In Sept. 2008 the concept of a web site devoted to Police Motorcycle Units was formed. A friend told me about web.com, a place where I could build my web site. It started out as a site of pictures of police Motorcycles. Shortly after being up and running, emails starting rolling in asking questions. Things like What motorcycle did this agency use during the 1950’s? While researching a department sent me a 100 page history of the Motor Unit. I starting asking departments for their Motorcycle Unit History. With in a few months I had almost 60 Department Histories with photos spanning back to the 1910. With this information the site started to grow, to all things Police Motorcycle History. Working close with Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company, the Archives Department and the Police Fleet Department. BMW, Indian Motorcycle Company, Excelsior Henderson, Thor and Kawasaki Motor Company. Then it was helmets, Sirens, Lights, Radios, and then formalized training, of motor officers in the 1980’s and in the 1990’s Police Motorcycle Rodeos. This then pushed Police Motor Units to help continue training of Active Motor Officers.
In April of 2009 Squad Fitters a Police Motorcycle Supply company was kind enough to share their tent at the South East Police Motorcycle Rodeo. Armed with a note book and a shirt, Policemotorunits.com premiered to the public.
In 2010 AmeriGas donated a Tent and Sign. With this tent and sign Police Motor Units.com went on to preserve the history and go to police motorcycle rodeos. Departments got photos of their Motors in front of the sign and the show case motorcycle of Policemotorunits.com. From 2011thru 2014 the display started growing, Brought some photos, history and patches in the tent.
In 2015 with the purchase of a 2015 Horton trailer to transport the 1997 Kawasaki KZ 1000 Police Motorcycle to rodeos and events came birth to the Mobile Museum. Also, in 2015 Robert M. Tritt of Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), donated a custom 10×10 Tent with a back wall to Policemotorunits.com. Using the Black and Gold colors in fit great to the Black Trailer.
In 2016 policemotorunits.com became Police Motor Units LLC. Also, in 2016 while at a Police Rodeo in Daytona Beach, FL at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona Harley-Davidson, The Kawasaki’s Starter Motor died. With no way to repair it in time for the rodeo, Harley-Davidson offered a loaner motorcycle. This led to the purchase of a 2015 Police Electra Glide Harley-Davidson Motorcycle “Motor 1” has this is the first Police Motor Units LLC motorcycle, which is our flagship motorcycle.
Motor 1 was a demo motorcycle for Harley-Davidson as was ridden by Will Rossmeyer. Will is the son of Bruce Rossmeyer. Now Will is a Partner of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona Harley-Davidson. Will put on 1,100 Miles before the purchase of the Motorcycle.
Today, the Mobile Museum travels to different events and rodeos during the year. Motor Units still take photos in front of the mobile museum to represent their heritage. We are still growing and learning, hope you continue with us.