Wow, Dude, let's like wheelie in front of the State Police!

[PeteSC]

LEBANON COUNTY
Police set up traps for speeding sport bikes
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
BY CARRIE CASSIDY
Of Our Lebanon County Bureau
LEBANON - The rider twisted the throttle on his Honda racing motorcycle and whizzed up Route 72 at 82 mph toward Jonestown last week.

As he sped past the state police barracks, the rider popped a wheelie. He rode on one wheel for the distance of about two football fields while passing a car.

Troopers were waiting to catch him and the growing number of sport bike riders who have been speeding and taunting police by doing stunts near the barracks.

 Cpl. Patrick Mannion charged Jacob D. Sattazahn, 18, of Pine Grove, with speeding and reckless driving.

He said riders such as Sattazahn pull wheelies in front of the barracks for the thrill.

Mannion said police are receiving an increasing number of complaints about the dangerous driving habits of "crotch rocket" riders.

"What we've seen is that it's a trend. It's happening all over the place, not just in front of our barracks," Mannion said this week. "And, being summertime, we expect to have a lot more complaints."

That's why state police are planning a summer loaded with speed traps aimed at sport bike riders. It's one of the few ways to catch the racing bikes, which can reach speeds of 200 mph in a matter of seconds.

"Sports bikes are known for fleeing police," Mannion said. "A trooper just had two motorcycles race past him at 147 mph on I-78, and he couldn't catch them. We set up a detail four exits up, but they must have gotten off somewhere in between."

Speeding is partly blamed for the death of a 50-year-old Pine Grove man who crashed his sport bike in South Annville Twp. on June 14. Police say Warren P. Landes had a blood-alcohol level above legal limits at the time of the accident.

Landes was driving at least 100 mph as he passed traffic in a no-passing zone between Louser Road and Meadow Lane, and he lost control of the motorcycle, Mannion said. Landes slid about 500 feet before he was struck by a car. The motorcycle slid about 800 feet before hitting a guardrail, the trooper added.

Sattazahn, meanwhile, could be fined $400 and have his driver's license suspended for six months. Mannion said Sattazahn, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, has pleaded guilty to the citations.

"He apologized," Mannion said. "He told me he did it in the safest place he knew. It's nice and smooth out there."

[snofrog]

glad to know i`m a target now .i feel violated just by reading that . sportbikes flee police lol,so do crackheads ,murderers,rapist`s AND cagers. thats profileing ... and that`s wrong . M

[PeteSC]

Sportbikes too often get away, though....and a lot of squids on sportbikes DO run!    It isn't fair, but we get stuck with the baggage....
  There's actually been a few Bandit riders on this board that have had the police comment "gee, thanks for not running" when they've been pulled over.

 I'll probably open up a Hornets nest, but the furor about 'profiling'is garbage.  It's usually an attempt (to use another overused cliche) to introduce the 'race card',  to confuse the issue, and camoflage the realilty of the situation.

   Just the fact that we ride something that looks like a sportbike, means we're more likely to draw the attention of the police, than some dude on a cruiser, (that's not wearing some outlaw colors.)

  4-5 years ago, another local Bandit rider and I were riding through a small town, maybe a few  mph over the speed limit.
  All of a sudden, a cop pulls us over, motions us over to a side street, and before we were at a stop, we were surrounded by 4-5 police cars.
  When we pulled our helmets off to show our gray hair, they were kind of surprised.   I don't remember exactly what they said, but I think the cop inferred we were speeding.  At the most, I might have accelerated enthusiastically to 5 mph over the speed limit from the the redlight we were just stopped at.  No wheelie, just 'enthusiastic'.

  They cut us loose....don't remember if we got a written warning or not, no actual ticket, and we both figured they were looking for some other riders that morning....local squids or something.

  Profiling isn't really a factor in the PA situation.   The dumbarses had been taunting the cops, pulling wheelies and speeding in the same spot....and the cops caught them.

  They weren't given tickets or stopped for riding sportbikes, they were given tickets for being stupid squids!

    I sometimes crank my bike up to 140 mph plus briefly at times.  I do it on real remote, empty, roads.   If I get caught, it isn't going to be cheap....but I'll stop for the cop.
  I'll be polite, and probably get a break.....it's more than I deserve, since I know the consequences of getting caught going that fast.
   

  Oh yeah, I was at a local bike shop the other day, and really thought the new GS500s really looked sharp in the GSXR color schemes.
  To most cops, they probably look the same.  How would you like to be confused with the local squids on GSXR 750s in your town by the cops?
  I can imagine the color scheme on this mild bike will certainly earn you some extra attention from the cops, as will the 05 1200 in the same colors will.