Yamaha XS 650 Police Special New Zealand

[Graelin]

In 1978 and 79 I was issued an XS650 Police Special. This was used in country patrols on State Highway and country roads in Waikato district New Zealand. I was originally issued a Honda CB750 and preferred the Yamaha so did a swap. Most Traffic Officers would have preferred the Honda though. I liked the sound and the feel of this bike.

Yes it vibrated so much the two way radio was always being repaired. It weaved as the frame was not up to keeping both wheels in line. We did a lot of work on it with the Yamaha dealer, cutting the screen down, good quality tyres, lowered the front forks and XS1100 rear suspension.

I have not owned one of these bikes myself but have an interest in them formed a long time ago.

I am not sure if this is the right place to put this but thought it is a bit of history so I am happy for it to be moved if appropriate.

 

[Boog]

Hello @Graelin and welcome from Virginia. I do understand the vibration you speak of, so much so that my Pretty Pillion named my bike Buzzy.

The photos you provided are the first I have seen on an XS650 as police bike. Very cool brother.

Now then, what year are you looking to buy?

 

[Graelin]

Hello @Graelin and welcome from Virginia. I do understand the vibration you speak of, so much so that my Pretty Pillion named my bike Buzzy.

The photos you provided are the first I have seen on an XS650 as police bike. Very cool brother.

Now then, what year are you looking to buy?

My bike buying is probably over as retiring soon with my Royal Enfield Himalayan and 2000 BMW R1100S. A lotto win would change this lol.. Just hope that these old photos are a bit of history of these bikes.

 

[RustiePyles]

@Graelin what cool photos! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Graelin]

Catching up with an old riding friend in 1979. A rear view of the Police Special. He has just found me and sent this photo recently

 

[WideAWAKE]

Those are some pretty awesome photos!!

police force musta had an awfully good cleaning service for both the bike and that uniform!

 

[MacMcMacmac]

Very interesting. I am curious if these had any kind of beefier charging system for the extra electrical loads. Seems to me if it is the same system, the baddies would just have to keep ahead of you long enough for the battery to run flat! I can't even run a 55w/60w headlight.

 

[Team Junk]

Very cool photos. I hope you don't mind but I cleaned this up a little.

 

[cra-z1]

Thanks for posting the police photos. Interesting.

 

[Mailman]

That is a very interesting story, thanks for posting! I have seen gas tanks for sale on EBay that have that police paint scheme, in fact they are still available!

 

[motormike]

I waited for years for one to pop up for sale. The states never got this model. Mostly pacific rim countries and one or two mid east spots. So... I had extra police bits from my other police[fire builds.... and built one. (Think if you type police in the search the build might show up). Lights front and rear, and siren work....I have bags but haven't installed them yet.... Guess I'll have to get a white shirt and a black tie! Thanks for posting ...

 

[Graelin]

Very interesting. I am curious if these had any kind of beefier charging system for the extra electrical loads. Seems to me if it is the same system, the baddies would just have to keep ahead of you long enough for the battery to run flat! I can't even run a 55w/60w headlight.

I had no battery issues. The only way to start it in a hurry was to wind the motor over on the starter, it would spin but not start and at the same time pull out the kick start and then use one kick and it would fire up. The Yamaha dealer could not work out what model it was. He said it seemed to be a parts bin special.

 

[Graelin]

Very cool photos. I hope you don't mind but I cleaned this up a little.
View attachment 203276
View attachment 203277

Thanks the one where the BMW was an old negative that I converted. It was posted from NZ to Australia where I live now by my friend a couple of months ago.

 

[Graelin]

View attachment 203285 I waited for years for one to pop up for sale. The states never got this model. Mostly pacific rim countries and one or two mid east spots. So... I had extra police bits from my other police[fire builds.... and built one. (Think if you type police in the search the build might show up). Lights front and rear, and siren work....I have bags but haven't installed them yet.... Guess I'll have to get a white shirt and a black tie! Thanks for posting ...

That is amazing build. I have never seen one and do look out for them. There are New Zealanders who have a site for collecting bikes and cars. Ministry of Transport Collectors Group. The MOT was a specialist Traffic Officer body seperate from Police. It was amalgamated in 1992.

 

[Graelin]

Those are some pretty awesome photos!!

police force musta had an awfully good cleaning service for both the bike and that uniform!

We had to clean the bikes our selves. We were very proud of our bikes and generally they were kept immaculate by each officer who was assigned it. We took them home with us. It was a great time to be paid to ride in the country back roads.

 

[650Skull]

Welcome Graelin,

Great story and pics. The history around Police bikes we don't hear much of. bet you would get a ribbing from the others that choose the Honda. Knew a guy from my home town who became a Traffic police. Bumped into him when i was living in Palmerston North where he was stationed, this was just before and when they amalgamated with the police. He said the cops used to treat the X traffic guys with contempt because they didn't consider them real police.

Thanks and as an Xpat from Taranaki, cheers.

By the way that bike is a 76C

 

[Graelin]

Welcome Graelin,

Great story and pics. The history around Police bikes we don't hear much of. bet you would get a ribbing from the others that choose the Honda. Knew a guy from my home town who became a Traffic police. Bumped into him when i was living in Palmerston North where he was stationed, this was just before and when they amalgamated with the police. He said the cops used to treat the X traffic guys with contempt because they didn't consider them real police.

Thanks and as an Xpat from Taranaki, cheers.

By the way that bike is a 76C

Yes there are stories of 650 Yamahas throwing officers off. I have seen some photos of standard bikes converted to traffic bikes so may be them.. I was one of the few who preferred the Yamaha. This was what I swapped. I found it a boring bike to ride. The Yamaha despite all its faults had character. The police merger was long after I had gone and not a popular move from MOT officers in general.

 

[650Skull]

Looking at the pics of the front tyre on your XS650 police bike its no wounder the bike used to weave. Bet modern tyres would have made a difference. Unfortunately tyres weren't what they are now

 

[Graelin]

Looking at the pics of the front tyre on your XS650 police bike its no wounder the bike used to weave. Bet modern tyres would have made a difference. Unfortunately tyres weren't what they are now

Definitely tyres have improved. The original tyres we had on traffic bikes were rubbish. I argued for top quality tyres to be fitted to the Yamaha. Government stores told me they were “just round pieces of black rubber” to them! I got my way and I think it was Continental that I had in the end. We were normally issued Chen Ching. Diabolical in the wet.

The top speed indicated I reached was 176 kph probably 160kph and I really wished the driver of the GT Ford Falcon I was behind had not braked mid corner when he saw me behind him! The only option pull the bike in tighter keep throttle on and pull to his inside line. While trying to maintain composure with the one hand on the handle regulation stop signal! All achieved with a weaving bike. I really wondered who had been in most danger so he smiled as he walked away with 130kph on his notice.

 

[650Skull]

Bet you have a few more of those stories.........something the average punter doesn't think about or appreciate the dangers you guys must have faced........My friend also rode bikes in the force and he loved them till he attended a bike crash where the rider went over the bars and caught his manhood and left it behind on the bike....