CHP BUYS FLEET OF BMW MOTORBIKES.

Byline: Associated Press 

The California Highway Patrol is phasing out the familiar Kawasaki motorcycles their patrol officers ride and will soon be on BMWs, under a new $2.4 million contract the state just signed with the German firm.

For the first time, the state's buyers included a ``buy-back'' provision in the contract, something the CHP says will ultimately save taxpayers money because BMW will have to repurchase the motorcycles in about three years.

The deal to buy more than 150 of the R1100RT-P motorcycles (the police version of BMW's popular R1100RT) is a boon to BMW. The CHP, the country's largest statewide patrol force, is a bellwether for other police agencies, who frequently buy whatever brand of car or motorcycle the CHP has chosen after exhaustive testing.

The BMW motorcycle, for decades a brand favored by well-heeled, long-distance riders all over the world as well as numerous police forces in Europe and Britain, will go more than 100 mph and, for the first time, CHP officers will have a motorcycle equipped with anti-lock brakes.

In this year's bidding, the state Department of General Services, which awards the contract, insisted on a buy-back provision. This means that after three years, or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, BMW will have to buy back each $15,828 BMW for $9,928 - leaving a net cost to the state of $5,900 for the use of the bike.