Recommend me a dash cam?

[Easy-X]

Of course! There's a dedicated factory aux socket on my XSR700 which I spotted leafing through the service manual. I think it was intended for a USB charger option. It happened to be a 3-pin socket with only 2-pins populated so I went a bit further and added main power (straight to the battery via a fuse) where the blank was so I finished up with ground, aux, power exactly as needed. I'm pretty good with wiring but you don't need to go as far as that of course.

It's a bit easier to find on my XSR as I just pop the regulator panel and there it is. You'll at least need to get the left hand tank panel off but probably better off removing the entire tank. If your kit is anything like mine you'll have way to much wire so you'll be looking for a space under the tank to cable tie it all up anyway.

The MT07 won't be as easy, judging from the service manual, it's item 16:

https://i.imgur.com/BMAxkYp.png

It'll be an unused plug maybe with a blanking plug or rubber bung. Check with a multimeter if you're unsure.

One thing you might need to watch out for is the aux fuse fitted is only 2 amp. That was fine for me but the DV988 requires 1.5 amp (says the website) so keep an eye on it.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[BenR]

Hi that's what I've used. Just I haven't used the white wire as the auxiliary socket turns on/off with the ignition anyway. I was thinking maybe wiring the power & earth directly to the battery then the white wire to the starter relay?
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[Easy-X]

Yes, to keep it simple wire the black & red to the battery and the white wire to the aux plug but double check 12V is actually appearing from the aux plug when you turn on the ignition with a multimeter.

Personally I wouldn't touch the starter relay, there are plenty of other wires that go live with the ignition key if you're after something in that area, tail light for instance. Again, a multimeter is your friend.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[ThatDippyTwat]

As said, needs white wire connecting. Mine works just fine, took longer to route the cables nicely than wire power etc.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[evilzed]

Just wanted to add, I've got 2 DV688 cams on different bikes running fine after 3-4 years, one of them froze once but resetting solved it. As others mentioned it should come on automatically, I've used the rear light and number plate light as the switch to turn the system on.

[BenR]

[MCN]

[MCN]

I bought a garmin drive cam thing a few years ago. GPS et Al.
Failed disastrously within an hour of leaving its carton. Prompt to upgrade by connecting online fuked it little mind.
Back in its carton and back to garmin.
I have avoided garmen cameras since.
I've had a dash cam in the car for ten years. Still works well.
For a bike I'd want the same user friendly operation. Forget the hoowur is even there but when required, all the evidence has been recorded.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[BenR]

Just to update this thread. I took everybody's advice & re-wired the connectors so the live & earth are now wired to the battery with the white wire connected to the live on the auxiliary output port. I can report it now works perfectly, although it takes a while for it to turn off once you kill the ignition. Thanks again for all the help.
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[BenR]

Hi me again. I think I'm doing something wrong? I checked the SD card & for some reason the DVR is recording in one minute intervals & doesn't record the whole ride? Any ideas? Any help much appreciated ta.
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[Bhud]

Software issue? Can you do a hard reset and try again? What kind of SD card do you have (has to be one with fast read/write)?

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Some are set to loop 1,3,5,10 mins etc, others can be set to continously record everything until the card is full and stop. There may be a setting, or worse case you've bought the wrong cam.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[TravisBickle]

Just to add my two pence.

Been driving taxis for 17 years now and went through a phase about 5 years ago of fitting dashcams in my taxis due to the increased risk of having issues on the road over your average road user.

Wasn't a tight arse over it like I have seen some fellow taxi drivers doing going for the cheapest one possible, you can get these things for as little as £20 to £30 in some cases simply plugged into the cigarette lighter socket.

Found a YouTube channel called TechMoan https://www.youtube.com/@Techmoan who at the time had some really helpful reviews on dash cams. Went with a few of his recommendations and I think these are aimed at the average road user (couple of hours to and from work / kids to school / bit of shopping) and not continuous 12-hour shifts, 7 days a week.

The units from multiple different manufacturers just kept failing. I went through dozens over the course of a year or two and none of them lasted more than a few months at a time. They were largely unheard of brands, but highly recommended by this TechMoan guy. I wonder if just the continuous usage in typically the hottest part of the car where the sun beats down all day every day took its toll on the relatively inferious internal components.

