Just wanting yer opinions on the which radar detector I should be looking at.........gotta stay away from them Bear's
Radar detectors
- Thread starter monsterspeedfreak
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jetset
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I have a bel 946 express its cordless and works well I don't like the helmet speaker beause its not wireless so I hooked up a tweeter to it so I can hear it while riding.I should have gotten the valetine its speaker has adjustable volume control and you can hear it while riding that will be my next one
FomerBearGoneBad
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Valentine One. Car and Driver's extensively technical and thorough shootout last year confirms what I could have told them already: it is hands-down better than any other unit out there. Not only do I know how many signals I'm detecting (multiple radar traps?), but I also know where they are. More importantly, the "guts" used are far superior at detection, in my somewhat experienced opinion.
With each of the 3 vehicles we've picked up over the last few years, there has been a mandatory pilgrimage down to Cincy to their home office to pick one up (why mail order if you have to pay tax anyway and they're only a 30 minute drive away?) Even www.radarbusters.com recognizes them as "the standard by which to measure others", even though they don't sell them (Valentine doesn't do dealerships). When a retailers gives that kind of a nod while selling only competing equipment, that's a pretty hefty endorsement as well, in my book...
Ah, the elusive which is best question. This really depends on how much money you want to spend. I personally use a Passport 8500 and in my own words "Its the best". I've had Bel, PNI (great for the money), Valentine one, and a host of others. I thought the Valentine one was a little bulky! But, still a great detector.... If your looking I suggest The big three. Passport 8500, Bel 995 (several models to choose from), & of course Valentine one. But, don't forget to take a look at the PNI Traveller. Cordless/Corded your choice it can do either. Don't forget this little gem gave the big three a run for their money and speaking of money a guy can pick one of these up for under $150.00....... Try doing that with the other three! Don't take my word on it click on the following links and make your own mind up.............
http://www.radarbusters.com/support/product-tests/5.asp
http://www.speedzones.com/test2002new/test2002.htm (best independant test results site).
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=1024
One last thing I forgot to mention....... If you didn't already no this then here goes. Bel is owned by Passport/Escort! There I've said my piece.........KS
http://www.radarbusters.com/support/product-tests/5.asp
http://www.speedzones.com/test2002new/test2002.htm (best independant test results site).
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=1024
One last thing I forgot to mention....... If you didn't already no this then here goes. Bel is owned by Passport/Escort! There I've said my piece.........KS
Daddy Fatsac
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Waterbug...the question was…what is the best radar detector? Not the best performance/price ratio detector. When it comes to getting speeding tickets you need to look at the BIG picture. Depending on where you live 15 mph over could be a mere $150-200. That doesn't seem like much until your insurance company finds out about it. Then BAM your insurance just jumped 20%. You will be paying that additional 20% until that ticket is off your record. You'll be well over what you paid for the cheaper less efficient radar detector when you could have bought the best and ticketless.
How does the old saying go? Cheaper isn't always better! Something to think about when you choose something other than Valentine One radar detectors.
How does the old saying go? Cheaper isn't always better! Something to think about when you choose something other than Valentine One radar detectors.
FomerBearGoneBad
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Deciding between a Valentine and the wannabe's is the classic test of your character: Do I scrimp now and probably pay later, or do I save up and buy the best? The Valentine is uncontested in *scientific* and *factual* comparisons, period. If you can't swing the extra couple hundred bucks, I'm wondering how you scraped up enough to ride a Busa in the first place?
? Do you really want a police academy-grade dissertation on why the Valentine's detection methodology is better??? And as the previous poster pointed out, you're gonna get burnt for much more than the bucks you initially saved once you get pinched. Hey, it's your life, but the point was that we answered the original question the way it was posted. If you're on that tight of a budget, perhaps you should avoid exceeding the posted limit completely in the first place...
