Former Police Bikes

[jyl]

I've been browsing about used CHP motorcycles, BMW R1100RT-Ps. They look cool - no-nonsense, big protection bars, solo seats, black/white.

Has anyone owned a used police bike?

Do they ride differently from the equivalent civilian model?

Are they trashed, or decent?

Do drivers see you better, or drive more safely around you?

Do you feel weird riding it?

[varmint]

cops treat their bikes like crap. by the time they come up for sale they've been dropped twenty times, and burned through a couple clutches.

the RT is a fundamentally good model. but you'd get a much better treated civillian one for the same price.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by varmint

cops treat their bikes like crap. by the time they come up for sale they've been dropped twenty times, and burned through a couple clutches.

the RT is a fundamentally good model. but you'd get a much better treated civillian one for the same price.

I don't exactly agree completely with that. The bike is a tool and ridden hard, but I wouldn't say they are treated like crap. I have 105K on mine. It runs like a champ and still looks great. It's been dropped once and is on it's second clutch. The first was replaced at about 87K. It is serviced religiously and anything that even looks like it might need fixed is replaced because it's not my dime. Because of recent contract issues most of the CHP bikes are going to have alot of miles on them so I would be leary of buying one with low miles on it because it has probably been wrecked and repaired. If the price is right (Low)and your just looking for a comfortable commuter, you could save alot of money buying one. Just remember it is a BMW so service and parts aren't cheap.

I do notice that traffic around me drives ALOT different when I'm on the RT then when I'm on my personal bikes.

Oh BTW, I think the 1150s are worth the price jump over the 1100. Especially the 2 spark model

[dd74]

What I've found about owning a classic car is the CHP and their ilk, are more apt to talk about cars and bikes - even when they pull you over.

With that said, I had a nice chat (non-ticket related) with some Burbank, CA motorcycle cops who ride that exact model. In short, they love them. Much more than the old Yamahas and more so than the current Harleys. The BMWs, according to them, handle much better and have a lot more scoot.

As to a civilian owning one - I've always thought it looked...um...beyond strange that an average Joe is on an ex-cop bike. Seeing this makes me think of some poor schlep who couldn't be a cop, so he fervently plays cop dress-up to the hilt.

Do I slow down when I see guys like this on their ex-cop bikes. Hell yes! Then I see it's a poser, and become quite angry.

BTW: this goes for those funeral cops, too, as well as the movie set cops, the ladder of whom are the real deal in most cases.

Look at it this way - for the good and bad that goes along with being a cop, do you really want to be confused for one?

[RWebb]

ANYTHING that helps keep cars from killing you when you're on a bike is good IMHO.

[LakeCleElum]

Don't ask me how I know BUT, I supported my motorcycle roadracing days riding these things: For me, here's how my day went:

Sit with engine off running radar/laser. A violator blows by you doing 60 in a 40 zone. By the time you've put your gear away and started the engine, he's got 500 feet on you, he's doing 60 and you're doing zero......So, you run to redline in the first 3 gears, sometimes floating the valves as you can't take your eyes off the road to watch the tach. While you write him up, the bike idles to keep the alt. sending juice to your emergency lights. Long periods of idling are not good for an air cooled engine that does not have a fan. Now repeat this 15 - 20 times a day.

Then, there's the bank alarm or whatever type of call. Beside hard use on the engine, I used brakes to the max and often wore the plating off the disks. In the area I worked at the time, traffic was lighter and the roads were wide open - It was a rare day to not hit 100 mph.....Tried not to abuse the clutch, but on ocassion, I'd stick my leg straight out to the rear bumper of a disabled car and push them off the road. That's hard on a Clutch.

Do they get dropped much - Not really - In 10 years, I had countless close calls but in the end, only 2 accidents: I went over one car and under another. I only "dropped" it once; that don't count as an accident, you brush yourself off and ride away, hoping no one notices the scratches on the crash bars....

The BMW's aren't known for a weak clutch, but it is a single disk, dry clutch, which is different that some most other bikes. Bmw's also require many more hours of labor to change a clutch....

