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[michaelbmenaker]

Ouch!

The Michigan State Police fleet of motorcycles just got upgraded, according to the Detroit Free Press. For the first time in its history, the State Police switched loyalties in April, purchasing nine German-made BMW R1200s. Why? According to State Police testing the BMW is faster, handles dramatically better, has more advanced safety features, and even costs $500 less. No surprise to serious bike enthusiasts and other police agencies who use them, but how much faster, exactly? The BMW went from 0-100 m.p.h. in less than 11 seconds, while the Harley achieved the same speed in a lethargic 31 seconds. Top speed of the BMW? 131 mph. The Harley? 104 mph. The biggest cut of all? A State Police analysis labeled the Harley as a "capable vehicle for parade and ceremonial use." Ouch, baby.

[Twolanerider]

No new there so far as the Harley's capabilities are concerned.  We all understand the bikes and the company just aren't bastions of modernity.  Not what they do.  When I ever get a new bike it is so not going to be a new Harley.

[Banana man]

We all know that Harley's have always been slow compared to other models and that
the engineering is not on the cutting edge of today's technology to say the least. I
don't know why any police force would use them at all. A policeman needs a far more
capable bike than a Harley.

[SneakyPete]

When I ever get a new bike it is so not going to be a new Harley.

I'm with you Don, I will never buy a new Harley, would prefer an older one at a reasonable price considering all you have to spend on it to make it a reasonably comfortable, handling bike with the custom, personalized features that make it unique to the owner.

[Midnight Rider]

No new there so far as the Harley's capabilities are concerned.  We all understand the bikes and the company just aren't bastions of modernity.  Not what they do.  When I ever get a new bike it is so not going to be a new Harley.

So, Don....a Wing or a Beemer?  Inquiring minds want to know...  A Wing is hard to beat if you look at the overall picture of the kind of riding we do.

The only reason PD's use Harleys this day and time is because they are an enigma.  There are far better choices for a cop to be riding.  The only way HD is going to stay in that business is if they start low bidding on purpose.

[ultrafxr]

OK, the beemer is faster but how many high speed pursuits does the typical motor officer participate in?  Not many I would venture.  And at slower speeds the harley handles better - not only according to me but to several motor officers I have spoken with. 

Patrol duty means being in the saddle for quite a while during a work shift and the harley is more comfortable in that regard.

If you ask the officers who ride them I think the majority would prefer the harleys, imo.

[SDCVO]

Well I gotta say this. When I went to buy a new bike 5 months ago I did everything I could to NOT buy a Harley because of all my buddies riding either BMW's or Ducati's and them telling me for years when I rode with them how much better their bikes were then my Harley at the time and how much they would smoke me in the twisties (i had nitrous for the straights...). I tried both of those brands thinking that my decision was going to be between the 2. I was kinda of settling on the new Ducati (Diavel) when I thought before I pull the trigger, I needed to just go "check out" the CVO Street Glide and Road Glide just to make sure.
At the end of the day, there is just nothing like a Harley... I bought the Maple SERGC (my buddy did buy the Ducati) and I have not looked back even after switching bikes for a few hours with my buddy a few weeks ago.
The sound, the feel, there just isn't anything else on the road that compares!
My buddies can still "chew me up" in the twisties but now when they do, I have a big smile on my face because we all end up in the same place and I do it with style!
Do I wish that the moco would change some things, of course but in the big picture unless you are riding a MC for daily transportation, a Harley is the best thing going.
And yes, it ended up costing me a hell of a lot more by the time I was done "making it mine"...

[Banana man]

Well I gotta say this. When I went to buy a new bike 5 months ago I did everything I could to NOT buy a Harley because of all my buddies riding either BMW's or Ducati's and them telling me for years when I rode with them how much better their bikes were then my Harley at the time and how much they would smoke me in the twisties (i had nitrous for the straights...). I tried both of those brands thinking that my decision was going to be between the 2. I was kinda of settling on the new Ducati (Diavel) when I thought before I pull the trigger, I needed to just go "check out" the CVO Street Glide and Road Glide just to make sure.
At the end of the day, there is just nothing like a Harley... I bought the Maple SERGC (my buddy did buy the Ducati) and I have not looked back even after switching bikes for a few hours with my buddy a few weeks ago.
The sound, the feel, there just isn't anything else on the road that compares!
My buddies can still "chew me up" in the twisties but now when they do, I have a big smile on my face because we all end up in the same place and I do it with style!
Do I wish that the moco would change some things, of course but in the big picture unless you are riding a MC for daily transportation, a Harley is the best thing going.
And yes, it ended up costing me a hell of a lot more by the time I was done "making it mine"...

