Radar Detector Mount For A Valentine 1

[Guest jeph054]

I have a V1 Radar detector and i am trying to figure out how to mount it to my bike. My buddy has a dash shelf that look pretty trick but it is for a totally different bike. So was wondering what people have done on the forum here to tackle this problem.

Thanks

[wera803]

I have a V1 Radar detector and i am trying to figure out how to mount it to my bike. My buddy has a dash shelf that look pretty trick but it is for a totally different bike. So was wondering what people have done on the forum here to tackle this problem.

Thanks

I don't use it a whole lot, but have one of these magnetic mounts on my VFR for a V1. It is pretty impressive how well it holds the device.

RAM Mount

[Baileyrock]

I use a double Stem Stand, one side for my V-1 the other for camera or GPS or ???

[Trace]

I use the TechMount stem mount for my V1. http://www.techmounts.com/ Get a 4 inch arm instead of the 3 incher that comes with the basic kit. You also have to use Valentine's 12 volt tap to allow power to the RJ11 phone connector.

Here it is on my VFR:

And a similar model (different stem size) on my RC51. The black box mounted to the V1 is for my H.A.R.D heads-up display. http://www.legalspeeding.com/products.htm#HARD

[hlf]

I always ride with a small magnetic tank bag, so simply slip the V1 in tank bag top (under the map holder). I've attached the Valentine power outlet to the left of the dash, with an Valentine external display mounted on the top of the dash under the windscreen.

This keeps the V1 from getting wet in the rain, and makes it very easy to take the detector with me when I leave the bike (I just pick up the tank bag).

I generally wear ER6 earspeakers connected to the radar detector. The ER6's do a great job attenuating wind noise, and you know immediately when rader is detected (it's too easy to miss the display when you're busy riding).

Too many of the mounts that attach to triple clamp end up blocking your view of the instruments. Using the top of the tank bag places the radar detector out of the line of sight to dash.

[Trace]

I always ride with a small magnetic tank bag, so simply slip the V1 in tank bag top (under the map holder). I've attached the Valentine power outlet to the left of the dash, with an Valentine external display mounted on the top of the dash under the windscreen.

I'm sure your tankbag set-up is nice, but I want to caution everyone that a radar detector should:

1) be able to peer above your instrument panel (so that it's looking down the road, not at a printed circuit board and electronical stuff that blocks radar)

2) be pointed just a very few degrees down, or at least perfectly level. If it's pointing up IN THE SLIGHTEST (like you see on so many car windshields, searching for airplane radar and satellites!!) the detector's ability to capture signals is severely compromised. If it's pointing just a few degrees down or dead level, it has a much better chance of capturing radar bounce from the pavement and/or picking up distant signals. If it's pointing up, it has much less chance of doing that. Remember that radar moves from point to point like a laser beam, with little scatter (unless there's cars in front of you). It's not "floating around out there" like smoke or the smell of roadkill. And for that matter the cop's laser guns are the same way, of course.

The detector has to be looking forward, straining it's electronic eye to spot those guys!!

As for rain protection you can put a plastic bag over it (you stop anywhere and get a small shopping bag) secure around the arm with tape or twist-tie/zip tie. or put it away in your tank/tail bag.

[FrankoQ]

Could someone post details on how to hard wire the V1 to the bike?

Did you use a fuse tap and went to the fuse box?

[Trace]

Could someone post details on how to hard wire the V1 to the bike?

Did you use a fuse tap and went to the fuse box?

At a minimum, you need Valentine's Direct-Wire Power Adapter, Item 20305. (This comes with a new V1 in the box, in addition to the tacky cigarette lighter powering stuff.) The Adapter is necessary to get power from a 12V source on your bike to the RJ11 telephone cord that the V1 uses.

How you tap into an ignition-switched 12V source on you bike is kinda your decison. I prefer to go to the trouble of building-in an auxiliary fuse panel for all my electrical needs (heated grips, radar, shift light, tag lights, etc), which is discussed here in several how-to mods.

Here's the panel on my RC51. What you don't see is the solenoid that controls battery power to the fuses. The soleonid is activated by a tail light wire (because it comes on when the key is turned on). Or you can tap into some wire somewhere that is ignition-switched and connect the V1 adapter to that.

Then you have to consider how you're going to hear or see that V1. You can't do either with just the dector sitting there. You need a Marc Parnes LED bar, or a HARD heads-up display, which is what I use. marcparnes.com legalspeeding.com

[mick]

I have a V1 Radar detector and i am trying to figure out how to mount it to my bike. My buddy has a dash shelf that look pretty trick but it is for a totally different bike. So was wondering what people have done on the forum here to tackle this problem.

Thanks

I have my V1 installed on the windscreen. Here's a picture of what it looked like on old my '99 (scroll down):

http://www.hal-pc.org/~mmcham/vfr_electrical_farkles1.html

This is the new model RD mount that I currently have on my 2000:

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=SBRM

[hlf]

I'm sure your tankbag set-up is nice, but I want to caution everyone that a radar detector should:

1) be able to peer above your instrument panel (so that it's looking down the road, not at a printed circuit board and electronical stuff that blocks radar)

2) be pointed just a very few degrees down, or at least perfectly level.

The top of virtually every tank bag will put the radar detector above the instrument panel, so the detector won't be blocked. Also, the antennas in the V1 are not all that sensitive to vertical angle, so anything reasonable close to level will work fine. (Of course, the rear antenna of the V1 is going to be blocked by the rider unless you mount the detector outside the fairing.)

I've used this setup for 5+ years and almost 40,000 miles, and have never missed a radar trap. (I wish I could say the same thing about unmarked patrol cars...)

[Trace]

Also, the antennas in the V1 are not all that sensitive to vertical angle, so anything reasonable close to level will work fine.

I'm not disputing your success, as it's clear that you have your rig properly scienced-out. But it IS sensitive to vertical angle, particulary laser. On this I'm quite positive. Not totally sensitive, for sure, but wouldn't you agree that is indeed to your advantage to have the thing level or slightly down? Might as well maximize your chances, eh?

And when it's in the tankbag, I'd say it has zero chances of picking up laser. Zero. Zip. Nada. Nothing. Ain't hap'n.

My point is making the point is that sooooo many people don't realize that you can't have the detector pointing towards the sky and expect it to perform very well. Walk through any parking lot and look at all the dectors pointing UP on the cars there. This indicates to me that most folks don't realize it's an issue....probably including most bikers, too.

As for a tall-enough tankbag......it is what it is. I use a JR Manta most of the time, which isn't tall at all. So sure, if your tank bag is tall, and you do a good job of having the detector pointing forward as you seem to have done, it's all good. I just didn't want someone to think they can toss a detector in a tankbag and tear off down the highway without a second thought.

Anyway, food-for-thought for all you potential detector users out there, FWIW.

[Guest]

Thanks for all of the responses. It help out alot. I don't want to use the stem mount as i will be putting a steering stablizer there. I like that one from cycle gagets though.