Would you buy a used bike you couldn't test ride?

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Would never buy without test ride.

I had seller flat out lie about the condition of the bike on more than one occasion.

When I'm buying, first visit, I get seller to start it up, look around. If I'm interested, I drop deposit and comeback for a test ride (with full $ amount in hand), or if it's pricey bike and I'm not too sure about it, get mechanic to come along.

When I'm test riding, I have my own bike insurance already, and I show it to seller, so if anything happens, he's not liable. If I drop it, I buy it.

Expect the same scenario when I'm selling. If test rider doesn't have bike insurance, I expect bill of sale complete and full payment, with condition of sale being test ride...

I would NEVER buy without test ride, period.
 
I would never buy a bike without test driving it.

In fact, I went and looked at a bike in November where the guy wouldn't let me ride it. This was a model that none of my friends or relatives have ever owned, so I wanted to take it on a very short test ride just to see how it felt to ride. I can read all day long about how a bike is supposed to ride, but until I try it myself I don't know how the gearing will feel, how much it vibrates at speed, and if I will like it.

Since he didn't let me ride it, I walked away knowing there would be more bikes coming for sale that I could test ride.

Once I test rode a KLR650 and walked away from the bike, not because anything was wrong with it, but because I hated how it rode. It was so top heavy and rode like a tractor. I never would have known that if I had not test ridden it, and I am glad I did because I would have regretted that purchase.

I have also let people test ride every bike I've ever sold -- except for my diesel Enfield which was sold sight unseen. Even the guy I bought the Enfield from let me test drive it, and he had to teach me how to shift with my right foot and an opposite pattern to left-shifted bikes.
 
Red_Liner740 said:
If you cant tell the shape of a bike while its idling in front of you, you sure as hell wont be able to tell if something is wrong while riding it....tire kickers! THE LOT OF YOU! Now get off my lawn!
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Wrong. I can tell if I like the way a bike rides when I ride it. I cannot tell how a bike rides by sitting on it, even if it is on the stand.
 
Bought all my bikes without a test ride...sold all of them without allowing one either. I'm not a fan of potentially funky insurance situations....cash in hand doesn't really change my stance on that either because the price of the bike can sometimes be the least of the worries if an accident were to happen.

Like others have said, I would be happy to ride the bike if the buyer wants to follow in a car.
 
Hey Mike. Taking a bike for a test ride to determine its mechanical shape vs ergonomics are different. I think we can all agree that the discussion at hand is not about test riding to see how a model handles but that particular bikes road worthiness.

Diesel said:
Wrong. I can tell if I like the way a bike rides when I ride it. I cannot tell how a bike rides by sitting on it, even if it is on the stand.
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adv_round said:
When I'm test riding, I have my own bike insurance already, and I show it to seller, so if anything happens, he's not liable. If I drop it, I buy it.
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READ YOUR INSURANCE POLICY. YES I"M YELLING!

An insurance policy states exactly what vehicle (VIN) is covered and what riders. Your insurance doesn't cover any vehicle you just happen to be driving / riding unless it's some fleet special deal. You can't change coverage by scribbling some vague words on the back of a cigarette package. If there is a claim it goes against the bike owner.

I don't allow test rides nor do I expect them and have actually turned down offers. You can sit on the bike and make vroom noises and I will demonstrate the bike for you. You can have a qualified mechanic check it out but no test rides.

I don't know your qualifications or expectations. If you have an at fault with my bike it could cost me $5K to $10K over the next five years in increased premiums. If your licence was suspended it could be worse. I don't need the BS for a bike worth less than $10K.

People target fixate on the value of their precious bike and miss the bigger picture of a lifetime of lawsuits.

"What if I don't like it?" Tough luck. Do your research on your own dime.

Don't compare test driving a bike to a car. Different criteria.

BTW the trucker that bought the bad Volvo, What would he have noticed on a test drive that he didn't notice between here and Nevada?
 
kawi_girl said:
It just sounds weird and I think....'would I buy a car without test driving it??? HELL NO.' So why would anyone buy a used bike and not test drive it?

Thoughts?
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A noob isn't going to tip over a car and is far less likely to crash in a light pole or something like that...
Ask the guy to go up and down the street a couple times and run through the gearbox.
 
okay...what about a new bike?...i am seriously considering buying a new bike this year...will I have to wait for demo days?
 
