Test rides strategies

[esullivan]

I'm just starting the process of picking my next bike, so I'm not at the stage of test riding anything, but yesterday I picked up a temporary loaner bike (for complicated boring reasons) and it occurred to me that it takes a long time to get a feel for a bike. Do people on here have methods for test riding? Do you rent bikes you are interested in? How long do you test ride them for? Do you even test ride them, or just buy them and resell them quickly if you don't get along?

The one I'm borrowing now is a 2010 Kawasaki ER-6F, my first Kawasaki. (I rode BMWs and Suzukis on my DAS, and have owned three Hondas.) Within a couple of minutes, I knew the mirrors were rubbish (providing a view of my forearms and elbows that blurs badly at speed) no matter how much I adjust them, but the benefits of the fairing wasn't apparent until riding in to work this morning on the A40 in slightly chilly weather and I'm still figuring out the engine (much more revvy, but with the same torque).

By the time I return this on Monday, I'll have a really good feel for the ER-6F, probably. Unfortunately, this is basically Kawasaki's equivalent of the bike I have now -- geared for "first big bike" users, same seat height and position (feet slightly further back, tho) and very similar engine (650-ish cc parallel twin), so I haven't advanced toward my goal by much.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[i.p.phrealy]

however you do it, don't do it like this bloke!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2245103/Hospital-consultant-died-bike-test-run-pulling-115mph-wheelie.html

(sorry it's a Daily Fail link)
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it is impossible to lick your own elbow...
and if you just tried you need professional help.
Finally allowed a big bike 19/03/14!

[krarkol]

Takes a while to adapt I guess, but the more experience you have the quicker it is.

I can usually ride a different bike reasonably quick within a few minute of getting on it. Gives a good idea of what it will be like to live with.

Takes a good few month before I am actually comfortable with everything and really start pushing it.
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Bandit 600 - deaded

[c-m]

Most places charge you up to about £25 for a test ride, then of course you have to replace the fuel.

You get the money back if you buy the bike, but it only takes testing 4 bikes and you're £100 down. Bike dealers are a right bunch of shitters like that. Never heard of a car dealer trying it.

[P.]

[Baffler186]

I was allowed an hour for a test ride, made sure I went through the city to get a feel for the brakes, gearbox, mirrors, switch gear. Made sure I went at speed to see what it was like for longer journeys. Ticked all boxes for me, so bought it. Two months on I have no complaints, or at least none that weren't evident on the test ride.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[Scythe]

[BTTD]

[stinkwheel]

Take it out.

Bring it back a few hours later. When they ask how you got on say it was all good but you think they should chack the tyre pressures because you got a mild tankslapper when you were coming down the exit slip from [ *Insert name of town you could only have got to by riding at warp factor 9 all the way there and all the way back.* ]and it weaves side to side slightly at anything over 140.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rogerborg]

[James83]

[kitty kat]

[conker]

[Drax]

Every time I've ever taken a bike out for a test ride they have usuallly said "Bring it back full (as it's full) or You may need to put some fuel in -as it's almost empty"

But at no point has there been any 'charge' for a test ride.

[chickenstrip]

From what I've been hearing lately, many dealers take a deposit, on the insistence of their insurance companies (so likely an Excess payment cover?) before letting people out on test rides. Could it be this you're talking about?
But you get it back in full when you return the bike in one piece. But for bike dealers to do this and not car dealers does piss me off a bit. As if there aren't enough things to make us look like 2nd-class citizens already.

Most of my bikes have been affairs of the heart - read about them first in bike magazines, fell in love, went and bought. Lived with it or not afterwards. Not saying I recommend this strategy

[waffles]

I was given the keys and told to come back in a few hours. I did a mix of motorways, A roads, town and country lanes. Then I went to see some friends and their five year old daughter told me I should buy it because the seat was heart shaped. The dealer even reimbursed me for the fuel I put in it. I never paid to test ride but I did have to leave a photocopy of my drivers licence with the paperwork I signed.

Never heard of anywhere that charges though.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[GPC]

With a car they have to come too, but if any dealer wanted me to pay, even for petrol unless it was an extended test drive 24hrs +, when I would pay for any additional petrol, I would go elsewhere.

[SQL]

[Ste]

at paying for a test ride and having to refill the petrol. That's a polite way of them telling you to fuck off.

If they think you're genuinely interested in buying the bike then they'll be keen to offer you a test ride because they know that you're not going to buy the bike without test riding it.

With cars it's easy to get test drives with the saleman going with you. It's also easy enough to get test drives where they deliver the car to you on a Friday and pick it up on Monday. If you're a serious buyer then they'll bend over backwards for you, they want the commission and the wear and tear on the car you test drive doesn't come out of their pocket.

They can very easily spot test pilots who have no intention of buying anything from them and you've no chance of getting a test ride then.

[chickenstrip]

My local Triumph dealer was desperate to get me to test ride their bikes, even though I told them there was no way I could afford to buy.

Don't really know feck all about cars though; yeah, can see they'd have someone in the car with you now you mention it

[recman]

My test rides have usually involved me taking the bike home to see if it fits up my back passage in into my back garden (fnar) along with an nsl blat and some twisty action (more fnar).
I let the dealer the know the score and they except it, never paid for fuel though.

[Ste]

[recman]

[c-m]

[Rogerborg]