A bike built for the beach
Deepa Bharath
What does Newport Beach motor officer Gerry White like about his
black-and-white BMW motorcycle?
The windshield that goes up and down at the touch of a button? The
heated handlebars? The super-quiet engine?
All of the above, he’ll say.
The real question is what’s not to like about the new bikes.
“I definitely feel safe on this bike,” White said, raving over the
BMW’s front and rear anti-lock brakes.
White said he was more than happy to exchange his old Kawasaki for the
hip, high-tech speedster. And, he admits, he feels a lot “cooler” on it,
too.
“People look up when I ride this thing,” White said with a laugh.
While kids “wow” at the bike with wide-eyed admiration, others almost
expect something upscale from Newport Beach, he said.
“They go ‘Of course you have a cool bike. You’re Newport Beach P.D.’ ”
Newport Beach’s was the first police department in all of California
to switch to the sleek, German-made motorcycles -- even before the
California Highway Patrol, said Sgt. Mike McDermott.
The department leases 11 of the bikes from BMW in what police
officials call a “pretty sweet deal.”
The initial cost for each of the bikes was $17,400, but the buyback
option on the lease makes it economically feasible, said McDermott.
“These actually worked out cheaper than our old bikes,” he said.
BMW’s 1100RT-P is specially designed for police use. Officials said
the bike’s special features include the ABS braking system, an auxiliary
battery to power emergency lighting when necessary, and cooling fans to
prevent the engine from overheating.
But for officers like White, the Beemer’s benefits boil down to one
thing.
“At the end of the day, I don’t feel as tired,” he said. “It’s a nice
ride.”
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