Greetings from Australia Chris, Happy New Year. recently purchased the F1 and installed it on my Gs1200. Very impressed with the unit and quality of the picture. Your informative video inspired me to purchase one. Thank you. Safe riding.
G'day mate! Where do you live? We have a friend in Geelong and have been over there to visit. You have a beautiful country, my friend!!! Anyway, glad you like your F1...and glad you found our video helpful. Cheers!
Good to see an actual 4K camera. So many of the "Chinese" sourced cameras say 4K in their title, but are in truth only 1080P! Looking forward to a review of trying to get licence plates.
Thanks for watching! Yes, I am SUPER impressed with the product so far. I will share footage soon. May not be a full review, but I may slip some footage/thoughts into the video I'm working on now about some warranty issues I need fixed on the bike. Subscribe and hit the bell icon to see it.
Thanks for watching! Dana took a break from riding on the street for about 6 months...just riding trails on his CRF250. But he's back to riding and still enjoys it! Thanks for asking.
Thank you for your video Chris. I appreciated how detailed it was, especially going through the app settings. I just installed on on my Goldwing and can't wait to try it out. Ride safe.
Glad we could be of service, Jimmy! Riding around now that the F1 is installed on my bike gives me huge peace of mind. I hope I never "need" it. But if I ever do, I'll be glad I installed it!!!
One thing to note is that the 4K feature is only available when using the front camera ONLY! When using the front AND rear camera, the resolution maxes out on 2k Front (HDR) + 1080P Rear. This makes the Innovv K7 a better deal, since it has 2k camera's both front and rear and is cheaper. I bought the VanTrue not knowing this. It still seems like a quality build, but they are using a marketing trick...
Ahhh...this is good to know! I did not realize this. Thanks for the insight. Fortunately, I'm happy with the quality of the video for the purpose it serves!
Thank you for explaining the intricacies with the App. Is the best resolution set as default for the cameras - 2160 + 1080? I have installed mine on 1250 GSA without any difficulty and have done a test ride; great footage and useful as you have stated. Forget the negative comments; it saves people loads of time reading and searching for tips. Any dash cam has its use; be it for entertainment, evidence gathering or even a toy to play with. Videos like yours are very helpful to most of us amateurs! Well done.
I can’t wait to see a video of the recorded results of some test rides. I trust your photographers eye. Can you clarify, if one is interested in the ‘parked bike’ recording feature, is that recording all the time or only when the bike is hit or it sees movement? And if you want this feature, is it an app button selection, or a different wiring procedure than the one you have? Sorry if I missed the answer. 👍
Hi Brad! The first 3 video clips from 0:00 to 0:11 to start off this episode are from the Vantrue: ua-cam.com/video/0ndZ6Qdul6g/v-deo.htmlsi=39QaSVUJ-lWfhPZz. The Vantrue footage during daylight is actually quite usable along side our GoPro and Sena cameras. The quality from night footage isn't as good as the other cameras, but still plenty good for documentation in the event of an "incident". I personally haven't used the "parked bike" feature yet. But it's a simple option you can toggle on or off in the app. I plan on testing it, but just haven't gotten around to it. You do not need to do anything different with the wiring to get that option.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures Thank you! I don’t have much research or knowledge on these camera systems yet, in fact, I’ve only heard of the Innovv brand for bikes so far. This Vantrue sounds pretty impressive.
@@bradb2514 we tested out an INNOVV brand product as well. It was their "action camera". It was OK, but didn't overly impress us. So instead of going with their dashcam, we went with the Vantrue and have been extremely pleased so far!
You're very welcome. I think you'll be very happy with it. The peace of mind I have, knowing everything is being recorded when I ride, is totally worth it!
Was looking at reviews and videos of this camera for my bike. I have dash cams in my car for the sole reason of accidents and who would be at fault or anything that may happen while driving. I would like to have the same for my bike. This along with other videos has helped me go with this camera system. My one concern was the acc wire getting that tie into the system. I like the connection that you used and seems to be a pretty easy way to take care of that. I am sure there are other ways also, but a lot of the videos don't show that part. Just a side note, you went through a lot during the editing to obscure your plate when it was read and put into the app, but it is visible ind readable at about the 39 minute mark. Just mentioning this in case you wanted to edit or blur that out since you did in the demo. All in all, great video and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the nice comment! I'm glad you liked our video. I too had seen many videos that didn't discuss the accessory wire, which is why I wanted to make sure and show a clean and simple way to connect it to switched power. As for the license plate, it's really no big deal. It was simple to obscure it on the app...so I did it. But honestly, our license plates are viewable in public every day by every person we ride by. It's all public record. So there's really no reason for us to hide it. Anyway, enjoy your dashcam, and check out some of our other videos! 🙂
This was exactly what I was looking for with installation and how to use the app before I decided to make a purchase. This video is exactly what I wanted to see to satisfy my curiosity about installation on a bike. I agree with the switch, instead of direct battery installation. But I'm curious about the parked recording that it is capable of doing as well since I do not have a garage to park my bike. So I would have to consider how much battery drainage it would do if I direct wired the device.
