Photo: bmwmcmag.com
Good news for BMW’s motorcycle division as it looks like more and more authorities are choosing their bikes as the preferred two-wheelers, official sources report.
Even US law agencies are slowly drifting away from Harley local bikes and are steadily getting more BMW authority machines, because of noticeably superior on-road performance and modern tech features and upgrade possibilities.
BMW authority bikes are still being produced in Germany, in the Berlin-Spandau manufacturing facility, and the current line-up includes no less than 4 models. BMW R1200RT is the flagship authority machine, accompanied by the F800GT, while the F800GS and F650GS are also part of the offer. Authority motorcycles are not restricted to police-spec units, and they are used in multiple other fields, such as presidential escorts, fast-response medical teams, automobile clubs (the German ADAC), patrolling in harder-accessible areas and more. The presence of the GS units in the authority line-up has also allowed BMW to expand the offer to other agencies whose operations include remote, off-road areas.
Recently, the Michigan State Police, Vacaville PD in California, the Austin PD in Texas and many other have commissioned police-spec R1200RT fleets. While the RT-P is a moniker used by police departments to distinguish their bikes from the civil ones, BMW has not acknowledged this badge. However, given the increase in orders, the German manufacturer is seriously considering adding the RT-P or GS-P to their official catalog.
Even though the police-spec bikes are sometimes surrounded by a myth, BMW admits that on the technical side, these machines are identical to the customer versions, sharing the same engine and transmission. It’s the various authority kits which make all the difference, as the bikes are manufactured on a different assembly line in the plant.
According to each order, different equipment is being mounted on the bike: sirens, LED warning lights, a radio box (or complete radio kits for German police bikes), corresponding switchgear, a special wiring harness, a single seat with underseat communication (or other) equipment. Each bike is then equipped with the tires specified in the order. As for the panniers, BMW says they are the best in the business, regardless of the purpose of the motorcycle.
No minimal orders are required, given the fact that these machines are produced on a separate assembly line. BMW adds that authority bikes can take 3 to 4 months until delivered overseas. Spain is also one of the new countries which will get the chance to test and experience the R1200RT-P bikes, ads the law which prevented bikes bigger than 900cc to be used for such purpose was changed. BMW used to deliver R900RT-P machines.
“Since 1970, BMW Motorrad has supplied in excess of 130,000 Authority motorcycles to all corners of the world, the majority of which are ‘Behördenfahrzeuge’ – enforcement bikes. Reliability, comfort, capability and exceptional safety through the use of ABS are necessary for machines that can spend upwards of 10 hours on the go, all day and every day. This is why so many people, law agencies and services, choose the motorcycles of BMW Motorrad,”the same source adds.
BMW authority bikes are still being produced in Germany, in the Berlin-Spandau manufacturing facility, and the current line-up includes no less than 4 models. BMW R1200RT is the flagship authority machine, accompanied by the F800GT, while the F800GS and F650GS are also part of the offer. Authority motorcycles are not restricted to police-spec units, and they are used in multiple other fields, such as presidential escorts, fast-response medical teams, automobile clubs (the German ADAC), patrolling in harder-accessible areas and more. The presence of the GS units in the authority line-up has also allowed BMW to expand the offer to other agencies whose operations include remote, off-road areas.
Recently, the Michigan State Police, Vacaville PD in California, the Austin PD in Texas and many other have commissioned police-spec R1200RT fleets. While the RT-P is a moniker used by police departments to distinguish their bikes from the civil ones, BMW has not acknowledged this badge. However, given the increase in orders, the German manufacturer is seriously considering adding the RT-P or GS-P to their official catalog.
Even though the police-spec bikes are sometimes surrounded by a myth, BMW admits that on the technical side, these machines are identical to the customer versions, sharing the same engine and transmission. It’s the various authority kits which make all the difference, as the bikes are manufactured on a different assembly line in the plant.
According to each order, different equipment is being mounted on the bike: sirens, LED warning lights, a radio box (or complete radio kits for German police bikes), corresponding switchgear, a special wiring harness, a single seat with underseat communication (or other) equipment. Each bike is then equipped with the tires specified in the order. As for the panniers, BMW says they are the best in the business, regardless of the purpose of the motorcycle.
No minimal orders are required, given the fact that these machines are produced on a separate assembly line. BMW adds that authority bikes can take 3 to 4 months until delivered overseas. Spain is also one of the new countries which will get the chance to test and experience the R1200RT-P bikes, ads the law which prevented bikes bigger than 900cc to be used for such purpose was changed. BMW used to deliver R900RT-P machines.
“Since 1970, BMW Motorrad has supplied in excess of 130,000 Authority motorcycles to all corners of the world, the majority of which are ‘Behördenfahrzeuge’ – enforcement bikes. Reliability, comfort, capability and exceptional safety through the use of ABS are necessary for machines that can spend upwards of 10 hours on the go, all day and every day. This is why so many people, law agencies and services, choose the motorcycles of BMW Motorrad,”the same source adds.
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