Test riding a new bike

[Ratmonkey]

I am interested in trying a couple of new bikes with the intention of maybe trading in the R1 next year.
Ive never test ridden a bike from a dealer before and wondered how easy is it to organise, how much time or miles do they give you to test the bike and does it cost anything?
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Current Bike - 2005 Triumph 1050 Speed Triple
Previous Bikes - Yamaha R1,Hornet 600, Triumph T595 Daytona, Kawasaki ZX6R, Ducati 600ss
Small Bikes - FSIE, RD50, RD125LC, Kawasaki KH125, Suzuki GP100, TS125X, DT50

[panrider_uk]

Walk in and ask for a test ride.

Before I bought my bike I test rode a BMW and two Pans from the same dealer. They didn't specify any time or distance limits.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Ratmonkey]

[Jayy]

I'd never test ridden a bike from a dealer until I went to see the KTM. The guy just said on the phone when I was asking about the bike, "Bring your license with you and take the bike out".

I turned up, gave him my license and took it out for an hour.

[SamJL]

With new bikes they will have Demo models there, just ring up and usually they will let you take it for half a day.

Honda let me take a CBR1000RR out for a whole day before I bought it!
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[Mord]

What do I need to bring to a dealer when I want to go for a test ride?

Obviously I need a driving licence and helmet.

Anything else? Insurance?

[SamJL]

You will be covered by there insurance, it will have an excess of around £500.
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[Mord]

[Ratmonkey]

Yep turned up on Sunday first thing armed with my driving licence and took out a new Street Triple for the morning. It had a full tank of fuel and I had a great time. Brilliant little bike but the best bit was getting back on my R1 after
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Current Bike - 2005 Triumph 1050 Speed Triple
Previous Bikes - Yamaha R1,Hornet 600, Triumph T595 Daytona, Kawasaki ZX6R, Ducati 600ss
Small Bikes - FSIE, RD50, RD125LC, Kawasaki KH125, Suzuki GP100, TS125X, DT50

[Villers]

Some dealers are great and others are arseholes about it. I imagine they get a lot of dreamers wandering in off the street and wanting a go, or people simply just wasting their time but at the end of the day you aint buying a bike without trying it.

Classic example, 2 seperate dealers in carlisle 1. Lloyd Honda 2. J&L.

The honda people will let you test ride ANYTHING at all. Last time I was in I asked about the 636 and handed him my licence, he smiled and went and got me the keys.

The J&L (I think thats their name) people are the opposite. They werent going to honour a test ride my mate had been granted by Yamaha, on Yamahas machine at their request and asked to see his bank details first. I got talking to the most arrogant boring man ever and he was trying to talk me out of a fireblade and onto an R1. I said fair enough but could I try them both and see. I got a resounding no, and that would only change if I was 'very serious about 1 of the bikes' as it put miles on the machines.

I bought a bike off one of them and another I wouldnt go near. Which one do you think it was?
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[GSF Jamie 600]

Do you have to be over a certain age to take a bike for a test ride? I'm 18.

And if your 33bhp restricted, i'm guessing they won't let you take anything with over 33bhp

I really want to try the new kwak z1000

[Bendy]

There's no hard and fast procedure, every dealer is different.

There can be different minimum ages, different policy on 33bhp licences, some require a credit card for a sizeable deposit... you really just have to go in and ask. It's generally best to book a test ride rather than just turn up, that way you know the bike you want will actually be there, and obviously there's more demand at weekends than weekdays.

[Noxious89123]

[Flip]

[SamJL]