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Whosthedaddy
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PostPosted: 17:39 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Test rides Reply with quote
Whether it be from a dealer or private sale, how useful do you think they are?

In the limited time or ability to really see how a bike performs seeing as it's a new or strange bike / riding position, how useful do you see them?
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 17:50 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Re: Test rides Reply with quote
Whosthedaddy wrote:
Whether it be from a dealer or private sale, how useful do you think they are?

In the limited time or ability to really see how a bike performs seeing as it's a new or strange bike / riding position, how useful do you see them?


From a dealer, yes (unless the excess is in the £1000's) as you do get long enough to have a reasonably decent ride and see what it's like.

Private? well, even if someone allows you to ride it it is only going to be 'round the block' to see if everything works so no, it isn't worth it.

I've had people come when I was selling my Goldwings and ask for a test ride. Unless they turn up on an equivalent bike and put the cash in my hand first & have proof of insurance they can take a flying fuck and I have only had one bloke ever meet those criteria.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 18:01 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
And don't forget test riding a persons private second hand bike or car just to see what they feel like or to see if you like the model enough to own one, is pond life scum behaviour.

If I wanted to consider buying a 1987 Honda xxx, id just stump up the money and put one on my drive. I can always sell it if I don't enjoy it or get on with it, and that would be quite rightly at my expense.

It would be a total piece of sub human filth, that would go to view a person's 25 year old bike, just to bag a go on one to satisfy their curiosity. Hopefully they'd also get a free dose of having the shit beat out of them too!
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 19:16 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
'kin hell, you've started on the alcopops early tonight.

If you're serious enough to put cash in hand, and are license-and-3rd-party-cover legit you should definitely ask to ride before you shake, on a bend-it-bought-it basis. Be honest that it's going to be more than round the block, and offer petrol money or to fill the tank.

It took at least 20 minutes on a CBR600 to discover that it was fun in ways that somebody who isn't me would enjoy.
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........
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PostPosted: 22:46 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Re: Test rides Reply with quote
Polarbear wrote:
Whosthedaddy wrote:
Whether it be from a dealer or private sale, how useful do you think they are?

In the limited time or ability to really see how a bike performs seeing as it's a new or strange bike / riding position, how useful do you see them?


From a dealer, yes (unless the excess is in the £1000's) as you do get long enough to have a reasonably decent ride and see what it's like.

Private? well, even if someone allows you to ride it it is only going to be 'round the block' to see if everything works so no, it isn't worth it.

I've had people come when I was selling my Goldwings and ask for a test ride. Unless they turn up on an equivalent bike and put the cash in my hand first & have proof of insurance they can take a flying fuck and I have only had one bloke ever meet those criteria.


Surely that's exactly why it is worth it.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 22:58 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
2 hours on a Striple demonstrator, then some time later 1 and a half on an MT09 demonstrator, both from Fowlers
certainly helped me make my choice. Thumbs Up I did flog the crap out of both.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 23:06 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'd like to think that if I was CBR 600 curious, I'd have already ridden some comparible rivals, and I'd just put that money down where my mouth is and buy one without an extended full fuel tank all day ride to try and make my mind up about them? Wink

If I think I might want a Kawasaki H2 750, I wouldn't be searching for private sales so I could blast someone's pride and joy round all day to see if it's an itch I wanted to scratch. All a private sale test ride is for is to see if all the gears, brakes, clutch and engine work and if the bike rides and tracks properly etc. It should all be achieved in less than a mile from the sellers house IMO.

I've turned down offers of test riding people's bikes including a very late RG500, as apart from it being a wet scummy day and not wanting to get someone's bike covered in shit, I've had enough doubts from a physical inspection to know I'm either not going to make an offer or would make one that's probably very insulting to the seller based on faults or things I think need doing.

In the above case it was a cracked damaged belly pan and LHS fairing panel that put me off. The twat in me could have had that bike for probably about £1800 and a new belly pan and fairing panel for £300-400? At the time it didn't seem such a great deal, what a fooking idiot I was with 20/20. Laughing
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Analogkid
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PostPosted: 23:35 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Re: Test rides Reply with quote
ZX-7R wrote:


I have never taken a test ride from a dealer before so don't know the procedure.So if you crash a bike is could potentially cost you thousands?.

I will looking at getting a brand new bike around march next year as an early present to myself as its my 50th next september.

Got two or three i fancy,but not sure i would want a test ride if it had a big excess payment in case the worst happened.Would be looking at something like a Z650/MT-07/SV650.

Would bikes like those have much of an excess?.


If the excess scares you you can ask to have the bike added to your own policy, or take a day policy out on the bike(s) you want to ride, will be £35 upwards per bike, you won't get the money back, and if you bend it you'll still have an excess, the most excess I signed for was £1000, but I made sure I cared for it as if it was my own.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 23:36 - 16 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I signed a form to agree to pay any accrued fines during the rides and to pay up to £500 to cover any damages,
which was probably the excess on their policy. I also had my licence checked for endorsements on the Doovla
website before getting the keys. It was no worse than hiring a car really. Made sure to wear a camera for the duration
of both rides so if something happened that was clearly not my fault I'd at least have some proof.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 10:52 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Re: Test rides Reply with quote
garybee wrote:
Polarbear wrote:

From a dealer, yes (unless the excess is in the £1000's) as you do get long enough to have a reasonably decent ride and see what it's like.

