Unmarked Police Bikers, is this the norm?

[ReadySalted]

So yesterday I was driving (car), and somewhere between Llangammarch Wells and Builth Wells I drove past a petrol station with three bikes waiting to exit. I drove past admiring the first bikers VFR, and the second bikers BMW S1000RR I think (I didn't see what the third was on).
The bikes turned out of the fuel station and followed me. I payed some attention to the bikers behind me who seemed to be riding to a suspiciously high standard and were wearing all different clothing. One was in a hi vis bib, one was in a hi-vis jacket, and one had no hi-vis on. Two had white helmets, one had a yellow hi viz helmet.

Once we reached a national speed limit the bikers spared no time in overtaking me. All at the same time in a beautiful flourish, and they wizzed off around a bend. Much to my amazement I saw that the middle rider, whose hi-vis was the long arm jacket type, said Heddlu/ Police in the normal blue patch on the back. It had no battenburg type reflective stuff though, and I assumed that he must just be a very ballsy sportbike rider, and doing it to deter other motorists from taking exception to any unsavoury riding.
As I rounded the bend, the road opened up to a long straight, and there was no sign of them. They must have been going like stink!

Naturally I assumed I had encountered a few bikers out for a spirited ride, and one with a dodgy hi-viz he had laid his hands on.


However, today I was working in the cotswolds, and while driving through Burford, a hatchback in front of me gave way to three bikes turning off the high street.
The front one once again was on a blue VFR. I saw straight away that they all had white helmets marked with POLICE on the front, and once again were all wearing a mish mash of motorcycle clothing some with hi vis. Once again one of the riders hi vis had Police written on the back.



Seeing two groups of these riders in two days may just be a co-incidence, but I'm guessing it's now becoming common-place for unmarked police bikes to hunt like this in packs. Presumably their bikes were fitted with blue lights, and had cameras on them. They didn't even have any tank bags or luggage that I could see!

They were wearing all different clothing, on different bikes, and barely distinguishable from any normal group of bikers. Certainly not from more than a cars length away.

It may be old news, but I've never heard or seen of this particular 'tactic' before so thought it would be of interest.

[Wonko The Sane]

un-marked guys (front) have video and get in with bikers who are riding as they shouldn't (high speed, stupid stunts etc) and gathers evidence of proceedings while describing the worst offenders to his mates who then, with "police" marked on them somewhere move in to pull them over and book them.
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[andys675]

probably training, used to see them down by usk college a lot on blackbirds, also there's a lot of plain clothes non traffic types on VFR's who are anti terrorist surveillance and serious crime squad
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[ReadySalted]

Interesting. In the last 12 months of riding I've not encountered any unmarked bikes (that I have ever been aware of), and then in two days, in two separate places, I come across this particular tactic.

I'm always suspicious of any biker creeping on me from behind and generally if I see one in my mirror I'll temper my riding until I can be certain they're not an unmarked rozzer.

[Vracktal]

Around the South East the police use unmarked BMW K1300S and Yamaha FJR1300 bikes, but they're fairly easy to spot. They like to follow bikes as they join the motorways and A roads leading out of London then tug them as soon as the bike breaks 90.
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[MattEMulsion]

From what you describe they sound very much like they were on a training exercise rather than active duty.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[andyscooter]

possibly were off to join in with a traffic spotcheck thing


seen a few round here where they pull a certain type of vehicle and check them over and have the bikes for people who don't stop
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[Kris]

[Rogerborg]

Welsh.

Traffic cop.

Biker.

The ultimate trifecta of entitled tw​attishness.
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[Matt B]

[mattyfattyboo...]

We got a few round here, this was pretty tricky to spot as anything other than a normal R1 until the lights went on. The guy riding it was in normal gear, just a subtle police logo embroidered on the jacket.

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/matt1chelski/10371964_10152327476157056_217002943857952340_n_zpsktjafuxb.jpg

[azra3l]

That's a nice r1 and a terrible parking job..

[Vracktal]