The rides of the mounted police worldwide...

[p6x]

So yesterday, February 19th 2023, I was at a Mardi Gras parade.

A staple of my youth in my native country. It was primarily a kid's celebration. We, not the adults, would wear costumes. As the years passed by, the Mardi Gras' festivities shrank and died down.

I was surprised to find it again, here, in the United States. Although, it was much more a grown up act, an interpretation of a foreign tradition brought to Louisiana.

As I was looking for a spot, I witnessed the pre-job meeting of a selection of law and order riders from different agencies.

The local police used Harley Davidson motorcycles.

The State Troopers used BMW motorcycles.

Some unmarked officers had a selection ranging from Honda Goldwing and full fairings Kawasaki. Not sure if they were SWAT, as I don't know if SWAT has a motorcycle team.

I my country of origin, the Police used to be exclusively equipped with BMW. Then some Yamaha were also introduced. More recently, they created some urban fast intervention teams, riding on more agile motorcycles, such as Enduro bikes.

Those are labeled: BRAV-POL. On Yamaha bikes.

But traditionally, BMW has been a major provider of police motorbikes.

When I was in Italy, the Carabinieri used Moto Guzzi. I don't think they do anymore.

What brand does your Police use in terms of motorcycle?

[gstallons]

In W Ky, SEMO, So.Il. & NW Tn. I don't think I have ever seen a cycle cop ?

[al_roethlisberger]

California has run through a number of makes, and I remember it was a big deal when they switched to BMW quite a few years (decades now?) ago.

Here's my favorite   (Come on, you can hear the theme music right now, can't you?)

 

[audiomick]

The police here (Germany...) are generally on BMWs. The Berlin Police had a batch of Breva 850s for a while. If you keep an eye on the second hand market, they turn up occasionally.

A quick search indicates that the Police in Melbourne, Australia are using BMW.

I was on Mauritius a few years back. They had an interesting collection. The President, I believe it was, a ranking Politician at least, turned up for an official Event associated with the project I was there for. The honour gaurd was on some new Yamaha modell. On the street (there were quite a lot of mounted Police...) a couple of MG Breva 750, some Enduro thingies (maybe Honda...) and even a couple of larger scooters (Korean, I believe...), and I think I saw a couple of asian soft choppers. The country is not one of the richest in the world, and I dare say that just take whatever they can get a good deal on.

[gstallons]

I think it was this forum I told about CHP going from Harleys to Kawasakis. The Harleys were constantly needing maintenance , valve jobs every few months . The Kawasakis had ZERO maintenance problems . The only thing the Kawasaki would NOT do the Harleys did w/no problem was pushing stalled cars off the interstate. W/the Harleys , if the bumpers matched , you could shove it. The Kawasakis would fold the forks up and bend the frames.

[audiomick]

I always knew that Harleys were really farm machinery in disguise...

[docc]

Moto Guzzi has supplied models for the Italian Presidential Guard (Regimento Corazzieri Carabinieri ).

In fact, part of Ing. Carcano's original V7 design statement suggested, "It should have the stature of a Norman horse " for this purpose.

There is a Guardia d'onore V85TT offered to replace the aging, but stately, 1400. Will they wait for a V100 Corazzieri Especiale ?

Yet, it seems the carabinieri, at large, have their own ideas . . .

[Pressureangle]

Peru is the second poorest Country in South America. But they this year upgraded from Bajaj to Honda. Still 200cc.
 

[80CX100]

Historically,most of the police bikes in Canada are HD's,iirc I think that the QPF Quebec Surete ride BMWs.

I've posted before about the misguided notion of giving the beat cops in Ottawa,Honda CB200s to rip around on;there were many impromptu mini GP races set up and the occasional ski hill climbing and jumping competitions

Sadly,we had a fleet of Kawis for a few years;with all the heavy police equipment,the front end tended to be overwhelmed easily and go squirrely if pushed hard.

In 1983,Cst.Russell O'Connor, a traffic cop on my platoon,was on route to a call traveling on the Queensway 417 Hwy,which was under construction being widened from 4 lanes to 6. As he crossed a bad seam in the old/new pavement transition,his Kawi went into a major head shake and threw him down hard.

The helmets the traffic guys wore at that time,were cheap little half buckets,he died instantly.

After Russ's death,Ottawa Police took all motorcycles off the road, but after a few years,fielded a fleet of HD's which they still have.

[docc]

Tennessee, USA: H-D . . .

[Scud]

When police first started using BMWs I had a friend who worked at Irv Seaver BMW (Orange County, CA). They were constantly repairing the back ends of the BMWs because the police on Harleys would crash into them when the BMWs stopped too fast.

[MartyNZ]

The NZ cops have several models on the road.

BMW R1200RT, Honda ST1300, Yamaha FJR1300 & MT09 Tracer.

No HDs, but they do have John Deere Gator & New Holland Tractors in police livery.

[MartyNZ]

NZ cops are open to other transport options too.

[gstallons]

19 hours ago, audiomick said:

I always knew that Harleys were really farm machinery in disguise...

I asked a buddy of mine "does Harley do anything good" ? He said "they made the best sidestand in the business" !

[audiomick]

4 hours ago, gstallons said:

... "they made the best sidestand in the business" !

Well, they kind of have to don't they? All that weight...