Riding "in formation" for police bikes is not limited to the OPP. It is standard police procedure. It is done for a few reasons, the least acceptable one being initially it was in parades to "showcase" the level of training they had received.
Yes it is, "technically" illegal for two bikes to share the same lane, side by side, But if they are riding in formation, for ceremonial or tactical purposes
So, uh...a few points.
On the topic of showcasing experience. I was at Mosport a few months ago and watched some of the OPP motorcycle "Training" that happened to be going on at the same time I was there. It seemed to me, at least for the admittedly only an hour or so I was there that it wasn't exactly advanced rider training. IS there actual training that somehow gives them superior skills, such as that when presented with an emergency while operating two huge Harley cruisers next to each other in the same lane that they can somehow magically navigate their way out of it?
On the topic of "tactical" purposes, I can't possibly see any legitimate tactical purpose behind it. From a tactical standpoint, it seems to me that it would be a negative thing to have yourself boxed in with no "out". If there's some legit tactical purpose behind it, kindly explain...I'd legitimately like to hear it.
So, I think many of us come full circle to the OPP doing it simply "Because they can", the same reason we all know that LEO's flaunt their ability to use handheld devices in their vehicles for non-police purposes. Yeah, some of those phone calls I see LEO's taking every day in their cruisers while driving are personal, not all police related....lets not kid each other.