Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

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Simon_100
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Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by Simon_100 »

Hi, I know this topic came up here years ago but I've been wondering once again after meeting French guy in the summer who'd bought an ex-Genderme bike for about €3,000.

The bike was lovely although he's spent another €5,000 between a total respray and having his bike brought back to original spec, twin saddle, etc.

He told me that the bikes were meticulously prepared for sale due to paranoia about being sued for selling a dangerous/duff bike. I'm nor sure whether he was obliged to do the re-spary so that it didn't resemble a police bike - I met a Spanish guy a few years ago with an ex Mossos d'Esquadra bike that has a duel saddle but was still in the police livery - and very smart it is too!

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What I'm thinking about is a cheap, reliable and practical bike for touring, nothing fancy, and with no outlay on luggage, etc. I'm also happy to keep it as a single seater. So, pros and cons pleas ladies and gentlemen.

Regs

Simon
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interceptor
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by interceptor »

I guess it depends on the bike and the police force selling it. Here in Ireland the fuzz have a lot of Deauvilles and FJRs but they have hard lives and high mileage. They get properly serviced but they are fairly worn out by the time tbey are sold - why would you buy one instead of a low mileage, enthusiast owned, slightly dearer version?

My personal experience was when I bought an ex-UK police 600V TransAlp - it was resprayed (badly) by the guy who bought it from auction and although it ran fine it had holes drilled all over it where switches, lights and sirens had been mounted - replacing all the bodywork was cost prohibitive. It had a calibrated speedo and ran fine but my overall impression was that it had a hard life before I got it. I probably wouldn't buy ex-cop again.

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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by Tonibe63 »

Cons ...... you can probably buy a 1200gs with 50k miles on it for 3.5k pounds with all the luggage and not have to spend 5k pounds bringing it back to original spec
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Simon_100
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by Simon_100 »

Actually a good Transalp would be high on my list anyway. Some Spanish city cops use them, or Dauvilles which I think are horrible ...

With the weak £ it would make sense to buy British and import here - bikes are so much cheaper there!!!

Regs

Simon
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dodursley
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by dodursley »

Had a ST1100 ex parks police London, had done 25K miles finished in plain white all police equipment removed and dual seat and Givi topbox.
Had a full service history with it and ran well. Kept it for a few months but found Pans were rather large for the riding I did so passed it on.
Also had 3 ex police Harleys, imported 84 FXRP and 85 FLHP and a UK from new 1990 FLHTP none had any problems.
Buy ex police with the same care that you would buy any bike.
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92kk k100lt 193214
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by 92kk k100lt 193214 »

My K100LT was an ex police bike.

I got it at a good price that reflected the condition as I wasn't looking for a mint bike, it had been well used with high miles but well maintained and body parts were good. 3 trouble free years using it and it came with full luggage, engine etc in good condition and calibrated speedo too.

Generally police vehicles are well used and sometimes used hard but they do maintain them and with new parts.

I would happily buy one again, but you have to look carefully.
1992 K100LT June 2010 110,000 miles
1984 K100RT July 2013 36,000 miles, 90,000
1983 K100RS Nov 2018 29,000 miles, 36,400 miles
1996 K1100LT Oct 2020 37,990 miles
1984 K100 Sprint March 2023 58,000 miles
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by WIBO »

Our bikes were serviced every six weeks or so...if they needed anything they got it.

I wouldn't buy a police bike knowing how they're ridden unless it was way,way less than the likes of €3000. I don't know how many BMW's I broke from heated grips zapping to flat batteries to gearboxes to cylinders and pistons. They're not a race engine but were ridden max lots of times to try and make them so,based on circumstances at the time.


Based on my personal experience with BMW's I never bought one in civilian life...but that's just me.

There's an auction site for such things that takes place in Toulouse..the name escapes me at present.....I'd want to be paying about €1500 or way less if it were I. Ideal for a winter bike or a bike to ride until it broke with out firing any BMW priced parts at it.

The chap you mention could've bought a better moto for €8000 with less kms? I'm wondering exactly what took €5000 to bring it to what he wanted apart from paint. If it was mechanical then that's scary?

As ToniB63 stated that money gets a proper second hand moto.....


The Transalp is a great wee moto....I remember redlining a new one at a max of 92mph with 12 miles on the clock.

I hope you find what you're looking for.


:)
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WIBO
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by WIBO »

Our bikes were serviced every six weeks or so...if they needed anything they got it.

I wouldn't buy a police bike knowing how they're ridden unless it was way,way less than the likes of €3000. I don't know how many BMW's I broke from heated grips zapping to flat batteries to gearboxes to cylinders and pistons. They're not a race engine but were ridden max lots of times to try and make them so,based on circumstances at the time.


Based on my personal experience with BMW's I never bought one in civilian life...but that's just me.

There's an auction site for such things that takes place in Toulouse..the name escapes me at present.....I'd want to be paying about €1500 or way less if it were I. Ideal for a winter bike or a bike to ride until it broke with out firing any BMW priced parts at it.

The chap you mention could've bought a better moto for €8000 with less kms? I'm wondering exactly what took €5000 to bring it to what he wanted apart from paint. If it was mechanical then that's scary?

As ToniB63 stated that money gets a proper second hand moto.....


The Transalp is a great wee moto....I remember redlining a new one at a max of 92mph with 12 miles on the clock.

I hope you find what you're looking for.


:)
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Scanlan
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by Scanlan »

Bought an ex Police R80/7 years ago - it had been well used but had been fitted with new tyres and the service record was bang up to date. Never had a problem in the 3 years or so I had it. I wish I still it.
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Re: Buying an ex-Police bike, pros and cons?

Post by Sanqhar »

I had an FJR1300 for 12 years, best bike I ever owned. They have one flaw, Google 'FJR linkage failure'.

Yamaha build the rear suspension linkage without grease relying on the 12,000 mile service (and every 12,000 miles thereafter) for it to be done. Most dealers (and some police garages) just don't do it, making failure inevitable. It is a pig of a job requiring both wheels off the ground and removal of the centre stand. The centre stand bolts are inserted from the outside with the nuts on the inside, removal requires springing the silencers out of the way. Any decent mechanic will put them back with the bolts on the inside and the nuts on the outside, making the job easier the next time. This is one thing indicator so unless you are confident in the service history/quality I would beware.

Tom G
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