I'm glad our video was helpful! I don't think the parked recording would be a problem for you. I'm pretty sure it can be used whether you install the cameras direct to the battery or to the switched power. The feature can be turned on or off in your app. And it has a power-safety built in. So in theory if you just leave your bike parked for a short time, it will stay active. But if you leave it parked for a long time and it starts to drain your battery to the point that it won't start the bike, that feature will automatically shut off. I haven't played with it since I park in my garage. I'll try to look at it one day next week. But that's how I understand it to work based on the research I did and from reading the manual.
Thanks for the vid! A little confused about your power/accessory wiring. When I pull into the garage at home I want the system to totally turn off and I don't mind hitting the power off button on the remote to do that. But when I'm out and park somewhere I want it to keep recording. Do I want to tie in to an ignition-based wire like you did (headlight) or is there another specific wire I should tie that in to? I was recently crashed into by an uninsured and oblivious car driver, hence why I'm going be buying a Vantrue F1 system along with a new bike (2024 KLX300). Just want to make sure I wire it correctly so the camera/system does what I need it to do. Thanks again!!
I'm so sorry about your recent "incident" with an uninsured idiot!!! That's exactly why I bouth the F1. A friend of mine was hit, and he didn't have any dashcam "evidence". So I wanted to make sure if I get hit, I've got evidence! Anyway, you can definitely wire the F1 either way. I chose to wire it so it only comes on when the ignition is on...and turns off when the ignition is off. However, a lot of riders wire it the other way, so that you turn it on and off with the button. The wiring for that is actually simpler...you simply wire the + and - leads directly to the battery. Doing it this way also gives you the added benefit of being able to monitor and protect your bike when it's parked (like in a parking garage or on the side of a busy street). That way, if anyone messes with it, or backs into it while it's parked, you have dashcam evidence. However, if you wire it this way, you just have to remember to turn it off at night. If you do forget to turn it off, supposedly it has a low-battery circuit that will shut it off before the battery is dead. But I would test that before you relied too much on it. Hope this helps!
@MotoPhotoAdventures Thanks for the reply. On one hand it's good to know I can accomplish what I'm looking to do/have. However, where do I connect the red accessory wire or do I just cap it off and not connect it at all? I know all the vids i saw said to find something triggered by the ignitionb but I want the option of constant recording when out in public. Thanks!
@@emt1581 it's been a while since I researched and installed the F1. You might want to consult the manual at www.vantrue.net/Support/detail/id/251.html, or reach out to their support. Now that I think about it, you might be able to use Parking Mode, even when connecting the red accessory wire to switched itnition power. Otherwise, you might have to cap it, or attach both the red and yellow wires to the positive terminal of the battery. Sorry I can't remember all the variables for installation. I picked what worked best for my riding style and can't remember much about the other options. Good luck!
I can't wait till you use this camera system and report on the results. I have not been happy with the results from my dash cams. Trying to make out a license plate number is very hard to impossible. The movement, the lighting, the glare, and etc. Watching You Tubers rate these devices shows the same issues I have experienced. Please, don't wait too long. I'm glad to see Dana up and around. I only wish I had video when I was hit by a flying saucer back in '07!
Hi Steven! Absolutely. I'm excited to go through the footage. I may show some of it and make a few comments in my next video where I ride down to Savannah to get a few warrantly issues looked at on my bike. That should post later this week. So stay tuned for that. But we'll definitely do a full review later on.
Thanks so much for this video, great info! I bought this unit and going to install tomorrow feeling much more confident! Only question I still have is you posi tapped a 5 amp acc fuse but my bike has nothing below 7.5 it seems. If I tap my headlight fuse as well will this matter?
If you're installing a Garmin Zumo device, it shouldn't matter at all. You'll notice there's a circuit box that comes with the wires for your Zumo. That box will take whatever voltage you give it (within reason), and send the correct amount of power to the unit.
@@JonCohen-q7e ahhh...my sincere apologies! I was responding to a number of questions on our channel and mistakenly thought I was replying to a comment on a video where we installed a Garmin Zumo GPS using a similar connection. Anyway, YES!!! The Vantrue F1 works the same way. You will connect the +/- leads to the battery. The accessory lead can be connected to any "switched" power. It doesn't matter if it's 5 amp, 7.5 amp, 15 amp, etc. All this wire does is tell the "brain" of the unit to power up the system. When it does so, it draws the power from the +/- connections. I hope this helps! Bottom line is, you shouldn't have any problems connecting to your headlight fuse.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures amazing thank you! One more question there , each fuse has two wires going to it. Are they different polarity, does it matter which wire you tap?
@@JonCohen-q7e I'm not sure I understand. But if I do, they will both work. One side is from the bike to the fuse block...the other side is from the fuse block to the accessory (headlight in your case). You'll want to use the side leading to the accessory so that the fuse still protects the bike. If unsure which is which, remove the fuse. The side that doesn't go "live" when you turn the ignition on is the correct side. Plug the fuse back in and now it will go "live" when you turn the ignition on. Tap into the wire on that side and you're good to go.
