MACOMB COUNTY (WWJ) - Deputies with the Macomb County Sheriff Office's motorcycle unit will soon find themselves in the seat of six new BMW motorcycles after officials said they are swapping their Harleys for the German-made bikes.
The reason? The BMWs offer more safety, lighter frames, more maneuverability and are more user-friendly -- in addition to being faster, sheriff’s Commander Jason Abro explained via the Macomb Daily.
A total of six BMW 1250 RT-P motorcycles will round out the unit and replace an aging fleet of six Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Abro said the Beemers will be purchased for the amount of $174,000 from BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan in Plymouth.
Abro said they decided to replace the decade-old cruisers because the Harley-Davidsons “really can’t keep up anymore," especially in motorcades where speeds exceed 100 mph or more.
In a recent county committee meeting with the Board of Commissioners, Abro explained the issues deputies experience while riding the older bikes include shaking and boxes opening up.
“Our bikes are doing well in excess of 100 miles per hour in these motorcades, and our Harley’s are just not keeping up."
“The main reason for this is safety,” he added. "The BMW motorcycles far exceed the Harley-Davidson for safety. The BMW motorcycles are specifically built for law enforcement while the Harley can be purchased by any citizen.”
The sheriff's office most notably uses their bikes in motorcades for government officials, such as the president and vice president, flying into Selfridge Air National Guard base for visits in and around Detroit.
The bikes have been in motorcades twice when President Trump was in office and once for President Biden during his campaign for the White House. The Harley-Davidsons showed their flaws during the last visit.
“We had massive issues with our bikes” Abro continued. “Deputies doing the motorcade came up to me and said that these (motorcycles) can’t keep up with the motorcade. They’re shaking terribly, and safety was becoming an issue.”
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In addition to the motorcade, the motorcycles are also used for special events and patrols. Abro said the integrity of the bikes are essential for deputies to perform their duties. The BMW police model selected for the sheriff's office has features that "far exceed" the current Harley-Davidsons, which were bought back in 2012.
“The Harleys look nice, they sound nice, but unfortunately they’re not the tool that we need for what we’re using them for,” he said.
Abro said the six Harley-Davidsons will be sold at auction. The money generated from the sales will go back into the Macomb Country Sheriff Office's general funds.
The BMW 1250 RT-P police model has gain traction and popularity in police circles -- it is currently used in over 500 law enforcement agencies. Abro said the Oakland County Sheriff's Office also switched to the same German-made bikes, replacing their fleet of 22 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
In 2012, Michigan State Police replaced 24 of their Milwaukee-made motorcycles to BMW bikes, generating criticism for switching from an American-made product to one headquartered overseas.
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