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

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LoneRonin said:
^^ 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...
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This is a sticking point for me too -- When I bought my CBR250RA (new, from dealer) I couldn't ride it beforehand, but I was ok with that as I was a new rider (M1), and honestly wouldn't have known if it was good or crap at all since I'd never been on a bike before. Also the cost was low enough that if I did have to sell it with only a few km (say I didn't like riding), I'd only be out maybe $1000 at most.

Fast forward to now, and I'm pretty dead-set on upgrading to the new CBR600RRA (having put over 5,000km on the 250). Thing is, although after sitting on all bikes at the shows, and the fact I'm after a SS with ABS at a minimum, I still want to test ride the 600 before dropping $15K (with taxes) on a new one. Given Honda's policy of not allowing test rides at demo days without a full M (on SS bikes), I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hopefully, should they somehow have stock in spring/summer, I can talk to the dealership/powerhouse that sold me the 250 and see if there is anything they can do to let me test the 600. I'm even fine showing up with a bank note/draft for the MSRP as proof I'm not dicking around...however if I liked it I would still want to negotiate on sale price a little, just like I would on a car (and like I did on the 250).
 
Best thing for you wouldn't be to find a friend who has a 600 you can ride.
All of your 5,000 km has earned you that much.



conundrum said:
This is a sticking point for me too -- When I bought my CBR250RA (new, from dealer) I couldn't ride it beforehand, but I was ok with that as I was a new rider (M1), and honestly wouldn't have known if it was good or crap at all since I'd never been on a bike before. Also the cost was low enough that if I did have to sell it with only a few km (say I didn't like riding), I'd only be out maybe $1000 at most.

Fast forward to now, and I'm pretty dead-set on upgrading to the new CBR600RRA (having put over 5,000km on the 250). Thing is, although after sitting on all bikes at the shows, and the fact I'm after a SS with ABS at a minimum, I still want to test ride the 600 before dropping $15K (with taxes) on a new one. Given Honda's policy of not allowing test rides at demo days without a full M (on SS bikes), I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hopefully, should they somehow have stock in spring/summer, I can talk to the dealership/powerhouse that sold me the 250 and see if there is anything they can do to let me test the 600. I'm even fine showing up with a bank note/draft for the MSRP as proof I'm not dicking around...however if I liked it I would still want to negotiate on sale price a little, just like I would on a car (and like I did on the 250).
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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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Yup!
 
I bought my 250R without test riding it, the guy didn't care as long as I let him hold the money but I was new and had only taken my MSF course and didn't want to risk it. I just started and inspected it thoroughly for damage/drops. I've test riden many bikes though, as long as you pull up on a bike I find the sellers are far more lenient.
 
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conundrum said:
This is a sticking point for me too -- When I bought my CBR250RA (new, from dealer) I couldn't ride it beforehand, but I was ok with that as I was a new rider (M1), and honestly wouldn't have known if it was good or crap at all since I'd never been on a bike before. Also the cost was low enough that if I did have to sell it with only a few km (say I didn't like riding), I'd only be out maybe $1000 at most.

Fast forward to now, and I'm pretty dead-set on upgrading to the new CBR600RRA (having put over 5,000km on the 250). Thing is, although after sitting on all bikes at the shows, and the fact I'm after a SS with ABS at a minimum, I still want to test ride the 600 before dropping $15K (with taxes) on a new one. Given Honda's policy of not allowing test rides at demo days without a full M (on SS bikes), I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hopefully, should they somehow have stock in spring/summer, I can talk to the dealership/powerhouse that sold me the 250 and see if there is anything they can do to let me test the 600. I'm even fine showing up with a bank note/draft for the MSRP as proof I'm not dicking around...however if I liked it I would still want to negotiate on sale price a little, just like I would on a car (and like I did on the 250).
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Ready Honda let me on a 600rr last season on my m2, they only wanted m for 1000rr and goldwing.

Sent from my SH-02E using Tapatalk 2
 
silverbullet132 said:
Ready Honda let me on a 600rr last season on my m2, they only wanted m for 1000rr and goldwing.
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On a demo day or just via talking to the dealer? I'm also turning 31 in a few days, so not like I am some 16-17 year old lol.
 
nobbie48 said:
READ YOUR INSURANCE POLICY. YES I"M YELLING!
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I still stand by my principal - no test ride, I'm out. Read my original post for clarification on what that entails.

