California Highway Patrol & the Connie 14

[stew71]

So there I was. On tonight's commute home. On the westbound 16th St. exit from Highway 50 and minding my own bidness at the stoplight. Whoa. What's that?

CHP on a bike that's doesn't look Germanic. Those aren't BMW side cases. And that ain't a Beemer opposed-twin. Hmmm...WTF. An inline??  So I creep forward a bit. Yep....

A Kawasaki Concourse 14. In black and white CHP colors. The officer sees me checking his bike out and and gives me a nod. I give him a thumbs-up. He smiles, waves, and takes off.

Nice.  

I've heard a couple of rumors that the CHP was less than satisfied with the Beemers they've been using lately. I guess they're true.  A buddy of mine who's an auto mechanic for the CHP told me that several local BMW shops were busted for overcharging on maintenance and warranty issues. I guess Kawasaki managed to get some inside track.

Didn't the CHP use Kawa's back in the 70's?

[Mac]

Yeah, Ponch and Jon rode Z1000s if I remember right. Or was it K1000s?

[stew71]

I think it was the KZ1000...wait....Google awaits....

Yep.  That was it.  

[Orson]

So I creep forward a bit. Yep....

A Kawasaki Concourse 14. In black and white CHP colors.

That's like a kiss of death.

Once a bike becomes a police bike, it becomes saddled with a "dad's bike" image.

It took years for Moto Guzzi to recover its sporty bike image after they produced police bikes

[coho]

That's like a kiss of death.

Once a bike becomes a police bike, it becomes saddled with a "dad's bike" image.

It took years for Moto Guzzi to recover its sporty bike image after they produced police bikes

Berlin* Polizei Norge 850.



I don't really have a point, I just wish I could get a Norge 850.  The Polizei livery would be cool, too.



*Where the BMW motorcycle factory is, the cops ride Italian.  Awesome.

[GTS_Rider]

Saw one on the way back from the Long Beach moto-show in SoCal on the 405. Not sure if it was CHP or some other agency because I was car-pooling with a couple friends shopping for motos, couldn't catch up for the side-view...   .  One thing for sure, an SV650s could smoke that C14 in a lane splitting competition on LA freeways. I can say that because I've owned a C-14. Those mirrors and bags stick out pretty wide. Though, also of note, I know for sure a Ninja 250 can smoke a KZ1000P lane-splitting, even uphill over the Sepulveda Pass. That doesn't prevent the cop from cheating and running up the right-side shoulder instead. Eh, they don't have to pay for tire repairs...  

Also, saw a fake one on 101 South between Hollywood and Downtown LA about a month ago. When I say fake, I mostly mean the rider. It was a Black C-14, but the rider was in full cop regalia. Black/white half-helmet, cop looking jacket and pants, even a holstered side-arm. I hate those fuckers. As soon as I inch up close enough to determine they have tags on the license plate, I make it a point to get around them asap and blast down the road on my way, because those fuckers never move over to let me by!

Sorry, done drunk rambling, here's a link on point to the thread...

http://www.government-fleet.com/News/Story/2010/09/CHP-Adopts-Kawasaki-s-Concours-14-P-Motorcycle.aspx?prestitial=1


  






  

[zer0netgain]

NCHP went with BMWs because they were overall safer, but BMWs are not cheap machines to own and maintain.  It's not surprising that the shops were padding the bills.  They probably figured nobody would bother to check.  

[Blunder]

The CHP is always looking for vehicles. Up here in the north state they put lots of miles on their vehicles. A few years ago they even tried Volvos.



The Birkenstocks didn't fit the image, though Ponch liked 'em.

[scottzilla]

So there I was. On tonight's commute home. On the westbound 16th St. exit from Highway 50 and minding my own bidness at the stoplight. Whoa. What's that?

CHP on a bike that's doesn't look Germanic. Those aren't BMW side cases. And that ain't a Beemer opposed-twin. Hmmm...WTF. An inline??  So I creep forward a bit. Yep....

A Kawasaki Concourse 14. In black and white CHP colors. The officer sees me checking his bike out and and gives me a nod. I give him a thumbs-up. He smiles, waves, and takes off.

Nice.  

I've heard a couple of rumors that the CHP was less than satisfied with the Beemers they've been using lately. I guess they're true.  A buddy of mine who's an auto mechanic for the CHP told me that several local BMW shops were busted for overcharging on maintenance and warranty issues. I guess Kawasaki managed to get some inside track.

Didn't the CHP use Kawa's back in the 70's?

Satisfaction has little to do with why companies get contracts.

