[eljeffe]

I found this little nugget. I'm not sure it's been posted here yet.

http://www.bmwlt.com/files/albums/userpics/10002/VehicleEvaluation2007_MSP-Motorcycles_182665_7.pdf

 

[Nodakgus]

No surprises

Having both a H-D Road King and BMW RT the results do not surpise me. Perhaps one thing: I think the brakes on the BMW are far superior to the H-D brakes and I would have expected a greater gap between the deceleration rates between the Harley and the BMW.

To the Road King's credit, with a decent aftermarket seat one can ride all day on the rubber-mounted bike. Extremely comfy. And crosswinds do not seem to have as much affect on the heavier Harley either. I was completely confident in the chassis and I knew I could make sudden and radical swerves but the bike would remain firmly planted and steady and that feedback meant a lot. I am still working on learning the various types of feedback the RT provides and I am not yet confident to throw it hard into a turn with maximum countersteering and lean angle. All I need is time in the saddle or that to happen.

But, if I had to choose, there really is nothing for me to think over or debate. I much rather prefer the BMW. I have had it less 4 months and it is my first non-cruiser bike. The more I get use to the ergo's, the mechanics of shifting and braking (much different between the cruiser and the RT) etc the more I am loving the RT!

And to ride without an exhaust blast is itself so much more pleasurable! I am whipping myself into a frenzy right now I can't wait to roll the RT out of the garage early tomorrow morning!

 

[zippy_gg]

I found this little nugget. I'm not sure it's been posted here yet.

http://www.bmwlt.com/files/albums/userpics/10002/VehicleEvaluation2007_MSP-Motorcycles_182665_7.pdf

Jeffe, this was posted yesterday
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20283
I remember seeing these Harleys in movies when I was growing up. The style hasn't changed much. I guess when something works... it sticks.
The report however did not include the decision made for the new police bikes. Does anyone know?

 

[petevandyke]

Jeeeeezus

1. 128 ft from 60 to zero on the RT-P? So much for HD's previous advertising claims about their police models having the "best braking in the business" (OK, I know that was on Dyna Defender models, but still...you could come to a complete stop at the opposite end of an 18-wheeler of a partner riding an Electra Glide...)

2. for those who don't know, the overall best performance loop listed as "GROMAK" there is a forum member...Ron, where's the pic of you hangin' off the side of the Beemer, draggin' a knee puck for that run? As we displaced yankees trying to sound Texan say..."DAYUMMMMMMMMN!" Whoever bought his used LT that was on the classifieds list had better double check for a hidden NOS system! Most impressive, my friend! Not surprising, but most impressive.

3. did anyone else notice the spec numbers on the Harley hardware? Yup, I do believe that's "Stage two" engine mods on those puppies..."bored and stoked plus upgraded exhaust and ignition mapping" for those of us who are less in the know. Hmmmm, aren't those illegal in some states? And is that really playin' fair, when you have to sell "ringer" bikes just to compete?

4. I've ridden a police road king at over 100mph, and without some kind of steering damper, the mere notion of ever doing it again scares me to death (can we say "headshake," kiddos?") 130.1 on the RT-P. Not exactly Oklahoma State Police Hayabusa territory, but I like it...

5. If you haven't yet, pick up this month's Motor Trend, they have a great article on police pursuit vehicles (including throwing in the RT-P as a ringer) vs. a handful of typical "fleeing suspect" cars, including some classic quotes from "Doc" Halliday, Gromak's supervisor and another of the truly "GOOD" guys at the MSP track.

6. Too bad BMW doesn't make a "ringer" cop bike (other than a bigger alternator), I'd be in line for another CHP hand-me-down.


