There’s a new police bike you might start seeing patrolling American streets soon, and this one isn’t a big, shiny cruiser. Rather, it’s a sport touring bike that’s been modified for police duty. The Yamaha FJR1300P is Yamaha’s flagship police bike in Europe, but it wasn’t available in the United States until now. Other parts of the world rely heavily on motorcycles as police vehicles while over here they’re used more as decorations to put in parades.
It’s powered by a 1298cc, DOHC, 16-valve, liquid-cooled, inline-four engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission. It’s a shaft drive bike which ensures smooth power delivery and durability over a traditional chain setup. The suspension has a generous 5.3-inches of travel in front and 4.9-inches in back and it comes standard with ABS.
Yamaha says the FJR1300P’s “imposing frame and refined styling reflect its commanding status and reliability.” Frankly, I think it’s a little goofy looking and it doesn’t look all that authoritative to me, but it certainly looks like the right tool for the job. It has the storage, features, and all-day comfort that police officers want and need on duty.