Where to buy Valentine 1

[Dobieman]

I have decided to buy a Valentine one radar detector and was curious who has the best price around?
I see Valentine sells direct for $399.00
Also looking for suggestions on mounting to the Gen II.
Thinking about a Visalert in helmet wireless display for it also so I can look where I am going instead of at the box all the time.

What do you guys think, anyone using this set up?

This will be my first radar detector ever.

Thanks,
Dobie

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I use mine with earbuds and it sits on a Techmount stem stand. Has paid for itself many many times! Not sure where Mike Valentine sells them other than his site.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

I'm not a big fan of radar detectors. I've been on the operator side of the radar gun and have seen how easily a radar detector can be beat. The detector can't detect that which is not turned on yet. Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

 

[Dobieman]

I'm not a big fan of radar detectors.  I've been on the operator side of the radar gun and have seen how easily a radar detector can be beat.  The detector can't detect that which is not turned on yet.  Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Well I am not a big fan of unmarked police interceptors shooting speed detection equipment so I guess were even  

 

[DR1300R]

I'm not a big fan of radar detectors.  I've been on the operator side of the radar gun and have seen how easily a radar detector can be beat.  The detector can't detect that which is not turned on yet.  Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Well I am not a big fan of unmarked police interceptors shooting speed detection equipment so I guess were even  

+10000

I mean sheese..

Get ahold of Sonny (ks waterbug) he can get good deals on all radar equipment..

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

I'm not a big fan of radar detectors.  I've been on the operator side of the radar gun and have seen how easily a radar detector can be beat.  The detector can't detect that which is not turned on yet.  Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Well I am not a big fan of unmarked police interceptors shooting speed detection equipment so I guess were even  

for what it's worth I don't have any speed detection equipment in my car as I work investigations. I was just playing the devil's advocate for you, giving my opinion and bringing up the point that no matter how good the detector they can be defeated. Just something to consider before spending big $$ for one.

 

[forceofnature]

Yeah I cant see wasting $$ on em. Bikes slow down so fast anyway if you notice em and back off you are usually good.

 

[ekz]

I use one and they work. Yes, if his radar is not on, and he turns it on for you, it will not prevent anything. Many times the radar is already on for other traffic and you can get a reading and can slow down. One avoided ticket, and the insurance hit, are more than the price of the device. Need to be especially careful when you are the only one on the road. Suggest you do a little more research on detectors, the V1 is getting dated and there are better devices out there - also smaller and lighter weight.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

In re: "Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse."

Well, its sure good to know the caliber of police we have to deal with isn't it? Geez, I wonder if cops are "ALWAYS" azzholes or is it just the ones who "ALWAYS" give tickets to radar detector equipped vehicles?

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

Yeah I cant see wasting $$ on em.  Bikes slow down so fast anyway if you notice em and back off you are usually good.

Now (that's) funny! If you're close enough to "notice them" you're already had! A V1 gives enough early warning, often times long before you're close enough to see them so as to enable you to get on the brakes in time.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

In re: "Suggest you do a little more research on detectors, the V1 is getting dated and there are better devices out there"

Such as?

What you obviously don't know is that the V1 is upgradeable so no matter which model you have they can make it as good as their most recent model.

 

[ekz]

In re:  "Suggest you do a little more research on detectors, the V1 is getting dated and there are better devices out there"

Such as?  

What you obviously don't know is that the V1 is upgradeable so no matter which model you have they can make it as good as their most recent model.

http://radartest.com/article_2.asp?articleid=100578

do not plan to debate radar detectors - here is a recent test vs the escort 9500i by a very reputable source. I am sure there are other recent tests as well. I have that model and the zr4 jammer.

 

[TruWrecks]

Direct is the only official way to get a V1. You can find them on fleebay, but I wouldn't trust too many of the sources there.

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

Well, its sure good to know the caliber of police we have to deal with isn't it?  Geez, I wonder if cops are "ALWAYS" azzholes or is it just the ones who "ALWAYS" give tickets to radar detector equipped vehicles?

 

Your comment is no different than someone saying all people who ride busas ride like idiots. Not all police officers are "azzholes" as you put it and if I remember correctly I was attempting to show all sides of the spectrum so that someone didn't buy a radar detector believing it would ALWAYS keep them out of a ticket then hit the streets with a false sense of security and end up with a ticket. I apologize if my effort to offer assistance and an opinion from the other side has offended you and hope that someday you will be able to see that not all of us who wear a badge are "azzholes"

 

[Dobieman]

I figured Valentine direct was the real route but I googled it and some other sources came up actually charging more than Valentine did directly  

Anywho...any body using this in helmet visual display system Visalert Link

 

[Blue1]

Yeah I cant see wasting $$ on em.  Bikes slow down so fast anyway if you notice em and back off you are usually good.

