| Author | Message | ||
     Gjm |
I was riding my 05 XB12S around Washington DC over the weekend when a DC Metro Police officer pulled me over (lights and all)for no apparent reason. Instead of asking "Do you know why I pulled you over?" he said "Hey how do like that bike? I've thinking about getting one." We then proceeded to have a five minute conversation about Buells vs. other bikes (he currently rides a GSXR 600). The whole time he was closely examining my bike. Finally when there was pause in the conversation, I said "Look, can I go?" He said "Oh yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about your bike. I don't see a lot of them in DC." I rode away happy I was not getting a ticket and thinking "Damn, I knew Buells get a lot of attention, but not like this!" | ||
| Djkaplan |
Well... I had a guy pull me over for wheelying through a deserted office park... so I guess that's for a reason. But all he did was talk about his FatBoy and ask me questions about the Buell and he let me go with a lecture. | ||
| G4string |
Gjm, Thats cool. I hope you weren't upset. I have noticed that you get a TON of lookers when you pull up to people at stop lights and/or people passing you. People don't know WTF you are riding, NTM how f***ing cool these bikes look. | ||
| Barker |
I have had it happen 3 times. Abuse of power, but no tickets. One asked how fast does it go. I said fast enuf. My brother got pulled over on his X1 after rebuilding it. By county sherrif and the head of the state police in the same car in VA. Open headers, No tags, no lights, no MC endorsement. They said something like,"Wow that thing is loud. It sounds like my harley. Is that one of them german bikes? Nice ride, have a good day." | ||
| Rainman |
Even the local motocops check out my Blast. Cops like bikes, too, at least the good ones. | ||
| Glitch |
I've never been to DC | ||
| Luxor |
Funny this came up. Yep, happened 3 times this summer, 2 local, and 1 sheriff. Once on my 12S twice on my 9S. All 3 times had me shaking cause I was being a bad boy a few minutes earlier. The sheriff in his mid 50's age wise and the locals in their 30's, all driving squad cars. All 3 incidents turned into "How do you like it" conversations. Made my day actually. I don't mind the abuse of power as long as it's something positive, and these meetings were just that, motorcycle guys that put their lives on the line every day and wanted to be nice to a citizen instead of having to be the bad guy. Crazy fun to watch people drive by and see a cop laughing and talking instead of busting chops. I rather enjoyed it. Restored my faith in people, not power. | ||
| Terribletim |
Nope, I get stopped and then get the ticket. . .  Be going to court in a couple months (No Court, not you, the real one.) | ||
| Diablobrian |
I've been pulled over to talk motorcycles before. I kind of suspect it was also partially to investigate the disabled plate on my bike. I have no proof of that, but I was asked for my registration and license but he didn't run them, just checked to see if the names matched (I guess????). He then asked me about the bike, stating that he had a harley, and that my Buell didn't look like the ones in the dealership. After I gave him the run-down of mods he gave a whistle and told me to "take it easy" I wouldn't have minded except for the fact I had to pull over on a small gravel shoulder that dropped off sharply. For those that don't know I cannot put my left leg down and use it to balance the bike. I was in a very precarious position while I was stopped. He did give me his card, not sure what the idea is there other than to carry it in my wallet to be seen by other officers if I get pulled over? Kind of like the cast brass Pasco Washington PD belt buckle I was given by a friend years ago, a kind of polite request for leniency? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Just got a ticket on my bike for my birthday. Pulled me over for 63 in a 45! Yes I was probably doing it, but by the time I saw a posted speed of 55 I was doing 53, so I wasnt sure why he pulled me over. He was not so pleased with me that my tail light and my license plate were so muddy & Dirty that he could not call them in while he was still in the squad car. (I had just been flying down some dirty logging roads) He asked me if I knew what the speed limit was, I said I was going 53 in a 55.... then he let me know about the section down the road (where I pulled out there were no speed signs) was 45 and he laser painted me at 63. It was my birthday. He let me go with a 10 mile ticket after spending a good 15 minutes asking about how I liked riding her off road. He could have punched my card there, I paid it and avoid that stretch through DISCOVERY Bay from now on. Word to the wise Tim, Hatchet, Sam, Uly Guy, Lyna all local Kitsap riders. She be a speed trap thar ;) Watch your gauges carefully. