Radar detection while on bike

[Billy]

Lot of you have probably seen from time to time how cops will put out those portable LED radar units that they stick on the side of the roads every now and then. They also have permenantly mounted ones on some poles.

Well anyways, the way they seem to work is if they don't detect any movement the LED's are off and when a car comes by it turns on and displays the vechicles speed.

There's one up the street from me and I go by it quite often and I have to say 7 out of the 10 times I go by it, it stays off because it can't detect me or can't read my speed.

I'm guessing because I'm such a small object compared to a car that it can't detect me. I was wondering if the same phenomenon happens with radar guns state troopers use when in their cars.

[The Snowman]

I think that the handheld radar and laser guns are most likely somewhat more sophisticated than the side-of-the-road, anyone-can-hitch-it-up-and-leave kind.

[benVFR]

I've noticed the same thing.. the radar is active but it doesn't display a speed until it picks something up.

They have a MUCH shorter range then a police radar.

Also police radar has the potential to be fooled into picking up the largest target if you're on a bike and their is a target like a tractor trailer in it's line of fire.

But new police radars are smart enough to report the fastest target.. so they can pick you out from a bunch of trucks.

Those side of the road things sure don't pick up a sportbike well though.. IME they pick me up on my bicycle at a longer range then my motorcycle. (Which doesn't make much sense)

[Awesome]

The radars can definitly detect the bikes, those signs always clock me. Sometimes i see how high I can get them to go. I think one of 'em read 'tilt' one time.

[Billy]

the one I go by is permenantly mounted so you can't really mess with it. Obviously the cop can move the radar gun around to get a reading.

The bigger the object the easier it is to get a reading. The smaller the object the harder it is to get a reading because you have to be more accurate at aiming the beam from the radar gun, IMO.

Mainly the purpose of this thread is to see if being on a bike makes it harder to detect our speed using a radar gun.

[Doc]

Smaller target= Harder to hit.

As long as they have good aim they can get you but it is harder than a big 18 wheeler.

[benVFR]

Answer is yes it makes it harder... but not enough to matter.

And 99% of the time when one of us gets a ticket we are so far over the limit it's a moot point... the cop can write a ticket based on estimated speed and the 80-90mph in a 35mph zone type tickets sportbike riders tend to get don't really need to be measured all that carefully.

The aim doesn't matter all that much.. Radar is a big cone, not a pointer like a laser.

[mikeb]

Originally posted by hessogood
The radars can definitly detect the bikes, those signs always clock me. Sometimes i see how high I can get them to go. I think one of 'em read 'tilt' one time.

+1, its game on when i see those.

[Billy]

Originally posted by mikeb
+1, its game on when i see those.

Hmmm maybe I'll test the one thats up the street from me to see what it's limit is, LOL.

Yea I wasn't sure what the beam structure was like, if it was a laser like point, or a broad cone.

[bump909]

there's a permantly mounted one heading from revere beach into winthrop that is fun to go by. if you are going too fast, say like 10 over i think, it will flash your speed in red and has a blue strobe light that goes off. it's great. i pulled over but the sign never issued me a ticket.

[RandyO]

radar has a very wide beam and can pickup small objects as easy as big ones

lazer has a narrow beam and has to hit a surface that's at least 20% reflective, license plates & headlights is what they aim for

[bump909]

frickin laser beams!

[Doc]

Originally posted by BadBoyBilly
Hmmm maybe I'll test the one thats up the street from me to see what it's limit is, LOL.

Yea I wasn't sure what the beam structure was like, if it was a laser like point, or a broad cone.

The limit is 99 on all the ones I have tested....ermm seen.

[Billy]

Originally posted by Doc
The limit is 99 on all the ones I have tested....ermm seen.

EXCELLENT!!!!!!

[LiononaLeash]

[hqp921]

Originally posted by benVFR

The aim doesn't matter all that much.. Radar is a big cone, not a pointer like a laser.

