"bike inspector" cop cars / stormtroopers

[Leskid]

Reading a couple of current threads about obnoxiously loud HDs & sportbikes, I'm curious as to why no one has mentioned what I see from time to time up here.

3 or 4 years back, I was riding north out of montreal on my buddy's completely modded-out RC51. I was just keeping up with (heavy) traffic at 110-115kms, minding my own business when WHAM!!!! a friggen cop almost hits me BESIDE ME in my lane and simultaneously turns on his lights & sirens..... bastard This flagrant sneaking-up-on-you tactic was clearly used so I don't get the urge to outrun him. He used to shoulder to accomplish this.

Point is: I wasn't speeding any more than any of the cages. I also didn't have ownership / insurance papers of my buddy's bike. Cop didn't care. As soon as I was pulled over, he got out of his car, went to the trunk and pulled out a F-ING TOOL BOX, then proceeded to measure this, that & other other thing and wrote me-up $600 in tickets for such things as missing baffles, chopped rear fender, non-stock signals, licensplate holder etc... he was trained & equipped to find such irregularities and he had a field day with me.

I've since seen them here & there, having their way with poor riders, especially at the beginning of the season.

So 2 questions:

1) are we the only 'lucky ones'? Have you guys seen these cops/tactics in other areas?

2) philosophical question: my buddy was nice enough to let me take out the RC51 for the day. So I should pay, right? On the other hand, I didn't know the bike was full of illegal mods. We went 50-50 in the end. Part of me still thinks that years later, I should write my buddy a cheque for the remaining $300

 

[Bungie]

First off, I don't think you should have paid any of the fines. It wasn't your bike, you didn't do the mods. But I do understand.

As for the rest of it. They do that here in Sudbury about once or twice a year. They set up spot checks for 'equipment violations'. They don't do bikes only but all vehicles - but I garuntee, if your on a bike, your not going to get by unscathed. Right now, well, actually, for the last 2 years, they've been cracking down on loud bikes. To the point that a police escort on a charity ride stopped at a designated 'regroup' spot and wrote out 4 tickets for pipes. Nice.

Has this had any affect on the number of obnoxiously loud bikes on the road? No. Not one bit. It's only pissed off everybody else (riding bikes). They've been writing tickets for pipes on bikes with STOCK PIPES (not drilled or modded). Worse, just about everybody up here now refuses to ride in any charity rides given the tactics lately.

Way to go you bunch of ******** - your denying a whole bunch of underpriveleged local kids toys under the tree this Christmas. Not to mention the HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars raised for local causes every year.

 

[Leskid]

this was already relegated to NEPRTS?

I've never admin-bashed before but in this case: There are two current threads on the subject of loud exhausts. Loud exhausts aren't NERPTS? Hmm

Why do cops allow such load bikes?

British tourist perspective on harleys

It's almost Friday so after this, I guess you'll hear back from me in a week or two

 

[Mcgyver74]

I dunno if this is relevant, but back when I was in college, I was riding home on my old V45 Sabre when I saw a cop tailgating me, well being as How I didn't want to die, I pulled over to let him pass, he promptly pulls in behind me and puts his lights on.

Well, Mr Attitude was all flowers and sunshine from the beginning, No "License and reg" no "Do you know why I pulled you over. Instead he opens with

"Boy, you may not be aware of this but you need a special license to operate this motor vehicle", to which I replied 'Yes officer I have a motorcycle license"

He then proceeded to inspect every inch of the bike looking for anything he could ticket me for, checked turn signals, even checked my tire pressures. Lucky I usually keep everything in order and the bike was bone stock.

After 45 minutes in the sun (he wouldn't let me take my leather jacket off either) he finally concedes that there wasn't anything he could ticket me for and lets me go, as I'm putting my helmet back on he says "Oh and get rid of this F'n rice burner"

He was giving me hell because I wasn't on a freggin Harley!!! (2 Hog's went by with straight pipes while he was "inspecting" my bike and that he didn't care about..

I investigated filling a report, but was informed by a few people and attorneys that in Mahwah NJ, doing that was a VERY bad idea...

To be honest, i've only had one good run in with a LEO, when I was riding my dad's K75 and the guy pulled me over for rolling through a stop sign which I did do, he asked me for license and reg, I provided them. He looks at my license and says "Sir I've stopped 5 bikes today, you are the first one who actually has a motorcycle license , take it easy and have a nice day" and let me go..

 

[VT Silver]

In New York state, the police set up and pull all motorcycles over to inspect for EPA Approved and manufacturer stamps on exhaust systems. Tickets for all who don't qualify. I have not been stopped in New York on my cruiser running Vance & Hines Straight Shots (baffles in) but I won't go to Americade on it. That seems to be where they like to make the stops... they set up once on I-84 a year ago and also at the Canadian border I have heard. I'll ride the FZ1 to Americade.

I have traveled through the state on my way to Virginia or other points South and, so far, have not been ticketed. I plan on going to a stock cruiser again when I can afford to do so.

B)