Even the Police Feel the Need For Speed

Even the police feel the need for speed

LETTER FROM Japan

When police start riding sportbikes to catch speeders, it’s time to slow down. It used to be that the police here in Japan rode modified 650 Honda Nighthawks, chasing down the perpetrators of traffic crime, but that’s changed now with the FZ750P police bike.

The machine in question closely resembles the Yamaha FZ750 sold in America, but with several significant modifications. It has a mildly tuned version of the potent FZ750 five-valve-per-cylinder engine that gives the bike more than enough horsepower to catch speeders foolish enough to try and run from it. It also shares the same basic steel frame and braking system that standard on the FZ.

Equipped with a high, wide handlebar for leverage and a thick, singleperson seat, the machine is comfortable to ride for long periods of highway patrolling. Special police equipment includes a siren, flashing lights and, most important, radar.

Those of you speeding in the U.S. can relax, however, because there are no plans for Yamaha to sell the bike to police departments in the States—as of yet. But if the U.S. boys in blue ever get ahold of one of these FZs, watch out: You’ll have trouble getting away from one.