What to look out for when buying a used Ex Police BMW motorbike

[@BikerDarren24]

This was exactly the video I was waiting for, very in depth and appreciated, all the tips to look out for are very helpful, cheers guys. 👍 Always enjoy your videos and reviews. Problem is finding them LC RTP's at the moment and when you do a decent example, defo fancy one. 😁

[@nigelmtb]

Me too! I'm still on the prowl for one of these because I think they are really cool.

[@retroll66]

I'm a motorcycle Policeman in the Netherlands and I bought a former Police RT recently for private use. And exactly like you said, when I bring in my work bike for service and tell the guys at the service company: "Brake pads are worn", I usually get the bike back after a day or two and they say: "Well, new brake pads, new tires, full service, new oil.. ". The company that services our bikes. The owner has a BMW X5M. We always joke: "Well, that X5M isn't going to pay for itself I guess". This says a lot about how they are serviced. Do we sometimes floor it with a cold engine, sure. But most of the time they're driven quite normally. I don't really need cruise control because in the Netherlands they are fitted with a mechanical cruise control in the steering wheel handle. As for those scuff marks, like the guy below me mentioned it's usually our boots that rub along the box. But I usually get on by standing on the peg. Best bike i've owned so far. I park my private 1200RT in the garage at the police station, hop on that Police 1250RT. They're just great bikes. The only other bike I would want to own is a former Police K1600GT. But they're a bit more expensive.

[@royvisser90]

Awesome, i recently bought a former police k1600gt-p. Its an amazing bike! Thanks for yer service. Im also from the netherlands and a few motorcycle police greeted me back. Ps my bike did his service in Den Haag. Found some pictures when he was still in service.

[@grantdorrough1673]

Hi Toby, I'm a retired Motorcycle Policeman fron Sydney NSW across the pond in Australia. After nearly 40 years in the job I spent the last 25 odd years in the V.I.P. Motorcycle Escort Section. We do the Scurity & Diplomatic Escorts like your mob in London does with the Royals. In answer to your paint scuffs on the RT-P BMW, the cause is this. The scuff across the rear radio box lid is from the officers boots or leggings rubbing as you got on or off. Most of the time you lifted your leg high enough, but not always. Especially when you'd done a 12hr plus shift on it and were getting tired. The front paint scuff on the left fairing is from where the communications , "Comm's" cord from your helmet plugged into the radio head set. The cord invariably hung down and would rub on the paint work over the working life of the bike. We generally put 80,000km plus on our bikes before changeover, sometimes a lot more. The excess comm's cord that hung down was designed so the you could dismount and be near the bike, say when controlling an intersection on an escort & still be plugged into the radio. Ours used to rub the fairing paint work all the time. Hope this is of interest to you and explains why "Barney" has those marks. Regards Grant.

[@RiderCamTV]

Hey Grant. Thanks for the info. Makes perfect sense. Just shows how good these bikes are that if maintained they do colosal miles. The last one I had had 136000 miles on it and still rode like new, although the air cooled version so Barney being the slightly new engine is so much smoother and the 23 model I have is smoother again! Awesome bikes and thanks for sharing the info. Ride safe buddy

[@markgr1nyer]

I'm on my 2nd RT-P (2009 and 2011). Best bikes I've ever owned. If they don't come with cruise control they'll normally come with a pinch bolt you can tighten on the throttle side which can override the reverse spring, so it holds the throttle where you leave it, but you have to remember to close the throttle. I was told on FB its not designed for that but to hold the throttle steady when idling to not drain the battery if you have to leave the bike, which makes no sense as they don't have a run lock but the second battery instead. I have LEDs in my 2011 and it has a brilliant beam pattern but also ridiculously bright on main beam (between the 2013 and 2014 years they changed from 2 dipped one main beam to 1 dipped 2 main beam (reversed the positions). I've never had an issue with hot lenses on either. On my current RT-P, the auxillary circuit has been poorly decommissioned so I've had to redo the circuit via a fuzeblock and hex ezcan off the main battery as I use it as a safety bike. My bike is ex west mids and it was serviced every 2k miles instead of every 6 of a civilian version. The engine is the same, but the gearbox is from the GS

[@Handsolowe]

Met Police bikes are serviced every 2k miles FYI. Some bargains to be had for sure, but depends on where they’ve been used. If you get one that’s been posted to a traffic garage it would have had a relatively stress free life, only being ragged on a shout. If you end up with one from the driving school then they’ll have had a much harder life. Generally being dropped at slow speed on week one of the course, and then being ridden like it’s been stolen on weeks two and three. Brilliant fun. Nice informative video.

