Your bike cops

[Lou Girardin]

I have been a motorbike cop in Auckland for the past 4 years - not many jobs you can get paid to ride a bike... have been riding for about 16 years and just bought a CBR1100XX Blackbird ... now where am I going to put that radar detector????

I like this guy already, passes the attitude test.

[moko]

All this chat about Blighty has made an expat a bit homesick! being from Devon (Exeter) I was once a member of the Suzuki Owners Club, we used to meet at a pub at Kennford or something at the bottom of Holden Hill if my memory serves.

That`ll be Haldon Hill mate and awesome it is,sneaky bleeders have put a speed camera right at the bottom of it as you approach from the Plymouth side.I got 100m.p.h. out of my XT600E going down the other way last year,frightening experience,whole thing felt like it was going to tie itself into a knot,I`d got close on it a few times though and was determined to crack the ton and Haldon was the ideal place.Trucker mate of mine had his brakes fail going down there early this year,handbrake safety device kicked in and he eventually stopped in a cloud of rubber smoke and blazing brakes,nearly shit himself as well.
Dont know how long since you lived there mate but there`s a major charity ride-out along the A38 every year now,ends up on Plymouth Hoe,this year saw over 6000 bikes and 30+degrees,Police shut the `38 off to cars and what an impressive sight it was.

[Bob]

Bike cops in the UK? Sadly a dying breed. More than one local force seems to have dropped their bike units.

I sort of live between two police force areas - London (Metropolitan) and Essex. The former still has quite a few - and needs them, what with security issues, escorting VIPs and the like. The latter seems to have got rid of their bike force totally.

I've always found the bike cops over here to be top people - and as Moko said, they are good, very good. I've watched them chase down something in theory that should leave them standing. The look of amazement as chummy is pulled over is great to see!

I keep meaning to contact one of the forces to see about doing an observed ride with them - more than one force over here runs courses where they'll take you out, watch what you do and give pointers on how to improve your riding. Given what I said above, learning a little of their style is no bad thing.

[bgd]

Bob, do the IAM training. It's based on the Police system and examined by them. Well worth it and doesn't cost the earth. Bikesafe run by the met is also a good day out.

[White trash]

I remember "Fast Bikes" mag a few years ago doing an article on a bike cop. Sean and Jason Emmett (2 VERY talented riders for those who dont know) spent the day with Mr Plod doing stupid shit.

They could not believe how hard this guy hustled the RGV they gave him a shot on. We're talking knee down, front tyre howling type skills.

And there was no way they could ride his K100 plod machine any where near as hard as he could.

They came away with maximum respect.