| Author | Message | ||
     Whatever |
I was all excited about my new gadget... a Solo S2 radar detector I slapped on my windshield for my commute to Milwaukee (75 miles of interstate one way)... then half way to work, Mr State Trooper tagged me for going 83 mph in a 65 mph... He was hiding behind some bushes for Dog's sake!!! The damn thing didn't go off until I saw him. It was Ka radar and the range was roughly 50 yards. I returned the thing. PO'd enough already American slaps a 45$ "restocking fee" on me because I didn't have the origional box. I said, "GREAT, NOW I WILL BREAK EVEN WITH THE $236 TICKET I HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS THING". wtf???  | ||
| Hammeroid |
My sister has an STI and she uses a Valintino radar detector. Great range on it. Worth its wait in gold. | ||
| Buell_nm |
I had a Valentine One radar detector, in my Roadster. It saved me too many times to count. I still haven't figured out the best way to put one on the bike. | ||
| Loki |
Char, Even the best detectors can be useless. With the Instant On KA. I really like my Passport 8500. I have gotten good enuff to figure out when they are in front or behind me | ||
| Jackbequick |
People with radar detectors never get warning tickets. Jack | ||
| Kdan |
People going 18 mph over the limit tend to not get warnings either. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Use brain. Not use detector. Detectors are false confidence; they don't need to use radar or laser to time you. Measured miles are painted on the side of the road for aircraft to check your speed. Or that car that's been "racing you" but not trying to pass you? Quite possibly a cop in an unmarked car. Don't be the fastest thing on the road. Be the third fastest thing on the road  Let some cars pass you every few minutes. In my state, staties like to blast along in the passing lane at 80. If you get out of their way right away, they pass right on by. I've yielded to police a few times only to see him pull a guy over a few cars ahead simply because the tool didn't get out of his way. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
To all, read "A Speeder's Guide to Avoiding Tickets" I forget the author's name but he's a retired NY State Trooper or something. It's a great read and very helpful too. Char, bummer 'bout the ticket. | ||
| Glitch |
Glitch's Guide to Avoiding Tickets Step 1-Use you Speedometer!  | ||
| Kdan |
Glitch's Guide to Avoiding Tickets Step 2-Ride behind New12R and in front of Kdan  | ||
| Odie |
Love my set-up. No tickets yet. Still have to use your brain and some common sense to avoid tickets though. Instant-on sucks! No way around it unless it's being used around you somewhere. My Escort has an awesome range and lets me know whenever the man is around. There is a time and place for everything though....  | ||
| Glitch |
Step 2  | ||
| Patrickh |
I have only gotten pulled on my bike traveling at excessive speed. In a car it is much easier to avoid getting tickets. If you use the same attentive scanning techniques while driving your car that you use when you ride you will generally see the trooper before he gets you. unless you are tracked by air, he or she needs you in their line of sight before they can clock you. also, when forming a speed trap, officers generally train their gun far left lane. Stay right when possible, don't charge around blind corners and you should be ok. works for me and I drive 30,000 miles a year. | ||
| Jaimec |
On a motorcycle, NEVER NEVER speed if you're the only one on the road because it's a sure thing you'll get nailed by radar. If there are other vehicles (specifically vans, SUVs, or better yet, tractor trailers and busses), their radar shadow will cover yours. I can't tell you how many times I went SPEEDING past an 18-wheeler only to see a cop with radar just a few hundred yards ahead. Since I have a stock exhaust, and I don't do a panic brake I don't do anything to draw attention to myself and I've slipped by every single time. There's a State Park near here with a wicked left hand sweeper. I routinely attack that curve but once I'm out of it, I roll off the throttle (I don't really care about straight line speed). Yesterday, as I straightened out and slowed, I found myself staring right at a State Park Police truck with radar. By the time he saw me, I'd already dropped down to legal speed and just cruised on past. On the highway on my K1200LT, I generally set the cruise control at just a bit over the speed limit and kick back. On that bike it's WAY too easy to exceed the speed limit and not know it, so the cruise control is my friend. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Glitch's Guide to Avoiding Tickets... Step 3 - Find the person that wants to drive 10-15 MPH faster than every one else. Fall into position 1/4-1/2 mile back and stay out of the fast lane as much as possible. My last speeding ticket was in 1975, I've since received two friendly verbal warnings. Those were from Officers I was treating respectfully and listening to carefully. Never say anything when anyone else is talking in those situations, maintain a neutral facial expression and friendly eye contact. Jack | ||
| Staindus |
Valentine One in my 86 944 Porsche has never let me down. I need to find a way to get it on the bike. Its paid for itself more than once. | ||
| Glitch |
Step 3  See "Step 2" | ||
| Bomber |
it's ALWAYS good to have a rabbit running in front of you -- Glitch -- remind me to tell you the story bout my trip from Galena with my wife in the point position ;-} | ||
| Cochise |
People going 18 mph over the limit tend to not get warnings either. I had a 20 over as a warning. Group riding in Oklahoma is the best. | ||
| Buelluk |
