I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that maybe… once in a while… if we're not paying attention… motorcyclists tend to exceed the posted speed limit.  On top of that, my own experience and observations tend to suggest that some police officers seem to go out of their way to stop a motorcycle for the smallest of infractions.

Radar detectors are commonplace now on many bikes, but there is one major difficulty that has plagued riders for years - How do you know when the detector is going off?  You obviously can't hear the tiny speaker, so riders will either rig up earphones, or pipe it into an intercom, or rig a great big "Strobe" light to attract their attention.  On my own bike, I wanted to hook my Valentine 1 into my Autocom intercom, and it took nearly $200.00 in accessories (a V1 audio box from Valentine, and a ground-loop isolator and input cable from Autocom) to make it work.  I still often forget to plug in the headset cable, in which case it does no good anyway!

So, what is a HARD Radar Light, and how will it help?  HARD stands for Helmet Assisted Radar Detection.  The HARD transmitter connects directly to a Valentine or Escort radar detector (no modifications or extra accessories required), and the wireless radio receiver tucks into the liner of your helmet.  A small LED is positioned off to the side, where it won't be in the way but will be VERY visible in your peripheral vision.  When the radar detector goes off, the LED starts flashing - alerting you to check your speed, and to look at the radar detector display for signal strength and band information.  No cables to tangle or connect, no uncomfortable earplugs or difficult-to-install helmet speakers, no expensive modifications to the radar detector - just put on your helmet and ride!

The H.A.R.D. is available in two version - one for the Valentine 1 detector, and one for the Escort 6800, 7500, or 8500 detectors (those that use a "Telephone-style" power connection).  The Escort version will also work with the Solo2 detector, but only when the Solo2 is powered using a power cord - not when it is powered by batteries.

The H.A.R.D. receiver is powered by four AAA batteries, with a battery pack that fastens to the back of the helmet. This gives approx. 500 hours of operation per set of batteries.