You don't need to pierce the wire with a safety pin - most fuses have bare metal exposed on top for diagnostic testing and obviously, can be used for the same effect.
Thank you for this presentation. Your description is very clear and essential. Do you know where GPS receiver is located? RC or Brain? I am thinking positioning Remote Control unit under saddle.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I positioned the GPS or "brain" of the unit under the seat, as depicted in the video. And I mounted the Remote Control on the handlebars. I don't recommend putting the Remote Control under the seat! It is very helpful to see the lights on the remote to make sure it is recording properly. Plus if you wish to "lock" one of the video clips, start, or stop recording, you can do so. But the biggest reason is because the microphone for the device is located on the remote control. So if you are attacked by someone with road rage at a stoplight, or are stopped by a police officer and they lie to you, you have audio evidence as well as video evidence.
Thanks for your informative video. Just letting you know that, according to the manual, the GPS antenna is in the remote control and is why it should be positioned ’buttons up’ facing the sky. Hopefully this may help someone. Thanks again for your video.
I want one of these. But I also am wanting one of these that does sides videos. I got hit on the side by a car in a parking lot and I don’t think this camera would have gotten the hit. It would have gotten me driving and probably the view of the car headed towards me. But the impact would not of gotten IMO. What if you’re going through an intersection and car runs a red light and hits you on your side and takes off. I really am not sure this camera would get the anything about the car. Maybe the bike might slide around and get something on video. I would even say I might get 2 of these just so I would get the sides. They offer a 4 channel car one. MAKE A 4 CHANNEL FOR THE MOTORCYCLE!!
I'd say this is way better than not having a dashcam at all. Like you said, if you get knocked off the bike, it will likely spin the bike around and you'll see the car on one of the cameras as it speeds off. But hopefully they'll come out with a 4-camera setup in the near future.
Does the draw any power through the acc wire, or is the acc wire just a signal that tells the unit to start drawing power from the battery? I want to install one on my FJR, but I’m concerned I won’t be able to find a suitable tap point for the acc wire. If it doesn’t draw any power, then one will be way easier to find.
The acc wire doesn't draw any power. It's just a relay to let the unit turn on. The power actually comes directly from the battery + and - terminals. You shouldn't have any problem with your FJR. It'll be a good addition to your bike!
Hi, Question; how is the front lens holding up? (bugs, sand, rocks can easily damage it?) 2024 feb; Just got one for about $300us For me, the unit seems more worth like $200us something. CONS; -Regarding the memory card; Vantrue uses the FAT32 format, which is not secure and very old fashioned and limits files to 4GB and windows made partitions to 32GB. You can use micro SD card up to 512GB though. (512GB records about 28h of video (per minute; FRONT 4K=233MB and REAR 1080=74MB; together 307MB per minute)) -VLC player would NOT play any of the .MP4 files because of HVC1 video format. Win media player has no problems. -Rear camera cable could be a bit longer. Front camera cable is a fragile high speed data coax cable. -CPU unit is not really waterproof and a USB-C connection would be better than WIFI to your phone/laptop. (Who wants to watch the video stream while driving ???) -Feedback voice is a very annoying Chinese English tone with bad grammar -Camera's seem nice and solid, control box less so; very plastic-y -System has a 2 amp fuse; so uses about 25Watt, which is quite a LOT !! The front 4K camera and especially the CPU block gets a bit warm. For me; Video quality and anti vibration are good. In all; OK-ish. Thanks for your review!
Hi Peter! Wow...thanks for your very detailed and informative comment. I've been very pleased with it so far. Yes, I turned the "voice" off completely...that was annoying. Besides, the lights on the remote tell you when it's on and working...so you don't need that. I use a 512GB Sandisk card and haven't had any problems. Since it records the clips on 1, 3, or 5 minute intervals anyway, the limitations of FAT32 don't come into play. I keep the "brains" under my seat. So no trouble with water. Picture quality is pretty impressive from both cameras. And I've had zero issues with over heating or the unit crashing or anything like that...even on looong trips of a week or so with 8+ hours a day. The front camera is doing fine. It gets dirty occasionally. But I just wipe it off with a wet cloth and it's good to go. Yes, there could be some improvements. But for the price, if I ever get rear-ended, or catch a drunk driver swerving in front of me...the evidence from the Vantrue will be priceless. So I think your investment is well worth it! Cheers...
@@b-radsadventures6846 I don't think that's very feasible...too many wires to run. Best thing to do would be to purchase one for each bike. At $311 with the current Cyber Monday sale, it's cheaper than a single GoPro: amzn.to/3QVBcbZ. Think about how much your bike costs, and mad you would be if someone backed into it and knocked it over. A cracked fairing is going to cost you $500 minimum. So if you have proof and can make them fork that over, the unit has paid for itself. Now imagine you're in a major accident like my friend in the video! If it's a hit-and-run driver, your bike is totaled, and your medical bills are through the roof. But if you dashcam caught them, law enforcement can charge them and make them pay. If I had more than one bike, I'd absolutely put one of these on each one!
