Sport bike test rides

[Ti_Ten_R]

<div> </div><div><a target="_blank" href="http://forums.cycleworld.com/cycleworld/board/message?board.id=tech&amp;message.id=677">http://forums.cycleworld.com/cycleworld/board/message?board.id=tech&amp;message.id=677</a></div><div> </div><div>On the second page of the tread on &quot;bike handling&quot; there is some talk about not buying a bike without test riding. Myself and a couple other say that you can't or won't be allowed to ride a new sportbike. While BC seems to think he can walk in with cash in hand and test ride anything he wants. I've test ridden Buells and HDs, so I know you can ride those. But can you test ride a new Japanese sport bike? Can I walk into a Honda dealorship with my helmet, proof on insurance and ask to try out that new 2007 CBR600RR? Or will a Suzuki dealorship let me try out that 2007 GSXR750?</div><div> </div><div>Any comments from those who work or have worked at a motorcycle dealorship??</div><div> </div><div>And I am not talking about demo rides. I've done that. You can sign up to ride any bike that American Honda or who ever is having the demo... They supply the bikes, not your local dealor.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Chris</div><div> </div>

[Darin]

<div>Well when I was looking at bikes I had a saleman tell me that if I wanted to take one out to give hime about 2 hours notice. He said he'd get a battery charged and a bike ready. I had to bring my own helmet and jacket.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>It shocked me that he offered that.</div>

[tmk7c9]

<div>at our place, it's almost impossible to get a test ride until you sign the paperwork. we've had too many idiots buying sportsbikes as their first bike and wrecking them in the parking lot, and they ruined it for everybody else.</div><div> </div><div>Anyways, you CAN test ride the bike, BUT you need to have money in hand or be approved for a loan first, sign the paperwork that you will buy it, etc. you can then take the bike home, ride it for a day, and if you don't like it, you can bring it right back and get something else with out any financial penalties. </div><div> </div><div>This is highly subjective though, depending on the sort of relationship you and the salesman have. If you're a douchebag who obviously is just out to test ride the fastest bike on the showroom, then they probably won't let you. If you are seriously interested, then i'm sure you could take home any bike you wanted. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>thats how our dealership does it at least, others may be more lenient, but as I said, we've had too many wrecked bikes to lenient anymore. </div>

[andoulli]

<div>There is a component to this discussion that needs to be addressed, and actually has been in other threads on this forum. </div><div> </div><div>When I pay top dollar for a new motorcycle, I prefer that I be given the pleasure of breaking in the bike the way that I want to. This is not a discussion on the best way to break in a bike, although it can be if you like. This is a discussion about my right, as the buyer, to break in the bike my way, not some test riders way, and by the way, certainly not some mechanic who takes it out for a spin to see &quot;what she will do&quot;. So, dealers know that I am not alone in this, and they know that once a bike leaves the dealer for a test ride they have no control how it is ridden. I would not buy a high strung sport bike with 50 to 100 miles on the odometer, no mater how much the dealer discounts the bike as a demo model. Of course there are liability and insurance issues too, and put a sport bike into the mix and these additional issues grow exponentially. I do not have a single Asian bike dealer in my area that offers test rides. Harley/Buell, BMW, and Guzzi, yes......Japanese, no! If I were a Honda dealer I would probably have a cruiser or two that would be demo bikes, but anything with a full fairing would be off limits. Think of this for a second. How many of you have walked into a new bike shop and noticed all the bikes on the showroom floor that are all scratched to h3ll from people just sitting on them. If &quot;test sitting&quot; is that hard on a new bike.........need I say more?</div><div> </div><div>Tim</div>

[TL1000s]

<div>I don't know about anyone else but the last three bikes I bought in the last ten years I test rode first.</div><div> </div><div>They were a Suzuki TL1000s (Purchased), Honda CBR 1100xx (purchased)</div><div> </div><div>I bought a new bike last year and had it narrowed down to a Kawasaki 10r or Suzuki GSXR 1000..test rode them both and purchased the 10r.</div><div> </div><div>I now have a standing offer to come in and test ride a Ducati 1098</div><div> </div><div>I would not buy a bike unless I could ride it first, and I don't mean around the block, but not across the country either...I put 50 miles on the Kawasaki and Gixxer when I test rode them... </div><div> </div><div>These were all dealerships...not friends bikes....</div>