I just saw a brand new RK police bike at the dealer this weekend. Apparently there's a process by which police models can be sold to the public (they have to sit for 4 months and be available only to police departments - after that they can be sold to the public if a P.D. doesn't pick it up).

So...it's brand new, 2011 with no miles on it. The dealer wants ~18k for it. Is it worth it or should I go with a 2012 RKC?

this bike will need to be de-copped. It has siren switches, the single seat, a metal plate on the back (can possibly be used for a tour pack?), and a tach on the handlebars. The bags open with a twist-handle on top (works great, looks like crap).

My concern is that police bikes don't hold their value as well because they're generally beaten up when you buy them. Will this also be the case with this one even though it's brand new....just because it's a police model?

 

I wouldn't want it. You should be able to get a sweet deal on an 11 RKC right now if you look around.

 

I think the police bikes definitely have a lower value on the used market, regardless of how well they have been civilianized. They make a good bike for someone who is planning on doing a fair amount of customization, if you can pick it up at a good price. For quite awhile, they represented a very good value, since they already had the 103 motor, oil cooler and ACRs. Since most of the touring bikes got that package in '11, and all will have it in '12, that takes a lot of the incentive to buy a police model, so I'd look for a deep, deep discount. I wonder if the '12 police bikes will have a little something extra??

 

what color? Jump on it- stock 103, heavier clutch, does it have the ABS?

 

Well the 2012 RK standard has an MSRP starting at 17,499 and that includes the 103 so I would pass on the cop bike at 18 grand. As far as holding their value, they usually cost less when new so they cost less used.

 

I have bought 2 cop bikes in the past and was ready to buy an 2011 Road King,but the dealer hiked the price on me..The dealer shot me a price of 14,750.00...I told him I would do the deal,but knew we would have to wait one more week like you said they need to hold them for 4 months..He called me one week later to tell me he gave me the wrong price,he bumped it up to 16,000.00 and I did not want it at that price,so I do think that you can do better than 18,000.00..Good Luck.

 

18k is very high. 14 to 15 would be more like it.

 

Check the in-service date for the warranty as well. A few on here have found out the warranty begins when the dealer receives the bike, not when it's bought by a customer.

 

yes, it has ABS. now, when i say ~$18k that includes all fees and taxes.

The dealer is already sold out of '11 RK's. All he's got left for 11's is a CVO SG, and that's way out of my price range. Maybe other dealers still have '11's, they seem to be going fast around here.

I think what I'll end up with is a white 2012 RKC. Strangely, the buyer I talked to this weekend said that he wasn't ordering any white ones because he doesn't think they'll sell...which was an odd thing to say since I just told him that that's what I was looking for. He also said he's not going to order any RK's with the ABS/security package because they raise the price of the bike.

Oh well, there are other dealers in the area, and they're in lower sales-tax counties so whatever. It's really strange, sometimes you walk into a Harley dealer and have a great experience, sometimes they just blow you off like they got more important things to do than sell you a bike.

meh.