Featured Test Ride

Not sure if i put a funny icon, like, thanks, useful , cheers or informative!
I'd love to do 'em all!

 

How're you supposed to know if you're going to like a bike if you can't get to test ride it

 

Equally, it is a bit like test driving a Ferrari. They don’t lob the keys at you as though it is a Fiesta. Demonstrating serious intent with a wallet to match is entirely reasonable to my mind. The dealers exist to sell and service for profit - not to fund wannabe thrills ...... and spills.

 

Yep agree @littleade , mind if you are really interested a deposit can be paid and then returned if you are not impressed or do not want to progress with the purchase.

 

I agree @littleade I would not want to go through that unless I was really interested in the bike. In the past when I have wanted to test ride a bike I've never been asked to leave a deposit, but then none of the bikes have been £25k, which I guess is why this dealer has asked for a deposit. You are likely correct that once the bike has been in show rooms for a while they might take a different view

 

The local Indian, Harley, and KTM dealers here in Tucson have what they call "Demo Days" which entails the company bringing in an 18-wheeler loaded with demo models from the new model year. Some do it 2x/year and some once. That way the dealer isn't sweating it if a rider drops a bike.

I'm a bit fan of riding new and different bikes so nearly always try to get to these events to try out some models that interest me--even if only modestly. Well, I don't have interest in the KTM's so don't test ride those, though I've a friend who wants me to join him in some test riding at the next KTM demo days.

If you're willing to sign up for multiple ride slots and spend a chunk of your day at the dealership, you can ride multiple bikes. A couple of years ago when Harley made the change to the softail line, I rode nearly all the bikes in that line in one day--seven, I think. I've ridden several of the Indians as well but thus far haven't been blown away by any enough to trade either one of my Harleys or my Triumphs.

What's nice about doing demo rides during these events, though, is that when I've been in the market for a different bike it's likely that I've already ridden that model. On the other hand, a couple of times I wasn't in the market to buy a new bike but test rode one. Then one thing led to another and I found myself with a new bike in the garage. That happened with my 2016 Thruxton R (not a demo day event--my dealership encouraged me to test ride--smart!) and then again with my 2017 Road Glide Special. Our Triumph dealership, unfortunately, doesn't do demo days though we've encourage them to. Guess it has to come from corporate.

My most recent purchase decision--my 2019 Speed Triple RS--came down to a test ride comparison. I was debating between that bike and a BMW S1000R. On paper it was a toss-up. But the test ride made my decision easy. I knew a half mile down the road on the Speedy (rode the BMW 1st) that that was the bike for me.

 

£1500 @ A1moto, York.
Not sure they have a Rocket yet or any associated strings attached but will be asking once the weather improves

 

I definitely agree with you, @littleade. The demo days rides just give you a taste and a bit of a preview of a bike. But I found even that to be helpful. But there’s not one dealer around here that would let you go out on your own for an hour on a brand new bike. Unless perhaps you put a deposit down on it as others have mentioned.

I think the most helpful “test ride” I’ve been able to do was back when the local Harley dealership had a rental fleet. I was interested in a particular model and they had a nearly new one available. I had ridden one at one of the demo days and liked it enough to start doing some research which culminated in renting that bike for a day. I rode it about 300 miles and loved it. It was $99 to rent it and when I decided to buy one when I got the rental money back.

 

I've been on these "chaperoned" test rides with an especially memorable one back in the early 90's on a TZR 250 and they can vary quite widely.

Went on a Yamaha one last year and it was dull to say the least

Went on a Suzuki one and had chance to take a new SV650 out. We were placed in a strict order which had to be maintained, no overtaking!!!
I looked who was in front of me and it was a middle aged woman on a 1000 that looked too big for her.
A bit of subconscious bias crept in and I thought "oh great here we go!".
Well upon exiting the roundabout my concerns instantly evaporated
Despite me wrapping the throttle round a couple of laps I couldn't catch her and we were in 3 figures
The test ride continued like this and she was great (and I don't mean that to sound patronising or condescending).

When the test ride concluded I had a chat with her and we both laughed about it. Apparently she'd watched my body language around the roundabout and wasn't going to let a little 650 sit with her

I also spoke to the "instructors" and commented how it was nice to have a proper 90's style test ride giving it a bit of poke and experiencing the real bike. One was a known ex-racer and another was an ex-motorcross champion. Good guys

 

I do like the R£ instead of the R3 that you put!
Might have been an accident with the shift key but funny thanks!!
True too!