How Law Inforcement views the Sport Bike Community

[1meanZ]

There was a definate bias against sportbike riders in that thread and Harley riders seemed to get a pass no matter what they did. I got behind a Harley the other night in my truck and he was so drunk he could barely keep the bike up at a red light. And it was only a Sportster. He stalled the bike a couple of times and swerved into a curb taking off at the green light. The bar a few miles from my house became Harley friendly last year and every week I hear of a different incident but the cops do nothing to them. I get pulled over for going 27 in a 20 on a 4 lane road where every one is going 50 right by the bar. I thought it was BS a few of the officers wouldn't even acknowledge the association of Harleys and taverns.

When I was leaving the gym the other day, I was gearing up for my 3 mile ride home with lid, jacket, gloves, boots, etc. and I overheard a few guys saying I must be a new rider because of all the gear. These are the same A-holes giving us a bad rap. I've been riding since before they were born probably.

I was stoked on getting the new redesigned Busa but I've been giving serious thought to some sort of performance cruiser so the cops would leave me alone. These squids are ruining it for everyone.

RANT OFF

 

[dadofthree]

The dude out of Georgia is just wrong, plain and simple. Did not read beyond page one. He is absolutely biased against sportbikes and gives HDs a free ride. Hopefully he's a School Resource Officer.

 

[COLDSTONE1298]

I remember reading that thread when it was new and fresh. Nothings different from 5 years before it or the years after it. Truth is: There's Shitters everywhere. There's shitters with badges, shitters with sportbikes and neither set do anyone any good especially for their own crowd. Not all cops are bad as well as sportbike riders.

I've seen the "vehicular manslaughter enforcement" posts on there and ya while alot of us think conspiracy theory and the cops will have the law on their side if they do such a thing, 9 times out of 10 a cops ass will burn for something even close to excessive force. Those on-board camera's don't malfunction and are there to view the officers conduct as well as engaging the suspects. And there's been plenty of times that camera has shown a dirty cop at work and done him in. Stupid as some may sound over there, they know this well and the last thing they want to become is a cop behind bars.

With that said i agree with what some are saying. Idiots screaming through the city doing wheelies obviously are morons. I admit i speed but i take it to areas that are practically deserted. Only time i speed in busy areas is to avoid some road rage idiot or moron riding my tail trying to coax a race. I'll floor it for a bit and change directions and end it quick. If a cop sees any of this they'll most likely go after the cage but i don't ever stick around to see otherwise (it's not all about extreme speeding, just knowing where your at and changing direction, leave quick). I'll pick up the pace to stay out of traffic clusters too. Otherwise i'll obey the speed limit when possible.

I don't even do group rides anymore. Freinds with a bunch of loud pipes say "we'll cruise" and the next thing you know people are trying to outwheelie each other sounding it off for all enforcement to hear. I'll ride alone and enjoy myself because i only have to worry about taking care of myself. I admit i'm no angel on the road but i take note to do my business where and when people and cops are scarce and if i do have to speed in busy areas it's to protect myself. Even if it means changing my route entirely. No cop or ticketbook is gonna keep some road rager or foolish driver's fender out of my hide. Being proactive is the only thing that will do that.

 

[Revvv]

I read about 5 or so pages of positive and negative rambligs through the link sent.
It's a small closed minded group of officers causing problems in the same manner as there are a small number of SQIUDS causing problems.

 

[busabutter]

Can we say all cops are bobos. No I actually know some that are ok. How about those cops are bobos. I'm sorry but Police Officiers are suppose to be professionals. To sit there and stereotype all sportbike riders is just as dumb and ignorant as the people they deal with day in and day out. The Law Enforcement area is one in which higher standards of officiers is needed. Maybe in the big cities they are a little more professional but in the smaller cities I find just about anyone can be a cop and there aren't very much requirements and critical thinking skills are non existant.

Bike riders shouldn't be doing stupid stuff in the streets but it happens just like car drivers do stupid stuff in the streets. Do they judge people by the type of cars they drive too. Unbelievable that they would label us all.

If they happen to come across an idiot doing stupid stuff on a bike than thats an idiot doing stupid stuff on a bike. Not, all sportbike riders are careless irresponsible people because I mister police man stopped a guy and he was on a sportbike. That's just dumb.

When you need em they want to tell you there is real crime out there. And when you do some small trivial thing and tell them hey there is real crimes out there they just right you up more.

I am sure they the police have a bigger than normal share of idiots that they have to deal with but come on labeling a whole type of motorcycle riders. I know when there is an overwhelming amount of something that you tend to catagorize and label but when it comes to people especially nowadays you would think the professional police would be smarter or wiser about certain things. They should be with blinders on they are law enforcement not judges. Take each incident and persons accordingly. I know its hard but that is what separates professionals.

I know some police officiers that have no business being a police officier.

 

[KanjiBusa]

I like how most of the cops could see right through the GA cop, some of my favorite replies were from gogogadget. Where he said, "So do you consider stunt riders the guys that stunt, or any bike with plastic"

 

[Deej]

You want to really get pissed , read post #126 pg. 6 about the Busa owners. Any Leo from this sight want to jab at em??