Hi @@MrDan1713! The cameras are actually really small. I would guess no more than 3mm diameter and 4mm long. The casing is made out of beautifully finished and durable aluminum. The lenses are specially coated to prevent damage. And they are waterproof. I'll try to remember to measure them next time I go for a ride to give you an exact size. But they are barely noticeable on the front and rear of the bike unless you are really looking for them!
4K cameras are very processor and memory hungry, and don't perform so well in low light. Sensible manufacturers that don't bow to 'dumb consumerism' (We need 8K cameras on our phones, but will record in portrait mode etc) are reverting to 2K. The F1 seems like a nice bit of kit, but also check out the Innovv K6 which is nearly half the price, has similar features, and very good low light performance ;-)
Great tip! We've reviewed other INNOV products on the channel, and found them to be very good. Maybe they'll send us one of their dashcams to review and compare?
My main controller went haywire @6 weeks. Replacement unit made it 1.5 weeks. 3rd unit was defective from the get go. Great idea, horrible product. Customer service doesn't even reply to my emails anymore.
Oh no! I'm so sorry you've had trouble with yours. Mine is still working great! No issues so far and I've beat it to death on some long off-road adventures.
That's good to know. Im fairly certain the heat damaged the writing heads my bike runs HOT (4 cylinders 250cc 18k rpm) and here in the Philippines it's Hot 24/7. The customer service has been awesome, up until now. No reply for over 3 days? Warranty is 12 mo. so I figure I'll be either a refund or a bunch of new Falcons. The worst part is, that system was totally excellent. I'm bummed. Stay safe out there & thanks!
I installed a Vantrue F1 on my KTM SDGT and had issues with excessive wind noise. If you have the same issue here is a video of my fix. ua-cam.com/video/vSs4omJ2a-o/v-deo.htmlsi=8m_dpIEMd3dOEYJh
Not sad to the guy who sees this, installs one on his bike, gets run over by a hit-and-run drive, and the police catch the guy after watching the footage from the dash-cam. #goodkarma
@@dexio85 I appreciate your opinion. But it's not the same at all! I own 3 GoPros and a Sena 10c EVO. The problem with all of those is that I often forget to turn it on, and the battery doesn't last long. Plus in the case of some GoPros (like my Hero 9), it can overheat and shut off without you realizing it. Not to mention that a Gopro or Sena only records one direction. If you've got it set up with a chin-mount on your helmet, you'll never see who hit you if you are struck from behind. A dashcam integrates WITH your motorcycle, starts recording instantly when you turn your bike on, records both front and rear collisions, embeds your data (exact location, speed, altitude, etc.) into the file, and even "protects" any video clips that take place during a collision so that you don't accidentaly erase them. Did you even watch the video? It's pretty clear that we were very happy with this particular product...not just because it was sent to us but because it just WORKS!!! It's also pretty clear that we were endorsing dash-cams in general, not just this one, as an extra layer of motorcycle safety. That was the whole point of interviewing our friend Dana who was in that horrible accident! I'm sorry you feel our video was just one big ad. I've seen other reviewers who did make it one big ad. I feel if you watch the video in its totality, you'll see that we put a lot of thought and planning into it...providing valuable installation and operational tips...and emphasizing the importance of protecting yourself when you're riding among distracted drivers on our streets and highways.
@@MotoPhotoAdventuresGet real man and stop this BS. You made a 20 minute ad using this "horrible accident" as a pretext. You got busted and now your are inventing arguments like "forgetting to turn on the go-pro". Next time when you make a promoted material make sure you are more subtle.
Finally, the one normal explanation about the acc wire…👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
HAHA!!! Yeah, we saw a lot of mis-information out there and wanted to make sure it was easy to understand. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Greetings from Australia Chris, Happy New Year. recently purchased the F1 and installed it on my Gs1200. Very impressed with the unit and quality of the picture. Your informative video inspired me to purchase one. Thank you. Safe riding.
G'day mate! Where do you live? We have a friend in Geelong and have been over there to visit. You have a beautiful country, my friend!!! Anyway, glad you like your F1...and glad you found our video helpful. Cheers!
Good to see an actual 4K camera. So many of the "Chinese" sourced cameras say 4K in their title, but are in truth only 1080P! Looking forward to a review of trying to get licence plates.
Thanks for watching! Yes, I am SUPER impressed with the product so far. I will share footage soon. May not be a full review, but I may slip some footage/thoughts into the video I'm working on now about some warranty issues I need fixed on the bike. Subscribe and hit the bell icon to see it.
God bless you I’m glad you’re still here. I’d like to know if he still rides.
Thanks for watching! Dana took a break from riding on the street for about 6 months...just riding trails on his CRF250. But he's back to riding and still enjoys it! Thanks for asking.
Thank you, very informative and encouraging.
