Blue Blood Riding a FJR

[LKLD]

 

[SacramentoMike]

I like seeing cops on FJRs--and wearing Motoport gear. Pants, anyway. Wonder how many runs it takes to do it that smooth, and to learn the course. I'd love to give it a try.

 

[Panman]

I wish I had time to practice like that.

 

[MadRussian]

Wonder how often they have to changes clutches, after all that slipping they do.

 

[Defiant77]

Great video. Rode police bikes for 5 years (Harleys unfortunately) and we had to train quarterly. Those courses are hairy at best but fun all the time. You never burn out a clutch because when you are riding those courses it is all break and throttle. No clutch. As soon as you pull in your clutch you lose momentum and down you go.

Oops Brake and Throttle rather.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Video was great as soon as I silenced Daddy Mumford.

Can that be full speed, or is some of it in slo-mo? Moto cops get big respect from me and I know they have superlative riding skills, but ..... that's flat-out amazing.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

This. There's a lot of talk about the friction zone, and it is quite useful, but much more frequently used at low speed is throttle and the rear brake, applied at the same time. As espoused by Jerry "The Motorman" whoever, the dynamic pressure created using both throttle and rear brake makes the bike want to "stand up" during very low speed maneuvering. Works with a hog, works with an FJR. It takes an almost unworkeable low speed problem and makes it possible. That music was bad, video was great.

Great video. Rode police bikes for 5 years (Harleys unfortunately) and we had to train quarterly. Those courses are hairy at best but fun all the time. You never burn out a clutch because when you are riding those courses it is all break and throttle. No clutch. As soon as you pull in your clutch you lose momentum and down you go.

Oops Brake and Throttle rather.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I wonder if FJR riding officers like their bike? Or whether they are wishing for the good old days of American iron?

 

[Uncle Hud]

Atlanta PD motor officers ride big Harleys. (Don't ask me which model; all Harleys look alike to me.) They also wear the classic half-helmets in white, stretch pants with bloused pockets (think "Royal Canadian Mounted Police"), and badass leather boots that have the laces at the ankles and a buckle above the calf.

These guys are enjoying a quick lunch while escorting former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I've talked with a number of them (motor officers, not just APD). An APD guy told me (when I was deciding between a Kaw, a Road King, and an R1150RTP) that, if all I wanted to do was use it for work or weekend use, the Kaw or the King was fine. If I wanted to enjoy riding it, and ride it long distance, go for the BMW (He rode an RK at work, owned a BMW RTP personally). I was comparing my RTP to a RK in Miami. I told him that I could ride all day and still hated to get off, but I was fascinated by the road kings. He said if you're on an RK all day, you can't wait to get off. But then I've talked to GSP guys that wouldn't trade their RK for anything. I think it's subjective. Regarding helmets- I always figured, a half helmet is a half helmet. But their helmets have a "nape strap", which prevents them from rolling forward and coming completely off the head in a crash. Between nicer paint, nicer visor, and the nape strap, they cost what a quality full helmet normally costs, as opposed to the 20-100 bucks I'd normally associate with a half helmet. I get tradition and appearance, but I'm surprised most agencies haven't gone with modular helmets in silver or white. I've worn all three, and earplugs or not, half and 3/4 helmets are too noisy for me. I notice one of the guys in the video is rocking the ginormous RAM cupholder. I have the same, but it takes up too much real estate. I'd need a third ram ball to run it regularly, and I can't figure out where to put one.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Cup Holder: I rode beside a Victory (with neon under-lights) for an hour coming back from Macon one evening. He had a cupholder dangling beneath his left grip -- and was sipping the beer that was resting inside.

So, I guess the dangly cup holder is functional on the Interstate. Not sure if it smacks against the tank during a hard left turn.