radar & motorcycles.

[rjswan69]

Picked up a new KLR650 today. I noticed the tubes protuding about 3 inches from the clamps. Asked dealer to make them flush with the clamps which he did after saying he first had to check the specs to make sure it was o.k. He told me where I wanted them they would be at maximum clearance versus minimum which is where they were at. Owners manual shows them protruding. I have service manuals on order but untill then where should they really be for mostly secondary and dirt road riding? Thanks

[pete88chester]

What I have been told & figured out is that radar will pick up & register the speed of a motorcycle, but the motorcycle needs to be closer to the radar gun than autos & trucks. This is because of the smaller total frontal area of the motorcycle & smaller metal area. I have also been told that the frontal streamline shape of the fairings & the fact they are made from plastic or fiberglass causes less reflection of the radar beam. I have not used a radar detector yet on my KLR, but did on my Kawi Concours. What I found was that I would hear the detector go off and notice a police car approaching from far off. I would slow down if needed and would then hear the detector go off again after the police car was a lot closer. This indicates to me that he didn't get a reading the first time & tryed again after getting closer. This happened many times when I was alone on the highway & hauling ass, so it wasn't a case of the police shooting at someone else. Also, if they had got me the first time I would have been pulled over. I do not know how all this works with lasar aimed radar. As someone else said, radar also registers the largest target,so if you are close to a truck the trucks speed will be indicated, but if you are going considerable faster the radar may register your speed over the slower truck. Pete A16