Hmmm, I'm gonna buy a $9k bike, but I'm gonna trim $200 when buying something designed to help me, um, avoid entanglements that such a bike can get me in in the first place.....not exactly a prudent course of action when looking at the big picture...kinda like buying cheapo tires for a Corvette...LOL
Hmmm, I'm gonna buy a $9k bike, but I'm gonna trim $200 when buying something designed to help me, um, avoid entanglements that such a bike can get me in in the first place.....not exactly a prudent course of action when looking at the big picture...kinda like buying cheapo tires for a Corvette...LOL
Maybe I was unclear when I talked about price. What I was trying to say was that just because a detector cost less money doen't mean its inferior! PNI scored very well in test against all three leading manufactures. And to set the record strait, Passport not Valentine has won the last three years..... But, test like oppinions are very subjective to personal pref. I still say (if money isn't a problem) stick with the top three! What ever you decided on is only as good as your reaction time.....Ks
FomerBearGoneBad
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You get what you pay for. If you pick up a degree in EET like I have you'll understand the difference in the technologies applied. Bell may make'em good for cheap, but Valentine makes them best (with military-grade components in some circuits). I'll gladly plunk down the extra $200 to avoid thousands of dollars in fines and insurance rates in the long run by detecting the radar at least 1/4 if not 1/2 mile further out while indicating exactly where it is (ahead, beside, behind). Second, I'll stick to studies that aren't underwritten by a sweetheart-deal partner or a site that can't sell one brand vs. another being reviewed. That right there kinda narrows down the vendor sites since they can't sell Valentine.
In the end, we agree to disagree. Vive la difference. To answer the original question as to which is BEST (not close to it for a lot less), I still vote Valentine. Your mileage may vary. End of chapter.
In the end, we agree to disagree. Vive la difference. To answer the original question as to which is BEST (not close to it for a lot less), I still vote Valentine. Your mileage may vary. End of chapter.
†Wç†ëD
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Daddy Fatsac
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That is a very interesting post Twisted...that is the very first site or article that said Val 1 sucked. So I'll start doing some hard research on that matter.
I'm not to worried about radar detectors here in Japan...Motorcyclist just out run the cop cars. But if your getting chased by a motorcycle cop just pull over and park. Japanese motorcycle cops have a code of honor to NEVER lose a motorcycle to motorcycle chase. They rather die first!! Crazy ain't it?!
Yeah I know off the topic at hand...I'll do more research and get back with ya'll.
I'm not to worried about radar detectors here in Japan...Motorcyclist just out run the cop cars. But if your getting chased by a motorcycle cop just pull over and park. Japanese motorcycle cops have a code of honor to NEVER lose a motorcycle to motorcycle chase. They rather die first!! Crazy ain't it?!
Yeah I know off the topic at hand...I'll do more research and get back with ya'll.
Agreed.............
But, I still think either way you go you won't be sorry! Really comes down to personal pref........ (Its like the old Ford, Chevy arguement and which is better).
FomerBearGoneBad
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L-O-FREAKIN-L, dude. Did you look at the source and think about them for a minute? Anytime you trust a review from a site that also sells the items being reviewed, well, you know what I'm gonna say. Radartest.com itself does not sell detectors, but a simply inquiry as to the site ownership reveals that they are ultimately owned by a major vendor of (drumroll please) Bel and Passport detectors!!! Imagine that...
*Never* ever expect *unbiased* and strictly *factually scientific* reviews from any site that also sells them...cause guess what (shocker of shockers)...the stuff they sell always seems to somehow appear to win....hmmmmmmmm......
There are plenty of non-vendor reviews out there to read. Shocker of shockers....they consistently pick the Valentine...imagine that? Of course, if I can't resell Valentines but I can resell other brands, guess which brands my reviews are going to pick, no matter how I have to slant, selectively quote or outright rig the results??? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see through that one, does it?
C'mon, we're all big boys and girls here, we surely learned a few lessons on being smart, educated consumers instead of sheep... I have no vested interest in Valentine, but I cringe when I see this kind of mentality prevail...
