When I got pulled over, I told the officer.....

[SIR REAL ED]

Let's hear your best get out of jail lines!

Trying out my buddy's Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 which was a wheelie pig compared to a Suzuki SV650, the first wheelie attempt was only about 6" high, and the second attempt was only about 12" high.

A 1/2 mile later the lights come on, I pull over, and take off my helmet.  The cop says "You didn't see me parked over there?  I figured you did that wheelie to bait me, and then decided to run from me!"

Which struck me as odd since I never exceeded 35 mph when I was "running."

So I replied "Well 30 years ago, I might have.  But I never even saw you sitting there.  I was just trying to see how easily my buddy's bike would wheelie!  It's a dog!"

Then after a few laughs and a couple minutes of BSing about bikes and people, we went our separate ways......

[Moparnut72]

Back when I was in the Army in Denver I rode with a couple of buddies to Boulder on evening after work. On the way out of town on our way home we all got on it. They were riding an H1 and a 450 Honda, I was riding my R50/2 BMW. The cop came up to me and said oh you were riding the old BMW, you can't go fast enough to get into trouble. I don't remember what happened to them they either got a good talking to or warnings. That H1 was highly modified and faster than stink. Quickest thing I have ever ridden.
kk

[Tkelly]

I’ve run into a few cops who wanted to chat about bikes.Just take off your helmet and be respectful,best not to comment on what you think you may have done wrong,cop will tell you soon enough.A friend was  testing the performance of his new Mondello on the highway in front of the Iowa rally campground when a female cop pulled him over.I think she clocked him in triple digits.His comment was ,ok how about a warning?He got a smile out of her and she told him he should be on his way to jail.I guess his charm worked as she wrote the ticket for 25 over.

[John A]

Weaving ? Hell I can’t even knit.

[drdwb]

I had just switched the rear ends of both my O3 EV and my wife’s 04 Stone from 8-33 to 7-33s so speedometers were off on both, we were on county road just coming into small rural Mn town you’d miss if you blinked and probably about 15 over posted. The deputy sheriff was a motorhead, Veteran, and a Ducati owner. He gave us a verbal warning, it helped having Air Force Vet license plate holder on back ( more than once). After I explained the rear end switch we ended up talking about the superiority of Italian bikes, he hadn’t seen a Guzzi in the area in years, so after throughly checking out both bikes and discussing our military histories he told me to get a Garmin GPS or fix the speedometers. And let us drive off, didn’t even check our licenses, insurance, or registration. I think it also helped both wife and I had complete riding gear on, as he had a few derogatory comments about young crotch rocket riders going too fast wearing only shorts and flip flops.

[SIR REAL ED]

I had just switched the rear ends of both my O3 EV and my wife’s 04 Stone from 8-33 to 7-33s so speedometers were off on both, we were on county road just coming into small rural Mn town you’d miss if you blinked and probably about 15 over posted. The deputy sheriff was a motorhead, Veteran, and a Ducati owner. He gave us a verbal warning, it helped having Air Force Vet license plate holder on back ( more than once). After I explained the rear end switch we ended up talking about the superiority of Italian bikes, he hadn’t seen a Guzzi in the area in years, so after throughly checking out both bikes and discussing our military histories he told me to get a Garmin GPS or fix the speedometers. And let us drive off, didn’t even check our licenses, insurance, or registration. I think it also helped both wife and I had complete riding gear on, as he had a few derogatory comments about young crotch rocket riders going too fast wearing only shorts and flip flops.

In those situations, when the officer is also a motorcyclist, I always ask him/her:  "Have you ever ridden one of these?  You can take it out for a spin if you want!"

[PJPR01]

Yes sir...I was in fact testing Sport Mode...it does 90 very easily...quite exhilarating!

Well then, here's your warning, no ticket today...thanks for being honest with me.  Keep it under 75 please while you're in Oklahoma...thank you and have a good day.

Thank you Officer Tyler!

[Scott Carpenter]

I came out of Emu Swamp Road in about 1998 in my work car and forgot it turned straight into a 60 some way out of Lucknow, so I was doing 80. NSW Highway Patrol did a 180 and pulled me over.

"Do you know how fast you were going?"

