Best radar detector and where to get it
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65 Posts
Valentine 1 .Mail order only from the factory. Best place IMO is in a Hoon harware box on top of a BMR shelf.
Just my 0.02 cts YMMV
Just my 0.02 cts YMMV
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364 Posts
Have had both V-1 (Valentine) and 8500 X-50 (Escort) , both very good.
Most recent testing gave the nod (this time) to the 8500.(and you can integrate an Escort Zr 3 laser shifter, although I hear the Blinder 20 has a slight edge on this unit)
Many people have mounted the unit in the left side case or top case for "stealth mode" and have used remotes like H.A.R.D or other in helmet alert systems or 'Sreamers' ( VERY LOUD ) speaker alert systems with good sucess.
Mine sits in broad daylight on a velcro mount. (Rip it off and stuff it in the tank bag or pocket in a pinch.) (no pun intended)
Or , as mentioned above the Hoon box is very nice.
Saw a very interesting winglet mount somwhere that was easy on/off also.
HTH
Most recent testing gave the nod (this time) to the 8500.(and you can integrate an Escort Zr 3 laser shifter, although I hear the Blinder 20 has a slight edge on this unit)
Many people have mounted the unit in the left side case or top case for "stealth mode" and have used remotes like H.A.R.D or other in helmet alert systems or 'Sreamers' ( VERY LOUD ) speaker alert systems with good sucess.
Mine sits in broad daylight on a velcro mount. (Rip it off and stuff it in the tank bag or pocket in a pinch.) (no pun intended)
Or , as mentioned above the Hoon box is very nice.
Saw a very interesting winglet mount somwhere that was easy on/off also.
HTH
Joined
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2,151 Posts
Never used it but everything I read indicates the ultimate detector/jammer is the K40 (www.k40.com) now available in Bluetooth. Pricey but guaranteed.
Saw an article where Seattle BMW did an install on K1200lt.
See October BMW-ON magazine, pg.44
Doug Holck
Lodi
Saw an article where Seattle BMW did an install on K1200lt.
See October BMW-ON magazine, pg.44
Doug Holck
Lodi
Joined
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443 Posts
The new remote Bluetooth K40 did not review well in independent tests. There are a couple of bloggers out there who continually review radar detector effectiveness and periodically publish the results, and this new unit left them underwhelmed. Sensitivity was the main issue I believe. The concept has merit and potential but apparently needs more work.
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5,746 Posts
I did a lot of mounting location testing for my V1, and found GREATLY reduced reception in the top case or side cases.
I did my testing in a mall parking lot where I had a Ka band door opener signal to use. I found a spot in the parking lot where I had near full signal strength with the detector having a clear sight line to the emmiter. I then moved it all around the bike, and tried it in multiple locations trying to find a "stealthy" location. I originally tried it mounted against the top of the top box on the right side, no good, speaker grill blocked front recption, but rear reception was good. Moved it to the center where the document box is located, still good rear detection, and good front until I sat on the bike. It will not see through people well at all. I could get the signal indicators at just about full strenth, and leaning over in front of it would reduce the signal to just 2-3 dots.
I tried side case locations as some had done, found that to be bad. It would have good reception to the rear, and to the front only on the side that it was mounted on. Directly ahead was reduced, and just about any angle to the opposite side was reduced to near zero because of the engine/transmission blocking it.
I finally ended up with it mounted in a Pelican watertight box mounted permanently to the right wind wing by the windshield. Good reception front and rear, although rear was reduced if I was between the source and detector.
Basically, the detector has to have good line of sight "view" of the radar source, with no metal or people in front of it. It will see through plastic fine, if not painted with metallic paint. If you try too hard to "stealth" mount it, you will reduce the usefullness of it considerably. Don't worry about blocking the Laser detection, in over 75,000 miles of using a V1 found that to be practically worthless anyway.
I did my testing in a mall parking lot where I had a Ka band door opener signal to use. I found a spot in the parking lot where I had near full signal strength with the detector having a clear sight line to the emmiter. I then moved it all around the bike, and tried it in multiple locations trying to find a "stealthy" location. I originally tried it mounted against the top of the top box on the right side, no good, speaker grill blocked front recption, but rear reception was good. Moved it to the center where the document box is located, still good rear detection, and good front until I sat on the bike. It will not see through people well at all. I could get the signal indicators at just about full strenth, and leaning over in front of it would reduce the signal to just 2-3 dots.
I tried side case locations as some had done, found that to be bad. It would have good reception to the rear, and to the front only on the side that it was mounted on. Directly ahead was reduced, and just about any angle to the opposite side was reduced to near zero because of the engine/transmission blocking it.
I finally ended up with it mounted in a Pelican watertight box mounted permanently to the right wind wing by the windshield. Good reception front and rear, although rear was reduced if I was between the source and detector.
Basically, the detector has to have good line of sight "view" of the radar source, with no metal or people in front of it. It will see through plastic fine, if not painted with metallic paint. If you try too hard to "stealth" mount it, you will reduce the usefullness of it considerably. Don't worry about blocking the Laser detection, in over 75,000 miles of using a V1 found that to be practically worthless anyway.
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