This summer, the East Lansing police are riding about 1,600 pounds of fury while on patrol.
The East Lansing Police Department put its two new Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycles to work in May, and members of the unit said they've received positive reactions from the community.
"Everybody waves at you, which is interesting because we write probably the most traffic tickets," East Lansing police Sgt. Mark VandeWouwer said. "People love to come up and talk about the motorcycles."
East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said all five officers in the motorcycle unit have received positive reactions about the new additions.
"They are generating a lot of interest," Wibert said. "It's a little early to claim them as a success."
While taking a coffee break Friday behind Starbucks, 401 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing police Officer Ryan Kuhn talked with passers-by who stopped to look at the motorcycle he was using to patrol.
"It's a conversation-starter," Kuhn said. "It makes you more accessible because you're out in the air. If I was in a car, I might have the window up."
Motorcycles have proven useful in events such as the East Lansing Art Festival and the MSU/Mid-Michigan Children's Initiative Second Annual Teddy Bear Picnic, where parking and pedestrian traffic made it difficult for patrol cars to get around, Kuhn said.
There are five people in the motorcycle unit, including VandeWouwer, Kuhn and officers Dan Brown, Jim Hulliberger and Dennis Aven. Everyone in the unit went through police motorcycle-specific eight-day training at a driving school in Canton Township in Wayne County, VandeWouwer said.
The school's four instructors take only eight students at a time, which means more repetition and close attention to training, he said.
Wibert said the drivers graduated from the school May 10 and started patrolling in a matter of days.
East Lansing is the last department in the area to add motorcycles to its fleet, and VandeWouwer said he has submitted proposals for the motorcycles since 1997. MSU, DeWitt, Lansing and Meridian Township all have at least one motorcycle, he said.
The department chose Harley-Davidson motorcycles because they were the less expensive option and are durable.
Honda doesn't offer leases for its motorcycles and BMW is about $350 per month, VandeWouwer said.
And if one of the Harley-Davidson motorcycles is dropped on the ground, it will start back up, VandeWouwer said.
The motorcycles are leased from the Saginaw Valley Harley-Davidson dealership in Bay City. The dealership customizes and leases motorcycles to about 15 police departments in Michigan, said Gaynie Baumler, the dealership's office manager.
For a one-year lease, one motorcycle costs about $550 — about half of what a patrol car lease costs, and the money comes from the department's budget, VandeWouwer said.
Electra Glides cost about $17,000-$18,000 to purchase.
"The thinking was, with these motorcycles, there would be less wear and tear on the cars and get better gas mileage with prices right now," he said. "They actually pay for themselves."
The department's patrol cars — Ford Crown Victorias — get about 17 miles per gallon in the city and about 25 on the highway.
The Harley-Davidson Electra Glides get about 39 miles per gallon in the city and about 46 on the highway.
Once the lease is up, the department returns the motorcycles to the dealership to be sold to anyone who wants them, Baumler said.
VandeWouwer said the department will continue to trade in its used motorcycles and lease newer ones, and it might even look into leasing more.
Weather permitting, officers will most likely ride the motorcycles until November and start back up in April, VandeWouwer said.
Even in some nasty weather conditions, the motorcycles can still perform really well, Kuhn said.
"It's a good addition to the fleet we've had," Kuhn said. "We want to use them as long as we have them."
Lindsey Poisson can be reached at poisson4@msu.edu.