"Reckon about 80. Sorry about that mate, came off the dirt and forgot the 60 started so soon"

"So you admit it?"

"Yeah why not. It was a stuff up".

"Ok, I dont get many responses like that, so how about instead of 80 I put you down for 68. That means the fine is 200 bucks less and less points".

"Fair enough".  And we shook hands and went on our way. My fine was I think 85 bucks. No worries.

[BMCMOTO]

Riding my 1967 BMW /2 on an early spring forenoon I was pulled over on a local 35 mph street going about 45. Got stopped and off the bike, helmet off showing my graying head. I asked the officer if we could just write it off to youthful exuberance.  With a chuckle he told me I could but he couldn't and proceeded to write me the full ticket.

Brian

[twowings]

"My name is Luap McKeever" 

[John A]

I had just switched the rear ends of both my O3 EV and my wife’s 04 Stone from 8-33 to 7-33s so speedometers were off on both, we were on county road just coming into small rural Mn town you’d miss if you blinked and probably about 15 over posted. The deputy sheriff was a motorhead, Veteran, and a Ducati owner. He gave us a verbal warning, it helped having Air Force Vet license plate holder on back ( more than once). After I explained the rear end switch we ended up talking about the superiority of Italian bikes, he hadn’t seen a Guzzi in the area in years, so after throughly checking out both bikes and discussing our military histories he told me to get a Garmin GPS or fix the speedometers. And let us drive off, didn’t even check our licenses, insurance, or registration. I think it also helped both wife and I had complete riding gear on, as he had a few derogatory comments about young crotch rocket riders going too fast wearing only shorts and flip flops.

I try to stay away from mentioning speedometer inaccuracy because a fix it ticket on that item can enter into a mess of regulations and difficulties, depending on the state. Some are quite strict. You did just right!

[cliffrod]

Told this before.

In Nov 99, while slowing down after many miles at WOT on my V7 Sport, I passed TN state trooper in median on I-40 at Knox County line.  The cars I was running with took off.  I kept slowing and he pulled me over.  As he walked up, I told him he probably wasn’t going to be happy because I had no registration paperwork with me and address on license was wrong.  he said it was good that I didn’t run. Told him my bike probably wasnt fast enough to run from him and a speeding ticket was probably cheaper than crashing my bike.

When he saw I had no gauges at all (no inspection in TN)  on bike, he said “do you have any idea how fast you were going?”  I said “yup, between 105 and 110.”   He gave me the look, told me to walk back to his car and showed me the radar displaying 108.  He asked how I knew that.  I told him “I know my bike very well” so told the truth because I knew I was screwed and didn’t want to get towed, impounded, reckless driving, SR22, etc.

Asked for a warning, he laughed..  But he wrote me a reduction to 88 in a 70mph zone and offered to recommend diversion for me in court because I didn’t run, was honest and wasn’t a smart Alec.  Iirc I paid approx $130 in court cost and was good for 30-60 days to have the whole matter dropped.

[larrys]

When I lived in England '74-'76 I had a Gus Kuhn setup '73 Norton Commando cafe racer. Was bombing around the back roads somewhere in Oxfordshire when I notice an orange MGB GT following me. I wicked it up pretty good and the MG stayed with me. Thought it was some local guy playing with me until the blue light and that funny siren noise the English cop cars made came on. I pull over, the two bobbies check me out. They find out I'm a Yank and the conversation got better. "You ride pretty good for a Yank." was one comment. I made some statement about their car being pretty fast, they told me it has a Rover 3.5L V8 in it. Then we have the bonnet open and we're all checking it out. They told me to check my mirrors more often...
Larry

[Moparnut72]