[@alangreen2774]

I have been lucky my RTP came with 2 kets, love it

[@daveking1782]

Two friends of mine were traffic cops predominantly on bikes. They were washed after every shift and regular servicing by a very good team who knew bikes. Even diagnosed an electrical problem I had on a zzr 1100 over the phone. Worth a look if in good condition.

[@MrIreland007]

Absolutely amzing overview of the pro's and cons of buying an ex police bike,tnx

[@bikingwithgrantygrant779]

I totally agree. Milage is rediculous considering some cars are being sold for stupid money at 70,000 miles. My mate has a v strom 650 with over 100,000 miles and runs like a dream because he looked after it. Ultimately if a bike is looked after and well serviced, an engine should go on for a while. But a new bike, badly looked after can break within 10,000 miles. Its all relative. Looks like you found a great find. Love the channel and your reviews.

[@RiderCamTV]

Thanks for the kind words buddy. Yeah found a gem I think and mileage is so relative these days :) ride safe

[@carsyoungtimerfreak1149]

Good video, thank you. A few observations. First of all if a Police force is looking for a big tourer, they have, at least in Europe, little options left. With the withdrawal of the ST and FJR there hardly is another choice. Just to be fair. And both STs and FJRs have been succesfully used by Police forces. I believe a good alternative to a RT-P is choosing a 2 or 3 year older normal RT with a complete service history. My worries with RT-Ps: first of all, they are ridden with a lot of knowledge but likely were ridden hard when cold. Also they may have covered quite some time standing still yet ticcking over. Perhaps not an issue on the LCs, it mat be an issue on the Oilheads. To me most importantly: the no longer needed wiring. As you stated, usually the excess wiring is not removed in a professional manner, if removed at all. My experience with dangling wires will always haunt me. I hate electrical gremlins. I just got myself an older, 1 owner, full service history RT and I'm still evaluating whether it will be the bike for me... When you are used to Japanese multi cilinder bikes, big twins are not a logical choice... Some BMW details I find rather appauling... My, now traded in, 33 year old ST1100 (>100.000 miles) had fewer rusty bolts than my much younger RT (only 50.000 miles). BMW have still to convince me from a quality point of view...

[@reinmansmith]

Agree entirely with your comments re use and mileage on this type of bike. As the owner of a R100RS which is now on 103,000mls and counting, (which I would happily jump on and head off across Europe on tomorrow and do!) regular use servicing and care will keep these going for ever 👍 Would be good if you could keep us up to date with how your love affair progresses 😊

[@jonhoney562]

Hi guys I have a 2010 bmw r1200rtp I absolutely love it off around Europe in may. got from IOM constabulary it as only20,000 miles on it. So a good buy if I do say so myself 😂 have a good Christmas and a happy New Year to you both

[@williamtaylor874]

Great vid very informative always liked police bike because of the maintaence record

[@GerryPowell-r6s]

Definitely a love affair,Merry Christmas to all😍

[@FREE_PUREBLOOD333]

Yamaha FJR 1300. Thankyou very much Santa. 👍

[@witofthestaircase1]

Excellent Thank you

[@rodharveyhall9155]

Hey guys, some good advice on selecting an RTP , I picked up one here in Australia with 100,000 km on it and its an awesome ride. Have just given it some fresh paint, custom stickers and some carbon wrap. Keep up the good work

[@Back2TheBike]

Enjoy it. I loved my 2016 RT, just too heavy after a heart incident. I never used most of the gizmos, modern bikes have too many distractions anyway. The only glitches wwer the way the mirrors clag on dirty roads and the clunk into 1st when stationary.

[@kevinb2773]

That's a really good vid Toby. I've got a 2019 1250RT (which I hope will see me out!) and found the comparisons really informative. If it has been looked after it should last forever! One question: Where did you get the seat cover? I couldn't quite make out the name on the vid. It looks like a good fit. I find I slide about when wearing the Rukka kit although the old Halvarssons is fine.

