Test Rides - FAQs?

[keti]

Ello!

Bit of a strange question... how do test rides work? Do you have to put some kind of deposit down to ensure you don't bring the bike back in little tiny pieces? Or do you leave your licence with the dealer or something?

Do you have to be of a minimum age/have a minimum number of years' riding experience?

... can you tell I'm a newbie?
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.: when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro :.

[Davo]

It's very different across the board the best thing is to ask.

Some shops will allow a test ride, some won't, some will with a deposit, some will let you ride a bike (but only if they think your serious) one place I've seen follows you a big Pan European.

For example one of the local dealers charges £20/hour for the bike which you redeem against a purchase, they insure you but it there is a £750 excess if you damage it for the test ride they require your driving licence and a document with your address (or a passport).

For a private sale it's generally accepted that you either leave the full asking price of the bike in cash, passport/driving licence (and proof of insurance with most), and you ride it on a you bin it you bought it)

[muddycoffee]

I got a test ride from the dealer which I bought my bike from before I decided to buy it.

but they said.
1) you need to have passed your bike test over 5 years
2) you need to bring your licence
3) you need to bring a utility bill from your address
4) you need to bring the registration document for your car or whatever vehicle you came to the shop in.

All that sorted, trade plate on the back, and off I went for 40 minutes no problems. Apart from driving along the supertram tracks outside the shop for a mile before I could turn off, and stalling it about 6 times on the forecourt..

I would suggest that if you are a new rider, you take a friend with the right qualifications with you to test ride the bike for you, or see if the shop will take you on pillion
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Suzuki SV650 naked Blue curvy with Givi Screen and G force can.

[Mr.Everready]

When i took my test ride on a Ninja I had to sign a form agreeing to pay for ALL costs if i binned it
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Kram]

when i went to buy my FZR600... the manager wouuldnt' let me test ride it, so my stepdad took it out, and i went pillion with another member of staff.. then went round the corner and i hopped on.


then switched before the last corner
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FS1E -> SR125 -> CB400N -> CB650 -> FZR600 Genises -> VFR400 NC21 -> CBR900RR Fireblade -> Renault Clio 1.4

[EDBANGER]

In my experience all they want from you is:

* Must be at least 25 yrs old with full license
* You must bring both your paper license and card license
* You must bring 2 proof of addresses ie bank statement, utility bill

One I went to charged me £10 for insurance to take the bike for 2 hours.

[Vespa]

.

[Visitor Q]

[Vespa]

.

[keti]

Right.. so the check list would go something along the lines of:

licence + counterpart
passport
credit card
**low cut top**
etc?




On a more serious note.. sounds like I'm going to have to go for a private sale first time round.. at 23, with no previous experience of bikes it's not likely I'm gonna get much of a test ride eh?
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.: when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro :.

[G]

Not quite what you asked, but do you know what to look out for on one as well?

I would want to inspect it for mechancial problems as well - I have seen more bikes with mechanical problems sold from dealers than from private sellers.

[colin1]

the place near me say you have to buy it, then if u dont like it you bring it back and get get your money back. at best this is a way of making it so they dont have to be responsibile if there is an accident, at worst they dont let you have your money back and say there is nothing wrong with the bike you have bought.

they didnt like my idea of trying out more than one of their bikes. to be honet they are right to be arsey as i wd probably prefer to buy from a private seller, but if they were a bit more pushy they cd probably get me to buy on the spur of the moment. instead they talk themselves out of a sale by being arsey about test drives
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[keti]

[G]

Ah, didn't realise you were buying new .

General advice is don't buy new as your first bike, infact generally, just don't buy new unless you're pretty rich and have got excess money and time to throw away .

[MarkyPancake]

George White Swindon require you to have a full license for at least one year or two years for 1000+cc. Apparently it's for insurance purposes.

[Misc]

[BenBray]

I second that.

I mean, if I was buying a bike I'd want to take it out for atleast 20 mins.

Wtf are you supposed to do if you dont have insurance?

[keti]

Yeah, I don't have any kinda vehicle right now so I'd be a bit stuffed if they asked me that. I can't exactly ask the bus driver of the bus I arrive on if I can borrow his insurance

G, I think I'm leaning more towards second hand. I don't have lots of money to throw away unfortunately hehe Altho I did have my heart set on the zzr600, I've seen a 1998 ER-5 for £1000 which seems like a damned good bargain to me.. it was advertised at my riding school when I went in today. So I might give the seller a ring and see what kinda condition it's in.

Cheers for all the replies
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.: when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro :.

[G]

Can sometimes find zzr's for that little, though I would be /very/ careful and make sure it is very thorougly checked over, as they'll be that price for a reason.

If you can stretch a little bit further than £1k, I know goose has a very good ER5 for sale:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4571961332