I guess I can add another incident, I don't want everyone to think I am a scofflaw. These were in my much younger days. I am good now, most of the time. I took a two week leave and rode from Denver to the far side of Connecticut in a little over 40 hours scott free. I was on my way back to post, a bit slower this time. But I got hung up in traffic etc in New York and in New Jersey I wound up on the Jersey Turnpike where motorcycles weren't allowed. I had to get off at the next exit where I had no clue where I was so that ate up more time trying to get back on track. Going through Pennsylvania I decided I would make up some time, I was probably running about 15 over. I was passing most of if not all the traffic. I remember going by a Plymouth sedan with an old couple in it. A short time later I saw what I thought was the same brown Plymouth catching up to me, I figured they decided to step it up and follow me. The car Plymouth pulled along side of me and the driver blew the horn and held up his Smokey Bear hat and pointed to the shoulder. It was unmarked car and was almost identical to the one I had passed. I was riding my brand new 1970 R75/5 BMW which had only been available for a few months in the US, I had the first of three in Denver. The Patrolman got out and told his partner to write me a warning and then proceeded to carry on a long conversation regarding the new BMW. I cooled it the rest of the way back to post. Fun times, too old for that stuff now.
kk

[LuftGansa]

I was driving a loop around the United States and Mexico when I found myself in Nebraska.  For the uninitiated,,,Nebraska is extremely boring with bad roads.  I became aware that the Colorado line was coming up and I goosed it just to get out of Nebraska that much faster.   one hundred yards shy of the state line a Nebraska trooper gave me a ticket.   I think I would rather go to prison than drive through that state again!

[Moparnut72]

You aren't the only one, Kansas isn't any better.
kk

[Gliderjohn]

You aren't the only one, Kansas isn't any better.
kk

Ks is better. Was pulled over by a Nebraska Trooper six miles from the KS border for seven over. Written warning and a stern lecture about speeding in Nebraska.
Had another brush with NE law enforcement back in the mid-seventies. That one is a campfire story.
GliderJohn

[Oca Grassa]

Was bombing around the back roads somewhere in Oxfordshire when I notice an orange MGB GT following me. I wicked it up pretty good and the MG stayed with me.

I had a similar experience bombing those same back roads in the early 90s. My best riding buddy lived on RAF Croughton and had a 1st year GSXR750. A 1985, UK bike. I had a US spec ZX7 at the time, a 1989. Also a 1st year bike.

We went everywhere at 110 plus….and that ain’t in KPH. We were on a road headed from Banbury back towards Croughton and made a left off of an A road….couldn’t tell you the name of either road. About an eighth mile there was an intersecting road (a “T” intersection) that had a stop sign. A car stopped there as we were accelerating. As we closed, I made eye contact with the driver, an OAP. He maintained his position so we got on the gas and got on down the road.


As we ascended the hill about a mile down the road from the T intersection, I heard a noise. I looked back expecting to see my riding buddy, and I did see him; only there was a motor Officer between us with his lights going. Now, I rode everywhere in a leather jacket that had a large American flag across the back. I pulled over immediately as soon as I realized we were being stopped.

Motor officer got off his bike and stormed back towards us….only to get snapped back as he forgot to unplug his helmet comms from his radio. I knew he was pissed off and that only made it worse. We both shut our bikes off when we stopped so I think maybe that and the large American flag influenced what followed. He didn’t start I on us like I expected.

He starts with “Look, I know you are riding these things the way they’re meant to be ridden”  followed by “You’re both Yanks yea?” We both looked at one another and nodded yes. He says “You should be more careful when you pass a pensioner like that. We looked at each other again in confusion, given we hadn’t passed any “pensioner”. The motor officer looked at us both and said again “that pensioner”.

Still seeing confusion he says that old man you passed back there? Still confused, he says to us “at the stop” I was even more confused. I said “he was stopped, we didn’t pass him” The officer says “You did, you went by so fast you scared the life out of him” He pulled out and nearly killed me because he was still looking at you lot”

Just make sure the bike following you…. Lost me again. He let us go with that but as he wasn’t “with us” I didn’t see how it was our responsibility to make sure he didn’t get cut off. Also, that was when I learned an OAP stood for Old Age Pensioner or just “pensioner”

My riding buddy from back then….33 years ago now, we still keep in touch and have gone riding together here in California in the years since that happened. We still tell that story to our new riding buddies too. Almost all of them say we’re full of it. No way you get pulled over at a buck twenty and don’t go to jail. That’s just the way it was back then.

[mechanicsavant]

On the second day I owned my new 85 K100  ( one of the first in US ) . Riding home from work I got stopped for doing 42 in a 30 . The officer spent a while looking @ the silver K bike & said “if you can afford that bike you can afford this ticket “ .