Private? well, even if someone allows you to ride it it is only going to be 'round the block' to see if everything works so no, it isn't worth it.

I've had people come when I was selling my Goldwings and ask for a test ride. Unless they turn up on an equivalent bike and put the cash in my hand first & have proof of insurance they can take a flying fuck and I have only had one bloke ever meet those criteria.


Surely that's exactly why it is worth it.


Yes, if that is what you are testing. The OP is on about seeing if the bike suits him, how it rides etc. Not just a 'does everything work OK' test prior to purchase.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 15:11 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
This guys test ride cost him $2500. Sometimes you're just unlucky.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 16:12 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
grr666 wrote:
This guys test ride cost him $2500. Sometimes you're just unlucky.

Vlogging a test ride angers the biking gods Wink Always been too pussy to test ride/drive my vehicles without insurance (although I rode one round some garages). Probably won't be letting anyone in future as the lad who went for a spin on my 125, got lost for 90 minutes, and I had to go rescue him Neutral

I think if you research the bike, look it over properly, and try to gauge the owner you'll be alright.
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The Shaggy D.A.
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PostPosted: 17:36 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
The test rides I've had have been useful, from both the "I know what this bike should feel like - does it?" and the "never tried one of these, will I like it?" points of view. I need 5 minutes on the first type, and at least 20 on the second. A test ride isn't going to tell you what it's like to live with a certain bike, but that's what forums and reviews are for.
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Whosthedaddy
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PostPosted: 18:30 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Shaggy D.A. wrote:
The test rides I've had have been useful, from both the "I know what this bike should feel like - does it?" and the "never tried one of these, will I like it?" points of view. I need 5 minutes on the first type, and at least 20 on the second. A test ride isn't going to tell you what it's like to live with a certain bike, but that's what forums and reviews are for.


The 3 or 4 test rides I have had have all been 2nd hand and a quick one round the block despite. On each occasion, I had the money in my pocket and was going to buy pretty much anyways unless it turned out to be a right dog.

I asked the question as been on the 125 for 18 months or so and promised myself that the next bike I get will be a 'BIG' bike, over a 1000cc and a little concerned that jumping from a MSX to a Mille R, ZX10R or a Busa (that I do really) want isnt going to show anything other than how different they are.

Yes you wont get a long term idea of daily life, but pussy footing about and riding like a learner on a strange bike isnt helpful at all?
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 18:54 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
grr666 wrote:
This guys test ride cost him $2500. Sometimes you're just unlucky.

Was he fine though? Was he OK?
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arry
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PostPosted: 19:52 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Shaggy D.A. wrote:
"never tried one of these, will I like it?" points of view.


I don't bother with these any more. Tested the Sprint for a good hour or so when I bought that and thought I liked it, but actually hated it. Test rode the KTM for about 10 mins and thought I hated it, but was willing to force myself to like it just to get rid of the Sprint, but ended up loving it when I got used to riding it anyway.

Didn't test an Enfield at all, just bought one. Bit of a gamble but it's easy enough to punt on again if needs be.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 22:43 - 17 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bikes I test rode before buying:

RG500. Read about how mad they were in the biking press. 20 minutes thrashing the hell out of it - yes, got to have it!

GPz1100A1. Knew what it should feel like, having ridden a friend's one. This felt a bit sharper than his, already knew what I wanted it for, bought it (originally went to look at an advertised Katana 1100 which turned out to be a dog, didn't even bother test riding it).

First Fazer 1000. Didn't really know anything about them. Needed to see if it would be comfortable for my dodgy arm, powerful enough to give grins, generally useable. Liked it, bought it, never looked back since.

Street Triple. lots of great reviews in the biking press and on here, wanted to know what the fuss was about. A 20 min test ride, found it nimble, feisty, sounded great. Bought it. Didn't really learn to use it properly until I'd had it for a few months, then liked it a lot.

Everything else I've bought on reading reviews in bike mags and liking the looks. Mostly bought from dealers, so I could throw them back at them if anything was wrong.
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1198
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PostPosted: 08:23 - 18 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
The £2000 excess at Ducati / Triumph Glasgow puts me off a fair bit....
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grr666
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PostPosted: 08:37 - 18 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Riders HD/Ducati in Bristol has a test ride chaperone.
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1198
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PostPosted: 08:50 - 18 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
grr666 wrote:
Riders HD/Ducati in Bristol has a test ride chaperone.


Who was a Buell and pretty quick when I tested one of their Ducatis!
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AshWebster
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PostPosted: 15:26 - 19 Jun 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Honda let me take mine out for a whole day and gave me a full tank(as long as I was back before 7pm!) Though I did have to wear a license plate and I don't think the excess was cheap :p

However my mate went to the same Honda and got a different sales rep - only allowed 20 mins and there was no fuel in the tank! Very confusing.
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