Glad we could help!
Thank you for your video Chris. I appreciated how detailed it was, especially going through the app settings. I just installed on on my Goldwing and can't wait to try it out. Ride safe.
Glad we could be of service, Jimmy! Riding around now that the F1 is installed on my bike gives me huge peace of mind. I hope I never "need" it. But if I ever do, I'll be glad I installed it!!!
Ton of helpful information here… 🙌🙌🙌
Glad it was helpful!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures it was very helpful, thank you 👍🏽
One thing to note is that the 4K feature is only available when using the front camera ONLY! When using the front AND rear camera, the resolution maxes out on 2k Front (HDR) + 1080P Rear. This makes the Innovv K7 a better deal, since it has 2k camera's both front and rear and is cheaper. I bought the VanTrue not knowing this. It still seems like a quality build, but they are using a marketing trick...
Ahhh...this is good to know! I did not realize this. Thanks for the insight. Fortunately, I'm happy with the quality of the video for the purpose it serves!
Very thorough! Good job Chris.
Thanks Jason!!!
Thank you for explaining the intricacies with the App. Is the best resolution set as default for the cameras - 2160 + 1080?
I have installed mine on 1250 GSA without any difficulty and have done a test ride; great footage and useful as you have stated. Forget the negative comments; it saves people loads of time reading and searching for tips. Any dash cam has its use; be it for entertainment, evidence gathering or even a toy to play with. Videos like yours are very helpful to most of us amateurs! Well done.
Thank you so much for the kind comment! I'm glad we could help. And yes, that's the best resolution when running both cameras. Enjoy!!!
I can’t wait to see a video of the recorded results of some test rides. I trust your photographers eye. Can you clarify, if one is interested in the ‘parked bike’ recording feature, is that recording all the time or only when the bike is hit or it sees movement? And if you want this feature, is it an app button selection, or a different wiring procedure than the one you have? Sorry if I missed the answer. 👍
Hi Brad! The first 3 video clips from 0:00 to 0:11 to start off this episode are from the Vantrue: ua-cam.com/video/0ndZ6Qdul6g/v-deo.htmlsi=39QaSVUJ-lWfhPZz. The Vantrue footage during daylight is actually quite usable along side our GoPro and Sena cameras. The quality from night footage isn't as good as the other cameras, but still plenty good for documentation in the event of an "incident". I personally haven't used the "parked bike" feature yet. But it's a simple option you can toggle on or off in the app. I plan on testing it, but just haven't gotten around to it. You do not need to do anything different with the wiring to get that option.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures Thank you! I don’t have much research or knowledge on these camera systems yet, in fact, I’ve only heard of the Innovv brand for bikes so far. This Vantrue sounds pretty impressive.
@@bradb2514 we tested out an INNOVV brand product as well. It was their "action camera". It was OK, but didn't overly impress us. So instead of going with their dashcam, we went with the Vantrue and have been extremely pleased so far!
After watching, I've decided to buy this and to put on my new Tuareg 660. Thanks a lot for this information, Chris.
You're very welcome. I think you'll be very happy with it. The peace of mind I have, knowing everything is being recorded when I ride, is totally worth it!
Very well explained and documented! 🇨🇦
Glad you liked it!
Was looking at reviews and videos of this camera for my bike. I have dash cams in my car for the sole reason of accidents and who would be at fault or anything that may happen while driving. I would like to have the same for my bike. This along with other videos has helped me go with this camera system. My one concern was the acc wire getting that tie into the system. I like the connection that you used and seems to be a pretty easy way to take care of that. I am sure there are other ways also, but a lot of the videos don't show that part.
Just a side note, you went through a lot during the editing to obscure your plate when it was read and put into the app, but it is visible ind readable at about the 39 minute mark. Just mentioning this in case you wanted to edit or blur that out since you did in the demo. All in all, great video and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the nice comment! I'm glad you liked our video. I too had seen many videos that didn't discuss the accessory wire, which is why I wanted to make sure and show a clean and simple way to connect it to switched power. As for the license plate, it's really no big deal. It was simple to obscure it on the app...so I did it. But honestly, our license plates are viewable in public every day by every person we ride by. It's all public record. So there's really no reason for us to hide it. Anyway, enjoy your dashcam, and check out some of our other videos! 🙂
This was exactly what I was looking for with installation and how to use the app before I decided to make a purchase. This video is exactly what I wanted to see to satisfy my curiosity about installation on a bike. I agree with the switch, instead of direct battery installation. But I'm curious about the parked recording that it is capable of doing as well since I do not have a garage to park my bike. So I would have to consider how much battery drainage it would do if I direct wired the device.
I'm glad our video was helpful! I don't think the parked recording would be a problem for you. I'm pretty sure it can be used whether you install the cameras direct to the battery or to the switched power. The feature can be turned on or off in your app. And it has a power-safety built in. So in theory if you just leave your bike parked for a short time, it will stay active. But if you leave it parked for a long time and it starts to drain your battery to the point that it won't start the bike, that feature will automatically shut off. I haven't played with it since I park in my garage. I'll try to look at it one day next week. But that's how I understand it to work based on the research I did and from reading the manual.
