CHP Switches to Harley Davidson

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ST Gui

240Robert
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That's been going on for quite a while. I guess maintenance was cheaper on an H-D than a BMW and I suppose HD was low bid. That and the CHP has apparently decided they don't need to catch anybody.
 
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tawilke46
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Cross post from the NT forum......


Re: Breaking News!
My neighbor is a retired CHP sergeant and he said that the motor cops he has talked to are not happy about the switch. Apparently they really liked the BMW. Further, he said that they were originally going to purchase Kawasaki's (Concours?) but there were some supply problems. Kawasaki did deliver a few to the CHP. Back in the '60'sand '70's the Harleys were taken out of service at 40,000 miles and they were pretty much worn out. I realize that the current Harleys are probably better.
John
 

SupraSabre

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every now and then I see one that patrols the I15 between SR78 & SR56 (might go father south, I'm sure).

It's almost funny! ... Okay, it is funny! ;)
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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I realize that the current Harleys are probably better.
Well they probably don't leak as much. I'm sure there are other improvements but they don't handle well and the don't go. The Alameda County Sheriffs Department uses H-Ds and initially their actual top speed was 85mph. Ad copy speed may have been higher. Now they come to ACSO with a Stage III kit so they'll get out of their own way. The SO doesn't need a really fast bike but they needed something quicker than the box-stock H-Ds.

I'd like to see stats on maintenance costs for a year compared to the BMWs.
 
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The first article quotes that some of the BMWs have over 140,000 miles of LEO duty on them and imply that those bikes are getting too expensive to maintain. First class, enlightening reporting there. Jeez. I love the looks of a HD, but I have a real hard time considering one a real working LEO bike. Maybe a good parade perch?
 

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HD launched a very aggressive campaign in the LE market a few years back that plays to the whims of number crunchers and budget admins more than the lads that have to get through their work day on them. They present fixed cost scenarios for maint into the purchase price, municipal budget managers like fixed costs, and then make the dealers take a hit on what they are reimbursed from HD from doing the work. It's a better marketing spin than actual solution. You'll find many of the early takers of this program have transitioned back to something else. The new R12 mill (water cooled, wet clutch) is far more cost effective, with far less down time for maint.
 
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My small town (45k) in New Mexico just got a motorcycle division which consists of 2 HD's. With all the gadgets, lights, sirens, buttons, communications, computer, radar, flashlight holder/charger, etc those things are loaded down...I can't imagine those things being very fast, and NEVER considered nimble.

Side story: Several of my family members are/were LEO's...brother and step-mom were detectives and my dad flew helicopters for Dallas for 30 years; none of them were in the "revenue" area (for very long) like many cops are accused of. Needless to say I have a healthy amount of respect for most LE.

However back to the subject and my point: the 2 new motorcycle cops in my town were pretty arrogant. They've been riding those bikes for MAYBE a month and acted like they were just too cool. And it's not like it was a high pressure situation...We were shooting the bull for a few minutes before they helped escort a funeral.

Seriously, we both like guns, motorcycles, and think people abiding by the law is healthy. We even both are in professions where we deal with death and tragedies; all this in common and he struts around the bike with his thumbs tucked into his belt and his Sun visor down...

I wonder if that's why he doesn't ride a Honda...you meet the nicest guys on Honda's...and the jack-wagons??? They're on Harleys!

Please see my sarcasm here...
 

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Since this is turning into a Harley bashing thread - it's closed.
 
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