Learning Chopper Skills No Easy Task For Aspiring Motorcycle Cops

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Big, tough police officers on massive motorcycles spend the day riding places you would never expect to see them.

"This is the certified new officers who want to be part of the motor unit," said instructor BJ McMullan.

"We teach a totally different style of riding," he added.

Many police departments utilize motorcycle cop. The bikes can go places squad cars can't -- and often get there more quickly. They can patrol more discretely. Yet, learning to ride on one of those 900-pound monsters safely takes a long time.

"If you could see where we are now compared to the first day of class, people were dropping bikes right and left," said Collier Township Police Chief Craig Campbell. "And they are made for it. There's crash bars on here and it really doesn't damage the bikes, but when it's your own bike, you cry when your chrome hits the ground."

It takes 80 hours to get certified and there still are wipeouts and wrecks during class. Most come in the off-road portion, but the street course is no easy feat either.

"They demonstrate different obstacles that you might have on the street that you might come in contact with out there -- whether it is people and you are going through Steeler tailgate party out in the parking lots, when you are riding through there," said Campbell. "So we are teaching these guys total control of the motorcycle."

Even cops who have ridden personal bikes for decades are forced to learn a whole new skill set.

"The funnest two weeks that I think I ever am going to have that I never want to do again -- 'cause it's so hard, but it is so rewarding," said Campbell. "But it's difficult. It's both mentally and physically challenging to make it through this course."

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