Thanks for the vid! A little confused about your power/accessory wiring. When I pull into the garage at home I want the system to totally turn off and I don't mind hitting the power off button on the remote to do that. But when I'm out and park somewhere I want it to keep recording. Do I want to tie in to an ignition-based wire like you did (headlight) or is there another specific wire I should tie that in to? I was recently crashed into by an uninsured and oblivious car driver, hence why I'm going be buying a Vantrue F1 system along with a new bike (2024 KLX300). Just want to make sure I wire it correctly so the camera/system does what I need it to do. Thanks again!!
I'm so sorry about your recent "incident" with an uninsured idiot!!! That's exactly why I bouth the F1. A friend of mine was hit, and he didn't have any dashcam "evidence". So I wanted to make sure if I get hit, I've got evidence! Anyway, you can definitely wire the F1 either way. I chose to wire it so it only comes on when the ignition is on...and turns off when the ignition is off. However, a lot of riders wire it the other way, so that you turn it on and off with the button. The wiring for that is actually simpler...you simply wire the + and - leads directly to the battery. Doing it this way also gives you the added benefit of being able to monitor and protect your bike when it's parked (like in a parking garage or on the side of a busy street). That way, if anyone messes with it, or backs into it while it's parked, you have dashcam evidence. However, if you wire it this way, you just have to remember to turn it off at night. If you do forget to turn it off, supposedly it has a low-battery circuit that will shut it off before the battery is dead. But I would test that before you relied too much on it. Hope this helps!
@MotoPhotoAdventures Thanks for the reply. On one hand it's good to know I can accomplish what I'm looking to do/have. However, where do I connect the red accessory wire or do I just cap it off and not connect it at all? I know all the vids i saw said to find something triggered by the ignitionb but I want the option of constant recording when out in public. Thanks!
@@emt1581 it's been a while since I researched and installed the F1. You might want to consult the manual at www.vantrue.net/Support/detail/id/251.html, or reach out to their support. Now that I think about it, you might be able to use Parking Mode, even when connecting the red accessory wire to switched itnition power. Otherwise, you might have to cap it, or attach both the red and yellow wires to the positive terminal of the battery. Sorry I can't remember all the variables for installation. I picked what worked best for my riding style and can't remember much about the other options. Good luck!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures Ok, will do. Thanks!
I can't wait till you use this camera system and report on the results. I have not been happy with the results from my dash cams. Trying to make out a license plate number is very hard to impossible. The movement, the lighting, the glare, and etc. Watching You Tubers rate these devices shows the same issues I have experienced. Please, don't wait too long. I'm glad to see Dana up and around. I only wish I had video when I was hit by a flying saucer back in '07!
Hi Steven! Absolutely. I'm excited to go through the footage. I may show some of it and make a few comments in my next video where I ride down to Savannah to get a few warrantly issues looked at on my bike. That should post later this week. So stay tuned for that. But we'll definitely do a full review later on.
Thanks so much for this video, great info! I bought this unit and going to install tomorrow feeling much more confident! Only question I still have is you posi tapped a 5 amp acc fuse but my bike has nothing below 7.5 it seems. If I tap my headlight fuse as well will this matter?
If you're installing a Garmin Zumo device, it shouldn't matter at all. You'll notice there's a circuit box that comes with the wires for your Zumo. That box will take whatever voltage you give it (within reason), and send the correct amount of power to the unit.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures thanks for the response! I’m installing the Vantrue F1 dashcam, do you know if this unit will also do that?
@@JonCohen-q7e ahhh...my sincere apologies! I was responding to a number of questions on our channel and mistakenly thought I was replying to a comment on a video where we installed a Garmin Zumo GPS using a similar connection. Anyway, YES!!! The Vantrue F1 works the same way. You will connect the +/- leads to the battery. The accessory lead can be connected to any "switched" power. It doesn't matter if it's 5 amp, 7.5 amp, 15 amp, etc. All this wire does is tell the "brain" of the unit to power up the system. When it does so, it draws the power from the +/- connections. I hope this helps! Bottom line is, you shouldn't have any problems connecting to your headlight fuse.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures amazing thank you! One more question there , each fuse has two wires going to it. Are they different polarity, does it matter which wire you tap?
@@JonCohen-q7e I'm not sure I understand. But if I do, they will both work. One side is from the bike to the fuse block...the other side is from the fuse block to the accessory (headlight in your case). You'll want to use the side leading to the accessory so that the fuse still protects the bike. If unsure which is which, remove the fuse. The side that doesn't go "live" when you turn the ignition on is the correct side. Plug the fuse back in and now it will go "live" when you turn the ignition on. Tap into the wire on that side and you're good to go.
You don't need to pierce the wire with a safety pin - most fuses have bare metal exposed on top for diagnostic testing and obviously, can be used for the same effect.
