Perhaps a mod should shut this thread down before it graduates to anything further. Obviously people are going to have differing opinions on things such as this. Once these threads turn political they aren't much help to anyone anymore, and I thought that was what this place was for. To help each other out and sort through problems with the bikes.

 

I think she meant that they're pulling them over for no good reason, then once pulled over potentially hassling them into searches and what-not and end up "accidentally on purpose" finding something to charge them with.

I've not been on this forum for very long, but one thing I've learned so far is that cops like to hassle bikes (I've heard it's bad in VA too for sport bikes). If you're going to ride, ride carefully, intelligently, keep the bike up to codes and do not give them any reason to (legally) pull you over. Do not consent to any searches (tough for them to do without a warrant or obvious probable cause).

Basically, be careful in every aspect of the word. I have yet to get my bike up and runningand the anxiety of riding such a beast is already bad enough without having to worry about potential police harassment. I'm just wondering how much actual "fun" I'm going to be able to have without worrying about something going wrong.

 

that's exactly what I meant - thank you for clarifying Freebie

Also - please don't think that bikes are harassed to the point of not being fun. I've yet to get pulled over on mine -**knock on a really big piece of wood** but have been in groups where people where pulled over for no reason. Plus when we ride in larger numbers we do things specifically to avoid attracting attention. Police issues aside, it's a LOT of fun to just get out and go for a ride :-)

 

Fatal flaw...?

You are imo...the type of guy who gives cops a bad name...calling me an idiot...

Bud...let me tell you something...you are spouting off like an ******* solely for the reason that you are protected by the anonymity of the internet.

No wonder you have to pay to be a member here.

I'm gathering some money...and plan on buying you out and off....you ***.

 

+ 1 million! I didn't mean to start this... I was just ranting! Damn, I scream about 1 bad cop I ran into and now I'm a cop hater? common guy's the boys in blue, while a little excited sometimes, are needed and thanked for their service! Think of them like your mom... you watch your mouth around mom huh? we watch our speed and such, you get caught, get the bar of soap out, so to speak. They are truly heros for doing a thankless job but there are a** holes out there also, just like anybody else. Would all of you be defending a cager if I got cut off or ran over by one? no! But their are very thoughtfull and carefull, law abiding, attentive cagers out there with the bad ones. But it's ok to slam1 cager thats fu**s up but not 1 cop? common guys. we need them and you know it.

 

Why do I speak for cops?

Also - if there is so many cases of consitutional rights being violated, why isn't someone challenging it in court? I mean - you guys can claim all you want that, "the police fabricate probable cause to make a stop." I'm not gonna say it doesn't happen- but this isn't the case. What you're seeing and reading about in Texas is a saturation of police presencein response to an identified problem. Probably strongly encouraged by those that attend public meetings. Tax payers and the well-off.

I simply can't believe that the police are so corrupt that not only are they acting illegally under cover of authority but are being covered by the local media and no one says nothing.

It takes so little ("reasonable suspicion") to actually make a legal traffic stop that to fabricate lies would be ignorant.

And I'm not a cop.

 

No problem. It's difficult, often impossible sometimesto determine someone's tone or full meaning behind written text on the web.

Thanks for the clarification too. I've always wanted a motorcycle and when I finally got one (for free... hence my username) I was thrilled. But, after reading some of the stories I'm seeing on here, I was just seeing the potential for unwanted trouble being pretty high. That combined with people around here telling me that police in Virginia in majority don't seem to like sport bikes just raises my anxiety.

 

You'll be fine man. Alot of people that have run-in's with the cops are the same people over and over and over again. They have attitude and cynisim written all over their face when the pfficer makes contact.

That being said, it's also possible that you get stopped for a simple mistake that you made just so the officer can make contact, and find out who's riding that bike. Trust me, if you're not showboating, and you stop and courteously answer the questions you're asked, you're not going to be messed with. And I can almost guarantee that the next time that cops sees you he'll remember that you aren't the problem.

Don't worry about it, bro. It's one of those things that you'll likely never have to deal with (so long as you are the upstanding gentleman you appear to be.

Riding is good fun solo or in groups. Lots of cops ride and it's not hard to spot someone who is out there for the sheer enjoyment of riding and not to put others at risk.

 

I try to be upstanding for the most part. My parents tried to raise me up as a southern gentleman (even though we lived in southern PA), but I still have my days when I'm not so much.

I actually had a run-in with a local sheriff's deputy this past weekend (speeding in my truck to get home and fix a leaking valve so that I could take the wife and little boy out for Mother's Day). I got nailed 52 in a 35. First offense since I moved to VA. I'm worried about the points affecting my insurance, especially with me wanting to insure my CBR in the very near future.

So, right now when it comes to law enforcement, I'm a little jumpy. I was especially jumpy when I was pulled over this weekend becuase it was the first time I had ever been pulled over while armed (legally, I have a concealed handgun permit although open carry is legal without a permit in VA. Yes, I'm a gun nut, but at least I'm not a nut with a gun.) and I was wondering how the officer was going to handle it. He was cool with it since I was legal and all, but still gave me the ticket.