heard--faster and faster until there is just one solid monotone, as the police cruiser comes around the corner towards me.

I'd say, that one "farkle" paid for itself yesterday...

[atypical1]

Nice!  

james

[XLR8]

Dammit I was ready for an ABS story.  

[DogBoy]

So...the deer whistles do work?

I'm so confused.

[XLR8]

So...the deer whistles do work?

I'm so confused.

Only on Tuesdays or if you are holding a half-fizzbin.

[drsmig]

Don't leave home without it.

[miles]

Could you post photos of the install?  I've been kicking around the idea of a radar detector, but I'd want mine as surreptitious as possible, and it sounds as if you did too...

[zer0netgain]

If I ever move away from the God-forsaken commiewealth of Virginia, a radar detector will be one of my first purchases.

[Sandbag]

If I ever move away from the God-forsaken commiewealth of Virginia, a radar detector will be one of my first purchases.

DAMN Police state

[DragonRider]

I've had two of these and never found them to be worth the time or expense.  Maybe I didn't get one that was good enough and maybe when I employed them the technology was not up to today's standards.  It was 10 years ago.  Anyway, I made a 900 mile trip averaging over 85mph and shaved only about 45 minutes off my normal drive time.  I figured the savings when combined with the anxiety I felt the whole time I was driving wasn't worth the effort so I quit using them and just slowed down to about 70mph.  Save on the gas as well as the wear and tear on my vehicle and my nerves.

I'd be interested in your opinion of the differences in technology from recent history to todays equipment.

[zer0netgain]

I'd be interested in your opinion of the differences in technology from recent history to todays equipment.

I had a radar detector many, many years ago.  It was supposedly a good one, but it went off to a lot of other devices that used similar tech to radar guns.  Made me too paranoid to drive when it was on.  Of course, in a city, you shouldn't need a radar detector because you really don't gain much by going over the posted limits.  So, unless your local area is prone to running speed traps....

On the highway, I think the benefit is knowing when a cop is near so you can watch the speed.  I've NEVER really had an issue with the cage.  Set the cruise control and forget it.  The motorcycle, however, is a totally different animal.  I really don't watch the speed....just keep pace with other cars.  If I see a cop, I look down to see the speed, but even then, it doesn't take much to go up and over unless you install a cruise control.

[Kootenanny]

I've had two of these and never found them to be worth the time or expense...

Note the title of this thread...

I don't use the detector as an excuse to ride recklessly, BTW.  I don't really expect it to be more than 50% successful, but so far so good (I use it in my cage, too--every time so far it's gone off, I've been within the legal limit, so...).

I was kinda wondering if it was worth the hassle, myself, but after Wednesday, I'm happy I made the effort!

The unit itself hangs from a bracket, just clearing the bottom of the fairing under the headlights...I plug the earphones into a connector at the front corner of the seat.  It is visible but not obvious.

[Andrew]

After spending the $$$$$$ on a V1 I had second thoughts of if it was worth the $$$. Within a month I was ahead on the cost saving verses the expense and it has kept paying for itself ever since.

[ZZR Rob]

Note the title of this thread...

I don't use the detector as an excuse to ride recklessly, BTW.  I don't really expect it to be more than 50% successful, but so far so good (I use it in my cage, too--every time so far it's gone off, I've been within the legal limit, so...).

I was kinda wondering if it was worth the hassle, myself, but after Wednesday, I'm happy I made the effort!

The unit itself hangs from a bracket, just clearing the bottom of the fairing under the headlights...I plug the earphones into a connector at the front corner of the seat.  It is visible but not obvious.

Ditto, they are a tool to help you. They do not cover all situations and you will most likely get a ticket anyway if you speed most of the time. Instant Radar is a bitch! Not to mention Vascar. That said, I find them usefull to help remind me to keep the speed reasonable and the money I have spent on them (all my vehicles) has saved me hundreds not to mention the insurance issues that really cost money.
 

[Bikenut]

After spending the $$$$$$ on a V1 I had second thoughts of if it was worth the $$$. Within a month I was ahead on the cost saving verses the expense and it has kept paying for itself ever since.

  I don't use it to speed, but it has been worth it's weight in gold.

[jay547]

i don't use one and haven't had a ticket since '86. sometimes i think i have built-in radar detection.

or maybe i'm just lucky.

[SoCalFJR]

Thats a good report.......and as you say only one ticket avoided more than pays for a detector unit.  I'm like the others who bought a unit a couple years back........and found it alerting on everything but radar guns....and I became so annoyed I tossed it......was useless to me here in SoCal.  I think there are just a lot of spurious electrons around here, never alerted on one PD for me.

I have gone to cruise on my cage and my FJR.......thats the biggest help so far.....it saves on the temptation to gun it when I know the LEO's are going to be about.

My next best thing has been a program added to my Garmin.........speed traps and red light cameras.  Just for California and Florida right now........but the first time I took the GPS out and got a speed trap alert I looked down the street and a black and white was writing someone with his popcorn lights on.......lol..........cheap but effective so far.......and no false alarms.  Just my .02........

[Kootenanny]

Thats a good report.......and as you say only one ticket avoided more than pays for a detector unit.  I'm like the others who bought a unit a couple years back........and found it alerting on everything but radar guns....and I became so annoyed I tossed it......was useless to me here in SoCal.

...My next best thing has been a program added to my Garmin...

I got my detector pretty cheap, on eBay.  I did some research, and discovered that Passport's (then) current unit, the 9500, really had no better detection capablilities than the previous gen 8500; the new features involved the addition of GPS functions, which allow the unit to "map" common false radar signals, so the unit would only alert the user to new sources (more likely to be police).  I live in the sticks, where "spurious electrons" are not so common, so I don't really need the GPS functions--and I was therefore able to get quite an effective unit for a lot less $$$ than you might expect (because many users were dumping them in favour of the latest and greatest 9500s).

[trapp120]

After spending the $$$$$$ on a V1 I had second thoughts of if it was worth the $$$. Within a month I was ahead on the cost saving verses the expense and it has kept paying for itself ever since.

I used to be a big believer in V1's. In fact, I still own one. However, I don't use it. I was traveling from to and from Wisconsin a few years ago (in a car) and was dinged once on my way to, in Fargo (81 in a 75...yeah, seriously) and a second time on the way back in Jefferson County (I believe) along I90/94 in Montana. Both times my V1 was on and active. Both officers were in vehicles, and both officers were following from a distance, neither posted up or were clocking from the opposite direction.

After that I rarely used the V1 as it was a false sense of security and unfortunately only seems to help up here in the PNW. As LEO's get better equipment (instant on Laser) it's becoming more and more useless. I wouldn't mind it installed on a bike, but I've managed to avoid tickets simply by anticipating police officers in common locations (after the crest of a hill, under an overpass in the shade, off/on ramp, and oncoming chargers/crown vics). It's not guaranteed by any means, but it keeps me more aware than I was when the V1 was always saving my ass.

With that being said, the V1 definitely paid for itself when cops were gunning traffic from a side street or off ramp in and around cities.