Why is Harley-Davidson THE choice for a Police Motorcycle?

[HEMI®Dart]

Saw in the paper our town just got 2 new motorcycles. They are HD's.



On the TV show C. H. I. P. S didn't they have Motoguzzi's?



I wonder why HD is always the choice over say, BMW or a Honda Goldwing?

 

[jwilliams3]

I though CHIPS had Kawasaki 1000's?

 

[ACoyle]

I think CHIPS did have Kawi's. I can never fault the buy American idea. I suppose that there are more old Harleys than there are old much of anything else. You can still get stuff fro pans and shovels.



AC

 

[RonA]

I doubt that the CHP's are going to use H. D. They are required to chase vehicles from time to time and the Harley is not up to the task. Around town for meter maid work, they are fine. I believe the proper term is dike bike.

 

[Champane Flight]

Many different scoots

Police depts all over the US buy whatever bike that the local dealers give them a deal on. I have seen Motoguzzis, BMWs, Harleys, Hondas, and one city in Nevada running ST-4 Ducatis! They try not to get into chases on bikes, leave that to the heavy cruisers, just keep em in sight.

 

[GFritsch]

I see BMW's around here for the highway patrol. Poor guys that have to spend all day sitting on a bike with such cramped leg space. Talking with cops in Sacramento, the Harleys are the bike that the cops like over the BMW's for the comfort. The Harley Road Kings are the most comfortable, but as pointed out before not as fast. I'm not really sure it would be good department policy to allow motor cops to chase at over 110 mph anyway as survival in a crash is less likely than a car.



Then of course Police departments are encouraged to buy US and support our nations economy. (yes I know that some parts come from oversees)



Finally the bikes in CHiP's were Kawasaki's

 

[tugboatphil]

I remember being in Pittsburgh in the late 70s and seeing the P. D. had Harley trikes. The back had a large box on it. For stuffing perps into??

 

[Alphacowboy]

The back had a large box on it. For stuffing perps into??

nope, that was for the light control modules. On the squad bikes, the light modules and stuff are put in that box, as there really is no other place to put them

 

[stakedd]

I have a buddy that works fore the Colorado Highway Patrol. He was recently given a new BMW 1200 to try out. He loved it. He clams that it will do 120 - 130 equipped. He clam’s it handles better and has not broke down once all summer. He was told that the 4 BMW's will be sold at the end of the year and it will only be HD's from now on. The department told him that 20 thousand dollar will be lost between buying and selling BMW's. They are able to sell the Hd for what they paid 2 years earlier, where as all other bikes are just a financial loss.

 

[hammersley]

Sure not around here.........

They're all running these... ... ... . KZP 1000's



http://www.motordoctor.net/

 

[Todd G]

Used to be KZ1000's, now it's BMW's in Arizona

 

[Briman]

BMW had anti lock brakes and Harley didn't. That's the reason Park City, UT originally bought the BMW. Now that Harley offers anti lock I think the PD is going to try them. The BMW is really quiet at idle. The cops never shut them off, just like a cop car.

 

[Bill Lins]

Harley leases a lot of police bikes for $1. 00/year.

 

[OKish]

i've seen one michigan city police bike that was a honda goldwing.

 

[MMeier]

BMW had anti lock brakes and Harley didn't. That's the reason Park City, UT originally bought the BMW. Now that Harley offers anti lock I think the PD is going to try them. The BMW is really quiet at idle. The cops never shut them off, just like a cop car.

Is the BMW water cooled?

 

[Dl5treez]

Harley leases a lot of police bikes for $1. 00/year.

That used to be the case, and might still be for some departments as they come in to the fold of having motorcycles in their fleet.



Lately HD has been upping the leases to the $850-2400 per year range. While not exactly as great of a deal as before, it is still a steal of a price, and one of the major reasons why so many departments use them.

 

[TPoulsen]

That used to be the case, and might still be for some departments as they come in to the fold of having motorcycles in their fleet.



Lately HD has been upping the leases to the $850-2400 per year range. While not exactly as great of a deal as before, it is still a steal of a price, and one of the major reasons why so many departments use them.

Kind of pathetic you have to basically give your product to the PD's.

 

[smartineau]

He was told that the 4 BMW's will be sold at the end of the year and it will only be HD's from now on. The department told him that 20 thousand dollar will be lost between buying and selling BMW's. They are able to sell the Hd for what they paid 2 years earlier, where as all other bikes are just a financial loss. [/QUOTE]





Talking to a few cops in the city where I work, I was told basically the same thing. The cops all liked them, but after a few crashes two of which were cars into the bikes, and one the cop was wrong. All in a short order, they went and bought the BMW's.



the couple of cops I talked too said they are quicker, handle better, but they miss the HD's.



steve

 

[GFritsch]

Kind of pathetic you have to basically give your product to the PD's.

Harley has a long history of supporting the millitary and law enforcement with heavily discounted prices. I believe Harley is still the best selling bike in America (they have lost some sales due to the high number of other smaller Ameican made customs out now). One reason that HD can lease the bike for next to free is the very high resale value of a used Harley.



Not sure what is pathetic about supporting law enforcement.



Greg

 

[TowPro]

Yes, the BMW's the cops use are K series, and they are water cooled.



On CHIPS, I have seen several different bikes. There were moto guzzi's, but when they would wreck them they used to use Honda CX 500's or CX 650's. they look like the moto guzzi where they engine is a V that sticks out on either side, but they are water cooled, and at the time were cheeper then Guzzi's to crash. I have also seen "inline" motors on some of the bikes which would not be the CX or Guzzi's.



I know Atlanta GA used BMW K100's in the 80's, I still see some for sale on Ebay every once and a while. In Phila they use HD's, no idea why you would want to ride an air cooled bike in the city all day.