Excellent tip! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this presentation. Your description is very clear and essential.
Do you know where GPS receiver is located? RC or Brain?
I am thinking positioning Remote Control unit under saddle.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I positioned the GPS or "brain" of the unit under the seat, as depicted in the video. And I mounted the Remote Control on the handlebars. I don't recommend putting the Remote Control under the seat! It is very helpful to see the lights on the remote to make sure it is recording properly. Plus if you wish to "lock" one of the video clips, start, or stop recording, you can do so. But the biggest reason is because the microphone for the device is located on the remote control. So if you are attacked by someone with road rage at a stoplight, or are stopped by a police officer and they lie to you, you have audio evidence as well as video evidence.
Yes you are right. Just now realized that sound recording goes through RC.
Thanks a lot!
@@emmanouil1453 you're very welcome!
Thanks for your informative video. Just letting you know that, according to the manual, the GPS antenna is in the remote control and is why it should be positioned ’buttons up’ facing the sky.
Hopefully this may help someone.
Thanks again for your video.
@@TheMotorradRider thank you for the correction!
What size sd card does it come with, and is it class 10 like you suggest? TY
I don't believe it comes with a card. (Check the description when ordering.) I'm using a 512GB Sandisk Extreme Pro...works great!
I want one of these. But I also am wanting one of these that does sides videos. I got hit on the side by a car in a parking lot and I don’t think this camera would have gotten the hit. It would have gotten me driving and probably the view of the car headed towards me. But the impact would not of gotten IMO. What if you’re going through an intersection and car runs a red light and hits you on your side and takes off. I really am not sure this camera would get the anything about the car. Maybe the bike might slide around and get something on video. I would even say I might get 2 of these just so I would get the sides. They offer a 4 channel car one. MAKE A 4 CHANNEL FOR THE MOTORCYCLE!!
Good Point!
I'd say this is way better than not having a dashcam at all. Like you said, if you get knocked off the bike, it will likely spin the bike around and you'll see the car on one of the cameras as it speeds off. But hopefully they'll come out with a 4-camera setup in the near future.
Does the draw any power through the acc wire, or is the acc wire just a signal that tells the unit to start drawing power from the battery? I want to install one on my FJR, but I’m concerned I won’t be able to find a suitable tap point for the acc wire. If it doesn’t draw any power, then one will be way easier to find.
The acc wire doesn't draw any power. It's just a relay to let the unit turn on. The power actually comes directly from the battery + and - terminals. You shouldn't have any problem with your FJR. It'll be a good addition to your bike!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures awesome, thanks!
Hi, Question; how is the front lens holding up? (bugs, sand, rocks can easily damage it?)
2024 feb; Just got one for about $300us For me, the unit seems more worth like $200us something.
CONS;
-Regarding the memory card; Vantrue uses the FAT32 format, which is not secure and very old fashioned and limits files to 4GB and windows made partitions to 32GB. You can use micro SD card up to 512GB though. (512GB records about 28h of video (per minute; FRONT 4K=233MB and REAR 1080=74MB; together 307MB per minute))
-VLC player would NOT play any of the .MP4 files because of HVC1 video format. Win media player has no problems.
-Rear camera cable could be a bit longer. Front camera cable is a fragile high speed data coax cable.
-CPU unit is not really waterproof and a USB-C connection would be better than WIFI to your phone/laptop. (Who wants to watch the video stream while driving ???)
-Feedback voice is a very annoying Chinese English tone with bad grammar
-Camera's seem nice and solid, control box less so; very plastic-y
-System has a 2 amp fuse; so uses about 25Watt, which is quite a LOT !! The front 4K camera and especially the CPU block gets a bit warm.
For me; Video quality and anti vibration are good.
In all; OK-ish.
Thanks for your review!
Hi Peter! Wow...thanks for your very detailed and informative comment. I've been very pleased with it so far. Yes, I turned the "voice" off completely...that was annoying. Besides, the lights on the remote tell you when it's on and working...so you don't need that. I use a 512GB Sandisk card and haven't had any problems. Since it records the clips on 1, 3, or 5 minute intervals anyway, the limitations of FAT32 don't come into play. I keep the "brains" under my seat. So no trouble with water. Picture quality is pretty impressive from both cameras. And I've had zero issues with over heating or the unit crashing or anything like that...even on looong trips of a week or so with 8+ hours a day. The front camera is doing fine. It gets dirty occasionally. But I just wipe it off with a wet cloth and it's good to go. Yes, there could be some improvements. But for the price, if I ever get rear-ended, or catch a drunk driver swerving in front of me...the evidence from the Vantrue will be priceless. So I think your investment is well worth it! Cheers...
@@MotoPhotoAdventures OK,thanks for your reply! Ride safely 🙂
Where the footage of the dash cam?
We'll have it in a future video. This was just to show installation and features. Spoiler alert, the footage is pretty impressive for a dashcam!!!
Any questions? Bueler?
How can this be moved from bike to bike, for those of us who ride more than one?
