Dealer Test Rides

[Phil C]

As someone who has never bought a 'proper bike' before - can I ask a dumb question? Can I expect a dealer to offer a test ride on a new or used bike that I am contemplating buying? I'm darn sure I don't want to buy something and then regret it in a weeks time..... As someone who has bought plenty of cars over the years I've never, ever bought one without a test drive, and the odd occasion where the seller has said 'if you drive it, your'e committing to buy' I've just turned round and walked away....private or trade...... Is this also the accepted practice with bike dealers (both new and used....)

Thanks for your thoughts....

[Wasted Bullet]

You may have difficulty if you passed your test less than a year ago... but apart from that they should offer you a test ride.

Edited for spelling

Edited by Wasted Bullet on Monday 19th May 21:10

[Rubin215]

Most decent dealers will let you have a test ride on just about anything (within reason obviously!), as long as you have a full license and a credit card and you seem like a genuine customer and not just a "rocket pilot" (just don't expect five tests rides a day for three weekends in a row).

All will expect you to sign some form of "you bend it you mend it" agreement with the excess ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds. Time on the bike will vary; midweek on an unpopular bike you could get it for a couple of hours, sunny Sunday on this weeks hot poop and he will want you back in thirty minutes.
I know of one dealer who will insist you sit down and talk the whole deal through prior to letting you have the keys on the basis that few "rocketeers" can be bothered with half an hour of finance chat just to get a half hour test ride.

If you are away a long time, put some fuel in it and give the salesman the receipt; much more likely to get you a test ride another time if you don't buy now.

Best approach is the same everywhere; just ask!

[Leccy]

My son passed his test in November almost 2 years ago. We went to a bike shop neither of us had been in before and enquired about a Bandit. The shop owner wouldn't let him have a test ride as his licence hadn't been returned so he had no proof of having a licence. He agreed that I could have a shot though, so we arranged it for a couple of days later. That morning his licence came through the post. He simply phoned the shop and said, "I Have my licence here" Next thing he's out playing on the Bandit. We bought it that day.
If a shop wouldn't let me try the bike, I wouldn't be buying it.

[uriel]

I got my licence in Jan and last week BMW let me out on a new 800GS to test with no problems. Though they may have been comforted by the form they made me sign agreeing me to a £2500 insurance excess!!

[y2blade]

Rubin215 said:

Most decent dealers will let you have a test ride on just about anything (within reason obviously!), as long as you have a full license and a credit card and you seem like a genuine customer and not just a "rocket pilot" (just don't expect five tests rides a day for three weekends in a row!

what he said^^^

[Phil C]

Thanks all - seems like I can expect the same as with any sensible car dealer - a serious buyer gets taken seriously......!

[John Laverick]

I've never found it to be a problem going out on test rides ... I'm usually offered them rather than asking!

I took my smashed up ZX6-R into a dealer for an insurance estimate and he handed me the keys to the brand new ZX6-R demonstrator and said "go and have a play for an hour whilst we look at your bike"

My local dealer let me out on a brand new GSXR750 for an hour followed immediately by the 1000 for a direct comparison. Although I was pretty serious about buying one, I didn't in the end.