Clovis PD dumps their Harleys

[Toecutter]

Spoke to a CHP motor officer to confirm, after spotting a Clovis cop on a Beemer the other day. He said an officer told him the Harleys were falling apart and wouldn't catch up to speeding cars in a timely manner on the freeway. A while back, their Chief started having his officers do some speed enforcement there, after tiring of cars passing him at 90+ on his way to work. But the motor officers couldn't catch up until they got into Fresno, as the story goes...sounds fishy, but I' m just repeating what the CHP guy told me.

They got the new model, which he said are lighter and more powerful than what the CHP now has (almost three years old). One officer told him he went after a speeder, but gave up the chase when he almost looped it in second gear. Had to stop and gather himself....

Good thing they didn't pick Honda.

 

[madmike2]

Here in Elk Grove they're going the other way.....replacing the BMWs with Harleys. Go figure! Most of the enforcement here is on city streets and avenues, 25-50 mph zones.

A possible reason is the HD dealer in our little town. The closest BMW dealer is A&S in Roseville, 35miles away. Maintence time being as large an issue as maintenance costs when the bikes are ridden as many miles as patrol units are.

Presence is probably as large a factor as actual pursuit, figuring that "high speed" chases are a small percentage of the enforcement scenario. The "Motorola" is much faster than any bike, anyway.

 

[evil_henchman]

Here in Elk Grove they're going the other way.....replacing the BMWs with Harleys. Go figure! Most of the enforcement here is on city streets and avenues, 25-50 mph zones.
A possible reason is the HD dealer in our little town. The closest BMW dealer is A&S in Roseville, 35miles away. Maintence time being as large an issue as maintenance costs when the bikes are ridden as many miles as patrol units are.

Presence is probably as large a factor as actual pursuit, figuring that "high speed" chases are a small percentage of the enforcement scenario. The "Motorola" is much faster than any bike, anyway.

True true and a swarm of cop cars is never more than a block away in Elk Grove either. The bikes are just for show.

 

[madmike2]

Presence is probably as large a factor as actual pursuit, figuring that "high speed" chases are a small percentage of the enforcement scenario. The "Motorola" is much faster than any bike, anyway.

True true and a swarm of cop cars is never more than a block away in Elk Grove either. The bikes are just for show.

Yeah, I edited "presence". Visibility is as much a factor in a small town as anything else. Still, I've seen them working a certain "Blvd" and still watch people speed by, only to get a visitation 1/4 mile up the road. Doh!!

Sumtyme yuh gotta hangup thet dang ol' warless tellyfone en pay 'tension! :huh: Them revenooers er gunna keep the rist uh us city-zens sayfe.

 

[Toecutter]

A possible reason is the HD dealer in our little town. The closest BMW dealer is A&S in Roseville, 35miles away. Maintenance time being as large an issue as maintenance costs when the bikes are ridden as many miles as patrol units are.

I heard Harley leases the bikes for a dollar, or something like that, but the dept. pays for maintenance.

Hmmm, "The first one's free", seems vaguely familiar....

Back when Fresno dumped Harleys for Kawi 1000's, many moons ago, some of the officers had some rough "adjustments" to the increased power. Some of those Kawis are still in service.

 

[RatoneMuerto]

Our Leo's are going back to HD.They dont like them but not much choice with no more Kawasaki.Dallas and Garland specified the bikes to be non ABS from what I am told.That leaves out the Beemer and Honda.Pretty hard to out run Motorola and a Bell Long Ranger anyway.

 

[KSFJR]

Not a bike but one of our small local 35 mph residentiaL communities surrounded by small 35 mph residential communities here in Kansas City just got a 150 mph Hemi Charger. Little bit of overkill. Makes sense for a freeway community but none close by for them.