[Chronos_Titan]

I agree with MoJoe.

There are too many innocents hurt every year from high speed persuits. So many that many police now have No-Pursuit policies. You hope you can catch the guy somewhere else. Killing a little kid or a cop losing control and crashing isnt worth catching a guy for speeding or even a couple of pounds of pot.

Heck a couple dozen of cops have been killed in the last ten years from losing control of their Crown Vics at high speed, spinning it around and backing it into a tree at 100mph. The rear axle was pushing up into the gas tank rupturing it and causing it too burst into flame. They asked Ford to fix too which Ford replied, "You guys are nuts, it is impossible to make a street car safe when crashing at 100mph in reverse."

[Bob]

they should make it more of an on and off road to be prepared for anything. cuz ya neva know...

The Provincial police here use the R1200RT, and the local police have the R1200RT and the R1200GS. Should they have sportbikes? NO! Why? Because what they have now is fast enough. A cop doesn't need a 150mph bike. If a cop continues a pursuit of anyone over 100mph on a bike, he is just as stupid as the guy who is running. He would be contributing to a dangerous situation for the public. There are too many innocent people that get killed or injured just because the cops pride won't let him back off and catch the guy another time. I totally disagree with extreme high speed pursuits by cops. I think it is irresponsible of them.

I also agree with Mojoe, especially in Los Angeles. The cops will hang back a mile and let the helicopter do the work. Then stick the bad guy with the bill for the chase. Busted and billed!

[ne-oublie]

+1 Mojoe & Chronos,well said.

[loudnlow7484]

+2
It makes me mad that cops will persue somebody up to 130mph, simply because they refuse to give up, be it pride, or adrenaline, or some immortality complex... but if that cop loses control and kills a little kid on a bike, the guy running from the cops gets stuck with the murder case.

[Mojoe]

I agree with MoJoe.

There are too many innocents hurt every year from high speed persuits. So many that many police now have No-Pursuit policies. You hope you can catch the guy somewhere else. Killing a little kid or a cop losing control and crashing isnt worth catching a guy for speeding or even a couple of pounds of pot.

Heck a couple dozen of cops have been killed in the last ten years from losing control of their Crown Vics at high speed, spinning it around and backing it into a tree at 100mph. The rear axle was pushing up into the gas tank rupturing it and causing it too burst into flame. They asked Ford to fix too which Ford replied, "You guys are nuts, it is impossible to make a street car safe when crashing at 100mph in reverse."

Vermont made some changes about 15 years ago because of that. Some kid on a sportbike decided to run cuz he had unpaid tickets. The cops chased him to speeds over 100mph, and the kid dumped and died. The kids was stupid to run, of course, but sometimes people panic for the stupidest reasons. Anyway, the kid's parents sued, and won. In Vermont, from what I know, the chase is supposed to be called off at 100mph.

I got pulled over by a cop once....the local police. he was maybe 27-28 years old. I was maybe 35-36 at the time. He was in a cruiser. He asked me why I stopped....cuz with a bike like that I could have outrun him. It was plain to see that he was disappointed that there was not a chase. I told him straight up that my life was worth more to me than to try to outrun a cowboy cop who would like something better to do than sitting in his car and getting fat on doughnuts. And I told him straight to his face that he was a bad cop for even mentioning it and he should not be allowed to wear that uniform. They way I look at it, I stopped. There was no need to mention outrunning him. It has to mean he had it in his head. I also reported him when I went to pay the ticket. Maybe nothing came of it...but at least it was on record in case he was involved in a high speed wreck. It was easy to see he wanted a chase.

[Katastrophe]

Great question, WildKat...

With all the extra equipment that goes on a police bike, I would reckon that a Honda ST 1100/1300 is about perfect for everyday traffic duty. There is plenty of storage, with an upright riding position. Also, the bike is light and maneuverable enough to get the job done efficiently. I don't think that a pure sportbike like a GSXR, CBR, YZF or a ZX would be good for that purpose... The seating position is more cramped, it's harder to find hard saddlebags, and there is not as much room to fit lights, a radio, radar equipment, et cetera.

In rural areas, with a lot of dirt roads, a Suzuki V-Strom, KTM Adventure, or BMW GS model would be a good idea. They perform well on paved roads, and can do some light off road, fire road duty as well.

[ghost]

I got pulled over by a cop once....the local police. he was maybe 27-28 years old. I was maybe 35-36 at the time. He was in a cruiser. He asked me why I stopped....cuz with a bike like that I could have outrun him. It was plain to see that he was disappointed that there was not a chase. I told him straight up that my life was worth more to me than to try to outrun a cowboy cop who would like something better to do than sitting in his car and getting fat on doughnuts. And I told him straight to his face that he was a bad cop for even mentioning it and he should not be allowed to wear that uniform. They way I look at it, I stopped. There was no need to mention outrunning him. It has to mean he had it in his head. I also reported him when I went to pay the ticket. Maybe nothing came of it...but at least it was on record in case he was involved in a high speed wreck. It was easy to see he wanted a chase.

