Chigee XR-1 Stress Test: Dashcam for Reliable Recordings

An action cam is great, as long as it's charged, switched on, and its memory isn't full at the decisive moment. This is exactly where the Chigee XR-1 comes in. After the 1000PS editorial team had already tried Chigee's camera concept in connection with the AIO-6 auxiliary display, we were now interested in the more radical variant: two fixed-mounted cameras, one small main unit, no additional display, and ideally no longer having to think about it at all. Ignition on, recording runs. Ignition off, parking surveillance waits for vibrations. Less action cam, more inconspicuous black box: the Chigee XR-1 automatically records the action in front of and behind the bike at 1080p with up to 60 fps.

The crucial thing here is not the crystal-clear video quality, but the probability of actually having a recording should something happen. That's exactly why the system didn't end up on a comfortable tourer, but on NoPain's Hypermotard 698 Mono, where we completed a full trackday including wheelies, hard braking maneuvers, vibrations, and temperatures beyond the 35-degree mark.

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Unpacking the XR-1 gives a pleasingly low-key impression, far from any multimedia circus. The standard package includes the main unit, two cameras, two camera mounts, power cable, cable ties, velcro straps, 3M adhesive strips, and mounting tools. What's missing is exactly the small component without which nothing gets recorded at all: a microSD card. Chigee requires a fast card up to 256 GB; the optional wired GPS handlebar controller is also not part of the standard package.

The build quality of the components makes a robust impression, with Chigee stating IP69K (high protection against rain, splash water, dirt, and high-pressure cleaners) for the main unit and IP68 (rain, splash water, dust) for the cameras. The main module consists of a robust polycarbonate housing with elastic TPU components designed to absorb impacts. Internally, the circuit board sits in a floating mount to dampen vibrations, while an aluminum structure dissipates the resulting heat. Our trackday, with plenty of heat, hard hits, and constant vibrations, in any case didn't throw the XR-1 off its stride.

With a 256 GB card, Chigee states around 27.3 hours of recording time for separate front and rear files at 1080p/60fps; in fusion mode (front and rear recording combined) it rises to about 54.6 hours, though you lose the independent camera tracks.

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The German-language manual is short, understandable, and generally sufficient. Align two cameras, route the cables cleanly, stow the main unit, and connect the three power lines: red goes to battery positive, black to ground or battery negative, and yellow to a genuine ignition-switched ACC signal. That sounds like three cables and five minutes, but on modern motorcycles it can turn into a small electrics seminar, because identifying exactly the right ACC cable was, for us too, the only installation step that seriously demanded concentration. Chigee itself recommends checking with a multimeter if in doubt: roughly 12 volts with the ignition on, zero volts after switching off.

According to Chigee, the main unit belongs protected inside the fairing or under the seat, and away from strong heat sources. On our Hypermotard there simply wasn't a sensible spot there, and besides, for the performance check we wanted quick access, wind exposure, and maximum weather exposure. So we deliberately mounted the unit externally. Elegant it is not, nor is protection against light-fingered types, but technically the XR-1 didn't make a drama out of it.

A criticism from another one of our practical tests confirms, incidentally, exactly what the datasheet already suggests: the front camera cable measures only 1 meter, while 2.5 meters are available at the rear. Depending on the desired cable routing, the two identical cameras can simply be swapped to route the cables neatly. A pragmatic solution, even though the extremely large jump between 1 meter and 2.5 meters of cable length remains hard to understand.

Insert the microSD card, format it in the device, install Chigee GO on your iOS or Android smartphone, pair, activate, and then install the OTA update. After that, all components in our test system were initialized and up to date. The app is not just a convenience extra, but the actual display of the XR-1: live image for camera alignment, access to front and rear, gallery, download, and settings for Collision Lock, parking surveillance, and video output all take place here. Firmware updates are also carried out entirely via the Chigee smartphone app.

The whole thing works pleasingly straightforward. After the initial authorization, the smartphone reconnects quickly and clips are transferred via the device's own 5 GHz WiFi at more than 10 MB/s.

Here Chigee hits the nail pretty squarely. Once the XR-1 is correctly wired, there's nothing left to do before a normal ride. The bike is started and recording begins automatically; an ongoing loop recording eventually overwrites the oldest unlocked files. Segments can be set to one, two, or three minutes. There is deliberately no classic record switch: as long as the XR-1 is powered, it records.

