We are selling this Bikepics website to someone that can make it even better. See more details HERE  

Does Police Radar Work on Motorcycles?

two policemen riding motorcycles on road

Photo by Nicholas Dias

You may wonder whether police radar can work on motorcycles; if so, you are in the right place. 

A police radar may work on your motorcycle, but it’s not necessarily accurate, so bear this in mind.

Imagine you got a ticket for speeding up your motorcycle! Of course, it’s wise to be aware of your state’s traffic rules and regulations, but you may start thinking about the police officer knowing your motorcycle speed. In addition, you may want to learn whether police radars work on motorcycles! 

Read on for more information. 

Can Police Radar Detect The Speed of Your Motorcycle? 

The purpose of a police radar is to find the speed of the motor vehicle. However, it’s not necessarily accurate for motorcycles. It is because the size of a motorcycle is small, and thus, the reading may not be accurate, especially if the motorcycle is right next to a larger vehicle. But it also depends on the radar the police officer uses to catch the speed. 

The police definitely will catch someone who speeds up. It’s best not to have such an intention and follow the speed limits of the area. 

Also, the police officers are well trained and know how to catch someone violating the traffic rules

How Can A Police Officer Know Your Motorcycle Is Speeding? 

A police officer is highly trained and has been watching traffic for a long time, which helps determine which vehicle is speeding up. Plus, they have the right tools and devices to catch the motorcycle’s speed, violating the traffic rules. 

A police officer may use radar or lidar to detect the speed of your motorcycle. 

While speeding your motorcycle, you may observe the others around you. A police officer also keeps an eye on the traffic and watches out for the speed. Let’s say you are speeding and the police officer spots you in the crowd; a radar gun or any other device would help confirm. So, the experience and knowledge of the police officer also make a difference. 

What Can Affect A Police Radar for Detecting Your Motorcycle’s Speed? 

A police officer may use the radar to detect your motorcycle’s speed, but certain factors can affect the readability. Understanding the basics is vital so you will know what to expect. 

For example: 

  • The distance of your motorcycle can be too far from the police radar; thus, the reading may not be too accurate. The closer the object, the better would be the reading! 
  • A large vehicle next to you, for example, a truck or a motor vehicle, can affect the results. So, if you are sure that you are not speeding and there was a large vehicle nearby, then it’s a good idea to check the rules and regulations of your state to fight for the ticket. However, you would need to research on the internet, and it’s best if you know the radar device that your police officer was using. 
  • The weather can be foggy, and thus, there could be an impact on the visibility. The weather doesn’t affect checking the speed, but it’s a different story when there is an issue with the visibility because of the thick fog. 
  • It also depends on whether the police officer was moving or not while using the radar. 

Now you have some idea of how the radars help check the motorcycle’s speed, which at times may not be accurate. However, the police officer can use other modern devices to catch those violating the traffic rules by riding the motorcycles at a higher speed than normal. 

Related Questions

There could be tons of other questions on your mind about speeding up, police radar, and the motorcycles. Let’s discuss a few: 

Why knowing about the speed radars is vital? 

Understanding how a speed radar works on motorcycles would help you in many ways! First, you must never violate the traffic regulations of your state. Secondly, you must know how things work, especially if you feel the ticket you got was for speeding, but in your opinion, you were following the rules. 

How far can a radar gun detect the vehicles? 

For small cars, these vehicles need to be closer than 500 feet. So, the closer the object, the better would be the results. So, the same would go for the motorcycles, except that the motorcycles are small in appearance and narrow. So, it would be hard to detect if the motorcycle is near a large vehicle. 

How else will a police officer know you are speeding up your vehicle?

A police officer observes the traffic closely and has years of training and experience. They are also watching your vehicle, so if the speed matches what they expect on the radar, they would know that you are speeding! There are many other vehicles. 

Does the officer has to show you the radar gun? 

The officer doesn’t need to show you the radar gun, but if they decide to, you can note the model of the radar gun to research it. When there are many vehicles near you, you may want to argue your situation, but it’s best to see your state’s relevant rules and regulations for fighting the ticket. 

Is police radar accurate for motorcycles?

The police radar is suitable for other vehicles but may not be 100% accurate for your motorcycle. However, it also depends on what radar your police officer is using to check the speed of motorcycles. 

Wrapping It Up 

Police radar can work for your motorcycle, but it’s not necessarily 100% accurate. The motorcycle must be close, and the weather conditions must not be too foggy. It also depends on whether the police officer was moving. However, it’s important to remember that a police officer has years of training and experience. Thus, he would know whether you have been speeding your motorcycle and may give you a ticket! However, you can check the rules and regulations of your state and see what you can do if you need to fight for the ticket.