44 replies to this topic

[allrider]

One of my riding Buddies said someone came up to him and asked "what kinda bike is that?" He replied, "It's a ticket magnet" Well, I can attest to that.

So I have been looking for something to help me pay attention instead of pay-a-performance award. This Passport iQ looks like a pretty good tool and a GPS as well.

Kinda expensive, but if it helps me avoid two tickets it paid for itself.

The reviews look good. I'm curious if anyone here has one and can tell me what they think of it before I take the plunge?

[majicmaker]

One of my riding Buddies said someone came up to him and asked "what kinda bike is that?" He replied, "It's a ticket magnet" Well, I can attest to that.

So I have been looking for something to help me pay attention instead of pay-a-performance award. This Passport iQ looks like a pretty good tool and a GPS as well.

Kinda expensive, but if it helps me avoid two tickets it paid for itself.

The reviews look good. I'm curious if anyone here has one and can tell me what they think of it before I take the plunge?

That's been dicussed before. The odds of a lot of people running around your area with the same unit in communication with yours are low. But, If you have the money to burn, Go for it!

My best defense is the The Ticket Clinic! (800)CITATION. It works every time!

[Bounce]

Better investment is the Valentine 1. When it beeps it tells you which direction the ping is coming from instead of just scaring the shit out of you.

As with all such things, it's a tool. By itself it doesn't make you invisible. You still need to be aware, learn how to use the tool, and understand the benefits of "rabbits".

[majicmaker]

As with all such things, it's a tool. By itself it doesn't make you invisible. You still need to be aware, learn how to use the tool, and understand the benefits of "rabbits".

I couldn't agree more!! Rabbits are our best friends!

[JIm and Erica]

Location is the key. I have a 9500I but get poor warning because the stem mount does not sit high enough. Any one have any luck with a different mounting system? Even that being said has saved me many times.

[lnewlf]

Meeself.I prefer the 8500X50...the passport has to power up whenever it receives a signal as it "sleeps" to save batteries. I don't get on or in anything with wheels without it due to the saturation of revenuers. I tapped switched power off the glovebox outlet. Personally, I don't need no stinkin' arrows as I lift when it beeps...and rabbits are great-they get zapped with the instant on..

[majicmaker]

I lost count on the times that my S2 has saved my Ass from an award. I too, don't get in any vehicle without it!

[TomInCA]

I have the 8500 X-50 and it saved my butt last night. On the ride home during a 410 mile loop, I picked up a Ka signal about 1/2 strenth that quickly stopped. I got a second stronger pulse. Then I got painted, but by then I was under the legal limit along with my friends. I am surprised at how far up the road I get a good warning with this unit. It is mounted to a ram ball on the clutch reservoir with a 3-inch arm and camera mount. That gets it high enough to be effective, and it is easily removed for theft prevention and weather. I get audio through the Autocom audio isolation connector in my headset.

It is actually visible in my avatar in front of my left shoulder.

[JamesW]

Escort Redline unit, mounted on front brake reservoir top with velcro on fjr, wired to screamer. Wing has 8500x50 wired to red alert LED block from Areostitch catolog real eyecatcher if anywhere near line of sight. My opinion, if your flagrant in urban areas radar instant on will be the lawnmower . Run mine in AUTOnoX. Tools only as good as the user. Love them primarily out of town and crosscountry stuff. Last thing you ever want to do is dynamite brakes, dead giveaway.

[allrider]

Lots of good suggestions, thanks. There's an 8500x50 for sale locally for around $100. That's 6.5x cheaper than the passport, and it's an escort so it's gonna work.

I'm still torn. I was thinking about getting a GPS anyway. I may just call it a business expense. I am on the road a lot for business. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Now if i can figure out how to get this expense past my Financial Director...The Missus.

[majicmaker]

Now if i can figure out how to get this expense past my Financial Director...The Missus.

Yeah! That's always a Bitch, I've been there done that, that's why I'm glad I'm single. Good luck with that!

[CAJW]

Check this out. I've had mine here for over two years with zero issues and still working fine. 8500 X 50 See post #45

[Geezer]

I have both a Radar detector and GPS, but not in the same unit. These electronic things are fragile and don't hold up as well on a motorcycle as they do in your car where they don't get the vibrations and exposure to weather. My point is that you are better off with separate units so that you only have to replace them one at a time when they break. And you can get the specific RD that suits you and the specific GPS that suits you without having to compromise on one or both like you would in a combination unit.

