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Installation is pretty simple. All that is needed is a direct battery connection and a connection to a switched power source for the power supply module. The direct battery connection allows for the unit to gracefully power off when the switch power is turned off. I have had no issues with power drain when switched off. A nifty inclusion in the kit is a power cable with a USB connection so that the system can be tested without power from the motorcycle. This is a great addition, since a bike battery can easily end up dead in the time it takes to position cameras and test the system.
Cameras are also easy to install with the included adhesive. Running the wiring from the cameras to the recorder is the most difficult part, especially if the bike has a lot of plastic. There is a shorter wire on the camera that attaches to a longer extension, so that does make routing a little easier. There was plenty of both power and camera wire to place the cameras and controller just about anywhere I wanted on a Goldwing. I put it in the trunk, but had it under the seat on my ST1300. Some cable ties are included, but you’ll probably want more.
Once installed, the system is pretty easy to use. There is a nice, albeit small, screen that can be used to both view video and control settings (like the clock, which I obviously forgot to set before the attached image). Commands are entered with four buttons. A full touch screen would be nice, but unexpected at this price point. The screen is clear enough to set up the cameras, but not really big enough for actually reviewing video.
Once set up, you are rewarded with a system that automatically starts when the bike is started and constantly records both front and rear video. I have found that a 64GB MicroSD card records around 6 hours of video before the oldest files start to be overwritten. There is a wired remote included that allows the rider to lock a file so that it is not overwritten. One button press locks both front and rear files that are currently being recorded and also snaps a jpeg image.
Files are written in .mov format, which initially had me thinking no audio was being recorded. It turns out that Windows media player does not play sound from this format. A quick download of VLC Media Player resolved that issue. I believe Apple Quicktime would as well. Audio is not great, but I didn’t expect from a pinhole mike exposed to wind noise. An option for an external microphone would be a great addition.
The Vsysto camera system is a relatively inexpensive setup that provides a little peace of mind as well as some enjoyable ride video that I would otherwise not have gotten. It will be a must-have for future bikes.