Pete "recovering from spinal surgery number two" Van ****

 

[wjhanna]

Police bike

Pete,
I really don't think BMW needs a "ringer" bike thrown in. Their stocker will do just fine. Having ridden police bikes at work for many years, I hated every Harley I'd ever been assigned and, yes, that high speed wobble is enough to make you want to quit riding!
I haven't checked lately, but there was a lot of controversy over CHP's purchase of new biukes this year and H-D tried every bit of conniving they could muster to steer the bids their way. Last I heard, CHP had given them a second chance to deliver a bike that qualified. There was also a story going artound that a test rider was injured on the first iteration that H-D submitted, when there was a brake failure.
I think the ringer bike that you speak of might actually be the law enforcement bike they've produced, which is 110" displacement with optional ABS (which uses a car ABS brains with only 2 of the ports used).
I hope that CHP, for the safety of their Officers, goes back to BMW and thaat H-D puts their second hundred years to better use than the first. My choice for best bike during the 80's and 90's when I rode, was always the Kawasaki 1000-P, a machine that performed and handled better than any H-D and was cheap to buy, easy to mantain and ran forever!

 

[brianbeemer]

130.1 on the RTP? I guess that must have been on a new engine that wasn't ready to really go for it yet? My 2000 R1100R with windshield and topcase/panniers will hit 125 pretty fast, certainly within 2 miles, and my 1200RT is much more powerful and sleeker. I'm sure I'll get to 140 on it if I want to - when it's ready. I don't even have to lie on the tank on the 1100... I've only gone to 110 two up though - her on the back gets a bit too anxious any faster and the ribs take a pounding.

Incidentally, my 1100 speedo checked using satnav for reasonable accuracy (the speedo head reads about 5 mph high above 70, which seems pretty typical).

 

[DentalFlossTycoon]

Couldn't Find It

2. for those who don't know, the overall best performance loop listed as "GROMAK" there is a forum member...Ron, where's the pic of you hangin' off the side of the Beemer, draggin' a knee puck for that run? As we displaced yankees trying to sound Texan say..."DAYUMMMMMMMMN!" Whoever bought his used LT that was on the classifieds list had better double check for a hidden NOS system! Most impressive, my friend! Not surprising, but most impressive.

Pete "recovering from spinal surgery number two" Van ****

I bought Ron's LT and I couldn't find the NOS bottle anywhere! :rotf:

 

[petevandyke]

I bought Ron's LT and I couldn't find the NOS bottle anywhere! :rotf:

It's like the Harley V-ROD, what you THINK is a fuel tank is actually ALL NOS, the actual gas tank is located under the seat...

 

[motorman587]

What most fleet managers really care about is not the testing, but how much wil cost them or the budget. When we did our committee, this test and others help show that a BMW is a better motorcycle, to non-motorcyclist, who were on the committee. But over all, city managers, look for $$$, not how a motorcycle performs. Plus as a motor officers, you ride in the limits of your motor that your are on. Just because the BMW came out on top does not mean a Harley could not be a good police motor. Gee, can not believe I just typed that.

 

[Steve_R]

After reading that you like the Vision, I can understand why you typed that.

 

[UltraLT]

HD vs RTP

As a reluctant tax payer, I wonder if the test included maintenance and operating costs comparisons? That would be interesting to the non motorcycling decision makers, I bet.

Ultra LT

Riding is life. All else is just waiting.

 

[petevandyke]

As a reluctant tax payer, I wonder if the test included maintenance and operating costs comparisons? That would be interesting to the non motorcycling decision makers, I bet.

Ultra LT

Riding is life. All else is just waiting.

(non-issue for bigger departments that rotate them out often as they both have identical warranties, but an interesting question for departments that don't lease but BUY the bikes and keep them for a while)

 

[GBarnes]

What most fleet managers really care about is not the testing, but how much wil cost them or the budget.
<snip>
But over all, city managers, look for $$$, not how a motorcycle performs.

For bigger departments, this is definitely true. However, here in western Colorado, where the cities and PDs are smaller, some amount of rational thought occasionally creeps in. Recently, the City of Grand Junction's BMW police bikes were due for replacement. The HD dealer did everything he could, (including a few not-quite-fair modifications), to try to get the city to go with HD. The officers that ride the bikes everyday essentially told the city council that, if they bought Harleys, they, (the officers), would resign from the motor squad.

One city councilman said that if the officer's wanted BMWs, that was good enough for him. They bought the RTPs.

George