[HotRodZilla]

Lots of good suggestions, thanks. There's an 8500x50 for sale locally for around $100. That's 6.5x cheaper than the passport, and it's an escort so it's gonna work.

I'm still torn. I was thinking about getting a GPS anyway. I may just call it a business expense. I am on the road a lot for business. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Now if i can figure out how to get this expense past my Financial Director...The Missus.

Back when I was in college and speed limits were much slower, I used to run a radar detector all the time. I think I bought two or three different BelTronics detectors and loved them. I never got pulled over with them. For some reason, I ended up borrowing a buddy's Whistler piece of shit. Both times I used that detector, I got stopped. It only gave enough warning to let me know to stop.

Due to that, I'd never buy anything from Whistler. I don't know if they're even still made. Most likely, my next detector will be another Bell.

[Bungie]

I couldn't agree more!! Rabbits are our best friends!

The problem is sometimes rabbits aren't around when you want them. That's why I like to ride with Huron52. Especially somewhere on I90 in Montana.

Bungie: "Why don't you lead for a bit?"

Huron: "I don't know the route"

Bungie: "Just follow your nose"

FJRrob1300: "Woohoohoohooo! That's a lot of throttle!"

Bungie: Dammit, I've been running at 110mph for about an hour and I still can't catch them. Cool."

[majicmaker]

I couldn't agree more!! Rabbits are our best friends!

The problem is sometimes rabbits aren't around when you want them. That's why I like to ride with Huron52. Especially somewhere on I90 in Montana.

Bungie: "Why don't you lead for a bit?"

Huron: "I don't know the route"

Bungie: "Just follow your nose"

FJRrob1300: "Woohoohoohooo! That's a lot of throttle!"

Bungie: Dammit, I've been running at 110mph for about an hour and I still can't catch them. Cool."

My thoughts Exactly!!

[blufjr]

Passport and Escorts are the same mfr as well as the Bell. I have an Escort Passport 8500 X-50 but it only works on Lazer, and X bands now. I use a Bell X-65 on the bike and it work excellent. Would buy another Bell first.

First Lesson: you can drop your speed maybe 5-10 mph upon notification from the unit before falling into the zone. If the cop will let you go doing 10 over, you better not be doing anymore than 15 over and paying attention. If you are doing 25 over, you will get stopped and ticketed for at least 15 but most likely 20 over. So, lesson one is to use you head and pay attention if you are speeding, the same as if you didn' t have the radar detector.

Lesson 2: Read lesson one again.

Now if you are like me and you are not intentionally speeding, so you are not paying attention, and the radar detector goes off and you look down to see that you are going 10-20 over, you will learn to automatically brake first then look. This has saved me many times and that is why I support them.

[gixxerjasen]

Now if i can figure out how to get this expense past my Financial Director...The Missus.

I'll give you a tip on this one. It is a whole lot easier to get past her than a ticket. And it's infinitely easier to get past her than a second ticket. Looking back, I should have just bought the radar detector. My lawyer likes me not having one though...

Even less fun...getting a ticket with her in the car with you. The entire time you are talking to the police officer, she's burning holes in the back of your head with her eyes.

Least fun ever...getting a ticket with your wife in the car with you. And your son. And your mom and dad! Ugh. That one sucked for sure.

Now if you are like me and you are not intentionally speeding, so you are not paying attention, and the radar detector goes off and you look down to see that you are going 10-20 over, you will learn to automatically brake first then look. This has saved me many times and that is why I support them.

Radar detector or I see a cop, I nail the brakes. It's always amusing when I do look down and realize that I wasn't speeding when I hit the brakes.

Edited by gixxerjasen, 07 March 2012 - 06:28 AM.

[HotRodZilla]

Passport and Escorts are the same mfr as well as the Bell.

Dammit...This is the second time I have done this. It wasn't an Escort that I got pulled over with. It was a Whistler. Total POS. Don't know why I can'r remember that 22 years later... I'll go fix my original post.

[TomInCA]

I have a friend who recently bought one of the Whistler units. It constantly gave false alerts and gave no warning time on real ones. Using my Escort side-by-side, I could pick up a clear Ka signal a mile of more before encountering the source while his did not alert until the radar unit was in visual sight. The biggest problem with the Escort has been that it alerts so early, you sometimes may speed back up before reaching the trap, especially for instant-on.