2018 BMW R1200 RT-P

A Bike With Actual Police Lights

Most people don't know you can buy a decommissioned police motorcycle. Chase didn't either, until he walked into Wow Motorcycles (the Atlanta used-bike dealer he bought his first motorcycle from) and saw this sitting on the floor. It's a 2018 BMW R1200 RT in full Police spec. Sirens still on it, lights still on it, the extra electronics box still mounted behind the rider, the Akrapovic exhaust still fitted. Everything but the decals. All for $11,700 used with 32k miles.

Chase's honest reaction on walking up to it: "Look at this. So, guys, this is what houses all of the extra mechanical and electrical stuff that allows the sirens to go." He flipped the light switch on in the parking lot just to confirm they still worked. They do. Using them on the road is highly illegal for a civilian. Which is the entire catch of owning one of these. You buy the costume, you don't get to play cop.

Performance highlights

1,170cc flat-twin boxer, 125 horsepower, 92 lb-ft of torque, 604 lb wet, 6.6-gallon tank. Throttle response scores 7: smooth, manageable, zero abruptness despite the torque number. "I kind of expected it to be a little jerkier cuz it's just such a big bike, but it really chills out."

Acceleration earns 6. The 40–80 pull was "so much better than I thought it would be," but it's still an 8-year-old sport-tourer, not a super sport. Functional rather than thrilling. The right read for a patrol bike. If you need to chase a Civic, you'll catch it. If you need to chase a Panigale, it's a different conversation.

Agility is 7 and is the standout surprise. 604 lb at rest feels every ounce of its weight. 604 lb in motion disappears. "A bike this big should not have that maneuverability or that ease of maneuverability." BMW's weight distribution and the boxer's low-center-of-gravity are the actual tricks. It's why cops can weave these through slalom cones.

Brakes rate 6. Soft-ish initial bite, adequate stopping power, plenty of pull if you commit. The standout is lack of front dive under hard braking. At 604 lb you'd expect the front to plunge; it doesn't, because the BMW Telelever front suspension decouples braking from the suspension stroke. It's weird physics that works.

Suspension is the 9 and the reason BMW RTs are a thing. Telelever front, Paralever rear, boxer engine. "BMW just figured out the balance on this thing to make it a pleasure to ride. The suspension is butter. It's incredibly comfortable. I don't think it's the most sporty thing, but it feels so nice riding it around on the road. It soaks up those bumps in a very interesting way."

Rider experience & tech

Comfort is the full 10. Chase doesn't hand those out often. The RT-P has: a wide comfortable all-day seat, heated grips, heated seat, pegs under you in a natural neutral position, and "that back rest is so nice, I'm chilling." The rear luggage box (where the police electronics live) doubles as an excellent lower-back brace. But the real MVP is the windscreen: electrically adjustable, and in the tallest setting it cuts wind vertically and horizontally, Chase's own description, "I've got no wind on my shoulders, like nothing. Dude, that is really nice." He straight-up put it on record as the best windscreen he's ever tested.

Tech scores 8 for an 8-year-old bike. You get: BMW's scroll-wheel menu interface (same system as 2025 models. BMW has been consistent here), full color TFT center plus analog dials for speed and tach, heated grips with multiple levels, heated seat, cruise control, tire-pressure monitor, trip computer, ride modes (Rain, Road). Plus sirens, emergency lights, fog lights, dedicated police-radio mounting bracket, and a speed-log button that Chase did not touch. A sane 2018 feature set with an insane police overlay.

Ease of use is 6. Physically, once you're moving, this bike is approachable. Despite the weight. At standstill with any lean angle, the 604 lb shows up. Switching between the bike controls and the police controls is a muscle-memory exercise Chase didn't fully build in one ride.

Versatility is 7. Highway touring: S-tier. Commute: excellent. Canyon: capable thanks to the BMW chassis magic. Patrol duty: literally designed for it. Off-road: absolutely not. The bike has a narrow-but-deep mission profile. Road-based long-miles comfort with police theatrics on top.

Fun-for-the-money is the brutal 3. The bike is genuinely cool and the comfort is exceptional. But you're paying $11,700 for an 8-year-old bike you can't legally use half the features of. Unless you parade-ride, do motorcycle-club escort work, or just want the coolest non-Goldwing tourer on bike night, the practical value isn't there. For the right buyer, Chase flagged this as a 10. For the average buyer, it's a 3. Honest split.

The Chase Score & final thoughts

With a Chase Score of 69/100, Good Tier, the R1200 RT-P is exactly what happens when you combine BMW's best-ever touring chassis with a bunch of hardware you legally can't operate. 35 ride points + 34 usability points = a balanced-on-paper score that doesn't capture how specific this bike's appeal is.

Buy it if you ride in parades, do legal escort duty, or just desperately want the most unusual used sport-tourer for under $12k. Also buy it if the Telelever front suspension and the boxer engine's perfect ergonomics are the things you've always wanted on an RT but priced yourself out of the new-bike version. Skip it if fun-per-dollar is your metric. The 2025 R1250 RT has the same suspension wizardry in a vastly more modern package. Chase's close: "I didn't know that you could buy decommissioned police motorcycles... this thing is so freaking cool." That's the whole pitch. It's cool, it's a great touring bike underneath, and the police hardware is conversation starter forever.