Motorcycle Radar Detectors – The Hard System – Review
Last week I met up with Aaron Zimmerman of Legal Speeding and we shot a few videos on his motorcycle radar detection system that he calls the HARD (Helmet Assisted Radar Detector) System.
I’ve been using Arron’s system for a number of years on my Harley and I LOVE IT!
For more information or to order it direct from Amazon with free 2-day shipping, click here.
Motorcycle Radar Detectors – The Hard System – Review
Motorcycle Radar Detector Redefined – The TPX System
Being an avid motorcyclist and speed counter measure geek I’ve outfitted my “Stealth Hog” with virtually every radar detector and laser jammer that was either designed for motorcycle use or could be customized with other accessories.
Packages such as the Escort/Beltronics units coupled with the H.A.R.D system worked great until it rained and the electronics became waterlogged. Units developed for use on motorcycles, such as the Whistler Cruisader and the Beltronics 946 units were designed by engineers whom I feel never took an “iron butt” cross country tour, thus failing in areas of usability.
Therefore I was ecstatic when I first learned about the new Adaptiv Technology TPX motorcycle radar detector system that was actually developed by motorcycle enthusiasts from the ground up.
Over the past two months I have been the recipient of several prototypes of their new motorcycle radar detector system and one thing that really stands out to me is that they took constructive criticism seriously as they have implemented several of my suggestions to enhance their system for the motorcycle market.
Monday, after personally testing each of their final production units in New Jersey the owners/engineers Wayne and Adam, hopped on a flight to Arizona to personally meet with me and hand over one of their final production units for review.
Wasting no time, I installed it on my Harley Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Ultra Classic.
The TPX system has several mounting options and I chose the control mount system that allowed me to replace the two screws on my hand brake installing the mount/detector on the left side of my handlebars.
The power cord was tied off at the mount and ran under the fairing to the battery. I then connected the external LED display running this wire under my fairing to the bottom of the windscreen. The wireless helmet speaker was then attached to my helmet with supplied double sided tape.
The entire install was just under thirty minutes and it was by far the cleanest install of any radar detector system that I have ever seen on any bike! I fired up my V-Twin and headed north for a short 120 mile cruise through the “twisties” of the Bradshaw Mountains to Prescott then east to I-17 heading to Phoenix, returning home on the Carefree Highway.
I found that pressing the oversized buttons on top of the unit for programming was very easy, even with insulated leather gloves. Hearing the detector alerts with the wireless headset was not a problem, even while listening to tunes from my Ipod. The external LED light was also an eye catcher even in the Arizona sun. On the evening ride home the blue backlit buttons were easy to see and control.
The entire TPX system is water proof so having to carry zip lock baggies or a child size shower cap to wrap your detector during a rain storm is no longer required.
Performance wise the TPX system alerted to several Ka alerts and K band alerts in a timely basis, even while I was riding through the mountain curves and encountered an “off axis” ambush.
Downside during this ride and subsequent tests of the TPX was the overabundance of false alerts. The Adaptiv system presently has three sensitivity settings; highway, city and city no X. Being a “road warrior” I always keep my detector on the highway setting. But because this setting also allows the dirty X band signal through unfiltered, I was alerting to every supermarket and gas station along my route. I also found that the TPX also alerted Ka to any vehicle equipped with one of those leaky Cobra radar detectors within my vicinity.
Switching over to City no X band, the false alerts did subside however I found that the K and Ka sensitivity also dropped off by almost 50%.
I suspect that after reading this review, that the engineers at Adaptiv will place “improved filtering capabilities” high on their priority list and work on a solution.
Overall I felt that the TPX system was on par with a higher ended Whistler system and able to outperform any Cobra on the market. But can it match up to the higher ended Escort/Beltronics units, sorry to say no. But remember to properly accessorize one of those detectors to your motorcycle will cost you hundreds of dollars more.
If you’re an “Easy Rider” wanting a reasonably priced detector for your motorcycle without going for broke, then this unit is definitely the right unit for you. However if you’re strapping on a BUSA, GSXR or any other high performance bike then hold on to those zip lock baggies, because you’ll be using them to cover up your Escort/Bel/Valentine 1 during the next rainstorm.
Radar Roy’s Rating – Four Stars
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