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So, put a hundred miles or so on a new bike to see if you like it? I would think you would need to rent one for that kind of test.
Nope. A real test ride is going to take awhile.
In my experience, a short test hop doesn't give much time to settle in and get comfortable with a bike to know if it will be your cup of tea or not. And I've bought enough bikes through the years that I didn't get the opportunity to ride enough to know if it was to my expectations ... and been very disappointed with more than a few. Ergonomics which became uncomfortable after 100 miles, vibration ranges that put my hands to sleep, poor shifters & crappy clutches that were annoying after awhile, poor lighting, touchy brakes ...
you can compensate for some of these types of shortcomings in a short test drive. But when you're seeking a bike to ride for a day or more on trips, these can and will be significant factors.
Seems like the Harley-Davidson dealers are the best about test rides. Japanese bike dealers the worst. Last week I test rode a 2007 Suzuki C50 800cc cruiser. They did have the salesman go with me on another bike. I asked him to lead, as I didn't know my way around to well.
I have been to BMW dealers where they've begged me to test drive the new S1000RR, and I've been to hole-in-the-wall used dealers that wouldn't let me test drive anything even after pulling my motorcycle endorsement and CCS race license out of my jeans. Guess which one gets my business?
One of these used dealers told me that I would need to PURCHASE the bike to test drive it, and there was a 24hr return period if I didn't like it.
I have demanded test rides with cash in hand. They say no at first but you show them cold hard green. They tend to change their mind. Besides if you crash they will just push you to buy it anyway.
I usually research the bike I want and just buy it. I have a general idea about how it will ride and thats good enough for me. Ive bought 3 new bikes the last one from 100 miles away. I did the deal over the phone and had the bike delivered sight unseen. Unless its something with all new technology that is radically new than I would probably do a demo day.
No test ride, no purchase. Though I have driven miles away where I can test ride and then gone back home to buy just down the street.
But mostly I am buying used due to all the ridiculous dealer fees. Let somebody else pay them!
Yeah. Was about set on buying a new bike, but the gimicky $1,000 off for a 2014 actually meant we'll lower the price by $1,000 and charge $1,100 in "setup" fees. Just drop the crate off in my driveway.
Any dealer who won't let you ride a bike before buying it is someone you shouldn't give your business to.
I agree 100%. I just bought a Honda Shadow Ace 1100. Sweet bike--it's Honda's Harley knock-off--but I had to test ride it. And dealers oughtta know that test rides are gonna make more sales likely than they're gonna dissuade the customer, right?
There was a guy in Tampa that was ripping off dealers in the area. He'd go in and say he has 12k to spend on a sport bike from a settlement.
He'd sit on the bike and ask to hear how it sounds. If they obliged he would rev it up a couple times and say "sounds good, I think I'll take it". He got a couple dealers (Barney's Yamaha on Gandy and the one on Hwy 60) like that untill the sherrif dept motorcycle was able to catch him.
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