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Wiring for a radar detector

5K views 29 replies 10 participants last post by  wildshananagans 
#1 ·
Anyone have experience or knowledge of the best way to wire up a radar detector. I have a Valentine-1 that I am adding in order to control my insurance expense. Tap into a circuit, or straight off the battery? Thanks for the help.
 
#3 ·
I am using a mount that fits the hole left by original mirrors, chose the right side. Mount looks very solid and is anodized black, you can view it at: http://www.motorcycleradar.com It is made for Yamaha, but the rep told me it fits my bike as well. I will probably use the same wire you suggested, just have to wait until Monday to check with Valentine on the current draw and fuse compatibility for that circuit. Valentine has a quick connect wire piercing harness for a negative wire, then simply ground the other wire. "SHould" be simple. I am also considering the black lexan box to help hide the detector from police and other "admirers." As to laser users, I am hearing they have to be very steady to hit a bike with a valid reading, the absence of any fairing is reputed to be a large advantage. I have seen several laser speed indicator signs completely misread my speed as I passed, they were very accurate with cagers.
 
#4 ·
ya laser is hard to get a good read on a cycle. on cages they aim for headlights and license plates, they need reflective and surfaces perpendicular to the beam. i switched from the big headlight in front to two small projectors so all i really need to worry about is the plate in back or radar, in which case i would've slowed down for if i have my radar detector. as far as a lexan box goes go for it, i plan on having mine so low profile that it isnt noticeable from a view off the bike. also whenever i leave my bike im gonna unplug it and slip it into my pocket cause these things arent exactly cheap
 
#5 ·
1fstfreride said:
Anyone have experience or knowledge of the best way to wire up a radar detector. I have a Valentine-1 that I am adding in order to control my insurance expense. Tap into a circuit, or straight off the battery? Thanks for the help.
For my satnav, I tapped the parking light circuit. I am in the market for a Bel and will be tapping it into the same circuit. The other great circuit to tap would be the kick stand circuit. I just learnt that 2 weeks ago!
 
#6 ·
I said this on another thread about radar detectors but in my opinion the only way to do it right is to put some real time into the project, dont just make a bracket on the bars or tank and slap the thing right there in plain view, Ive got enough clutter on my bars i dont need a honking radar detector sitting out there too. I would mount the detector under the seat, disasemble the unit and run the laser, sensor, whatever up to the front of the bike. Then, at least on my bike, id pop out one of the useless indicator lights ie turn signal indicator, kick stand light, something, and run the leds for the detectors lights right there. [thumbsup] spend some time on it and make it cool.
 
#9 ·
i disassembled an old cobra detector for my car to mount the mute button on the dash and the lights in the gauges but left the laser alone at the front of the car. its just some basic soldering for the lights and a little wire extending for the button and power plug, i have a passport escort right now which i haven't touched since it moves between so many vehicles.
 
#11 ·
The wires are plenty long enough to run on down to the fusebox and tap in there. I did mine this way by simply inserting the wire into one of the fuse's blade slots in the box (switch controlled side) and pushed the fuse back in. Presto! No hack into any wire! [clap] Very clean and reliable. I have been running it this way for just shy of a year now. [thumbsup]
 
#12 ·
Hypurone,
What brand and model of detector did you use and did you attach any ground, if so to where? Which circuit did you use and did it require any modification of the fuse size? Have you had any fuses blow during the time period?
Thanks,
 
#13 ·
BretMorris said:
So has anyone actually disassembled a unit and done what pycochild suggested? I would do that if it was possible!!!

Bret
AFAIK, "Tuner" shops do this pretty regularly. Ask around and find a good local one and they can hook you up. I've been wanting to do it with my old V1 (as it will void the warranty of a new one) but now that I've got the Monster, I can decide between mounting it there or on the SprintST.
 
#15 ·
I tapped of from behind the fuse box, so the power supplied is switched with the key. No issues at all. The radar detector goes inside my tank bag - it's covered from the elements and it is concealed (obviously I don't detect laser this way). I have the Beltronics radar detector, it has an audio output, which goes into my AUTOCOM audio system, and I can hear the radar go off in my helmet (This way you don't have to take your eyes off the road to look at the radar when you are riding at speeds where it is needed ;) ).
 
#16 ·
1fstfreride said:
Hypurone,
What brand and model of detector did you use and did you attach any ground, if so to where? Which circuit did you use and did it require any modification of the fuse size? Have you had any fuses blow during the time period?
Thanks,
I'm running an Escort 8500 x50. The right way to do this is to use the "direct wire" kit for the unit if your mfg makes one. Escort does. This pairs the power & ground in a single (joined) wire unit, so yes, there is a ground that I attached at the battery. For the life of me I can't remember which circuit I used. I know I picked one that had nothing important on it and would be used the least (turn/brake maybe?). The "direct wire" kit has a built-in fuse/holder so it runs on its own fuse if you tap in on the "source" side in the fuse box (as long as it is switched, so you don't have to remember to shut the unit off). No blown fuses.
 