[@RiderCamTV]

thanks for the kind words Kevin. The seat is from Triboseat. Got it off Amazon and really cheap too! amzn.to/3NIrk4J

[@kevinb2773]

@@RiderCamTV Thanks for the link Toby, just ordered one!

[@Fractal379]

Thank you very much.

[@benkelly2190]

Nice one. The mileage thing is a massive bug bear! I’ve 20k on my 2018 triumph speed triple(from new) that’s roughly 3.5k a year. If I take it for a trade in, they will gasp, shock horror! As if it’s about to melt. Offer me peanuts, while tutting and shaking their heads. It’s a rancid disease created by the industry. As you guys say. I’d buy mine over a very low mileage, bike.

[@rog5150]

Did you remove the police switch clusters on the bars? Wiring also or just disconnect?

[@RiderCamTV]

The switch clusters had already been removed and disconnect before I got it :)

[@milabaigar]

Great vids guys , am still riding here in Spain 19 c and sunshine , felice navidad, ride safe bikers 👍😂🤣

[@markholroyd5365]

Y un feliz ano nuevo. Ride safe

[@RiderCamTV]

Send some sun here please, wish I was in Spain today , feliz navidad

[@milabaigar]

@@RiderCamTV your welcome anytime next week it average 20 c 😂👍

[@bewildered5444]

Interesting video. I'm surprised you didn't mention the clutch, I imagine they take a bit of a pasting on service bikes. Never had a BMW but I gather they are a pain to replace although I'll happily be corrected.

[@paulchandler5004]

The bodywork should be free of minor scratches and wear and tear as it will have been wrapped in hi-vis. Also at 30K miles it will be just run in. I bought an R80RT with 40K that was as strong as the day it was made.

[@paulxavier4394]

I'm looking at an Ex Police / Paramedic , RT with the lights & whistles for when I've done my I A M to do Blood Biker work

[@markholroyd5365]

I think you will be disappointed in that they remove all the hardware before selling. Ride safe

[@paulxavier4394]

@@markholroyd5365 Found a few ex service bikes for sale mainly ST 1300's With lights & sirens just need to be rewired back into use . But need to show cqc or NHS numbers

[@ReferenceFidelityComponents]

Blood bikes no longer use blues and twos as they have no exception like police and ambulance or fire service. A few too many abuses and a volunteer fatality a while back in West Mids saw a review and now most regions have put a stop to blues and twos being used.

[@markholroyd5365]

@@ReferenceFidelityComponents Cornwall Blood Bikes made a conscious decision 9 years ago not to use them for the reasons you have stated. During my nine years of service with them I never had a situation where they could have been used apart from when I came across a fatal car accident. Ride safe everyone.

[@dalesmith9183]

Thanks for the overview - lots of good points! Where did you get the sat-nav preparation area (the part you were fondling)? Thanks.

[@RiderCamTV]

Thanks buddy. Bought it off eBay :)

[@swartgevaar5794]

I assume that another difference is that the speedometer is correctly calibrated?

[@RiderCamTV]

It is indeed. Does mean that you have no room for error on speed limits though, but the analogue dials are calibrated but the digital one isn’t

[@davidbarton7463]

The speedometer on my CBR400RR only informed me how many KM/hr I was doing until I added some extra numbers this summer while doing a refurb. So essentially I have rode this in the UK since 1996 and covered 48,000 Km while only being able to roughly estimate my mph speed! too many bloody cameras around for that nowadays. @@RiderCamTV

[@FREE_PUREBLOOD333]

🙊✝️🎄🎅🍾🍻🏍️💨👍🇬🇧. Happy Christmas !!

[@mikedignum1868]

Merry Christmas guys...and Barney. That millage is nothing on an RT...You got a 1300, didn't you?

[@markholroyd5365]

They don’t do a 1300… yet.

[@stinger192]

Police officer was looking around my RT and said ecu was tweaked for flat line speed?

[@tonytodd7293]

Good video, thinking of buying one.Might have missed this, but where do I get one from? Only seen one place, Dunnington, York, but that’s it, any more options tt

[@RiderCamTV]

JRSmotorcycles in york are heat to deal with or you could buy direct from an auction

[@chriskkk1989]

Hi guys, the dash for the sat nav, did you buy that extra plastic from BMW?

[@RiderCamTV]

Bought off eBay

[@michaelalcock6905]

Did you purchase your R1200RT-P from jrs, by any chance ???

