Radar systems - you’ve heard about them, and you've probably even seen them on a few premium motorcycles. The likes of the Ducati Multistrada V4, BMW R 1250 RT, and Yamaha Tracer 9 all come with radar systems on board. But the truth is you have to cough up serious sums of money to get your hands on one of these bikes.
But if you want to upgrade your existing ride, Garmin now has a handy little device that serves that purpose. The company's zūmo R1 Radar is the first motorcycle-specific radar system that offers riders blind spot detection and high-performance rearview monitoring.
"As all riders know, situational awareness is paramount when sharing the road. Information about the location of approaching vehicles, especially those that may be in your blind spot, can allow you to ride with more confidence and the high-visibility external lights can help other drivers be more aware of you as well," says Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales.
The device is small and discreet, featuring two side-facing amber lights and an optional rear-facing red light that's intended to boost visibility. There are also indicator lights on the handlebars, much like the blind spot warnings on car mirrors.
Most of us motorcyclists love to maintain the sanctity of our bikes and thankfully, the zūmo R1 can be discreetly mounted above or below the license plate, meaning that it doesn't become an eyesore. However, it does need to be hard-wired into the motorcycle's electrical system.
As for durability, the R1 comes with an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating, ensuring the device can endure everything your bike can endure. More or less.
The zūmo R1 Radar can be connected to the zūmo Radar mobile app or a zūmo XT2 motorcycle navigator (that’s sold separately) for a better user experience and audio alerts through compatible helmets or headsets. You can also customize radar and alert settings via the app.
If you ride with your smartphone mounted to your handlebars, you can pull up a real-time radar's eye view of what's behind you, which is pretty neat.
The zūmo R1 Radar is priced at US$599.99, which is a sweet deal when you compare the price of some of the radar-infused motorcycles in the market. Sure, the tech on those bikes is more seamlessly integrated with the bike’s systems, but it’s more or less the same thing.
Much like riding instructors used to say about mirrors, the R1 can't say "go," it can only say "no" – the tried 'n' tested head check is still the gold standard tool for rider decision-making. And there's a debate to be had around whether all these flashing lights and radar displays could get distracting to the point where they're more harm than help... But this retrofit upgrade could definitely give riders a little extra time to make critical decisions, and if that keeps you out of one sticky situation, it's worth every penny.
Check out how it works in the video below.
Source: Garmin