I've noticed a number of ex-Police bikes (R1100/1150RT) going through eBay recently and was wondering if anyone has ever bought one and converted it to 'civvy' spec? I guess it's a case of removing the rear plastics and fitting the pillion seat 
RT - Police spec to Civillian spec?
- Thread starter Twotter
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Backmarker
Registered user
I had an ex-plod R80RT. When I was despatching I knew a few guys with ex-plod airheads and K's. These used to come straight from auction via a dealer (usually a man with a shed). The seat and panniers were the main and obvious things, however mine (and everyother one I saw) had modified electrics - ie all the plod lights, radios etc, had been fairly brutally removed - so loose wires, bare cables everywhere - and fairly crude butchering of the fairing where the auxillary stuff had been. The paint on the fairing was damaged where they had removed the dayglo stuff.
Mine had also been fitted with a callibrated auxillary speedometer, so althought it had done 50k, the BMW odometer was reading 00007. They should have a statement of mileage authenticity as of when they went to auction.
I bought mine from a guy who did nothing but deal in these. He reckoned that the state they came to auction in varied massively between forces, the day I bought mine he had several with 40-49k on the clock, all with leaking gearboxes, final drives etc. The forces that used to retire them at 50k would dump anything with 40k+ on if it developed any problems.
Mine had also been fitted with a callibrated auxillary speedometer, so althought it had done 50k, the BMW odometer was reading 00007. They should have a statement of mileage authenticity as of when they went to auction.
I bought mine from a guy who did nothing but deal in these. He reckoned that the state they came to auction in varied massively between forces, the day I bought mine he had several with 40-49k on the clock, all with leaking gearboxes, final drives etc. The forces that used to retire them at 50k would dump anything with 40k+ on if it developed any problems.
I converted an ex Humberside Police K1100LT some years ago. It had been de-comissioned after it was T boned with 40k on the clock. Damage was fairly minimal really, the engine crash bars had taken most of it, but there was panel damage and a buckled front wheel.
All the parts were readily available from BMW breakers like Sherlock's, Moto-Bins etc and including the repairs to the holes where auxilary lights had been fitted in the fairing, and a paint job I seem to recall it costing me about £700 to do. Looked nice too, you wouldn't have known it was ex job. Took me and my good lady to San Marino in complete comfort .
All the parts were readily available from BMW breakers like Sherlock's, Moto-Bins etc and including the repairs to the holes where auxilary lights had been fitted in the fairing, and a paint job I seem to recall it costing me about £700 to do. Looked nice too, you wouldn't have known it was ex job. Took me and my good lady to San Marino in complete comfort .
A Met R1150 rt with light and radio gear fitted weighs in at a spritley 334kg
put a fat copper on it then start jumping it over speed humps and then let the half wit mechanics loose on it !!!!!
not with a fecking barge pole mate !!
put a fat copper on it then start jumping it over speed humps and then let the half wit mechanics loose on it !!!!!
not with a fecking barge pole mate !!
I wouldn't touch any ex-plod vehicle not even a push bike let alone something with an engine. There was a time once when your patrol car/bike was assigned to you and your partrner on shift, and the same for the other shifts, which meant that you took a great deal of pride in the kit, appearance, and maintenance of the vehicle and you were accountable. When my old force scrapped that system it changed to grab the keys of the best car which generally meant the fastest and thrash it, bikes are marginally better looked after, but FFS don't ever buy an ex panda half the things were lethal when in service with the police.
Problem with ex job bikes can be the wiring, they run shielded ECU's to stop interference from the radios and with the other deviations from a standard bike the wiring can be a total nightmare if you cann't get hold of the wiring diagram'
There were other deviations from standard , when the demo 1100's came out they had 17" front and 18 " rear wheels but when BMW supplied the production bikes the wheel sizes were reversed and had spoked wheels fitted instead of alloys
I agree with comments previous, people assume that ex job means lovingly cared for.The bikes are fine if its a force where the bike is allocated to one person, if its a pool vehicle its pot luck.
Check mileage if you intend to buy, some forces get rid of them at a set age others rely on mileage.
The only advantage will be that only genuine parts are normally used .
There were other deviations from standard , when the demo 1100's came out they had 17" front and 18 " rear wheels but when BMW supplied the production bikes the wheel sizes were reversed and had spoked wheels fitted instead of alloys
I agree with comments previous, people assume that ex job means lovingly cared for.The bikes are fine if its a force where the bike is allocated to one person, if its a pool vehicle its pot luck.
Check mileage if you intend to buy, some forces get rid of them at a set age others rely on mileage.
The only advantage will be that only genuine parts are normally used .
pikeydave
Registered user
Ex Driving Standard Agency R850RTs are about. One bike one rider following newbies around on test. Full and very detailed service history with them (got all the purchase orders raised for the bike with mine). Smoothest engine as well.
Cheers for the tips gents - I'll steer clear
Why
For 10 years I used to buy and sell police bikes at the auctions. Most of them were fine.
Some forces bikes are better than others.
Just make sure they're the right price. Don't pay normal bike prices for a police bike.
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