Big Brother's Next Step?

BIG BROTHER'S NEXT STEP?

Even though the transition to a new breed of police motorcycles—from the standard Harley-Davidsons to Hondas, Kawasakis, Moto Guzzis and Suzukis (forthcoming)—has been going on for awhile, the cop bike pictured here still managed to catch us by surprise. Initial reaction here began with amusement, then quickly dissolved into mild paranoia at the thought of hearing the old familiar "Pull over there, Mack," somewhere in the wilds of our favorite canyons and sand washes. The dirt bike trooper pictured here was one of several observed at the U.S. round of the World Championship of Motocross at Carlsbad, California. Local law enforce ment agencies insist these special mounties were enlisted just for the weekend, to bol ster crowd control. Let's hope that's as far as it goes.