#17 ·
I want to thank everyone who has participated thus far, I think this has been a very helpful discussion. I really like the idea of breaking down the components so as to create the best aesthetic result, and I am willing to forgo the warranty issue if I can assure myself that it will function well enough to avoid "johnny law." I have used Valentine's for over 15 years and am very happy, I had an Escort 8500 for about 3 years, also a good unit - but my experience has all been in cagers, so I am venturing into new territory and am very appreciative of someone else's experience. If I decide to dismantle my "unit" and become creative I will certainly include many pictures and my experience with the process. I would agree with Psychochild that a tuner shop would probably far overcharge for what is a very simple task. Once again the difficulty is not the task, but knowing what task needs to be done.
 
#18 ·
1fstfreride said:
I want to thank everyone who has participated thus far, I think this has been a very helpful discussion. I really like the idea of breaking down the components so as to create the best aesthetic result, and I am willing to forgo the warranty issue
Love to see the pics. If it breaks on you, I can source Escorts and Beltronics at a very good price.
 
#19 ·
back when i was a member at 600rr.net, they had a bunch of people over there breaking down the components like said above. its possible buyt im not sure how many people want to rip open a 3-400 dollar radar detector. ive considered doing this with a cheaper one but then again, with radar detectors you get what you pay for. i guess once i get the cash i will try to find a decent used 8500 x50 on ebay since my experiance with my cage's 8500x50 has saved me 3-4 tickets already, well earning its worth back. i think im going to mount the main unit under my seat and run the detection portion up to either the front left, right frame, or that debri deflector. only problem is i dont have an autocom or anything of that sort.... maybe a H.A.R.D. system???
(Helmet Assisted
Radar Detection
System)
http://www.legalspeeding.com/HARD.htm

and part way down the page on....
http://www.legalspeeding.com/products.htm
 
#20 ·
after thinking about it all day, mount it inside the forks and hide it near your cluster/in the wires/next to your headlight and get, no need to disassemble if you dont really want to

http://www.speedcheetah.com/scshop/section.php?xSec=80

or the hard system i was talking about. there isnt much rear protection/detection but it would still be pretty good


i want to still be able to swap it out and put it in my car when the weather is bad so i think ill just mount it off the fairing mount
 
#21 ·
1fstfreride said:
I would agree with Psychochild that a tuner shop would probably far overcharge for what is a very simple task. Once again the difficulty is not the task, but knowing what task needs to be done.
It all depends. I had a tuner shop install an XM/CD unit in my car, including a very clean job of running the antenna through and on top of the dash. They charged me $90 for a job that probably would have taken me all day and several broken interior pieces. ;) And they did it while I waited.

In the same vein as the "did I get hosed on my forks" thread, paying someone with the knowlege and experience is often worth the money, especially if you get a firm bid beforehand. At least it is to me.

If you decide to do it yourself, good luck. Please do post lots of pics. I'm still entertaining the idea of doing it on the Triumph. fwiw, when I wired the V1 hard wire kit and remote display, I tapped into the front parking light so that I'd have a "keyed" power source. As you know, Valentine uses phone jacks for power/signal/led wires. I just velcroed the jack up under the fairing out of sight, but easily accessible. Then I ran the line for the remote up to just under the screen, and left the radar unit itself in the map pocket of my tank bag, where it worked remarkably well.

IIRC, you can buy a pretty nice phone jack crimper for about $20-$30 and custom make all your lines just the right length.
 
#23 ·
wildsh... so your suggestion to mount in the fork/headlight mess is suggesting mounting an intact detector, or pieces? If this indicates the complete detector, I think most would not fit. The Cheetah link you posted is fantastic, I think the system far exceeds the HARD system and is worth pursuing especially as one of their dealers has it on sale for $149. I am not sure how the HARD system differentiates between the different types of radar and laser when it appears to have only one red indicator? Anyone know this? I am searching Craig's list for detectors at a discount to dismantle and have found some Escort 8500 between $100-200.
 
#24 ·
I am running the Escort 8500 detector with the HARD system. I installed a Powerlet from my battery into the air box.
Works like a charm! and is very portable.

I have two different ways that I run this:

1) When I have my tank bag on, I connect the soft connection adapter that I built into my tank bags, into the Powerlet in the air box. Inside the tank bag, I have 2 connections, one for cell phone charging, one for the radar detector. I actually run the radar line out of the H2O hole in the bags. I have the radar detector mounted on my handlebar via a TechMount screwed into the mickey mouse mirror holes

2) When I am not riding with a tank bag, I mount the radar on the handlebars as described above, but connect it via the cigarette adapter directly into the air box.

here is a pic of the system:

 
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