HFL + RSV4 Factory = NYPD

This is what happens when you ride a barely less than thoroughbred racing machine on Manhattan's Harlem River Drive. The Aprilia RSV4 Factory got me nailed at 80 in a 50 earlier today. The officer cornered me in the far left lane, stopped traffic and made me walk the bike across four lanes to the 125th Street exit. During rush hour. Granted, the rest of traffic was doing 75 when he popped me, I got off with a warning and we shot the breeze for another 20 minutes, but none of that matters. It's what he finally confirmed and clearly stated that matters.>

"The NYPD is under strict orders to aggressively prosecute traffic violations by motorcycles more than any other vehicles."

Shocking, right? NY riders pretty much knew that already, but it's nice to finally have an enforcement representative come right out and say it for a change. According to the officer, the orders are due to an extraordinarily high mortality rate. Apparently, statistics exist to back this claim and we'll be following up with the NYPD to verify as soon as possible.

For the record, this information wasn't coming from a typical bike-hating NYPD cop. This officer is a veteran Motorcycle Police Patrolman who previously owned and track-raced a first generation GSX-R750, and is frankly one of the coolest and informative policemen I've had the pleasure of speaking to on the side of a road.

Chatting it up about track days, electric bikes and his Harley didn't stop him from playing the role of enforcer, though. In that very plain, matter-of-fact voice officers are known for he told me, "Look, this is what's going to happen to you on these streets. You're going a little faster than traffic and you think you're being safe. You zig, but that car zags. Then a giant rut in the road comes out of nowhere, catches your front wheel, you lose it and die. Look at these horrible roads. I see it all the time."

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