[@marktomlin4702]

Where can you buy one from please love your vids

[@RiderCamTV]

Got Barney from JRS Motorcycles I. York. Lovely people to deal with

[@msrdanov1]

what about back seat?

[@RiderCamTV]

I prefer not to have one. I sit on the front one 🤣

[@paulsire]

Couple of questions, are they run in properly before they go on patrol and is the BMW warranty roled over for the new owner to renew, I say this as someone whose shock failed out of warranty

[@paulsire]

Just saw you answered 2nd point further in upload

[@RiderCamTV]

They do get run in properly. The warranty is something that you will need to buy direct from BMW if you buy one

[@Biggles83]

If it was a 1.2 litre car with 40k miles people wouldn’t bat an eyelid.. these engines don’t get stressed. I’ve ridden 80k mile Pans that ride better and tighter then bikes a couple of years old !

[@nigelmtb]

Can anyone tell me about fuel economy on a 1200 RT-P? I'm seeing figures around 43mpg and it's the only thing putting me off buying one.

[@markholroyd5365]

For every day riding you should be able to get around 50-54. On a tour it could be much higher depending on your riding style. Ride safe

[@mkat_551]

​@@markholroyd5365really? I have a flyer from BMW that says they get 39mpg for the police version. That is throwing me off a bit as it's way lower than the civilian.

[@SusanWillan]

That bike has practically just been run in it's got nothing to do with the KMs it's the way it's been ridden and maintained i ride an 06 FJR Yamaha it's done just over 165 thousand kilometres and still runs like new the more you ride them the better they are in my opinion im 65 in August if I was younger and looking for a touring bike id definitely be interested in getting 1 and saving heaps on the price of a new motorcycle 🏍️

[@davidbirchall5124]

Toby i think deep down your a Motorcycle cop wannabee👮‍♂️👮‍♂️🏍🏍.....😊😊 i must agree i like the thin panniers great for filtering and top opening 👌 and i think it looks better with those panniers. Keep up the Great vids and have a Great Christmas you Guys 🎄 👍 🏍🏍🏍🏍

[@austinmatthews347]

Do you mainly ride the rt now

[@RiderCamTV]

Might do 😉

[@austinmatthews347]

@@RiderCamTV oh mate your poor gsa you wont remember but i think i got mine simular time to you and shes exactly the same i got her with the halogen headlight did you get your £500 voucher from motorrad uk i got mine and put it towards a 3 year service package. I took her around germany in may next its italy in june i have always been scared to tour on bikes i have ridden since 1985 my gsa has given me so much confidence. To travel further do to the comfort and planted feel also the breakdown cover is second to none i may do spain next year with a visit to morrocco maybe anyhow thanks for taking the time to reply. I find your videos really good

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

How much is it to add a warranty to 2nd/3rd user bmw?

[@RiderCamTV]

Not sure but I’m sure BMW will tell you

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

@@RiderCamTV Oh, was yours gifted then?

[@alanbrown5593]

I just bought one, cheap. Yes, I'm Scottish.

[@georgegill1815]

Notice you don't explain the large increase in weight.

[@RiderCamTV]

Large increase in weight?

[@Raf13Raf11]

All nice but no place for helmet...

[@RiderCamTV]

On your head hahahhaa

[@Raf13Raf11]

​@@RiderCamTV😂😂 Happy Christmas lads I use bike for comuting so space for helmet is must... big side panniers in that combination will be perfect bike for me and i'am looking for rtp model but 1250.

[@Richibald1]

If you're forced to drop the bike. What would you rather be on for that harrowing moment. A GSA or same size same year RTP? Have either of you ever tried Amsoil in that boxer engine? I've used it over 20 years and every vehicle I've driven starts easier, runs smoother & quieter and a peace of mind I'm betting either of you've never experienced. Particularly good idea in an out of warranty RTP. 🤔 Not sure if it helps but the new 1250s appear to be sporting a crankcase guard between the sump and front tire. 🫰👋

[@RiderCamTV]

I’d drop the RTP rather than the GSA. The RTP crash protection is designed for the bike to be dropped and protect the bike in the harshest of drops as they were service bikes. Not tried Amsoil. The RTP is under warranty as you can buy this from BMW with their recovery providing the bike is privately owned and has been serviced regularly and is under 80000 miles. :)