@@b-radsadventures6846 I don't think that's very feasible...too many wires to run. Best thing to do would be to purchase one for each bike. At $311 with the current Cyber Monday sale, it's cheaper than a single GoPro: amzn.to/3QVBcbZ. Think about how much your bike costs, and mad you would be if someone backed into it and knocked it over. A cracked fairing is going to cost you $500 minimum. So if you have proof and can make them fork that over, the unit has paid for itself. Now imagine you're in a major accident like my friend in the video! If it's a hit-and-run driver, your bike is totaled, and your medical bills are through the roof. But if you dashcam caught them, law enforcement can charge them and make them pay. If I had more than one bike, I'd absolutely put one of these on each one!
@@MotoPhotoAdventurescan you tell me the length and diameter of the camera housings?
Hi @@MrDan1713! The cameras are actually really small. I would guess no more than 3mm diameter and 4mm long. The casing is made out of beautifully finished and durable aluminum. The lenses are specially coated to prevent damage. And they are waterproof. I'll try to remember to measure them next time I go for a ride to give you an exact size. But they are barely noticeable on the front and rear of the bike unless you are really looking for them!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures thank you, did you mean cm instead of mm?
4K cameras are very processor and memory hungry, and don't perform so well in low light. Sensible manufacturers that don't bow to 'dumb consumerism' (We need 8K cameras on our phones, but will record in portrait mode etc) are reverting to 2K. The F1 seems like a nice bit of kit, but also check out the Innovv K6 which is nearly half the price, has similar features, and very good low light performance ;-)
Great tip! We've reviewed other INNOV products on the channel, and found them to be very good. Maybe they'll send us one of their dashcams to review and compare?
@@MotoPhotoAdventures Nice, would be interesting to see the F1 and K6 side by side comparison, especially in lower light conditions.
Arai is the safest helmet you can buy. #1 in the world
Thanks for sharing!
My main controller went haywire @6 weeks. Replacement unit made it 1.5 weeks. 3rd unit was defective from the get go.
Great idea, horrible product.
Customer service doesn't even reply to my emails anymore.
Oh no! I'm so sorry you've had trouble with yours. Mine is still working great! No issues so far and I've beat it to death on some long off-road adventures.
That's good to know. Im fairly certain the heat damaged the writing heads my bike runs HOT (4 cylinders 250cc 18k rpm) and here in the Philippines it's Hot 24/7.
The customer service has been awesome, up until now. No reply for over 3 days? Warranty is 12 mo. so I figure I'll be either a refund or a bunch of new Falcons. The worst part is, that system was totally excellent. I'm bummed.
Stay safe out there & thanks!
I truly hope they can resolve the issue for you @@SocialSecurityNinja
Thanks for that
I installed a Vantrue F1 on my KTM SDGT and had issues with excessive wind noise. If you have the same issue here is a video of my fix. ua-cam.com/video/vSs4omJ2a-o/v-deo.htmlsi=8m_dpIEMd3dOEYJh
That's really interesting, Mr. Dan! I haven't had any issues so far. But I'm definitely curious and will check out your video. Thanks!
Whole video is one big ad. Sad.
Not sad to the guy installing it or to the guy who is trying to learn how to install it #winning
Not sad to the guy who sees this, installs one on his bike, gets run over by a hit-and-run drive, and the police catch the guy after watching the footage from the dash-cam. #goodkarma
@@MotoPhotoAdventuresSame as with go pro or any other action cam. It's and ad, stop pretending.
@@dexio85 I appreciate your opinion. But it's not the same at all! I own 3 GoPros and a Sena 10c EVO. The problem with all of those is that I often forget to turn it on, and the battery doesn't last long. Plus in the case of some GoPros (like my Hero 9), it can overheat and shut off without you realizing it. Not to mention that a Gopro or Sena only records one direction. If you've got it set up with a chin-mount on your helmet, you'll never see who hit you if you are struck from behind. A dashcam integrates WITH your motorcycle, starts recording instantly when you turn your bike on, records both front and rear collisions, embeds your data (exact location, speed, altitude, etc.) into the file, and even "protects" any video clips that take place during a collision so that you don't accidentaly erase them. Did you even watch the video? It's pretty clear that we were very happy with this particular product...not just because it was sent to us but because it just WORKS!!! It's also pretty clear that we were endorsing dash-cams in general, not just this one, as an extra layer of motorcycle safety. That was the whole point of interviewing our friend Dana who was in that horrible accident! I'm sorry you feel our video was just one big ad. I've seen other reviewers who did make it one big ad. I feel if you watch the video in its totality, you'll see that we put a lot of thought and planning into it...providing valuable installation and operational tips...and emphasizing the importance of protecting yourself when you're riding among distracted drivers on our streets and highways.
@@MotoPhotoAdventuresGet real man and stop this BS. You made a 20 minute ad using this "horrible accident" as a pretext. You got busted and now your are inventing arguments like "forgetting to turn on the go-pro". Next time when you make a promoted material make sure you are more subtle.