FomerBearGoneBad
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Not really, there is an actual difference in the components used. Sorry, but I have an appreciation and passion about cheap junk vs. quality stuff, so this topic isn't going to get melted down into a generalization. One uses cheap-to-mass-produce Chinese knock-off guts for the detection logic, assembled in the same plants that cranks out walkmans and remote control stunt buggies. The other is designed and built on-site in the U.S. by former military radar specialists *AND* is upgradeable by sending it back to Cincy if/when improvements come out. One is disposeable, mass produced run-of-the-mill mediocre fair, the other is a crafted tool. So, the analogy would actually be Hayabusa vs. Radian in performance or, more accurately, Hummer vs. Kia in terms of quality...in my opinion.
Thanks fer all the advise guys!!!
Well you beg the question "is the valentine one using all special made parts", military quality, the answer is no.. They share some of there suppliers with Bel/Escort; but alas this should come as no surprise since this is the same company Mike use to work for in the eighty's. One other nice to no fact as you pointed out in an earlier post. *Never* ever expect *unbiased* and strictly *factually scientific* reviews from any site that also sells them...cause guess what (shocker of shockers)...the stuff they sell always seems to somehow appear to win....hmmmmmmmm......[/QUOTE] Car and Driver is and has been on Valentine ones payroll for years............
As to all the bad press maybe this will help explain.
What's Up with Valentine?
What's behind Mike Valentine's accusations that your "V1 Hater", Craig Peterson, is biased against the V1 and refuses to give it a good review?
Bradley Fox, New York City
Perhaps Mike Valentine can explain to me how, as an alleged "V1 Hater", I deigned to declare his unit the winner of my 1998 Automobile Magazine detector test. Valentine, with his well-known vindictive nature, monumental ego and erratic behavior--key factors that led to his being thrown out of Cincinnati Microwave years before nearly all of their landmark products were designed--obviously hasn't mellowed with age.
Detector industry insiders have laughed for years at Valentine's assertions that he clings to the moral high ground where detector tests are concerned. They're well aware that Patrick Bedard, Car & Driver Magazine's senior editor and the driving force behind their radar detector feature stories for decades, has been a "consultant" on the Valentine payroll since 1980. Perhaps it's a coincidence that the magazine has declared a Valentine-associated product the winner of every high-end test they've ever conducted. The relationship between the magazine and Valentine is so tight that Mike in years past has unleashed their editorial staff, under Bedard's supervision, in a muck-raking effort to discredit any journalist, including me, who fails to pay homage to his genius and to his radar detector (which was designed, by the way, by Clarence Groth and Steve Scholl).
Later this year--probably just in time for the Christmas buying season--the magazine can be expected to generate more favorable press for the hoary old V1, now dressed again in its original, 1992-vintage case and with improved Ka band sensitivity, by virtue of their new high-end test. Care to guess who the winner will be?
The real reasons behind Mike's endless tirades are his huge ego and, to an equal extent--the fact that his baby has been outclassed by newer--not to mention much cheaper and far more sophisticated rivals. With revenues falling rapidly, he's more motivated than ever to go on the offensive. If Mike devoted half as much effort to improving the elderly V1 as he does in making personal attacks on independent journalists, he'd have a world-class product.
Craig Peterson
I still think the Valentine one is a great detector, but no better than Bel, Escort/Passport, or PNI................
P.S. all four of this detectors can be sent to the manufacture for software updates as they become available for a nominal fee. So you don't have to replace them every year.....
I admire your vigor FormerBearGoneBad and I appreciate the fact you have a degree in my industry. I also work for a major military airplane co. and am surrounded by avionics techs, engineers, and the likes. All working daily with this type of equipment/technology. So I concede for the sake of argument... Folks no matter what detector you chose from the bevy of suggestions posted here you can't go wrong.
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