Tracers for new police bikes

[Gremlin]

The tender invite form had various questions regarding the specifications. One such was "maximum angle of lean."
BMW, who only made air heads in those days, always replied, "Dependant on rider ability."

Fun timing... for a while with the Road 5s, I was complaining that Michelin needed to give us 150/70/17 shod bikes more lean angle as I was off the edge of the tyre. Last weekend heading through the Kaimais to Mt Maunganui for the Tinman Triathlon, I realised that actually the tyres and the bike weren't far apart...

Heading into one corner up the passing lane I start dragging something. While trying to figure out what I'm also adjusting my lean angle as obviously pushing too far will unload at least one wheel. At my new lean angle I'm now trying to figure out if my arc will keep me going around the corner or not... ah, excellent, all good, straighten up and carry on.

Later on I inspect the bike, initially thinking the side stand foot again, until I eventually discover a nice long scrape on the crash bar extension under the cylinder head. Bearing in mind it has Ohlins suspension, it's more capable than it was leaving the factory! Only took me just under 10 years to discover the limit

Back on topic of the Yamaha, looks like side loading panniers, when the police have usually run a variant which is top loading, while civilian was side loading... I can see the attraction of the lower weight, but yes, all round wind protection etc.

[caspernz]

Later on I inspect the bike, initially thinking the side stand foot again, until I eventually discover a nice long scrape on the crash bar extension under the cylinder head. Bearing in mind it has Ohlins suspension, it's more capable than it was leaving the factory! Only took me just under 10 years to discover the limit

Back on topic of the Yamaha, looks like side loading panniers, when the police have usually run a variant which is top loading, while civilian was side loading... I can see the attraction of the lower weight, but yes, all round wind protection etc.

Was your bike riding lower on account of the luggage you were carrying at all?

Rumour had it the FJR was rejected a few years back on account of the clamshell panniers on the demo units, but it may have been a "commercial arrangement" of another kind that swung the deal to Honda

The Tracer is an ok bike, but feels decidedly budget compared to an FJR

[Hoonicorn]

I'm amused by journos just googling MT09 and putting images of the naked bike up, which is a completely different style of bike to the yammie tracer 900. Kinda says something about the level of journalism in 2020.

[george formby]

Yup.

Prolly the Tracer GT. It has hand bags already attached.

[Jeeper]

I'm amused by journos just googling MT09 and putting images of the naked bike up, which is a completely different style of bike to the yammie tracer 900. Kinda says something about the level of journalism in 2020.

Tracer 900, MT09 and XSR900 all share the same engine and frame. Then they apply make-up to sell to different segments.

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[rastuscat]

Its the chain that's really interesting. First chain on a cop bike in a very long time.

[Gremlin]

Its the chain that's really interesting. First chain on a cop bike in a very long time.

Hope they're better than me at maintaining it!

[rastuscat]

Hope they're better than me at maintaining it!

Scottoilers or similar being fitted.

[Autech]

Not really an issue. I often see Police vehicles on transporters heading for the big city repair shops. If they can do it for the four wheeled Police vehicles ... A motorcycle should not be a big issue to pick up.

I was referring to the question of what to replace the car fleet with, bikes are no drama as we only have them in the cities anyways

[Scuba_Steve]

They could've gone with BMW for both cars and bikes. They supply to many law enforcement agencies in Europe both cars and bikes for policing work.

That way deal with one manufacturer.

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Insider knowledge told me the reason they went Holden over BMW last car tender wasn't cause Holden were cheaper (they weren't when purchase & service was accounted) but because Holden was perceived by public as cheaper.
They didn't want the general public thinking they were wasting tax money so they wasted tax money to achieve that look

[FJRider]

I was referring to the question of what to replace the car fleet with ...

AS I said in my post ... vehicle transporters already bring (Marked) Police vehicles back to city centers for repair ... or service ... or for any other logistical purpose. There is no reason why it cannot continue ... regardless of the manufacturer of the vehicle. Your point is ... ???

[FJRider]

Insider knowledge told me the reason they went Holden over BMW last car tender wasn't cause Holden were cheaper (they weren't when purchase & service was accounted) but because Holden was perceived by public as cheaper.
They didn't want the general public thinking they were wasting tax money so they wasted tax money to achieve that look

If they only leased them ... or purchased them for the period of the warranty period (as per most rental companies policy) ... vehicle servicing costs would be a non issue.

[F5 Dave]

For the cars at least there is a shit ton of customisation and requirements you just wouldn't think of. To have a considered conversation here would be to miss reams of considerations.

The brakes for example, sheesh..

[Autech]

AS I said in my post ... vehicle transporters already bring (Marked) Police vehicles back to city centers for repair ... or service ... or for any other logistical purpose. There is no reason why it cannot continue ... regardless of the manufacturer of the vehicle. Your point is ... ???

That may be the case in a few small cases but I've seen Holden Police cars being serviced at every provincial dealership I've worked in Nationwide (I've worked at a few too).

It makes financial and logical sense that going with a brand with the dealer network in place to service vehicles will be high on the priority of the people in charge of making the decision. BMWs make no sense at all in little old NZ. I'm almost certain that every time a car needs an oil change in *insert small town here* the Police don't want to be paying to put it on a transporter to go to the nearest larger city (or paying someone to drive it there) to get it serviced.

That's just thick.

My money is on them going with a Toyota or Ford of some sort next time round, no other dealers have the network to support such a large fleet.

Happy to be proven wrong though, but that's who I'd be putting a tenner on.

[FJRider]

That may be the case in a few small cases but I've seen Holden Police cars being serviced at every provincial dealership I've worked in Nationwide (I've worked at a few too).

It makes financial and logical sense that going with a brand with the dealer network in place to service vehicles will be high on the priority of the people in charge of making the decision. BMWs make no sense at all in little old NZ. I'm almost certain that every time a car needs an oil change in *insert small town here* the Police don't want to be paying to put it on a transporter to go to the nearest larger city (or paying someone to drive it there) to get it serviced.

That's just thick.

My money is on them going with a Toyota or Ford of some sort next time round, no other dealers have the network to support such a large fleet.

Happy to be proven wrong though, but that's who I'd be putting a tenner on.

Servicing is one thing ... but probably NOT during the warranty periods. Most towns of any size have Government contract garages. But there are plenty of areas in the North AND South islands that are a long way from any such contracted garages.

For the numbers of vehicles involved in the vehicle purchase requirements ... the price paid would be substantially lower than normal retail costs. What YOU think 'Financial Sense" would be ... might vary a bit without knowing all the various financial costing's in the contract. Or even full details of the contract. Both of which will be unlikely to be publicized ... for "Commercial Sensitivity " reasoning.

Financial and logical sense may not even be applicable in the Jacinda led Government contract reasoning. Lada's ... ???


Time will tell.

Servicing clauses in the purchase contract might likely feature as well. Transporter costs to remoter places will often occur for replacement vehicles (delivery of one and removal of the other). Be it for repair or service.