[Shanmd]

Hi all

After a overall happy experience using Dashcam in my cars (including 3x Karnataka cop shakedown masquerading as a traffic rule offence), I'm now hunting online for a similar option for my (yet to arrive) bike. Was looking at bodycam mounts (aka the cops in US) with min 12hr battery life.
Does anyone here have an experience in this? or better options? Don't want to mount anything on the bike.

[Malliketh]

Originally Posted by Shanmd

Hi all

After a overall happy experience using Dashcam in my cars (including 3x Karnataka cop shakedown masquerading as a traffic rule offence), I'm now hunting online for a similar option for my (yet to arrive) bike. Was looking at bodycam mounts (aka the cops in US) with min 12hr battery life.
Does anyone here have an experience in this? or better options? Don't want to mount anything on the bike.

I have a dash cam for my car and with the same concern I wanted something for my bike. Recently upgraded my intercom to the one with a dash-cam. I have been using FreedConn products since a few years (ordered through Alibaba). They have great battery life, waterproof and haven't let me down in my over 5 years of use (non-camera model that I previously used).

I got the camera model a few months ago for ~Rs. 7.5k landed including custom duty, which is a really good deal and does not compare with anything sold locally. However delivery takes around 2-3 weeks. The video quality is decent and recording is ~4-5 hours. Not sure in what kind of situation would you need to record for 12 hours straight. If needed, you can charge them during your breaks + the device can charge while recording / intercom being used (do not recommend this for safety reasons; read the thread name ).

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...189707527.html spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.35d853e51wQWiT

[Shanmd]

Originally Posted by Malliketh

I have a dash cam for my car and with the same concern I wanted something for my bike. Recently upgraded my intercom to the one with a dash-cam. I have been using FreedConn products since a few years (ordered through Alibaba). They have great battery life, waterproof and haven't let me down in my over 5 years of use (non-camera model that I previously used).

I got the camera model a few months ago for ~Rs. 7.5k landed including custom duty, which is a really good deal and does not compare with anything sold locally. However delivery takes around 2-3 weeks. The video quality is decent and recording is ~4-5 hours. Not sure in what kind of situation would you need to record for 12 hours straight. If needed, you can charge them during your breaks + the device can charge while recording / intercom being used (do not recommend this for safety reasons; read the thread name ).

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...189707527.html spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.35d853e51wQWiT

Thanks for this very interesting option. Shall look into it.
My need was to strap something on my backpack strap or jacket and just replicate the purpose of a car dashcam. As for the 12hr requirement, just being lazy ().. for in-city rides, but factoring longer ones too.

Some of the options on my list are..
https://www.amazon.in/Transcend-Driv...%2C246&sr=8-15

https://www.amazon.in/SJCAM-C200-Mag...%2C246&sr=8-16

Don't really want to attach anything on the front or top of my helmet. and am still figuring the vibration factor on the recording.

[shyamg28]

I had a lowside crash. Not going into circumstances but posting more to point out how the riding gear basically saved me from any major injuries, apart from the fact that I was lucky. Don't have more than skin burns. The knee guards, elbow guards, helmet, full gauntlet gloves & shoes did their job well.

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

I had a lowside crash. Not going into circumstances but posting more to point out how the riding gear basically saved me from any major injuries, apart from the fact that I was lucky.

Good to know you walked away with minor injuries! Was this in a commuter/city scenario?

Wish you a speedy recovery and till you get back on the bike let's do some research on your next set of riding gears on the gear thread.

Ride safe,
surjaonwheelz

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Good to know you walked away with minor injuries! Was this in a commuter/city scenario?

It was a short evening run towards city outskirts, on highway actually.

Wish you a speedy recovery and till you get back on the bike let's do some research on your next set of riding gears on the gear thread.

Ride safe,
surjaonwheelz

Thank you!
Haha... indeed we should!

[arjpillai]

Originally Posted by Malliketh

I have a dash cam for my car and with the same concern I wanted something for my bike. Recently upgraded my intercom to the one with a dash-cam. I have been using FreedConn products since a few years (ordered through Alibaba). They have great battery life, waterproof and haven't let me down in my over 5 years of use (non-camera model that I previously used).

I got the camera model a few months ago for ~Rs. 7.5k landed including custom duty, which is a really good deal and does not compare with anything sold locally. However delivery takes around 2-3 weeks. The video quality is decent and recording is ~4-5 hours. Not sure in what kind of situation would you need to record for 12 hours straight. If needed, you can charge them during your breaks + the device can charge while recording / intercom being used (do not recommend this for safety reasons; read the thread name ).

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...189707527.html spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.35d853e51wQWiT

Sorry about quoting such an old post but I couldn't PM after landing on your post as part of my research into Freedconn products.

Can you please share how does one get this from Alibaba to India? I contacted the seller from your link and they said Alibaba Logistics don't ship such a 'live' item to India. Aramex Shop N Ship gave the same answer. Naturally, the seller backed out as the logistics providers threw their hands up.

[arjpillai]

Originally Posted by Malliketh

I have a dash cam for my car and with the same concern I wanted something for my bike. Recently upgraded my intercom to the one with a dash-cam. I have been using FreedConn products since a few years (ordered through Alibaba). They have great battery life, waterproof and haven't let me down in my over 5 years of use (non-camera model that I previously used).

I got the camera model a few months ago for ~Rs. 7.5k landed including custom duty, which is a really good deal and does not compare with anything sold locally. However delivery takes around 2-3 weeks. The video quality is decent and recording is ~4-5 hours. Not sure in what kind of situation would you need to record for 12 hours straight. If needed, you can charge them during your breaks + the device can charge while recording / intercom being used (do not recommend this for safety reasons; read the thread name ).