[Royal Tiger]

Every year the Michigan State Police hold trials for all police vehicles; bikes, cars, SUV's, & trucks.  The Concourse 14 smoked the BMW and Hardley in every performance catagory.  The Kawasaki also had lower cost of maintance estimates then the BMW.  The reviewers preferred the side cases on the BMW though.

[Flying W]

My neighbor is a CHP motor officer and will soon be getting a C-14.. He said they accelerate alot faster than the BMW's but because of a issue with stability the CHP version has a speed restrictor set at 125 mph..

[DogBoy]

The CHP will get bikes from manufacturers for evaluation before the next round of bids. The evaluation period can be a few years (70,000 miles or so, IIRC). I've seen the C-14s for over a year around town. I don't remember reading anything about BMW dealers overcharging. The maintenance is part of the contract and the rates and estimated maintenance are part of the contract. Dealers around the state provide maintenance for the local CHP offices but only one dealer wins the bid to sell the bikes to the state.

A&S BMW in Sacramento had the contract to sell the bikes to the CHP (A&S also did CHP maintenance). It was discovered that a state employee involved in the bidding process had a side business as a DJ. A&S had hired that person for several events but never reported that there was a conflict of interest. A&S lost the contract to sell bikes to the CHP but that doesn't appear to have impacted the use of BMWs by the CHP. The A&S "scandal" happened two or three years ago.

[Jim Chamberlin]

I am biased I know but believe the c14 is the best looking Police bike I've seen.  Here is a link to a discussion of the c14 as a Police bike;  
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=95.0

[Cablebandit]

but because of a issue with stability the CHP version has a speed restrictor set at 125 mph..

Could be they don't want officers exceeding that speed.  The bike is rock solid at speed.

[county]

My neighbor is a CHP motor officer and will soon be getting a C-14.. He said they accelerate alot faster than the BMW's but because of a issue with stability the CHP version has a speed restrictor set at 125 mph..

  They shoulda bought FJR

[mxvet57]

  They shoulda bought FJR

So they can go faster.

[crispiegee1]

That's like a kiss of death.

Once a bike becomes a police bike, it becomes saddled with a "dad's bike" image.

It took years for Moto Guzzi to recover its sporty bike image after they produced police bikes

I'm sorry Orson, that is absolute nonsense.

First, the Ambassador/Eldorado series were Guzzi's first foray into the American market and - for years afterward - their best selling bikes ever. And the existence of a big-engined Guzzi in the police and touring market raised the profile of Moto Guzzi in the American consciousness. In 1972, the Eldorado was arguably the best touring bike available, with five speeds, shaft drive and 64 hp (claimed). The Japanese bikes were more powerful, but had flimsy frames and the Harley was a chain driven paint mixer.

Secondly, when De Tomaso eradicated the traditional Eldorado styling, Guzzi was left with nothing but angular, European looking bikes. Maybe people just thought the majority of Guzzis in the 1970's and 80's were pretty ugly, or that a Japanese inline four was sexier and faster (which they were). I doubt anyone looked at a Lemans III and thought, "I'm not buying that because they once made police bikes." Inline fours became much more popular than twins in the 70's because they were smooth and powerful. It was the style then.

Third, the motorcycle magazines always panned Moto Guzzi sport bikes as being "quirky," inferior in quality, slow and poorer handling than the Japanese bikes. They complained about shaft jacking and all sorts of other sins. If sales of Guzzi sport bikes suffered, it was more likely due to these poor reviews than because people wanted to disassociate themselves from a police bike.

Finally, did Kawasaki's sporty image suffer because they had police bikes? No. Does Honda sell fewer CBR600's because it also makes Goldwings? No. (Did Ford sell fewer Mustangs because they also sold Crown Victoria police cars? No.)  Nearly every motorcycle manufacture has a mix of modern and classic bikes.

You can have both touring bikes (and police bikes) in the same lineup as sport bikes and have no ill effect on the sales of either. The fact that Moto Guzzi has been mismanaged ever since their second day of business is more likely the reason why they didn't have a sporty image or competitive products.

[USAFRider]

How bout one of these

[Cablebandit]

They already wrecked that one.  (or should I say...laid it down)

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12520384

[Orson]

I'm sorry Orson, that is absolute nonsense.

You can have both touring bikes (and police bikes) in the same lineup as sport bikes and have no ill effect on the sales of either.

I was being tongue-in-cheekish, but unfortunately, there is no tongue in cheek icon available

I wuz trying to troll for C-14 riders, but it appears that my aim wuz way off