Radar Detector Valentine vs. Passport

[DZIMBRIC]

Can anyone make a recomedation which is better?

[Ironhorsecowboy]

Both are good, but the valentine is reported to be the best with front and rear detection. If you have $400 plus extra for mounts go with the Valentine.

[kbasa]

I'm a Valentine 1 guy.

[LORAZEPAM]

Escort is in my back yard, I buy local when I can.

[knary]

It's a religious debate with the valentine fans speaking with reverance about a gadget that was once the clear king of the mountain. Think of how some talk of the R90s. Times have changed, somewhat, but it will always be the king of the mountain in the eyes of some.

All of the reviews that I've found that include both the passport 8500 and the valentine either split down the middle as to which is the better radar detector or call it a draw. Ready for audio on a motorcycle, the Valentine is $450, the Passport 8500 is $250(or less).

[EMOTO]

Really? Got a link? I have yet to see a test where the V-1 didn't come out on top. I had an escort a few years back and was riding with a buddy. Suddenly he was hard on the brakes and I went by him wondering what the hell he was doing. Shortly thereafter my escort went off as I rode into a radar trap. I went out and bought a V-1 and never looked back. Gave my escort away.

As far as I know, Valentine is the only maker who will upgrade the detector for you (for a price) as they make improvements.

[knary]

Originally posted by Emoto
Really? Got a link? I have yet to see a test where the V-1 didn't come out on top. I had an escort a few years back and was riding with a buddy. Suddenly he was hard on the brakes and I went by him wondering what the hell he was doing. Shortly thereafter my escort went off as I rode into a radar trap. I went out and bought a V-1 and never looked back. Gave my escort away.

As far as I know, Valentine is the only maker who will upgrade the detector for you (for a price) as they make improvements.

No, I'm lying.

I'll see what I can find. Most of the reviews I've read have been off-line.

[ian408]

Originally posted by knary
No, I'm lying.

I'll see what I can find. Most of the reviews I've read have been off-line.

I think it's clear that the two at the top of the heap are the
V1 and the 8500.

Just depends how much you want to know and when. I went
the V1 route.

Ian

[knary]

here's one quickly found review...

(brief and republished by escort)

BackRoads USA Product Review

[EMOTO]

Originally posted by knary
No, I'm lying.

Uh... didn't mean that to sound like a challenge; I had simply not seen any reviews that didn't put the V-1 at the top of the heap, so was interested. Hey, if there's something better out there, I want to know about it...

Emoto

[kbasa]

Originally posted by Emoto
Uh... didn't mean that to sound like a challenge; I had simply not seen any reviews that didn't put the V-1 at the top of the heap, so was interested. Hey, if there's something better out there, I want to know about it...

Emoto

What he said. I've been happy with my V1, but if there's something else, I need to know.

I've got enough pictures of cops talking with me.

[subvet]

If you have not seen it yet, check out Radar Roy's site....good thorough evaluation/comparisons of a number of different models
Good luck
http://www.radar-detectors.com

[GIZMO]

The only thing better than the V-1 is to ride with a federal judge.

[LORAZEPAM]

I think staying at the posted limit is the best way to stay ticket free. Since I don't and I do not see that happening in the near future, I mainly take my chances without a detector. I have an escort that I have used mainly for work. On the bike, I guess I am lucky, (knock on wood) since I speed more on it than in a cage, and I have never gotten a ticket while riding. Maybe the fact that I ride as much as possible on the back roads where there isn't much traffic, and very little coverage by Johnny Law. The ones that have pulled me over usually talk about the bike and give me a warning. I imagine I have ruined that by even talking about it now. NO radar detector will prevent a ticket when the officer is using aircraft, or VASCAR, a timing device that uses a computer and stopwatches to computer speeds over a measured distance. Ever wonder what the big white stripes that are painted on the road were for? That is their purpose, to bive the LEO a measured distance to compute speed. Laser and instant on radar will get you every time if the officer wants to really bust you. Just my .02

[BRADFORDBENN]

Originally posted by Gizmo
The only thing better than the V-1 is to ride with a federal judge.

Actually yesterday, I had an exaperience where riding without a detector was better than having a federal judge. I was headed out of South Bend with a fair amount of speed going...

I just pulled over for being above the limit. The office walked up to the RT and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I said no.

He then looked and asked if the GPS V was a radar detector. I showed him the GPS V and that is was a GPS.

I got a warning with the following quote "If it had been a radar detector you would have gotten a ticket, cause that means you were planning on speeding."

Of course YMMV but I am going to stick with my approach of ride appropriattely and not give the appearance of speeding on purpose.