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Got pulled over a couple of years ago and knew I had done nothing wrong. I removed my helmet and proceeded to retrieve my license and insurance from my wallet and noticed he just stood there looking at my bike. Finally I asked..."uhh, why did you pull me over"? He said without looking up at me, "something about your bike just didn't look...natural".Hmmm...cool  . Then without so much as looking at my paper work in hand said, "have a good day" and walked back to his car and drove off while I still was putting my helmet on. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Yup, just happened to me, but the cop asked me to put something on under my leather chaps. | ||
| Sgthigg |
Admiration is cool, maybe even a litle flattering. However that is a prime example of abuse of power. I bet he didnt even think he was doing anything wrong. Or even WORSE yet is when WE dont think twice about the local/state or federal goverment abusing their power like this. | ||
| Leatherpants |
Never been pulled over just to chat about the bike, but the last three times I have been pulled over ("Random" Breath tests and "Random" licence checks (of all bikes going through the area)) they've spent more time chatting to me about the Buell than they have checking up on me... LP | ||
| Coops53233 |
Where in DC? I see at least two xb's around town fairly regularly... haven't yet been pulled over myself though!  ( Isn't the tin-foil-hat thread over on the backfire board? ) | ||
| Irideabuell |
I received a reckless driving citation on the belt line going around Richmond, VA last October. The State Trooper informed me that I'd spend my Christmas weekend in court as my assigned date was 12/23 (I live in Orlando, FL). After he finished his work he wanted to talk about my bike. I politely told him I had somewhere to be and asked if we were through. What a jerk. | ||
| Coal400 |
  | ||
| Cereal |
I'm in DC too (XB and S1) and have not been pulled over, but I've had cops come up and talk to me when I was parked. Where were you? I want to stay out of that cop's zone. | ||
| Bikertrash05 |
No cop conversations here (and I'd rather not), but I did at one time ride a plateless VRod w/open pipes in front of a cop for awhile, after not knowingly changing lanes in front of him.  | ||
| Cataract2 |
Wonder what the chance of Buell putting those values maybe on a plaque under the seat would be.... | ||
| Court |
I've accumulated a fair number of "encounter" stories over the years. . . one my my favorite was on the way from Buffalo, NY to Oragne, VA. I was jetting through the Finger Lakes region of New York and just as I spied the Mustang hidden in the trees I noticed my radar detector was off. He caught me quickly and by the time he got to the bike I had my helmet off (always a good idea). He goes through the standard . . "you know why . . ." and then gives me my opening when he says "hey, this is a Buell!". I took the cue and went to work. Before long, I'd dug out goodies for him, literature, a ball cap and a t-shirt. We chatted for about 15 minutes, when I looked at my watch and said "Hey, I hate to do this but I really have to let you go... I have to be in Ledgewood, NJ by 7:00pm". He shook my hand, started walking to the car and suddenly stopped, turned and said "wait a minute? . . "let ME go?" He laughed, waved me off and I slipped toward New Jersey to loose the first of 3 cameras that week trying to shoot pictures of the Delaware Water Gap at Sunset . . . but . . that's a different story as is dinner in Ledgewood (one of the BEST stories) that night | ||
| Gjm |
I was pulled over in Northeast DC near Hechinger Mall. I have a blacked out 05 XB12S. I am on U Street NW a lot. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I have a couple Buell/police encounters. One was a motorcycle officer who stopped me to chat in Columbus. Another was a Franklin Co. Sheriff who flagged me down when I was going through a parking lot. The Sheriff had responded to my store a couple years ago when I got robbed. He’s now a regular riding buddy. I have a Sportster encounter from last week. I work a LOT of hours. We’re talking an average of 72 a week so my time off is pretty important to me. When I go grocery shopping, I always forget one thing. Last Sunday I had forgotten my cat’s food. So, Thursday around midnight I stop at Wal-Mart on the way home from work. I grab a couple two liters, some peanuts, and the 15 pound bag of cat food. Turns out I had grossly miscalculated how big my saddle bags were. I managed the pop and candy down in the left side, and had the cat food mostly in the right side. The top of the bag was sticking out, but I only a few inches and it’s all residential home so it would be fine. I stopped to get gas but I never take my helmet off if