The Pima County Sheriff’s Department recently purchased eight (8) new Honda motorcycles.  Five (5) of the motorcycles were purchased with grant funds from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, two (2) were within the Department’s budget, and one (1) was purchased utilizing RICO funds.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department’s Motorcycle Unit conducted an extensive test and evaluation process which included the Harley Davidson Electra Glide, BMW R1150RT-P, and Honda ST1300 police motorcycles.  The motorcycles were evaluated on performance, reliability, and operational necessities.  Each of the motorcycles had their advantages and disadvantages during the testing phase.  It was determined the Honda ST1300 was superior throughout the testing process and was recommended to replace the Kawasaki 1000.  The Honda was specifically designed for municipal law enforcement and is equipped with state of the art safety and mechanical features.  The Honda has a V-4 engine, digital ignition, and is shaft driven.  The most impressive feature of the Honda is its linkable anti-lock braking system which has proven to be reliable and one of the most important safety features on the motorcycle.  Several local agencies have also conducted similar evaluation processes and concluded the Honda ST1300 was overall superior.

GOHS Director Richard Fimbres, Senator Jorge Luis Garcia, Senator Victor Soltero, Senator Timothy S. Bee, Representative Tom Prezelski, and other local officials will be in attendance.   Mr. Ruben Reyes, District Director for Congressman Grijalva, will attend on behalf of Congressman Grijalva as he will be in Washington DC.

The dedication ceremony for the new Pima County Sheriff’s Department motorcycles will be held on November 8, 2007, at 10:00am at Department Headquarters located at 1750 E. Benson Hwy.