Whether you are a fan of motorcycles or not, you may find this one, as I do, very special and extremely appealing. Franklin Mint honors our ‘men in blue’ by commemorating the, “Police Unity Tour”. You can find information on the website at: www.policeunitytour.com or in the back of TFM’s Collector’s Guide that comes with each of these gorgeous 1:10th precision models. Officer Patrick Montuore, of the Florham Park Police Department, organized the Police Unity Tour in 1997 along with seventeen other riders who spent four days riding their bicycles from their New Jersey station to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. They raised public awareness of their fallen comrades who died in the line of duty and also raised much needed funds for the Memorial.
As Franklin Mint writes in the Care & Handling Guide, “Today, the spectacle of over 1000 peace officers on bicycles accompanied by Harley-Davidson motorcycle police escorts arriving en masse in D.C. brings tears to the eyes of many family and friends of the fallen who gather to witness this event. The mission of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) is to permanently record and appropriately commemorate the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers. The Fund also provides information that helps promote law enforcement safety.”
Aside from all the wonderful detail work FM builds into these scale bikes, we are also treated to exceptionally accurate livery and “Police Unity Tour” branding logos. The addition of the American Flag and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial flag is a great touch. The PUT label is seen on the windshield and hard saddlebag sides; the rose-covered, blue officer’s shield logo is positioned on the front fender top and both sides of the tank and license plate. The black and white paint scheme is beautifully executed and includes finite pinstripe paint work. FM chrome metal foiled the, “Road King” script on the fenders and an “HD” moniker on the leather-like saddle.
As always, TFM details the big 88 cube motor perfectly and offers working 5-speed foot shifter, front and rear working suspension and operational brake pedal. Foot rests for the passenger fold down, and the belt drive turns the rear wheel. Twin front and single rear brake rotors turn within their calipers. The thin whitewalls and beautifully patterned tires add a formal touch to the bike while the twin chrome exhaust pipes menacingly work their way rearward. The wiring on the bike is awesome and includes a coiled connection to the addition of the red flasher-light positioned on the rear end of the cycle. All linkage, handlebar cabling and speedometer detail are brilliantly fashioned and the overall look that FM brings to these bikes is incredible.
This is a very worthwhile endeavor and I applaud TFM for bringing us this somber and beautifully done scale model. God bless those who serve and protect us on a daily basis!
-Tony F Perrone