Has anyone ever been lasered? I think I've encountered laser once or twice in my car - it was bounce off from a car in front of me and my detector caught it. When they use laser, they're aiming at the license plate or headlight - pretty small areas... so I'm assuming they can use it on bikes with a fair amount of accuracy (if they can aim the thing onto a bike - can move heck of a lot faster than a car...)

Do any of you actually use a detector on your bikes?

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by hqp921

Do any of you actually use a detector on your bikes?

Bell RX56. Hasn't let me down yet.

Stick it right on top of my tankbag.

[RandyO]

Originally posted by hqp921

Do any of you actually use a detector on your bikes?

Valentine here

[benVFR]

Originally posted by hqp921
Has anyone ever been lasered? I think I've encountered laser once or twice in my car - it was bounce off from a car in front of me and my detector caught it. When they use laser, they're aiming at the license plate or headlight - pretty small areas... so I'm assuming they can use it on bikes with a fair amount of accuracy (if they can aim the thing onto a bike - can move heck of a lot faster than a car...)

Do any of you actually use a detector on your bikes?

What detector do you have? It's highly doubtful you got a reading off another care which was lasered.

The only detector I've seen documented as ever having any chance at detecting a leading hit on a different car was the V1, and it was considered a slight chance under the perfect conditions, including having to have the detector in exactly the right spot on your windshield.

I've been nailed twice in the car with laser that my detector picked it up. Both times I could see the cop long before he pulled the trigger, so I got no ticket. All the detector was useful for was telling me it was a damn good thing I slowed down. I am honestly more worried about radar... I have yet to see a laser trap in an area with poor enough visibility for the cop to be able to hide the trap.

My V1 *falses* all the time but there is no mistaking that for a hit on another car.

I got nailed in VT driving up for July 4th and there is an ever so slight possibility my detector picked it up off another car but I doubt it. I was in the left lane, a GTI was in the right, and a WRX was entering the highway. It probably looked as if I was about to do a flyer to pass the GTI and the WRX came storming onto the highway but my bet is the cop aimed at me.

A bike is going to be way harder to aim at AFAICT.. but the cops hit the license plate on the car so they ought to be able to hit a flat spot on your bike.

[Punjistick]

What abour laser jammers. Are they illegal? Anyone ever use something like this http://www.blinderxtreme.com/ ?

[NinjaSwan]

Originally posted by bump909
there's a permantly mounted one heading from revere beach into winthrop that is fun to go by. if you are going too fast, say like 10 over i think, it will flash your speed in red and has a blue strobe light that goes off. it's great. i pulled over but the sign never issued me a ticket.

nice one.

[NinjaSwan]

Now this is waht I'm talking about....

http://www.motorcycleradar.com/products_pg2_4.htm#HARD

[hqp921]

Originally posted by benVFR
Both times I could see the cop long before he pulled the trigger, so I got no ticket. All the detector was useful for was telling me it was a damn good thing I slowed down.

Yeah, gotta 'speed safely' I really think they were gunning the people next to me, but I could be wrong.

Originally posted by Punjistick
What abour laser jammers. Are they illegal? Anyone ever use something like this http://www.blinderxtreme.com/ ?

I don't know if they're illegal per se... but what happens is when the cop tags you, they get an error reading on the gun and will try tagging you again. AFAIK, people who have them get zapped the first time, slow down and switch it off (so they don't get two errors in a row, indicating that it is not the laser gun, but a jammer). I've heard the optimal set up is a V1 (or Escort 8500) with a Laser Jammer.

[richw]

I have the 8500 and screamer

I will probable upgrade to the v50 next year.

I believe it saves me 2 tickets a year

I had made my own screamer but bought this one. It cuts out a little sooner then I would like but hear it with ear plugs no problem.

Mine is outside and a layer of bugs degrades performance

Instant on is a problem but on twisty roads the cruisers are on all the time and if you react to a chirp when he shoots someone ahead then your good