[Vagrant]

I was driving a loop around the United States and Mexico when I found myself in Nebraska.  For the uninitiated,,,Nebraska is extremely boring with bad roads.  I became aware that the Colorado line was coming up and I goosed it just to get out of Nebraska that much faster.   one hundred yards shy of the state line a Nebraska trooper gave me a ticket.   I think I would rather go to prison than drive through that state again!

You got lucky!
Colorado will stop you 100 miles from the nearest town or human for a whole 6 over! You could have gotten a ticket from both states.

[Bulldog9]

Back in 2010ish while bombing up I81 in Virginia on our FJRs at triple digits (no other cars on road), my buddy and I were caught dead to rights by a VA state trooper who was hidden in the center Island. We knew we were caught dead to rights, so figured we'd just pull over and take our chances.

We were off our bikes, helmets off, papers and military IDs in hand, sheepish looks on our faces, bikes off and on side stands and 4 ways on.

A few minutes later he goes screaming past us, then brakes and backs along the shoulder. He gets out approached us and said in a fine old school Vuh-gin-a-yuh accent 'did you boys just fly by me?'  'Yes officer" 'Why did you pull over? You could have gotten off the next exit and been gone"

We then handed over our military IDs apologized and said we were too responsible for that behavior. We also explained that we were heading back to Lexington for my buddies sons graduation from VMI.

He smiled big, thanked us for stopping, gave us back our IDs and told us to keep it under 90...

[kballowe]

About 15 years ago, I was meandering around near the St. Louis Arch, and found a back lane where a bunch of bikes had gathered.  They kept yelling "pull it up" and so I did.... but wasn't expecting it to come up that easy - and it just kept going.  Best wheelie I've ever done.

I set it down, just before the end - and then a very large city cop lit me up.  She talked to me like we were unhappily married.  "Follow me" she says.  I followed her to a White Castle, and then proceeded to buy her dinner (two sacks full).  She pointed to the interstate and said "I better not see you again".

I get a call about an hour later from one of my buddies.  He also rode a wheelie in that same area, and the same lady police wrote him a C & I. 

[Guzzistajohn]

Well officer, I was trying to get home before I have an accident 

[Motormike]

Hope I haven't told this story around here before:  Many years ago, I was riding my Buell Lighting through the backroads of Lumpkin County Georgia on U.S 19.  Riding a bit too briskly, I was pulled over by a Lumpkin County Sherrif, who ticketed me for doing 65 in a 40, or something like that.

 So, waiting until a few days before the court appearance date on the ticket, I decided I'd better call the Lumpkin County Courthouse, see how much the fine was going to be, cut them a check and take my lumps.  This wasn't my first rodeo with traffic fines.  Asking for the court clerk, a man answered the phone.  When I said I wanted to pay the speeding ticket, this person told me in no uncertain terms I HAD to appear before the court!  Irritated, I asked why?  The person on the other end said, "That road has a high accident rate, and the Judge wants all violators to appear before him." Now totally irritated that I wasn't simply able to pay the fine, I said, "Well that's a stupid rule, what Judge came up with that idea."  "This one did!" Was his unexpected reply!  I swallowed hard and said, "Uh, when would you like to see me, your honor?"  True story.
 
On a side note, it was the only time I decided to spend the $$ on an attorney to represent me.  I figured I'd stuck my foot down my throat far enough and better let someone else do the talking for me at that point.

[brider]

Early '90s riding a bone- stock red/white Eldo (yes, still had chrome bores) Driving south on CA 1 between Lompoc & Gaviota, doing 75, got pulled over. Cop said I was speeding and all I said was "Look at this thing, no way could it go that fast". No real debate, he said "watch it" and let me go....

[Gliderjohn]

Early '90s riding a bone- stock red/white Eldo (yes, still had chrome bores) Driving south on CA 1 between Lompoc & Gaviota, doing 75, got pulled over. Cop said I was speeding and all I said was "Look at this thing, no way could it go that fast". No real debate, he said "watch it" and let me go....

