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| Honolulu Police Department solo bike officers, from left, Niall Silva, Rick Weitzel and Sgt. Roy Gonsalves show off three of 20 new BMW RT1100P Police motorcycles. "This is a police-friendly bike," said Gonsalves.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser |
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Praised for its safety features, advanced technology and reliability, BMW’s special KP1100 "Peace" motorcycle is an expensive new addition to the Honolulu Police Department’s motorized fleet that some hope will turn out to be a bargain.
Randy Domingo, a lead mechanic in HPD’s Vehicle Maintenance Section, estimates the department spends $8,000 a month for parts to keep its 45 Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki motorcycles on the road. The 20 BMWs, purchased for $24,000 apiece, are priced about $3,000 higher than a new Harley but a three-year unlimited mile-age warranty makes it a good deal for HPD, Domingo said.
"When we visited the Harley-Davidson plant in Milwaukee, I was surprised to learn that we have the greatest number of orders for purchasing parts from them in the United States," Domingo said. "Our fleet is more than three years old, and we have some bikes hitting 200,000 miles.
"A lot has to do with our traffic enforcement because guys get up (to a scene) as fast as they can and often stop as fast as they can. It’s short distances. The Harley-Davidsons and Kawasakis are not meant for that so we have a lot of rattling from loose parts, break belts breaking and transmission blow ups. Whatever can happen to bikes will happen here."
The KP1100 "Peace" model is only available to law enforcement and is manufactured at BMW of North America’s plant in Woodcliff Lake, N.J. The motorcycle is used by more than 100 agencies, most notably the California Highway Patrol, which has put 500 on the road in the past four years.
"The key features are the anti-lock braking system, thermostatic control cooling system and a powerful 700-watt electrical system that charges while the motorcycle is idling," said Frank Stevens, BMW’s motorcycle group program manager.
The BMW R1100RT, a top-of-the-line sports touring motorcycle, is the "sister" of the police model, which is equipped with features not available to the public.
"This is a police-friendly bike," veteran solo bike Sgt. Roy Gonsalves said. "I rode the bike, and it outclasses anything we have now as far as safety and maneuverability.
"It’s just an all-around better bike because of lower center of gravity. It’s so smooth, you can be going 90 to 100, and it feels like you’re doing 70."
Solo bike Sgt. Joe Natividad likes the safety features, which includes an anti-lock braking system that doesn’t lock up in wet weather and a flat engine design that contributes to its stability.
Another feature are the handgrips, which can be adjusted to keep the rider’s hands warm. The positions of the blue lights are clearly visible and also includes a back light mounted on a telescopic pole that can rise up to 6 feet.
The Honolulu police solo bike fleet currently consists of 1997 and 1998 Harley-Davidson "Road King" and Kawasaki 1000 motorcycles. Harley-Davidson FXR "Pursuit" bikes, purchased in 1994, are used as spares and for training. The department will begin phasing out its older models with the BMW models, which are expected to be on the road by late March or early April after they are equipped with radios.
"I think when you consider the older models need maintenance every 2,500 miles as compared to 6,000 miles for the BMW, I think the benefit will be the cost savings in the long run," said Traffic Division Maj. Jeffrey Owens.
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