One of my requirements was to not have some large screen hanging from the windscreen that a customer could yank on, wanted something subtle that would sit neat and tidy at the top of the windscreen small and out of the way. Big screen not necessary. In fact don't need a screen at all. Or buttons. Just sit there and leave it alone to do its thing and in the event of an incident remove the SD card to download the footage.

Anyway got fed up of replacing these pieces of crap after a while and gave up on the whole thing.

A year or so later I got hit, while stationary, by a drunk drug driver who fled the scene. I took chase and followed him into a traveller site, whereupon he denied the incident, then assaulted me, then chased me off with a baseball bat, then took chase on me back in his car again, he upset another road user who decided to join the chase and get involved, which culminated in us all running around being chased by a baseball bat and the guy getting arrested. God did I bloody wish I'd had a dash cam! Worked out in my favour in the end as he was blanking his insurer so after a couple of weeks of trying to contact him, and him ignoring their calls, they had no choice but to admit full liability on the road incident. But it was very worrying in the meantime wondering if I'd get paid out for the damage because of him being drunk and high on drugs I was massively concerned that his insurance wouldn't pay out, or even if he had any and that it was valid and in date.

Following this incident I've splashed the cash and had the flagship Road Angel front and back units fitted to the fleet, they've been in place now for a couple of years and haven't had any issues with any of them whatsoever! They're pretty pricey but it just goes to show you get what you pay for.

I'll add you need to make sure you use an endurance SD card designed for continual loop overwriting! Normal SD card will fail after time. I recommend Samsung Pro Endurance. Also try to go for the largest capacity you can afford and that your dashcam supports. A 128GB card will have been overwritten half as much in a given timescale as a 64GB card, which basically means not only will it store twice as much data but it will last twice as long before it dies!

Anyway I never bothered having anything fitted to my bikes in the past. I've experimented with a Go Pro on the helmet but to be quite honest it's agro making sure it's on the lid every time and charged and turned on. Not to mention it will go flat on a longer ride. It's a chore and has led to me rarely bothering with it. And you can guarantee the one time I have an incident that I need evidence of will be an occasion I didn't bother with it.

I've decided to have a dashcam fitted to the new bike with the intention of using a Go Pro on the lid in addition, when and where I can be bothered and do my best to be bothered as much as possible. Yes a lid mounted Go Pro is probably going to give better footage than a bike mounted dash cam but I'm looking at the dashcam as a backup feature.

I done a lot of research, looked at a lot of cheap and unheard of brands. In the end I've come to the same conclusion as my decision I made on the taxi dashcams - I need a main brand for reliability. While admittedly the bike dashcam won't be subject to the same commercial demands as those fitted in the taxis in terms of continuous use. All my research points towards the Innovv K5 being arguably the best on the market at the moment. So that's what I've gone with. Could probably hardwire it myself but having a BikeTrac fitted on Monday and the fitter also supplies and fits the K5 so gonna get him to do the two jobs together at the same time.

Still got the Go Pro 10 and will try to use that as much as possible as well. But it's nice to have the peace of mind having the bike mounted solution will always be there and working with power etc. without any input from me.

Regarding incriminating one's self. I think the police need a warrant to seize an SD card from a vehicle unless a crime has taken place? Shouldn't be too difficult to make sure it's a one way street and only use the footage that helps you and delete the footage that does not?
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2024 BMW M1000XR
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[Pete.]

[Ste]

[MCN]

[Pete.]

[Bhud]

There is some doubt about whether dashcams can be lawfully seized on the spot by police if they are body-worn.

[Rob W]

[TravisBickle]

[goonerfromlag]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VIOFO-Motorcycle-Waterproof-Motorbike-G-Sensor/dp/B087PZ4F1M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3868OTZ2W21A3&keywords=viofo+mt1&qid=1679539902&sprefix=viofo+mt1%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-2
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RSV1000R

[BenR]

Hi all I've found a setting that makes it record in ten minute intervals but still can't find how to make it continuous. I've messaged the seller on eBay just waiting for a response. Cheers for all the ideas.
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[BenR]

[Tyke_]

i've just bought a gopro 3+ silver for £40 off FB plus £5 for an Ebay helmet mount seems ok records about 1hr 30min before the battery dies.

[TravisBickle]