From a security point of view, what advantage do they provide to a motorcade over some extra cars?
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The motorcycles ride tandem and used to go ahead to block cross traffic.
The pair up front blocks the cross traffic. The back pair move up to the front. And the blocking pair join back in the rear.
4 bikes. 2 pairs. Continual moving traffic blockers.
A motorcycle has one large advantage, they are smaller and can get through traffic between other vehicles where a car can.
Consider the situation if you what to send a vehicle forward to stop traffic in an intersection, a motorcycle has less trouble getting there.
Cars will normally stay “in formation” in the motorcade. Motorcycles can move up ahead to block intersections, on/off ramps, etc. They’re kind of like scouts for the main party.
Flexibility of movement. They can pass around the motorcade readily, front to back or back to front, without disrupting its movement (necessary for many escort functions).
They can weave around and between obstacles and traffic, and can rapidly change speed and direction, if they need to urgently respond to a threat.
These same abilities allow them to easily scout ahead and report back conditions that are found.
They can be quickly and easily positioned precisely where needed, blocking cross-streets or sidewalks, without blocking the travel route.
They afford the escorting officer maximum clear sightlines, so they can see everything around them.
By putting nothing between the security and the public, they create a much stronger and more personal feeling of proximity and being observed for any potential attacker, thus dissuading hostile action.
They can more readily pursue a subject off main roads, making it harder for someone to think they could get away.
Besides the traffic control issues others have mentioned, if the motorcade has a high value target that is under sniper attack the motorcycles have faster access to attack locations. Cars can be blocked in by other stopped cars.
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