Dealer Demo Ride: "If you break it, you buy it!"

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You guys know that the dealer probably doesn't own the bikes sitting on their showroom floor, they're owned by the manufacturers acceptance company (they're financed) and just like YOUR financed bike, they ARE insured, as a requirement of finance.
The terms of that insurance can be quite onerous, with a LARGE deductible... which is probably why Blackstock want $1500 up front for a test ride, they have a $1500 deductible. Any claim will raise the dealer insurance rate... is any of this sounding familiar?
So... if I lend you MY bike, and YOU crack it up: Who is responsible for repairs? LEGALLY... NOT morally?
I am. The owner, not you. I could sue you, but I would have to prove negligence or malice (not sure if that's the right word....)
So if you crack up a dealer bike on a test ride, the dealer's insurance will cover it, it will be expensive, and the dealer WILL attempt to recover that money and WILL accept any money you give them, but legally I don't think you're liable.
That being said, I have a friend that owns a dealership, and I have "test ridden" lots of bikes, and if I cracked one up, he'd have payment the next day... and he knows that... so I can "test ride' bikes. I've even ridden a couple of his customer owned bikes, with the customer's approval.
The "test ride" bikes owned by the manufacturer, that get ponied around to dealers and shows for "Demo Days" have a (almost) regular insurance policy... and those bike get destroyed, I wouldn't buy one used.
 
Norcorider said:
When I attended Suzuki demo ride this week, they had me sign a disclosure which said that in the event of crash , claim could be made on riders insurance policy 😕
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Would probably bailed on that. Who knows who is running with you in the demo ride.
 
So if you damage other peoples' property or cause bodily injury, your own liability from your policy kicks in. BUT we're talking about physical damage to the bike you do not own. For PPV (cars and trucks, etc.), this would be covered with OPCF 27, an endorsement on your policy.

Motorcycles typically don't offer this type of coverage - actually as far as I'm aware it's not available for motorcycles. So technically, your own motorcycle policy wouldn't cover damage to a bike you rode, but don't own.

The policy of the dealership has coverages in place, of course. If they make you sign a contract saying you're responsible for damages, I don't know if I'd want to risk it either, like @timtune said.
 
Buddy did a "rideshare" thing in Florida and they asked for and took his Ontario insurance particulars... who knows if they could actually claim on it, but he got the bike.
 
Scuba Steve said:
That would be great except I don't think your insurance is transferable that way so I don't think they have any claim

Sent from the future
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There was a new rider who kept stalling a vstrom and almost dropped it few times. I told the rep that I will go in the next round.

And the next round was only me with a lead rider :)
 
Scuba Steve said:
That would be great except I don't think your insurance is transferable that way so I don't think they have any claim

Sent from the future
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I may be wrong but I have heard that even car dealerships claim car owners insurance if one of their service techs crashed or damaged or while it was in for a service.

There have been few cases in the news
 
Norcorider said:
I may be wrong but I have heard that even car dealerships claim car owners insurance if one of their service techs crashed or damaged or while it was in for a service.

There have been few cases in the news
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That's the opposite situation though. That is an authorized driver driving an insured vehicle and claiming on insurance for that vehicle. When you throw someone the keys, you are also giving them access to your insurance policy. The test ride scenario wants your insurance to cover a vehicle the insurance company knows nothing about.

Most cage policies have non-owned vehicle coverage for rentals but you didn't rent the test ride bike and I haven't looked into details on how that may play out.
 
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Norcorider said:
I may be wrong but I have heard that even car dealerships claim car owners insurance if one of their service techs crashed or damaged or while it was in for a service.

There have been few cases in the news
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A garage auto policy offers coverage for legal liability for damage to customers’ autos….so an at fault accident (I.e mechanic responsible while test driving) should be covered by the dealer’s policy. A not at fault claim (DCPD) would be covered by the owner’s policy as it is a first party coverage. The exception would be where the customer’s auto is not insured under a motor vehicle liability policy. In that case, the dealer’s garage policy would respond for DCPD.
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