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Author Topic: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?  (Read 7942 times)

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Indenial

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Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« on: May 05, 2012, 10:57:23 AM »

I really don't know what makes radar work. But I just don't see many bikes pulled over with flashing lights going. Wondering if cops can reliably use radar on bikes.
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Hugh Janis

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2012, 11:00:50 AM »

If they can clock a baseball, they can clock a bike.  The only speeding ticket I've ever gotten was on a motorcycle.
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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2012, 11:01:51 AM »

According to what the cop in Wyoming said as I was going to Sturgis showed me  ------------  it works just fine on bikes.  Luckily he gave me a warning as he also had a Harley. ;)
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SCRM-R

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2012, 11:03:19 AM »

I really don't know what makes radar work. But I just don't see many bikes pulled over with flashing lights going. Wondering if cops can reliably use radar on bikes.

Yes they can.  I was recently ticketed while meeting a State Trooper and he and I were the only two on the road.  He clocked my speed accurately too.  He gave me a bit of a break though; lowered the speed to less than 70 mph.  If he had caught me three minutes earlier it would have been really bad, so I felt lucky to only get a $100 ticket.
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crackers

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2012, 11:08:47 AM »

In our area they no longer use radar. They have switched to laser and its much more accurate
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cvobiker

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2012, 11:22:41 AM »

yes they can and from a good distance as well. Two summers ago i got pulled over in Nevada doing 85 in a 75..  He shot me with radar from the oposite side of the freeway. I saw him and realized he got me. He had to hit his next exit though then head another mile or so to get me.. Thought about making it harder from him and just kept on going but i just pulled over and waited... He came flying up my direction, nearly passed me sitting on the side and came over, screamed at me for driving 85 and went trough his routine.   Five minutes later he came back with my license, handed it to me and warned me if was pullled over again in his state i would get a ticket..  WOW, nice LEO  :2vrolijk_21:
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 11:30:30 AM by cvobiker »
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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2012, 01:53:49 PM »

I know it works on bikes in PA.
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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2012, 02:03:06 PM »

Yes! 

A good detector sure does help though. My Road Tech (guts the same as my Passport 8500) has saved my arse countless times...most recently, yesterday on the Malahat on the first out of town ride of the season.
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murphy

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2012, 02:46:57 PM »

Radar bands (X, K, Ka, IR) are like a fat beam that is emitted from the device... imagine a "V" coming from the front of the unit head towards you.

The beam will pick up the biggest then fastest object travelling towards it, so if you have a slower bus driving behind a faster car most likely the reading will come from the bus.

Likewise, if a car is behind a bike the car should be picked up first... if the bike is the only thing on the road then it's a bad day for the rider.

Most departments are using laser now, on a unit with a scope the beam is about the size of a dot than can be placed on a vehicle from about a mile away, or in a much shorter distance of course.

The operator can jump around from vehicle to vehicle at the pull of a trigger, it's a lot like target shooting for motorists!
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 09:26:08 PM by murphy »
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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2012, 09:19:24 PM »

Just saw two crotch rockets pulled over by staties tonight on the way home from work. They must have been bad boys.  :P
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Pete7539

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2012, 10:40:56 PM »

The laser also has a +/- on readout to differentiate between two opposite lanes of travel. So the argument of having to be alone in the zone is gone
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 10:56:47 PM by Pete7539 »
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wideglidejoe

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2012, 10:41:43 PM »

X2 what murphy said.  I was on my way home from work on my WideGlide in a 3 lane expressway.  An unmarked light blue Charger was ~1/4 mi ahead of me in the center lane.  60 mph zone, everyone was driving 75, I was a little faster.  I slowed to about 65, as I was suspicous of the Charger.  I passed the Charger doing 65, he pulled behind me and lit up the lights behind his grille.  He asked how fast I was going, I said 65 when I passed you.  He reminded me it was a 60 zone, I said I was basically blending in with everyone else.  He said "well, someone behind me was doing 81".  I said "besides me, there was a car and pickup behind you."  He said "yes, and one of you was doing 81, but I don't know which one".  He went on to say that motorcycles are small targets for rear facing radar, and that I should slow down a little.  I said "yes sir, I sure will".  Didn't even write me a written warning, just verbal.  

Laser is another story..........

On a side note, that Charger had really dark tint, no lights visible in rear window, no light bar, etc.  Even had a civilian license plate instead of a city or state govt plate.

« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 10:46:02 PM by wideglidejoe »
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cvobiker

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2012, 11:50:46 AM »

Just saw two crotch rockets pulled over by staties tonight on the way home from work. They must have been bad boys.  :P

thats odd,,,,,,, crotch rockets usually just outrun a ticket   :nixweiss:
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Indenial

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2012, 12:32:06 PM »

So much for my "ninja dust".  Guess I'd better slow down.
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Dan_Lockwood

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Re: Can radar pick up a motorcycle?
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2012, 12:48:58 PM »

So we agree that cops can radar bikes.  But do all states use the same approach to clocking bikes?

Years ago a friend of mine that I worked with in PA said that he took a trip to MI and while driving he was speeding.  He saw a State Trooper coming towards him in the other lane.  He didn't slow down because he knew that cops had to be stopped when clocking someone.  Well....that's what he knew in PA, but in MI cops have always been able to radar people while on the move.

My question now is, are there any states today that still require the radar to be stopped when clocking a vehicle of any type?

Just wondering...
« Last Edit: May 06, 2012, 12:50:31 PM by Dan_Lockwood »
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