Mojoe, It sounds to me like he could have been impressed that you stopped for him and did not try to run like most kids ridding high powered crotch rockets. But then again your an adult and know the serious risks and consequences involved in running. It sounds to me that he was possibly contemplating giving you a break but it sounds like you talked yourself right into a ticket.....

[mystahagy]

Many buddies of mine have been let off just for stopping. But I also do believe that we've got some cops around here hungry for a chase. The big hangout here is at a Sonic on Wednesday nights, and a few times cops were there waiting so they could follow everyone when we left to ride. As many as 4 cruisers and 3 bike cops have sat there just so they could follow the rides. Ridiculous...

[lu6an]

i live in Milwaukee so it's kinda a no brainer why they use harley's here. 2 harley plants here and harley started here. i actually worked at the harley product development center and saw some of the new models a few years before they came out. also saw some future bmw, and yamaha bikes in the back that they were testing. hmmmm, wonder how they got those

[loudnlow7484]

Harleys a few years before they come out look just like the ones that are currently out, and just like the ones from 1975

[WildKat]

Great question, WildKat...

With all the extra equipment that goes on a police bike, I would reckon that a Honda ST 1100/1300 is about perfect for everyday traffic duty. There is plenty of storage, with an upright riding position. Also, the bike is light and maneuverable enough to get the job done efficiently. I don't think that a pure sportbike like a GSXR, CBR, YZF or a ZX would be good for that purpose... The seating position is more cramped, it's harder to find hard saddlebags, and there is not as much room to fit lights, a radio, radar equipment, et cetera.

In rural areas, with a lot of dirt roads, a Suzuki V-Strom, KTM Adventure, or BMW GS model would be a good idea. They perform well on paved roads, and can do some light off road, fire road duty as well.

I was thinking along the same lines as you were w/ the FJR1300's and ST's as well. enough luggage space for their ticket pad and spare donuts, but not near as bulky and heavy as the 'wings and harley's many of them ride now.
Plus the ergo's a happy medium between a sportbike and a cruiser for all that 8-10 hour a day riding they do.

[Mojoe]

I got pulled over by a cop once....the local police. he was maybe 27-28 years old. I was maybe 35-36 at the time. He was in a cruiser. He asked me why I stopped....cuz with a bike like that I could have outrun him. It was plain to see that he was disappointed that there was not a chase. I told him straight up that my life was worth more to me than to try to outrun a cowboy cop who would like something better to do than sitting in his car and getting fat on doughnuts. And I told him straight to his face that he was a bad cop for even mentioning it and he should not be allowed to wear that uniform. They way I look at it, I stopped. There was no need to mention outrunning him. It has to mean he had it in his head. I also reported him when I went to pay the ticket. Maybe nothing came of it...but at least it was on record in case he was involved in a high speed wreck. It was easy to see he wanted a chase.

Mojoe, It sounds to me like he could have been impressed that you stopped for him and did not try to run like most kids ridding high powered crotch rockets. But then again your an adult and know the serious risks and consequences involved in running. It sounds to me that he was possibly contemplating giving you a break but it sounds like you talked yourself right into a ticket.....

no...not at all. I have gotten a break a few times because I stopped. Last summer I was clocked at 160 something kph, which is 95mph. That cop gave me a break because i stopped. From my experience with cops...and I have had enuff of them, they will let you know they appreciate that you stopped.....not ask you why. You are supposed to stop....that is why. It should not have to be asked why you did. the answer is obvious. he was the first and only cop that ever asked why......and the only one that ever suggested i could do it. no...he was an ass...plain and simple. i could understand maybe if i was doing like 130mph when he got me on radar....but I was only doing 80kph in a 50. You would have to have a warrant on you to outrun that.....or be stupid. The fine isn't big enough to take the risk. no fine is when it comes to your life.

[The CyberPoet]

I think they should be using the most maneuverable, best-suited bike out there... Why? Because they are often first-responders, able to get through where other vehicles can't. Thus, like the EMT's in Miami-Dade, that means either a BMW or a Honda ST1300 or something similar.

Unfortunately, my local donut-eating (perception based solely on the MC squad's waist sizes) traffic detail gets the cycles around here, and they are never first-responders -- they are non-responders -- whose sole mission on the bike seems to be to write as many tickets as possible. They park the bikes in low-visibility locations (well shaded in crop of trees across the sidewalk), get out the laser and have a field day. That bothers me a little... This bothers me a lot: I have watched them drive right past fresh accidents as if they didn't exist (not stopping to check for injuries, etc), only to find the same cop manning a speed trap a couple miles away on some side-road.

PS - the local university police department has a BMW R1150RT. Two of their officers have wrecked it so far practicing on it to try to get certified to ride it...

=-= The CyberPoet