Police Motorcycle Report: LAPD

[motorcyclist]

Originally Posted by fatfatboy

What sucks more than that is American tax dollars going over seas when there is so many over here unemplyed.

Yep, and also thanks to all the big companies outsourcing jobs over seas because of cheap labor = more profit/greed. Not just over sea, cheap labor in Mexico has been helping out big companies as well.

Back to the point, HD should step up and fixed the issues, it's only right because law enforcement agencies' budgets have been cut and only so much tax dollars can go around. Either that or those agencies need to find better and more cost effective alternatives.

[fatfatboy]

Originally Posted by doughboy779

But if my American brother makes an inferior product, and that inferiority might mean it will cost ME more in repairs, then I think the choice is obvious.

But I'm not really sure if there is an inerior motorcycle here. I have not heard of a lot of issues on others bikes like I read on those pages with the exception of the heat issue.
It almost sounds like some one is a little miffed that Harley has not bowed down to some ones demands. Some people get a bit power hungry and when things don't go their way they do what they can to get it their way.

One thing I noticed in the charts is that the total cost per mile per bike.
Harleys were 0.18- 0.44 cents per mile.
BMW's were 0.26-0.39 cents per mile.
Kaw's were 0.19-0.55 cents per mile.

Why such a huge difference per bike of the same make? Maybe it depends on who rides it.

[VStarMan]

The answer to your question lies in the LAPD report... The writer states that it is the two year warranty that has kept their maintenance costs in line... and the writer is very worried about these costs once the two year warranty expires... and Harley has pretty much told them to get lost when they were asked about extending the warranty... apparently LAPD is supposed to sell their Harleys and buy new ones..

Originally Posted by fatfatboy

But I'm not really sure if there is an inerior motorcycle here. I have not heard of a lot of issues on others bikes like I read on those pages with the exception of the heat issue.
It almost sounds like some one is a little miffed that Harley has not bowed down to some ones demands. Some people get a bit power hungry and when things don't go their way they do what they can to get it their way.

One thing I noticed in the charts is that the total cost per mile per bike.
Harleys were 0.18- 0.44 cents per mile.
BMW's were 0.26-0.39 cents per mile.
Kaw's were 0.19-0.55 cents per mile.

Why such a huge difference per bike of the same make? Maybe it depends on who rides it.

[Docwagon1776]

A lot of larger departments lease bikes and get really good rates. It depends on what the bikes will be used for, but if the bike won't see a lot of miles and the residuals are good, leasing is often attractive. I don't even know if our bikes are bought are leased. If I remember I'll ask at the garage next time I'm out there. Anyway, that explains a two or three year turn over on bikes.

I'd also point out that a bike doesn't have to be inferior to not be suited for a specific task. The Mustang isn't as well suited to being a patrol car as the Crown Vic is, but that doesn't make it an inferior product. Its just not well suited for the task.