Now (that's) funny!  If you're close enough to "notice them" you're already had!  A V1 gives enough early warning, often times long before you're close enough to see them so as to enable you to get on the brakes in time.

A bike has a much smaller frontal area, therefore is not detected until it is closer than a car.

Since cars (or even large trucks) are the vast majority of vehicles on the road, the traps tend to be in areas where they get the most "hits" on cars. Bikes can frequently slow down prior to being tagged. Not always, but a surprising amount of times.

I now ride with radar detection on the 'busa, but even with thirty years of performance bike riding, I've only had two speeding tickets on the bikes. The radar detector is going to let me speed in areas where I can see there can be no units within the roughly 1000' range of radar units on most motorcycles.

The LEO with the opinion earlier thinks he knows everything, but his perspective is only from the LEO side. What he doesn't understand when he underestimates the effectiveness of a good radar detector (with a driver that truly knows how to best utilize it) is that he doesn't know who is passing him at an acceptabled speed may have been going 25 over right before he targeted them.

Blue1

 

[Blue1]

One other thing CTA BUSA LE doesn't have is experience with a radar detector.  I've been using them for thirty years and he is right in that some people think they are untouchable and can speed any time they want.  That WILL get them a ticket sooner or later.

But how can he claim they are not worthwhile if he has never used, or needed one.

I realize I don't know all his tricks for a trap, but I know most of them and I slow down when I travel through an area that is radar vulnerable.  If he's never used a radar detector (why would he have to?  He has a badge...) than he certainly can't approach my knowledge and experience using them to defeat his experience with the radar units themselves.

That is the key:  knowing when the radar detector can't help you and slowing down.

In the end, they are worth it, you just have to understand their limitations.  Experience and miles with them is what it takes and that just takes time.

Blue1

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

One other thing CTA BUSA LE doesn't have is experience with a radar detector.  I've been using them for thirty years and he is right in that some people think they are untouchable and can speed any time they want.  That WILL get them a ticket sooner or later.

But how can he claim they are not worthwhile if he has never used, or needed one.

I realize I don't know all his tricks for a trap, but I know most of them and I slow down when I travel through an area that is radar vulnerable.  If he's never used a radar detector (why would he have to?  He has a badge...) than he certainly can't approach my knowledge and experience using them to defeat his experience with the radar units themselves.

That is the key:  knowing when the radar detector can't help you and slowing down.

In the end, they are worth it, you just have to understand their limitations.  Experience and miles with them is what it takes and that just takes time.

Blue1

A little about myself. I didn't become a LEO until I hit my early 30's. I spent most of my 20's driving a semi tractor trailer pulling a flatbed over the road where I logged hundreds of thousands of ticket free miles (and not because I didn't speed). I have also owned numerous fast bikes as well as sports cars and have spent many an hour trying to figure out how to beat a ticket or outsmart a radar gun.

I've also ran some of the best detectors that money could buy when I purchased them as well as some of the best and most advanced radar units that can be bought.

I've played on both sides of the fence and know what both pieces of equipment are capable of, radar gun and radar detector. So you can listen to my opinion or discard it, I really don't care either way.

My only regret is that I offered up an opinion in an effort to try to give a broader perspective only to be targeted as the bad guy or sterotyped as what some believe is typical. I can promise you I will not make the same mistake again on other threads

 

[Glyn]

Back to the question....

There was a group buy that was attempted on the V1 some time ago.

It seems that Mr. Valentine can sell every one he makes, and has no incentive to discount his product.
I think that says something right there. They are upgradeable, and will not, for the foreseeable future, become dated.
If you can spring the $$$, dial them up and order one. I have one of his first designs, that still works wonderfully.

List price it is

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

"My only regret is that I offered up an opinion in an effort to try to give a broader perspective only to be targeted as the bad guy or sterotyped as what some believe is typical. I can promise you I will not make the same mistake again on other threads"

Ahem, did you say this or not?

"Back when I worked traffic I pulled over plenty of cars with radar detectors mounted in the windshield and of course those were the ones that ALWAYS got a ticket regardless of the excuse."

Wah wah wah, "only to be targeted"...give me a frikkin break! Seems to me like you are very familiar with "targeting". YOU targeted speeders and "ALWAYS" gave tickets to radar equipped motorists. You can't make up for it now because all that $$ those speeders were made to pay cannot be refunded....only to be targeted....