I just got a warning from EZ-PASS for driving to fast through a toll plaza...bureaucracy is going mad. | ||
| Jackbequick |
You're right Glitch. And I like to find a cager to follow, the bigger the radar profile the better. Jack | ||
| Whatever |
So instant on means they only turn the thing on the second you are passing them??? That might explain it?!? | ||
| Statik |
So instant on means they only turn the thing on the second you are passing them??? That might explain it?!? yes they wait till the last second and hit it and most of them have a wired remote to control it from. | ||
| M2nc |
Radar detector are very good in traffic. Most radar detectors can pick up even an instant-on units from miles away as long as they are shooting other vehicles as you approach them. If you are alone on the highway you are a sitting target. I gave up radar detectors years ago and just apply the 10mph rule. I stay within 10mph indicated of the posted speed limit. With speedo error almost always to your favor, you stay within the magical nine-miles-per-hours of the posted speed limit. Most cops will not mess with you at those speeds. If I am going to hammer it, I do it on back roads. Here in eastern NC, Troopers stick to the main routes because they are too few in number and most county sheriffs do not deal with traffic issues. So plenty of places to play. But if I am on the main route, I stick to the 10mph rule and have passed many troopers that just keep going. On a motorcycle, NEVER NEVER speed if you're the only one on the road because it's a sure thing you'll get nailed by radar. If there are other vehicles (specifically vans, SUVs, or better yet, tractor trailers and busses), their radar shadow will cover yours. I can't tell you how many times I went SPEEDING past an 18-wheeler only to see a cop with radar just a few hundred yards ahead. Since I have a stock exhaust, and I don't do a panic brake I don't do anything to draw attention to myself and I've slipped by every single time. You know that may explain what happened to me coming home from March Badness. I was on I-85 in NC just north of Charlotte when I went to pass two minivans that were riding side by side. Since the road was three lanes, it was no problem until I notice a third minivan catching me in the passing lane. So not to be in the way I sped up to get out of the way as we passed a bridge. I was in from of all three minivans, but just, when I saw the trooper. I looked down and it indicated 90mph. The posted speed limit was 70mph. The trooper never moved. | ||
| Teddagreek |
I don't car about paying ticket.... I care about the Jacked up Insurance rates for years to come.A good detector pays for its self the first time you get popped.. I won't let my self be a victim of the system..  | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
When choosing a radar detector, never choose a cordless model. The battery saving features limit overall performance. Where as a wired system is constantly monitoring for rf/lidar a cordless model searches in a pulse pattern to save battery life. I believe radar detectors are a waste of $ for most people, but if you must have one at least get a Valentine. They have been making them for years, and still there is nothing better on the market (at least legally). | ||
| Dako |
I supposedly got hit with a laser at a distance of 1280ft. I know laser is accurate to 2000ft and better on cars and trucks, but I was coming down a straight 5 lane road in the passing lane and he was sitting in a parking lot on the left pulled all the way to the street. I was on my XBS which has like 1/8 frontal surface area of your average vehicle. How good is the sighting system on these things? Do they have a scope on them? Or a zoom feature on a monitor? I went back to the spot he was and looked up the street to where I was. I would have looked like a cigarette butt 15ft away!! Ticket says Speed - 64mph in a 35 laser, stationary. pavement - dry visibility - cloudy traffic light (but i was passing a car, and a main intersection was 25ft behind where I pulled out from) area - business remarks - L2 (nv) 1520 1280' Look,I know I was over the limit, but I don't think I was going that fast. I usually pull out, get on it a bit, hit 3rd gear and let off. Any help or insight would be great! | ||
| M2nc |
The problem with Buells are they leave one headlight out. Car & Driver tested Laser systems and foiled them with the car's high beams and no reflective surface. They drove a Ford Contour which was mono-chromed from the factory right at a laser set up and run by two NY State Troopers on a close course with an infrared shield over the front license plate. The system never locked on the car. It is amazing that the laser could lock on the bike at that distance. But the bike has allot of reflective surfaces in front of the bike. If the laser hit the headlight that was not on or the fork tubes it could return a positive signal. Top of second gear on my bike is almost 80mph, so if you were on your way up in second gear, that would be about right. Sorry to hear it man. | ||
| Dako |
Had both lights on, and I never top it out in the city. I like the sound of the exhaust w/valve open.(XB12S) I almost always short shift in the city, just for the sound(I know I need to buy a pipe)  Thanks for the info, very interesting. | ||
| Jaimec |
I still remember when Cycle World had their road test of the Aprilia Futura. They had a helluva time getting their performance readings on that bike because the angular design seemed to reflect the radar every which way but back to the receiver. It's too bad Aprilia discontinued that model. I liked the way it looked, and I was thinking of getting one and getting it painted asphalt black... a true stealth motorcycle! |
