Subject: Re: Police bikes
Author: Greg Field
Date: May 14, 2002, 9:52 AM
Post ID: 1710253654
As you've said, there was a mish-mash of models and parts in US police
service.
Some departments ordered V7s, with the Guzzi police fairing, early on.
Most waited until Berliner, ZDS, Guzzi, and LAPD worked together to
develop the Ambassador police model. This had footboards, a special
adjustable sprung solo seat, ignition switch in place of the left
toolbox, special dash with extra idiot lights on a bolt-on nacelle, 750
motor, adjustable Koni shocks, larger (than V7-type) gas tank,
Harley-copy sidestand, siren mount on the frame, and brackets to mount
the Harley windshield, and various configurations of bags and radios and
lights, etc.
A little later came the alloy dash with police speedometer and integral
lights that we now associate with the US police Guzzis.
Guzzi also offered this model (speedo-only dash, footboards, Harley
stand) but with a larger seat, different windshield, and other bits as
the California model to civilians in Europe (later, some were brought
here).
Then, Berliner began selling the police models to civilians as the
"LAPD" and "Police Special" (in some years, usually with chrome-plated
fenders) models. Some of these were built with the siren mount on the
frame and some were built without the siren mount.
They also brought in some of the similar California models during 74 and
75, which I think all had chrome fenders, some with 4LS and some with
disc brakes. These lacked siren mounts, I think.
In general, the motors on the police bikes were the same as on the
civilian bikes. ZDS did hop up some for the LAPD and other departments,
though. Some departments probably did the same on their own. (By
contrast, from the 50s through early 70s, Harley police bikes often were
ordered with lower-performance "traffic combination" motors, with less
compression, milder cams, and in some cases smaller carbs.)
As for paint and such, Berliner/ZDS/Guzzi would paint them anyway the
customer wanted them. Some were all-white, most were black with white
fenders, many were black with white fenders and a white tool box, others
black tank with everything else white. I've never seen what I thought
was a real police bike with chrome fenders, but there may have been some
(I think all the chrome-fender ones were Californias and "Police
Specials").
I'm sure Mark E. and others could add a million details to this, but
those are the basics, as I remember it.
GF
On Tuesday, May 14, 2002, at 05:15 AM, Kevin Graf wrote:
| Possibly, one would like to think that there was a standard and not just a norm. But then again we are talking MG. It seems the organization of VIN's and parts was a little more lax back then. With using up left over parts from one year on the following year, and not just MG. But don't qoute me on that, after all I was only 1 when my bike rolled off the line in 71, technically, 11 months. Didn't police specials have right hand shift? Plus I thought that there were dealers that imported "police" bikes that were sold for civilian use. Were those the extact same as the copper's? For example, I don't think a civilian H-D police bike has the same engine setup(cam, ignition,) from the factory. Did MG get involved like that or did they just throw them out there as is with all the same specs.? Later, Kev -----Original Message----- From: Ian Adkins [mailto:ianad-@linkamerica.net] Sent: Monday, May 13, 2002 9:42 AM To: Loopfram-@topica.com Subject: RE: Police bikes VP I think.....Versione Policia?
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