I pay at the pump because I’ll only be there for a minute and it’s hassle. With the full face I can’t hear a lot, and then I have the exhaust noise. I pull around the pump and a Columbus police officer is standing in front of me motioning me to stop. The Officer demanded that I remove my helmet and dismount the bike. I do as he says, he wants all of my info and wants to know why I didn’t take my helmet off at the pump. I explained that it was a hassle. He lectured me about the drive-offs and how you can lose your license, etc… After he was done talking at me, he wanted to know what I use the saddlebags for. I was pretty annoyed at this point and managed to say, “To carry stuff.” He asked me to walk with him to the back of the cruiser and ask for permission to search my bags. I told him, “No.” I explained that I had JUST gotten off work, stopped at Wal-Mart to get some cat food, and had not done anything suspicious or illegal. He stated that they would need to take me into custody and inventory everything I had on my persons. I gave up and let them search me and the bike. After a few minutes of checking out the saddlebags and my leather jacket, they let me go and had driven off before I could get my gloves and helmet back on. I never even got a badge number… | ||
| Akbuell |
As a retired LEO, I have pulled folks over before for the simple reason of being interested in their bikes (and a cool car or two). Was always careful, though, to tell the operator upfront that they had not done anything wrong; I just wanted to to talk about their wheels. | ||
| Supafast |
Thumper, that cop sounded like a total big headed idiot! I never take my helmet off when Im pumping gas either. It is a pain in the butt and theres no point when Im just going to hop back on anyway. I wish you had gotten that officers badge #. I definitely would have filed a complaint. Minding your own business pumping gas. There was no reason for all that! Jerk. | ||
| Diablobrian |
If I can manage it I don't even get off the bike when I stop for gas. Getting my cane out and put back away is a pain in the butt for a 2 minute stop. So my helmet stays on too. I've never had any hassle over it though. I have to wonder how big the problem really is with bikes riding off with 3-5 gallons of gas....I mean really, that guy needed to get a life, or a better perspective on the one he's got. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
On my last bike, an 04 yamaha FZ6, I was going down highway 80 towards Dallas, doing right at 105 MPH. I was laying down on the tank, enjoying the early sunday morning ride, when i noticed a car getting right on my ass. I sat up, and realized it was a police man! I thought oh, poop im busted. To my surprise he gets in the lane next to me and gets right next to me and gives me a thumbs up! then he punched it and kept on going! Scared the crap out of me! but sometimes those little town cops are in a world of there own! Luckly no encounters on the Buell YET!!!! | ||
| Ebuella_virus |
I stopped at a light to turn right. I did do a complete stop but did not drop a foot. A few minutes later, I saw red in my mirrors. The cop asked me for license and reg and went back tot he car. He told me that he didn't see me drop a foot and I admitted that I hadn't but then he said that he wanted more to see the bike and thought it was a good excuse. I had no problem with it. Oh, he also said that there were a string of thefts of bikes in the area lately and all the cops were instructed to run plates. I thought, "cool!" | ||
| Microchop |
When I first got the Lightning, I got pulled over with my then G/F (now wife) on the back cause it had no plates and because the LEOs in that part of town have little else to do. He was very cool, asekd if we had been drinking (we had a LITTLE wine with dinner at home about 2 hours earlier, theis was before we agreed on the 12 hour bottle to throttle rule in out household.) I told him, "Yes, some wine with dinner" and he said "I thought I smelled something, wine leaves the stongest smell" (my wife was standing about 3 feet from him.) He said "be safe" and took off. My other story is actually my wife's story. Being a female on a bike, she gets lots of attention, even if it is "just" a Blast. As she pulled onto our strret, an LEO on a bike pulled up along side her at a stop light and chatted her up. He hung around until she told him "My fiance taught me how to ride." that was enough for him, he was gone. I still laugh at that one. No cop has ever pulled up next to me just to say "hi." | ||
| Stretchman |
I got yanked once by a cop under an overpass. He was a motorcycle cop, but he wasn't on his bike. I was riding when he motioned me to pull over. I had to stop, and ride back to him. He ran the bike, asked what it was and who made it, and let me off. Uhh, I forget how fast I was going...  |