I'm telling you what I do - it's not like I take his/her word for it.
I take license and insurance info and put it into writing stating that if anything happens, hi/she is responsible for damages and liability. Insurance doesn't just hand over the money, it would have to go through courts, but I'm still covered.
Biggest thing for me is knowing that the rider is "on the road" and insured, not some total schmuck who is likely to crash...
 
Given how many ads I see that say no test pilots, and how many people on here refuse to touch a bike where that's the case, I'm confused as to how the used market thrives. I've been allowed one test ride and that was because it was a friend of a friend I was buying from
 
When I'm selling, I say the same: "no test pilots, dreamers etc" - that takes care of losers and time wasters. Test ride is OK with full $ amount in my hand and paperwork signed with "sale conditional on test ride" in writing. It works...
 
Macs said:
Given how many ads I see that say no test pilots, and how many people on here refuse to touch a bike where that's the case, I'm confused as to how the used market thrives. I've been allowed one test ride and that was because it was a friend of a friend I was buying from
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I'm quite surprised too. In the past 23 years I have bought 9 motorcycles and looked at a lot more that I didn't buy. Only once was I ever denied a test drive. I've also sold 8 of those bikes (I still own 1), and every bike I sold I allowed the buyer to test drive.

Edit: I've also never had to give any deposit or sign any papers before any test ride I've taken. I guess I have never looked at a bike owned by a GTAM member before.
 
I've bought and sold a few bikes and got and gave test rides. Also declined a few "test pilots" too. Using my present bike as an example the ST1100 is very top heavy at parking lot speeds. Unless the potential buyer road up on a similar large and heavy bike I'd not be inclined to let someone test it on my dime, but I'd let them ride as a passenger.

Unrelated to selling (but to test pilot's in general) about 6 or 7 years ago my daughter's ex-boyfriend, then 16 years old, called to ask if he could borrow my 1100 as he wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle. He was dead serious and disappointed when I declined.
 
Fontes59 said:
so you basicly wasted the guys time for nothing?
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It was used at a dealership. Even if it was a private sale, why am I wasting the buys time? Don't know how it feels until you ride it. If I liked it, I would have bought it.
 
Yes, I would, and I have.
 
Some of you are over the top, I've given/ taken test rides before. It's usually in a plaza parking lot- no public streets involved. Judging by the potential buyer's appearance/ email writing abilities, I let them test ride.
 
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Bought and sold 4 bikes. Test rode all, gave test ride twice.
I just say no when they ask and point at the road. U drop it you stole it.
 
my general rule is show up on a bike of similar size or bigger and i'll let you ride it provided that you have an "M"
 
No test rides, feel free to bring a mechanic and feel free to call the mechanic who safetied the bike for a further opinion.
 
conundrum said:
This is a sticking point for me too -- When I bought my CBR250RA (new, from dealer) I couldn't ride it beforehand, but I was ok with that as I was a new rider (M1), and honestly wouldn't have known if it was good or crap at all since I'd never been on a bike before. Also the cost was low enough that if I did have to sell it with only a few km (say I didn't like riding), I'd only be out maybe $1000 at most.

Fast forward to now, and I'm pretty dead-set on upgrading to the new CBR600RRA (having put over 5,000km on the 250). Thing is, although after sitting on all bikes at the shows, and the fact I'm after a SS with ABS at a minimum, I still want to test ride the 600 before dropping $15K (with taxes) on a new one. Given Honda's policy of not allowing test rides at demo days without a full M (on SS bikes), I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hopefully, should they somehow have stock in spring/summer, I can talk to the dealership/powerhouse that sold me the 250 and see if there is anything they can do to let me test the 600. I'm even fine showing up with a bank note/draft for the MSRP as proof I'm not dicking around...however if I liked it I would still want to negotiate on sale price a little, just like I would on a car (and like I did on the 250).
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Sturgess cycle in hamilton has a few demo bikes, from all the makes they carry: triumph, kawi, honda... i think suzuki.

i've never had a problem getting a test ride on a bike from them. They're a stand-up dealer as well.
 
i have been riding for almost 30 yrs, and the last 22 of them on the street. I can't recall ever test riding a bike before I bought it....and they have all been used except one back in 1998.

The only bike I can recall test riding was one I was sent to look over and purchase if I thought it was a sound buy, for a newb rider who couldn't ride it and wouldn't know what to look for.
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