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...189707527.html spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.35d853e51wQWiT

Originally Posted by arjpillai

Sorry about quoting such an old post but I couldn't PM after landing on your post as part of my research into Freedconn products.

Can you please share how does one get this from Alibaba to India? I contacted the seller from your link and they said Alibaba Logistics don't ship such a 'live' item to India. Aramex Shop N Ship gave the same answer. Naturally, the seller backed out as the logistics providers threw their hands up.

Hi @Malliketh, apologies for bringing this up again but I was wondering if you could help with a few questions I have about buying as an individual from Alibaba. Chief among them is whether we can buy directly using the 'Start order' button (once we've found a listing that ships out a minimum of 1 unit) with the address selected as mine in India. When I do the latter, it shows that Alibaba Logistics will ship the product using 'Electronics standard' (with the express version costing 3x the standard's price; albeit both types are trackable).

Is this how you bought it too? If so, how is customs handled in this scenario?

Could really use your experience on this one. Thank you

[Malliketh]

Apologies for the delayed response. Hope you would still find this useful.

Originally Posted by arjpillai

whether we can buy directly using the 'Start order' button (once we've found a listing that ships out a minimum of 1 unit) with the address selected as mine in India.

Yes you can. Chat with the seller through the app to finalize on what is the shipping price they agree on. Shipping prices remain elevated due to constraints in air travel. So for my order, we decided on total price (device price + shipping cost). They take care of everything post that and share the tracking number. They used standard post for my order (Indian Post was used for India leg)

If so, how is customs handled in this scenario?

Customs is a hit and miss. I was not charged any custom duty on camera-less intercoms I ordered and directly delivered home by Indian Post. On my intercom with camera (R1 Plus) I was charged custom + 18% GST on total (i.e. evaluated price by customs + custom duty). You may ask them to mark it as 'gift'. Usually if the package is below US$100, it is not charged custom. Again, I don't think there is any standard procedure on this and depends on luck. It still ended up being around Rs. 7k, which is a bargain compared to any comparable product so worth the risk IMO.

Hope this helps

[arjpillai]

Originally Posted by Malliketh

Apologies for the delayed response. Hope you would still find this useful.

Yes you can. Chat with the seller through the app to finalize on what is the shipping price they agree on. Shipping prices remain elevated due to constraints in air travel. So for my order, we decided on total price (device price + shipping cost). They take care of everything post that and share the tracking number. They used standard post for my order (Indian Post was used for India leg)

Customs is a hit and miss. I was not charged any custom duty on camera-less intercoms I ordered and directly delivered home by Indian Post. On my intercom with camera (R1 Plus) I was charged custom + 18% GST on total (i.e. evaluated price by customs + custom duty). You may ask them to mark it as 'gift'. Usually if the package is below US$100, it is not charged custom. Again, I don't think there is any standard procedure on this and depends on luck. It still ended up being around Rs. 7k, which is a bargain compared to any comparable product so worth the risk IMO.

Hope this helps

No worries, thank you for getting back

After my last post above, I went ahead with contacting different sellers and eventually found one who was ready to ship the item directly, i.e. sans any shipping forwarder.

I decided to go for the R1 Pro over the Plus as I liked the fact it could connect to other brands' intercoms (not a must-have for me, more of a good-to-have) and that it enabled music sharing (again, not something I'd ever use but what the heck...).

The seller offered his best price for 2 units and a separate shipping price to India (via 4PX courier). He said that custom duty, if any, I'd need to pay after the local courier (IndiaPost, in this case) contacts me about the same.

Paid the cumulative amount, got the tracking number within a day of paying, and the product itself in 12 days after ordering. The local post office called up to check if I'd be paying the customs. When taking the delivery later that day, I enquired why they asked me 'if' I'll pay the duty, to which they responded that a majority don't and in such cases, IndiaPost returns the package.

The customs came to 10% BCD (a further 10% social welfare surcharge on this amount) + 28% IGST. Despite this, as you mentioned, it was a bargain as per unit cost came to ~ Rs 8k.

From my experience, I too think anything under Rs 5k in value (product cost + shipping cost) will escape customs duty. I anyway didn't mind paying the custom duty (package wasn't marked as a 'gift', just as personal package) and was only glad to know that it didn't sour the overall deal for me.

Though the seller did add a bit of sourness by messaging me a few days later that a better version of the R1 Pro (I guess it has a bigger battery with a sleeker body) was now available for only a reasonable premium over the R1 Pro

Anyhoo, I haven't used the R1 Pro beyond testing it and mounting it on the helmet. I hope to do a mini-review here soon after using it on the road.

[100Kmphormore]

Woah, looks like quite a bad crash. The way the jacket is torn - I have never seen that except in high speed crashes. Nice to see you have recovered and the Wee is back on the roads. Another one to show to my friends to not skimp on quality riding gear or those who don't believe in it at all. The scratch near the tank though - you didn't have the frame sliders on it? Like the moto torque crash guard ones. Might cost quite a bomb to replace that metal cladding around the tank in ASC

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Woah, looks like quite a bad crash. The way the jacket is torn - I have never seen that except in high speed crashes. Nice to see you have recovered and the Wee is back on the roads. Another one to show to my friends to not skimp on quality riding gear or those who don't believe in it at all. The scratch near the tank though - you didn't have the frame sliders on it? Like the moto torque crash guard ones. Might cost quite a bomb to replace that metal cladding around the tank in ASC

I think you're referring to my crash.
I did not have sliders when the crash occurred. Now I have added generic Pro-Spec easy tags on both sides.