Well I will say they don't look as fast as they could run. I can tell you a similar story involving a Ford Model A on aI-35 in OK.
GliderJohn

[huub]

25 years ago when on holiday in france we were riding small roads , and at traffic lights every now and then one of the mates would do a wheely attempt.
until we came to a stop at another traffic light , and a policeman on a k100 police bike stopped beside of us looking annoyed.
we were all expecting a fine, wondering how long he had been riding behind us.
but at green light the guy showed us how to do a proper wheely and disappeared into the distance.
apparently the guy had better things to do than spend time on tourists on small bikes.

[DougG]

Hello all,                                                                                                                                 4-1-25
                                                         Sorry for the long message, but it's worth reading.

A few years ago I was riding with a friend in Virginia and he was in the lead.  We rode past a construction site, the car ahead of us slowed down to watch the construction machinery to about 10 MPH (in a 45 mph zone).  My friend passed the car and when I did, the car accelerated and I was left in the outside lane with incommong traffic.  I accelerated, passed the car, but by the time I passed it I crossed the double yellow lines.  A local cop stopped me, I got off the bike and walked over to the cop's car.  I showed him my license, registration, insurance, etc. and he told me to go back to my bike.  After several minutes, I walked back to his car and he motioned for me to get in.  I complied.  After a couple minutes, he asked "What kind of bike is this?"  I was riding my California 1400 at the time.  He kept scrolling through the bike brands on his computer and couldn't find the Moto Guzzi brand.  "I'm just gunna put this down as a Harley", he said.  "Certainly officer.  Do Whatever you have to," I replied.
When he was finished typing, he handed me a ticket for crossing the double line and then he said..."Call the DA's office (he wrote the tel# on the ticket), give him this ticket number and tell him that I said to cancel it.  You were plight (that is Southern drawl for polite)".  I thanked him, went back to my Guzzi and finished my ride.  The next day, I called the number, the Assistant DA's office answered, I gave him the ticket number and he said that it had been dismissed.

                                                If anyone ever asks you "Why ride a Guzzi",  Well...now you know!

                                                                            Be well,
                                                                                DougG

[daytonars97]

 My most noteworthy story happened 25 years ago when I took my longest trip: Chicago to San Antonio, to Red Deer ( North of Calgary) and back to Chicago on my 1995 BMW R1100RS.

   Coming back from Red Deer I only had two days to get back to Chicago.  Rode way over the speed limit almost all the way. On the second day, in Madison (WI), then at night, I was sick of the expressways, got out, and on the way to Chicago became lost.  I finally got to a local road I was familiar with in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook. By then, I was dog tired, it was almost midnight and I was in a hilly area with mostly shopping malls with no one around so... . After cresting a hill I saw the sheriffs car but by then it was too late... I was stopped.

   The deputy approached me, I took off my helmet and gear and gave him my license and docs.  He went to his car to write the ticket.  While he was doing that, I was so tired that I laid down on the grass. He saw me and came over.  He asked me if I was ok and why I was horizontal. He also asked me where I was coming from and where I was going.  I told him that I had left Minot (ND) that morning and I was going to Chicago.  He was surprised about how far I had been riding.  He went back to his car to finish the ticket.

   When he came back he gave it to me and told me with a serious expression to take a good look at it.  I said sure!  I did not then because I just wanted to get home.  The following day I finally did look it over and noticed he had listed the vehicle with the correct license plate but as a BMW car.  Went to court and ticket dismissed.  I guess he had to give me the ticket as he had already started to write it.

   After I got home, I parked the bike for 30 days without even looking at it! I had had my fill of it.

[sdcr]

Many many years ago, in the early ‘70’s, a few buddies and I were out on an a Friday night. It was my friend’s 63 nova, four cylinder, four door gutless sedan. I was driving,  since his license had already been suspended. Someone in the back was smoking a doobie and I could barely see through the smoke. A state trooper lit us up. Officer asked why I was doing 45, in a 35 zone. I was tempted to tell him this Nova didn’t make enough power, to exceed the speed limit.  Instead, I told him this, and I don’t know where I came up with it.  I said that my friend had put 14” wheels on it, but the car should have had 13”, and it was messing up the speedometer. I guess the statie didn’t want to deal with 4 teenagers that night, and accepted my hairbrain excuse. Gave me my license back, said slow down. We couldn’t believe our luck that night.