Dealer test riding?

[abs]

I went to a suzuki dealer today and wanted to test ride the new Bandit 1250 and the GSX 1400. I am thinking of buying one new but cant decide between them. I have only had my licence for 2 months so they said I cant test ride the bikes. How can I buy a bike without having a test drive to see if it feels right for me??
confusing???
They told me all dealers require someone to hold a licence for 1+yrs.

[CortezTheKill...]

That's not strictly true. A lot of dealers will not let you ride a bike on test if you've only just passed your test. Nobody would let me test ride when I got my SV just after I passed my DAS last August.

There are places (such as DK in Stoke) who will let you take any bike you like as long as you pay the tenner and sign your life away on the form that gives them the right to rape you if you drop the bike you've hired.

It gets better with time, though. Just after I mashed my SV in January, pretty much any dealer (but not all, ahem Chells ahem) let me loose on their stock. I tested a 636, a 6R and a 600RR with no problems and no legal forms.

It drives you mad, though. You're about spend five grand on a bike and they won't let you ride it first to see if it fits you properly and is everything you though it would be. It makes buying your first bike pretty much a lottery.

At least you know if you buy new you're under warranty if it develops a problem. But that does nothing to help you when you realise you hate the bike you bought.
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SV650 - TRASHED
ZX636R C6F - SOLD
Current number of wheels: 0 (not including a bicycle).

[SonicTheHedge...]

No offence dude, but what with their expectations and insurance requirements etc, I suspect they imagine that with only two months of Official unrestricted riding experience and a big torquey bike, that you'll just stuff it into a wall somewhere.
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Previous: '00 G2 Bandit 600 Naked. Now: '08 BMW GS Adventure.

[Davo]

The local dealer had no problem with me test riding a Hayabusa a month after I passed my DAS test when I was 21.

I think it's dependant on the dealers insurance policy.

[faddius]

Im going to make a suggestion - if you have only just done your DAS, look at 600s - 800s first. GSX1400 and the Bandit are very powerful bikes, and you can get yourself into trouble easily if you dont have the experiance.

I dont want to see another person go pass their DAS, get on a big bike and ride into a wall.

Have a look at the bandit 600, GSR600, Z750, Hornet or something along those lines.

End of the day, descision is yours.

[Dazbo666]

Managed to get test rides on a brand new CBR600RR and a CBF1000 with absolutely no experience after my DAS.... Not sure how it would have been with anything more powerful though
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[abs]

[CortezTheKill...]

Understandable, but bikes aren't cars. No SIPS on a bike.
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SV650 - TRASHED
ZX636R C6F - SOLD
Current number of wheels: 0 (not including a bicycle).

[faddius]

You need to learn how to control the power first.

Nothing like cars, your on two wheels, have to manage the balance. Also the power factor, the gsx14 will accellerate alot faster than a 600 bandit, a hell of alot faster.

Put it like this, you can beat ferraris off the lights on a 125, on a 600 if your on the ball you can rape anything off the lights. whereas a punto compared to say a top end focus, you wont see the difference half as much.

Ive seen people who have thought the same, when I used to work in a bike shop, Mr X has just done his DAS and gone and gotten a...say a 1000 sports bike, when I watch him pull off, you can see his eyes, hes not having fun, revelling being on two wheels, hes absolutely terrified of pulling off and maneuvering, such as riding on the path to the road or doing a U turn, as if his hand slips from lack of experiance, say good bye to him, the bike, and the shop wall

Learn to manage the power and weight first, five days isnt enough time to get that experiance. But like I said its your choice.

[Ravage]

i hear of people going from 125cc pocket rockets like my cagiva to the likes of a Hayabusa and i just think those people don't have their head screwed on properly (no offense to anyone who has done that and survived). Obviously one of the reasons insurance is so high is because of this
No one is gonna force you out of it but you might want to think about how much you need and not how much you would like saves you money on the insurance too
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Ridden: GSF600 RF900 CG125 XL125V Mito
Currently own: KTM Duke II

[iooi]