OFF THE WIRE
A lot of people wonder why most Police departments in the country use Harley-Davidsons. Most of these “general wonderers” are people who don’t ride. And it is this lack of knowledge which translates into this ignorance of a question.
Most people who know ride know why Harleys are the preferred choice for
police departments across the country. Many people think cops should use
sport bikes instead since they’re faster and agiler. Well, nobody is
denying the speed and agility of sportbikes.
However, contrary to popular media perception, motorcycle cops aren’t
engaging in high-speed pursuits all the time. This is why speed and
agility is not particularly high in the police departments’ priority
list. What is of greater importance is comfort. Motorcycle cops’
motorcycles are practically their office where they spend 8 hours a day!
If you’ve ridden a sportbike you wouldn’t probably even dare imagine
that.
So, comfort is the primary reason something like a Harley-Davidson is much better suited than a sportbike. Next, a Harley has the space to stock up all the gear and stuff motorcycle cops need to carry with them. Imagine the kind of baggage they have on their bikes on a sportbike and you’ll understand how ridiculous a motorcycle cop on a sportbike will look!
The next thing is reliability. Police departments can’t have their cops’ motorcycles be stranded in the workshop every couple of thousand kilometers. And this is where Harley’s reliability steps in. Of course, Harleys are hassle-free only when they’re well maintained, but then that’s not really a difficult task for most police departments.
The reason Harleys are preferred by most police departments over other cruisers is probably because departments like to go “American” whenever they can. This is probably why the U.S. Military uses Hummer and not Land Cruisers. Police Cars are generally Fords and not Hondas. And probably also why police motorcycles are more often Harleys and not BMWs.
If we missed any point there, please do let us know in the comments section below.
