Radar vehicle proximity alert for your motorcycle? Isn’t that what mirrors and head checks are for? Yes, but! Even with your head on a swivel, you can’t look left, right, and behind you at the same time, but the Garmin Zumo R1 motorcycle radar system does for $500 MSRP. It is an electronic rider aid that can be helpful at the right times, and a bit distracting until the novelty wears off.

I have two bikes: The Ultimate Motorcycling Honda CRF300L Rally Project Bike and a personalized 2007 Yamaha Royal Star Venture touring bike. Because the Rally is generally used to sprint through the forest, I mounted the Garmin Zumo R1 Radar on the Venture, which spends a lot of time on multi-lane roads and in traffic.

Garmin provides everything needed to secure the R1 radar unit with the left and right indicators to your bike. You have a few options for mounting the three devices that make up the 9-ounce R1 system. The rear radar detection unit has a small bracket and a license plate backer bracket. The left and right indicator lights can be bracket-bolted, double-stick-taped onto the mirror, or zip-tied somewhere in your view. I chose the license plate backer that securely holds the radar unit in the optimal location, above the license plate and centered in the rear.

The cable leading forward to the battery connections, then under the trunk and seat, can be routed under the fuel tank or hidden under the Venture’s fuel tank top cover. I routed the cable under the tank cover to the front of the tank, then across to the handlebars, leaving enough slack so it doesn’t bind during full-lock turns.

I connected the power and ground to a HealTech Electronics ThunderBox power director under the seat. With all the accessories I have, that area is very crowded with cables. Fortunately, everything is fused and securely connected.

Once the R1 is installed and powered up, you then pair your smartphone with the Zumo Radar app. Because radar detection is off below about 15 mph, the only way to see the unit in action in your garage is to put it into Demo mode.

With the bike running and the R1 Radar paired to your phone, go to app settings (wrench icon on the top right of the screen) and flip the Demo mode switch. Your phone’s screen will show approaching cars and trucks. Also, your mirror-attached displays will start showing amber indicators for approaching demo vehicles on either side and red indicators for fast-approaching vehicles. As vehicles pass you, you will hear an audible beep in your headset. Yes, the beep feature can be turned off in Settings.

The Garmin Zumo R1 motorcycle radar system will also display on the screen of Zumo XT, XT2, and XT3. It is built into the GPS firmware to quickly pair with the R1. From then on, you can display the R1 Radar on the GPS screen using a floating toggle button.

On my last 13-hour ride, two-thirds were twisties. When my full attention was forward, setting up for the next turn, the Zumo R1 would alert me to fast-approaching vehicles, two wheels or more. I was not caught off guard by a group of three speeders in leather suits and decorative helmets wanting to pass me on my rolling couch.

It was interesting to watch identified vehicles turn into semi-trucks on the display, even pickups with flatbed trailers are displayed as semis. The Zumo R1 also recognized vehicles behind other vehicles and depicted motorcycles as motorcycles. During the learning process, I spent more time than I should have looking at the screens. However, a few hours in, glancing at the screen became part of my general scan, and it was no longer a novelty or distraction.

I have been riding in the street for many years and trained myself to continuously monitor 360 degrees around me. When I lane change or make a right turn, I mirror-check, head-check, and mirror-check again before moving. Having a quick pre-visual of what to expect when I make the head check is a good confirmation.

Remember, the Garmin Zumo R1 motorcycle radar system does not display its surroundings when you are moving under 15 mph, which is when a biker is most vulnerable to a rear-end collision. So, you still have to pay attention. When up to speed, the radar picks up vehicles within 50-70 yards behind me, as estimated by my two longtime riding partners and me.

After spending time with the Garmin Zumo R1 motorcycle radar system, I found it to be a useful rider aid rather than a replacement for mirrors and head checks. Once the novelty wore off, the alerts became another part of my normal scan and provided a quick confirmation of what I was about to see when I looked over my shoulder. I still rely on the habits developed over many years of riding, and the R1 does not eliminate the need for them. Its biggest limitation is that it does not function below 15 mph. Used with the proper expectations, the Garmin Zumo R1 adds another layer of awareness without changing the basics of how I ride.

Garmin Zumo R1 Motorcycle Radar System Review Photo Gallery