I've been using a radar detector of one kind or another since 1990 and they have saved me from receiving tickets more times than I can count (I can still count pretty high fyi). Even with a detector you still have to drive judiciously.
I think that you're pretty much preaching to the choir here. Most of us on this forum are mature (year wise) riders/drivers and we know how to use a detector.
The last time that I got pulled over for speeding it wasn't the detector that saved me from receiving a well deserved performance award, it was the fact that the LEO ran out of tickets. 
Having been on the opposite end of this for many years, I agree. Many Officers will keep the radar unit on continuously or turn it on and off repeatedly while scanning the traffic. In either of these cases, more so the first, you will get a good warning. That is exactly why the visual estimation is primary and the radar only backs up the estimation.
I have had many court cases where the defendant comes in with the internet's best "How to beat a radar ticket" advice only to have the Judge ask me if its okay to have the radar evidence thrown out to save us all some time. Defendant is summarily found guilty based upon the Officers visual estimation.
All that being said, my own personal approach was to ask if they realized how fast they were going after i stop them. If the response was honest and within reason I simply wrote the ticket for 5 mph over the limit or issued a verbal warning. Old timer on the job called this the "Voluntary Compliance Rule". If you were doing 90 in a 55 and got written for 60, wouldn't that cause you to think the next time you start pushing it to remember the break you got and slow down? I love the C14 and have the same issue keeping her slow, guess when i get pulled over next ill just smile and say "Can you blame me?"
