Police motorcycle 2732661 211289847 2008-05-09T16:56:56Z Iridescent 937705 Cleanup & [[WP:AWB/T|typo fixing]] , typos fixed: the the → the using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] [[Image:2006-08 Frankfurt (Oder) 11.jpg|thumb|[[BMW]] police motorcycle in [[Germany]]]] [[Image:PolizeiHarley.JPG|thumb|A [[Harley-Davidson]] police motorcycle in [[Hamburg]], [[Germany]]]]A '''police motorcycle''' is a [[motorcycle]] used by various [[police]] forces/departments. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States. Similarly, motorcycle units are known as "motor units," and motorcycle officers are known as "motor officers." Due to the drawbacks of exposure to the weather, motorcycle patrols are more common in temperate [[urban area]]s with heavy traffic or on high-speed highways. The maneuverability of the motorcycle on crowded streets offer advantages not provided by larger, more traditional police vehicles. The motorcycle's relatively small size allows it to get to accident scenes more quickly when incidents such as traffic collisions slow down access by four-wheel vehicles. They also consume less fuel than [[police car]]s, which saves costs for the users. == History == [[Image:Motorofficer.jpg|thumb|left|A motor officer writes a traffic ticket for a motorist caught speeding]] [[Police officer]]s have used motorcycles&mdash;primarily for the enforcement of traffic laws and as escort vehicles&mdash;since the early 20th century. Chief [[August Vollmer]] of the [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], [[California]] [[Police Department]] is credited with organizing the first official police motorcycle patrol in the United States in 1911.<ref name="Our History">{{cite web | title=Our History | work=Berkeley Police Department Online, City of Berkeley, CA | url=http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police/history/history.html | accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> However, several police forces around the country reported using motorcycles as patrol vehicles earlier. The police department in [[Evanston]], [[Illinois]] purchased a belt-driven motorcycle for its first motorcycle police officer in 1908,<ref name="Evanston Police Department History">{{cite web | title=Evanston Police Department History | work=City of Evanston, IL (2007) | url=http://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/police/history/history_01.shtml | accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> and the [[Portland, Oregon]] Police Bureau had a police officer who used his personal motorcycle to patrol the city as early as 1909.<ref name="History of the Motorcycle Detail">{{cite web | author=Officer Peter Bowman | title=History of the Motorcycle Detail | work=Traffic Division, Portland Police Bureau, Portland, OR (1983, edited in 1999 by Officer Michael Clary) | url=http://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?a=ddhig&c=daffj | accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> The role of the motorcycle as inexpensive public transportation devolved in the 1930s, and their use by police and the armed forces also grew, providing a stable production market for the more utilitarian machines, especially as [[Europe]] rearmed after [[World War I]].<ref name="An overview of the British motorcycle industry and its collapse">{{cite web | title=An overview of the British motorcycle industry and its collapse | author=Ian Chadwick | work=British Motorcycle Manufacturers | date= [[June 30]] [[2001]] | url=http://www.ianchadwick.com/motorcycles/britbikes/index.html | accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> == Motorcycles used == [[Image:Japanese HONDA VFR800P police motorcycle.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Honda VFR800|Honda VFR800P]] police motorcycle in Japan]][[Image:VicPol Solo.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Victoria Police]] [[BMW Motorrad|BMW R1150RT]]]] [[Image:Motos-gendarmerie-IMG 1384.jpg|thumb|French gendarme on a [[Yamaha FJR1300]]]] Police motorcycles in the United States typically use purpose-built motorcycles marketed by [[Harley-Davidson]], [[Kawasaki motorcycles|Kawasaki]], [[Honda]], or [[BMW motorcycles|BMW]]. [[Kawasaki Police Motorcycles]], which were built for the US market in [[Lincoln, Nebraska]], ceased production in September 2005.<!-- EzineArticles is on black list so commenting out<ref name="Police Motorcycles">{{cite web | title=Police Motorcycles | author=Peter Emerson | work=News-and-Society, Home, EzineArticles.com | url=http://ezinearticles.com/?Police-Motorcycles&id=354287 | accessdate=2007-06-18}}</ref>--> In [[Germany]], BMW is by far the largest provider of motorcycles for authority use.{{fact|date=December 2007}} In the [[United Kingdom]] the most common police motorcycles are the BMW RT series, the [[Honda ST series]] and the [[Yamaha FJR1300]], although most forces have withdrawn the [[Honda ST1300|ST1300 Pan European]] since the death of an officer was blamed on the machine.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/May/may15-20/may1407policewithdrawpanoversafetyconcerns/?&R=EPI-91227 | title= Police withdraw Pan over safety concerns | publisher = [[Motorcycle News]] | date= [[14 May]] [[2007]] | accessdate= 2007-12-26}}</ref> Some police forces also use [[Scooter (motorcycle)|scooters]] within towns. In 2004, BMW claimed to be the largest seller of motorcycles for authority use, as more than 80,000 BMW motorcycles were in official use in over 150 countries on five continents.<ref>{{cite press release | title = BMW Revs Up NYC Sheriff's Department | work = BMW press release | date = [[May 4]] [[2004]] | url = http://www.policeone.com/police-products/vehicles/motorcycles/press-releases/85906/| | accessdate = 2007-06-29}}</ref> BMW produce police-specific models such as the [[BMW R1200RT|R1200RT]] and R900RT, the latter not available to the general public. More than 140 U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the [[California Highway Patrol]], had BMW authority motorcycles in their fleets of patrol vehicles. Harley-Davidson has maintained a long relationship with police departments and law-enforcement agencies.<ref name="On Patrol">{{cite web | title=On Patrol | work=2005 Harley-Davidson Police Motorcycles | url=http://www.mapc.org/services/GBPC/Harley/On%20Patrol%202005%20Harley-Davidson%20Police%20Motorcycles%20Catalog.pdf | format= PDF | accessdate=2007-06-18}}</ref> As of 2007, Harley-Davidson offered the [[Harley-Davidson FL|FLHTP Electra Glide]], the FLHP Road King and the [[Harley-Davidson Sportster|XL883 Sportster]] in police and fire/rescue editions. ==In popular culture== *[[Electra Glide in Blue]] *[[CHiPs]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.policeone.com/police-products/vehicle-equipment/motorcycles/articles/79717/ Working on Two Wheels] at PoliceOne.com * [http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/content/pages/police_motorcycles/mounted_officer.jsp?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US&HDCWPSession=r9vRG39G0QhbQGRGhTN6TchtRhMxmfR8GLynSmxJvhdLcRlQzQ0s!883040284!-751122209 ''The Mounted Officer''] at Harley-Davidson.com {{commons-inline|Category:Police motorcycles|Police motorcycles}} [[Category:Law enforcement equipment|Motorcycle, Police]] [[Category:Police vehicles]] [[Category:Motorcycles]] [[ja:白バイ]]