^^ Most likely unless you seem to be legitimately interested or they have done business with you before. It all depends on the dealer though.
If you show in shorts and Nikes asking to test ride a liter bike they're probably going to tell you to **** off...
 
I'm respectable looking and smell of money so even if they specify "no test pilots" they usually let me test fly. If not, I like to have them ride it up and down the street. First clue is how they engage first gear. If they don't wait for rpm to drop right down (people gun engines in neutral wth?) I walk away.
 
I was lucky with my new one and was able to test-ride it :D I had absolutely no expectations to be able to do so though. It was only because the owner had talked with someone that's ridden with me (in other words, he checked me out first. LOL!) and he felt confident giving me the key.
 
Every bike I bought I have test ridden. 2 were used, the rest new. Every bike I sold I allowed test rides.

If I can't take a test ride, I will walk. Having you ride is or a mechanic check it is not the same as how it feels to me. It was a test ride on a BMW which convinced me not to buy it, just didn't feel right to me, so I said thanks no.
 
revrandy said:
Every bike I bought I have test ridden. 2 were used, the rest new. Every bike I sold I allowed test rides.

If I can't take a test ride, I will walk. Having you ride is or a mechanic check it is not the same as how it feels to me. It was a test ride on a BMW which convinced me not to buy it, just didn't feel right to me, so I said thanks no.
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Be a bummer to let someone test ride for the sake of them using the test to determine if they like that particular model. IMHO test ride should be for bike condition only.
 
revrandy said:
Every bike I bought I have test ridden. 2 were used, the rest new. Every bike I sold I allowed test rides.

If I can't take a test ride, I will walk. Having you ride is or a mechanic check it is not the same as how it feels to me. It was a test ride on a BMW which convinced me not to buy it, just didn't feel right to me, so I said thanks no.
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so you basicly wasted the guys time for nothing?
 
nothing wrong, I won't give out test ride without full cash on hand, and ride in closed circuit like dead end or parking lot with no traffic only
if noob hit someone or him/herself, insurance look for seller of course
 
Um. How about how the suspension works? Are the forks tweeked? Is the frame sraight? Does the bike track straight? Does it wheelie? Power curve under pressure? Carburation under pressure? Are the bars straight while diving in a straight line? Etc. Etc.

Red_Liner740 said:
Why do i need to test ride it?

I can find out everything thats wrong with the bike by putting it on stands and running it through the gears while on it.

I've had people ask me to test ride a bike and i said no, but you can get in the car and follow me and i'll take it around the block.

In the end, what exactly can you tell about a bike while its running vs being on a stand?

If you cant tell the shape of a bike while its idling in front of you, you sure as hell wont be able to tell if something is wrong while riding it....tire kickers! THE LOT OF YOU! Now get off my lawn!
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Totally fine for me, but then again I tear down and rebuild bikes that I buy. Unless the bike has been kept by a professional mechanic, there is no way the average person would keep their bike in as good as condition as mine. I tear the bike down to the frame, look for anything that needs to be repaired on it, then crack open the engine and check the pistons and selves, valves, gears, tranny etc. Replace most outer bearings, chain sprocket yada yada yada.

If you really want to test ride the bike ask the seller if they would be willing to do up a conditional bill of sale. Look over the bike, agree on a price with the condition being an ok test ride. Give them a 50% deposit cash and if they if you damage the bike you've bought it either you wanted to or not, don't like it you get your deposit back. Tis how I convinced the seller of my bike for a test ride. (I was going to buy the bike either way though, was just trying to haggle him down a hundred or so bucks, as he hadn't ever serviced or checked the clutch and it felt a bit off...turns out he had and installed the clutch package backwards in the basket)
 
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Low rider said:
Um. How about how the suspension works? Are the forks tweeked? Is the frame sraight? Does the bike track straight? Does it wheelie? Power curve under pressure? Carburation under pressure? Are the bars straight while diving in a straight line? Etc. Etc.
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you can easily check the suspension by jumping on the bike a bit, get a buddy or seller to hold the bike and you push and pull on the bars, multiple times and dropping your *** into the seat. If the forks are tweaked you'll feel it while jumping on the bike.
If the seller is hell bent on you not testing it, then its a bit of a risk, if you aren't planing to overhaul the bike anyways. you can check the trueness of the forks and frame and alignment by eye most times.
 
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