I've heard of those used models selling for $5K in my area, that wouldn't be a bad deal, but I would pay much more.......G'luck...

[DavidI]

Police motorcycles are treated differ than police cars. The motorcycles are issued to one officer and are not shared between officers. The motorcycle is used about 40 hours a week. Police cars are in service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by multiple officers.

When one person is issued something, that person seems to take better care of it, kind of like owning it. I have seen motorcycle cops washing and waxing their bike. I have only seen one cop wash an wax his police car, and he was a strange duck.....

David

[SXSMAN]

Had a Guzzi G5 1000 police bike , sold it to a guy up north (Canuk) that was building a custom .

They seem to add a small premium to price .

I'd buy another in a heart-beat .

SxS

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yea, police bikes see pretty harsh treatment. I doubt I'd buy one.

[Chocaholic]

...but you're on the right track with a beemer...(see avatar)

[nostatic]

I have to admit that this bike really intrigues me

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Kawi 1000 police bikes used to be pretty cheap in SoCal, but they were usually pretty beat to ****. Buddy of mine had one and pretty much everything on the bike needed work. FWIW

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Yea, police bikes see pretty harsh treatment. I doubt I'd buy one.

They get ridden. But like I said. Mines been ridden hard for 105K and because of regular service, it still runs like a top. A partner of mine has 120K on his. He can get a new R1200RTP whenever he wants but he likes his current bike. Our department has desided to keep our RT1150's in service to see how long they will go before needing serious repairs. Personally, I've never seen an assigned work BMW that wasn't taken care of by the assigned officer. Now if it's a loaner bike, then all bets are off. They tend to get treated like a two dollar...

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by nostatic

I have to admit that this bike really intrigues me

I really like that bike as well. They are building some nice bikes these days. (although that isn't a BMW motor) Trying to change the image alittle. That new HP2 is a killer bike. 130HP out of a Boxer motor and now they are also looking at getting into MotoGP.

[SLO-BOB]

Old police Harleys are cool. New Police BMWs are not. Even the best maintained bike (like MMarsh describes) can't compared to a garage queen owned by the typical enthusiast. The average rider puts a fraction of the miles on that the law does. Stick with a civilian bike, unless you steal it- figuratively speaking.

PS - bike color won't save your skin. The way you ride will.

[varmint]

Police motorcycles are treated differ than police cars. The motorcycles are issued to one officer and are not shared between officers. The motorcycle is used about 40 hours a week. Police cars are in service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by multiple officers.

is this standard for all departments? my dealership is always full of police bikes. the poor things look beat to hell.


Old police Harleys are cool. New Police BMWs are not

i remember when santa monica bought harleys. the things fell apart. in a matter of months they only had one left. the motor officer would just park it by the beach and use it as a prop to flirt with tourist girls. useless otherwise.

[URY914]

Cops here get to take their cars home. They are the only ones that drive them.
Every dept. is different.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

I really like that bike as well. They are building some nice bikes these days. (although that isn't a BMW motor)

Who makes the motor? I also really like that bike... even though I'm not in the market.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Who makes the motor? I also really like that bike... even though I'm not in the market.

It was developed in cooperation with Bombardier-Rotax GmbH. It is manufactured in the Austrian Rotax plant and is delivered to the Berlin production line ready-for-assembly.


Copied from here http://www.webbikeworld.com/BMW-motorcycles/bmw-f800s/

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by varmint

Police motorcycles are treated differ than police cars. The motorcycles are issued to one officer and are not shared between officers. The motorcycle is used about 40 hours a week. Police cars are in service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by multiple officers.

is this standard for all departments? my dealership is always full of police bikes. the poor things look beat to hell.


Old police Harleys are cool. New Police BMWs are not

i remember when santa monica bought harleys. the things fell apart. in a matter of months they only had one left. the motor officer would just park it by the beach and use it as a prop to flirt with tourist girls. useless otherwise.

LAPD has Harleys. They are not very happy and want to get rid of them.