 

[Nekosohana]

Posted from the board:

I would learn about the bikes so you can recognise the machine, a lot of people like to customise their bikes (I certainly have) in their own way, so learn what kind of aftermarket parts get put on these machines.

These guys nearly all ride late model Japanese machines with inline 4 engines, because they wreck bikes on a regular basis, you won't need to bother learning any bike more than 6 years old, nor bother with any of the v-twin machines (Suzuki SV1000S, Honda Superhawk, maybe the Honda RC51) , they develop less horsepower so they aren't as popular with the squids (you can tell the difference from the engine note, I4s tend to make a high pitched howl, whereas v-twins make more of a lower pitched roaring noise because they have half as many cylinders and don't rev as highly).

You can also probably skip the Ducatis and Aprilias because they're too expensive for most of these guys and aren't as good in a straight line, although the Ducati Monster can occasionally be a squid bike.

Swing by a local bike showroom and look at these bikes in particular;
Yamaha YZF-R6
Yamaha YZF-R1
Kawasaki ZX-6R
Kawasaki ZX-9R
Kawasaki ZX-10R
Kawasaki ZX-14R (new bike, stupidly powerful, ugly as hell though)
Honda CBR600RR
Honda CBR1000R
Suzuki GSX-R 600
Suzuki GSX-R 750
Suzuki GSX-R 1000
Suzuki GSX 1300 R Hayabusa (very popular squid machine, goes like a greased weasel in a straight line, doesn't handle corners too well so it matches the rider).

Of all of those, the GSX-R 1000 and the YZF-R1 are probably the biggest squid bikes, especially the Yamaha because it comes in a very sexy satin black paint job, if you see any of those bikes being ridden by someone in a half dome helmet, he's a squid, no real rider wears anything less than a full faced lid.

The combination of aftermarket parts along with the rider's gear (assuming they're wearing any) can usually let you identify individual machines, especially if they're local and persistant offenders.

Find out when and where the local bike nights are, you'll see a lot of squids there, but you can walk around and look for the really obvious troublemakers, so you can identify them when you see them on the road.

.. oh and for the record, yes, anyone pulling a wheelie in traffic is most definitely a squid, sooner or later he's going to take himself out of the gene pool.

.. and it's not just bikers who are dangerous, a couple days ago I nearly got sideswiped by an LAPD Crown Vic who decided he wanted to turn right from the left hand lane immediately across my path without signalling.

 

[Copperone]

If we pick the right time and place to go fast and ride the twisties we aren't going to have a problem with the po po. I will be 60 in July and I will readily admit that I ride fast. But I pick the time and place. And the time and place is not on the freeway, around a school, or on a residential street. If I'm going to ride to the top, its going to be out in the middle of no where. I love the twisties and for the last few months I have been on the track, and loving every minute of it, and learning a whole lot.

I was stopped by a local sheriff a couple of years ago here in Arizona. He had me at 90 in a 50. I saw him coming toward me, and I knew I was speeding so I just pulled over cause I knew he was going to flip and come after me. By the time he turned around and got behind me I was off the Busa and had my helmet off. When he first approached me he had a serious attitude and he told me I would be lucky if he didn't arrest me, and he made sure that I knew I was going 40 MPH over the posted speed limit. I basically told him that I knew I screwed up and I really didn't have an excuse. After that he really lightened up and we got to talking about the Busa and his Harley. In the end, I left the scene without a ticket but with the warning that if he ever caught me going that fast again he was just going to write the ticket and I was going to pay the fine.

For those that have to show off and stunt around town or in public view, thats on them and they deserve what ever they get. As has already been said several times the squids give us a bad name. Nothing we can do about that really.

I have been stopped a fair amount of time on various bikes over the years and I would say that I have left the stop without a ticket almost every time. I've had two tickets on a motorcycle in 43 years of riding. Most of the time the determining factor of weather or not you get a ticket is your attitude. (My opinion)

LEO's are people just like you and I and they react to how they are treated just like you and I. Sure, there are leo's who may be out to get us but they are few and far between. Treat others with the respect you expect to receive and you will find that bad situation can change into a good one.

In the end, if you want to ride fast or in the twisties or both, pick the right time and place.

 

[kawiboy11]

thats a bunch of bull crap, i have about two months before I become a state trooper, and I won't be like that!

 

[Spudley]

(kawiboy11 @ Mar. 18 2007,19:16) thats a bunch of bull crap, i have about two months before I become a state trooper, and I won't be like that!

I need to make a run through Nebraska just to test your resolve, and your radar gun. Let me know what days you're workin' and where !!!

Just kiddin'..although that would be a great stop for me..."Yes officer ?.....well yes I AM Spudley from the busa.org crowd, and you are

....."

 

[Commuta_Busa]

FTP

 

[Shanling]

I read the whole thing! I am going to bed now....

 

[tinbender0]

wow

 

[Dabusaboy]

well i read the whole 9 pages and thought that there were a lot of good posts. It was kinda nice to know that there are still alot of good officers.