New Zealand Police Purchase Yamaha MT-09s
Yamaha Motor New Zealand has won a contract to furnish motorcycles to the country’s national police. According to New Zealand’s Stuff, a spokesman for the police says the tender is complete.
And as a result, the department will purchase Yamaha’s MT09TRAP police bikes. The MT09TRAP is a police-specific model based on the civilian version of the Yamaha 900 Tracer. Yamaha says that the bike is a triple-cylinder, lightweight tourer.
The selection and decision to purchase Yamaha’s smaller MT09TRAP is a break from some of the department’s previous motorcycle purchases. In the past, the agency selected larger machines, including Honda ST13000 motorcycles as well as Yamaha’s FJR1300AP. Both are heavyweight touring machines.
Police previously purchased Honda’s ST1300 for patrol duties.
But apparently, the police are moving to the smaller and lighter is better theory. Their previous bikes weigh in at over 320kg. However, the new MT09TRAP motorcycles reportedly tip the scales at about 215kg. Obviously, an over 100kg weight savings is quite substantial and should make the new machines easier to handle in traffic.
The tender win is a significant victory for Yamaha and a potential marker for the future. Traditionally, many departments operate large, heavyweight bikes. The move to something smaller and more maneuverable could result in lower acquisition costs, lower maintenance costs, and better access to places that have limited space.
New Zealand’s national police operate a fleet of just over two dozen motorcycles. The majority of those bikes patrol the Auckland area. Their main use is for traffic enforcement and VIP escort.
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