That's the reason we all buy Harley's! You have summed it up.

[dayne66]

That is quite the message that the Mich. Gov't is sending out.  Buy foreign! I guess  BMW or Camry cop cars are next.

The Victoria Police also dropped Harley....

I for one, will redouble my efforts to not use the services of any Police Department that does not use Harleys for their Motorcycles, when passing through their territory.

[Eagle Eye]

About two years ago, the City of San Jose dumped Harleys in favor of Honda ST1300s.  The guys didn't like it at first, but do love the bikes now.  There are still a few hold outs, but most have moved to the new bikes and are enjoying the benefits.

Those stats appear to be a little on the Conservative side or for a base equipped HD.  we all know Harleys can be made to run like a scalded dawg and handle very well, but the additional cost of bringing them up to snuff is what the agencies are looking at.  

If Harley would get smart, they'd produce a 120r equipped Ultra with an upgraded suspension in a "Police Special" edition that can't be bought retail.  The automobile industry did it for years with Crown Vics and other models.  I'd bet MoCo could make those without too much extra cost, saving taxpayers and resecuring the market.  It's a shame foreign companies are getting our tax money.  

[chaos901]

The articles state that they bought nine bikes.  I know that MS and TN have very few motor officers as they typically are used to escort the Govenor or a football team.

Sounds like parade duty to me. 

[Twolanerider]

So, Don....a Wing or a Beemer?  Inquiring minds want to know...  A Wing is hard to beat if you look at the overall picture of the kind of riding we do.

The only reason PD's use Harleys this day and time is because they are an enigma.  There are far better choices for a cop to be riding.  The only way HD is going to stay in that business is if they start low bidding on purpose.

Don't know what TC.  Doing the math on the Road King project only re-emphasized that it's a lot cheaper to build one the way you want it once than it is to pull a bunch of crap and rebuild a stock bike to something approximating good or good enough.  So that kind of effort is an option.

It's not that I don't like what we ride.  I obviously do.  But the company lost me several years ago.  We have to do so much to make up for what they don't.  And the attitude is incredulous; so lame.  There's nothing about the Bar and Shield that I'd want to wear on my body or my sleeve and hasn't been for a long time.  No emotional connect to the modern rendering of the company.  I like to ride.  But as long as it's a competent bike that's not just butt ugly I just don't care.

Butt ugly is a relative measure of course.  Wings aren't attractive.  They are utilitarian though.  And they aren't just butt ugly.  I could climb on a wing and not give it much thought.  I personally "fit" better on a Wing than I do the BMWs too.  But my old bikes are good for now.  And the latest is a Twolane Custom and not a Harley; no matter what the badges say.

[tweeter13]

I am only 42.  Have been riding sport bikes for the last 20 years.  If I wanted speed I would have bought another one.  Matter of fact I even traded Mine in on my Harley.  Suprised me how much they gave me for it.  So I said good by.  I never go attaced to any of them like I have with this bike.  I always thought I would have bought a goldwing.  But now that I have gotten older and been around more vets.  I think about buying american made as much as I can.  Didnt even look at one.  One look at this bike and I bought it.  Didnt even test drive it.  Have road other ultras before.  I had already told my friends that I ride with that have harleys that I would get one when I can get the cvo screaming eagle ultra and they all just laughed and said ya ya try and find a new one of them.  found one 800 miles away buying one of them a tee shirt.  And I even got a free one.  lol.  I think its kinda wrong that city officials sell out and buy products made out of the USA.  With out the tax base paying for their jobs what will they be doing next.  dont get me wrong.   There are forgien manufactures making products and employing people here so that is one thing but the profits do go back over seas.  But at least some people have jobs.  I even heard that Harley is putting a engine plant in indoniesia some place.  Dont know how true that really is though but it would not suprise me. 

jmho.  thanks for listening todd.   

[dlaws01]

I believe in buying American made products over foreign any day of the week, but a turd is a turd and I'm starting to reconsider my position on some products.

[Twolanerider]

I believe in buying American made products over foreign any day of the week, but a turd is a turd and I'm starting to reconsider my position on some products.

There's the first bite at the apple and there are the earned follow-ups.  Mother Harley has got many of my apple bites over the years.  Have "bought American" with that company first because it's the right thing to do and followed up because it was a choice.  But eventually their ambivalence leads to antipathy.  Enough is enough.  Until such a time as they do things qualtitatively and behaviorally different they just haven't earned my money anymore.  Bought American first.  But that American company just didn't hold up its end of the deal to keep me in the fold.