The two buttons on the main module can lock a clip or take a photo; a long press forces a restart or card formatting. The catch: if the module is mounted the way it makes sense from a security and anti-theft perspective, i.e. deep under the seat, these buttons aren't particularly helpful. For spontaneous actions while riding, there is therefore the optional GPS handlebar controller. It additionally provides route, speed, distance, and riding time.

Practically solved, but with a gap: the acoustic voice output reliably informs about system status or problems with the camera and memory card - ideal for hidden mounting. It's just a shame that German is not yet supported.

Testing a motorcycle dashcam in relaxed city traffic is one thing - a trackday as a stress test is something else entirely. That's why the XR-1 got the full program on the Hypermotard 698 Mono for an entire day: high revs, hard load changes, anchor-like decelerations, curbs, vibrations, and summer temperatures well above 35 degrees left the basic function absolutely unfazed. All expected recordings were seamlessly present in the end.

Particularly amusing was how the G-sensor (collision lock) worked. Chigee automatically locks the current clip against overwriting upon an unusual jolt or a hard hit; sensitivity can be regulated in the stages High, Medium, Low, and Off. Our Hypermotard, above all, interpreted the front wheel touching back down after a wheelie with remarkable consistency as an emergency. So the system did exactly what it was supposed to. For bad roads or off-road sections, even Chigee recommends a reduced sensitivity.

Anyone expecting cinema footage from a 1080p dashcam is confusing documentation with content production. The XR-1 footage doesn't have the headroom of a high-quality action cam for later cropping, spectacular reels, or Hollywood-grade night shots. Its job is more mundane and more important: capturing movement, vehicles, and as many details as possible in a usable way. And that's exactly where our test system delivered convincingly. At 60 fps, license plates and other details were clearly legible in our footage, while motion was frozen more cleanly than at a lower frame rate. In another everyday test of ours as well, 1080p/60 fps proved helpful for clearly identifying the license plates of oncoming vehicles.

Chigee promises Smart HDR, image stabilization, and a viewing angle of 136 degrees. The image quality is absolutely fine, but the features are no miracle cure: while the software smooths out slight vibrations well, it reaches its limits at extremely flexible positions - such as the rear fender of a supermoto. Moreover, a wide field of view cannot compensate for a crooked or poorly chosen viewing angle. On the track it once again became clear: well-thought-out mounting remains a must.

A completely unplanned strength emerged during the test, because NoPain's smartphone sat on the handlebar via SP Connect. Opening the rear camera's live image there turns the dashcam into a digital rearview mirror without further ado. The perspective is wide, rearward traffic is clearly recognizable, and especially on bikes with vibration-prone, tiny, or non-existent mirrors, this can be surprisingly useful.

Still, the smartphone as a monitor is not a full-fledged replacement: the XR-1 is primarily intended as an inconspicuous motorcycle black box, not as a permanent rearview display. Anyone looking for such a live image would conceptually rather go directly for a Chigee AIO system with camera connection - and skip the XR-1 receiver unit entirely.

The parking monitor was one of those features that proved thoroughly convincing in practice. If the switched-off bike is moved, the XR-1 responds to the vibration and records via both cameras for a good 60 seconds. In the paddock it worked spot on: pull the tire warmers off, lift the bike off the stand - bam, movement registered, scene secured.

Power consumption is also well thought out: Chigee states approximately 350 µA for park standby and protects the battery through an automatic shutdown when voltage drops below 11.8 volts. This takes away worries, but doesn't eliminate every residual risk during transport on a trailer. Anyone who doesn't need the function simply switches it off via the app.

Tip: for absolute safety, the power supply can be completely disconnected via a discreet switch. That's exactly the route we'll take with our bike: trackday - SWITCH ON, downtime or transport - SWITCH OFF.

The XR-1 wants to become invisible after installation, but demands clean handiwork beforehand: a suitable spot for the main unit, two perfectly aligned cameras, well-thought-out cable routing, and a proper electrical connection. The system is plug & play on the app side - but by no means on the wiring harness side. Anyone who has question marks in front of their eyes at plus, minus, and ignition-plus should definitely leave the installation to someone who can handle vehicle electrics.

Added to that are the somewhat tight front camera cable, the missing microSD card in the scope of delivery, and the currently missing German voice output. In addition, features like GPS tracking, speed display, and a quickly reachable lock button only become available via the optional controller.