A Look At Police Motorcycle Rodeo's

[Savior250psi]

great tip it works great

[gnrands50]

As a rider who has the Ride Like a Pro V DVD and practices whenever I can, there is one detail that Motorman is leaving out when he says, "Practice, practice, practice!"

This stuff is fun

I was crunching some parking lot U-turns earlier today, and had a blast. Calling it practice makes it seem like work. It's really just motorcycling fun.

[looneyirish]

you should see the euros on their police bikes, or the japs, cant beat the pan euros, bullit bikes

[cookdawg53]

HD allows Departments to lease these bikes for allmost nothing. Thats why HD.

[Kmortisk]

Yup, really impressive handling but why these bikes.. I believe there would be many more practical models

[motorman857]

Police use the H.D. touring bikes because they can carry a lot of weight, their comfortable in all day riding, and very nimble for their size.

[muzikfan001]

No motorman, they use HD because the bikes are very forgiving at low speed and the low seat lets you plant both feet on the ground. I rode HD for years but since I got on a BMW R1150RT I've been sold. They beat HD in every respect. They are incredibly comfortable, handle outstandingly at speed and with ABS they will stop on a dime on just about any road surface. But I also have to say they are unforgiving at slow speed and the integrated brakes will throw you if you don't know how to use them.

[motorman857]

@muzikfan001 have you ever seen the seats on police bikes?  They are high as hell. Yes, the HD's are very nimble at slow/low speeds and maneuver like a child's toy, what part of that didn't I say before? (very nimble for their size)

[muzikfan001]

@motorman857 does 11.5 years of riding one count as having seen it? I wouldn't exactly call a 27" laden height "high as hell". My RT is 30.5" high fully laden and I only have a 30" inseam. No issue with what you said or do, in fact I believe you do a great service to the public by sharing the training. I would love to do the same but I don't have your teaching manner. But sad to say HD is way behind in technology and really obsolete as a service motor. Just my oppinion...

[motorman857]

@muzikfan001 the point I was trying to make to you that having your feet planted on the ground is not true with the Harleys. I'm 5'7" and while on duty every day on my police motor, my feet were not planted, I used the three techniques taught to me in motor training and didn't worry if my feet were planted. Thanks for your kind words about what I do, keep riding safe.

[muzikfan001]

@motorman857 BTW, the NYPD is now training all officers who apply on motors even if they don't work highway. That's because so many have gotten hurt on their personal bikes. They follow exactly the same program (except for escort and pursuit I believe). I think that's a great idea

[muzikfan001]

one more thing: unlike the HD, what drags on the ground on the 1150RT in the high-bank turns is not your floorboards but you valve covers... :(

[motorman857]

yes of course you can and should use the techniques always.  Once you learn the techniques, you need less and less pressure on the brake and less revs, then, extra wear on the clutch and brake is almost nothing and a lot cheaper than a crash.

[ardvarkkkkk]

@motorman857 After watching your video, ride like a pro 5 and practicing what you teach, I no longer dread parking lots and u turns. When I was taking the MSF, we were on a break when an off duty motor officer, on his Electraglide, ran the course that the rest of us were having trouble with on our little 250s. After whatching him for a few minutes, my riding improved dramatically. I hope to someday be that good.

[motorman857]

@ardvarkkkkk glad I could help you, remember, practice is the key to becoming a skilled and confident rider, it's not rocket science, it's three simple techniques.

[steiny47]

@ardvarkkkkk ...I am hanging out for the mail man every day ,waiting for my copy of ride like a pro V and the deals gap DVD's. I can't believe how much i have learned in the meantime, just from watching some of these video clips.my U turns have improved markedly, and I haven't even had a chance to practice yet. I had a couple of minor hiccups, before i found JP while surfing the net, and suddenly, i discovered WHY i had those hiccups. He makes it all so simple. I watch these clips often.

[motorman857]

@steiny47 enjoy my videos, glad my clips are helping you.

[TheReapersSon]

@ 1:34 - 2:14

I didn't even know that was possible!

[motorman857]

I didn't either. The first time I saw Motermen ride, I realized the 20 years of experience I thought I had, was really One years experience, repeated 20 times. After I became a Motor Officer, I said everyone who rides, should know these techniques, thus, my video's.

[mmiikkee5500]

After watching these videos I just had to buy your video "Ride like a Pro 5". It was well worth the money! A question that I have though is, do you use these technics (friction zone + rear brake) in everyday city driving, or just on the obstacle course? It would seem that to do this all the time would be pretty hard on the clutch.

[banditos400]

wow, this is what i call skill!,

everyone can drive fast, but drive in such tight space with such huge bikes is very hard. I'm good at low speed but i'm not sure i could do it like they do.

PS : I agree with you motorman, don't trust your instinct

[fr0ssen]

In other words, going straight down the road is not difficult. Everything else is difficult if you don't learn the proper techniques.

[cae1388]

Okay, I understand.

[cae1388]

Is operating a motorcycle really a hard thing to do??

It's just a simple question, I'm not lookinh for any smart ass answers.

Thank you.

[motorman857]

If you learn the proper techniques, it's not difficult. If you ride using your instincts as 90 percent do, you can ride straight down the road just fine. But when you have to turn, swerve, brake hard and, or avoid a crash, your instincts will kill you.

[cae1388]

What do you mean "turn, swerve, brake hard and, or aviod a crash, your instincts will kill you."? I'm alittle confused.

[twinprime]

what he means is that in those situations, your "uninformed" instinct will crash you and your bike. In other words, be informed (take class, reading on the basic physics and PRACTICE!!!) and you'll be fine. Don't let the size and weight of the motorcycle intimidate you. You're in control.

[cae1388]

Oh okay. Thank you I appreciate it.

[gdsila]

I own one of these videos. And they are worth the money to learn low-speed control. The techniques are easy to understand and then its a matter of practice.

Control is control and if you only have it at hiway speeds and faster but cant U-turn or slalom at walking speed ...than you dont really have control of your bike.

Any nitwit can open a throttle and hang on.

A real rider has a skill set to handle every situation the road throws at him.

[CFHWHITEHUNTER]

cool man! ha ha! I love the first part; when you are being ironic asking the guy: if one of these guys ever drop a bike and then he tells you "oh no no no, none of these bikers have ever done that" and then...ooops! some of them do it!.. ha..ha! ohh fuck off! nobody´s perfect, right? ha ha! cool

[outpokin]

Thanks motorman!

[01851mike]

Another great video motorman, can wait for the snow to be gone to get back on a motor.