Test ride

It may depend if they have bike with miles on it. I did test ride a Liner before I bought one. The ride is probably why I bought it. But, the one I bought had zero miles. If they have a new bike on the floor with zero miles I don't think they will let you ride it.

Dave

 

Test Drive

I have purchased 2 bikes in the past 23 months. 2007 Majesty 400 and I just bought a new 2009 V-star 950 Tourer. The dealer let me drive both right off the floor. I traded the Majesty for the 950.
I didn't drive them very far, but the sale of both bikes were subject to driving them. There is a Yamaha dealer 12 miles from my house, but I drove almost 80 miles to the dealer I purchased from. They are great to deal with and I feel I got a great price on both the purchase and trade of my first bike. They even send me birthday cards. The local dealers just don't want to deal as much as the dealer I bought from. They also had a better selection. The dealer is Promotor Sports of fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. They havea huge stor and cary Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki.

 

The local dealer here insisted I test drive the bike before he would sell it to me - no complaints here!

 

i visited 3 different dealers before i bought mine in Austin and none allowed test riding before buying

 

Test ride

Lots of dealers have open house days where you can test ride a new model but that is usually in the spring, my local dealer insists you test ride before you buy whether it be a yami or harley its like buying a car you're not going to purchase until you test drive. My 06 Stratoliner was in for warranty problem and they lent me a 10 Stratoliner Deluxe well they knew what they were doing because the next day I went in and traded for it. Bottom line insist on a test ride if the dealer says no can do then find another dealer that will and you and the dealer will feel better in knowing you purchased the right bike for you.

 

My wife and I bought our '02 V-Star 1100 Silverado in February of this year. Lots of snow at that time. We saw the bike, fell in love with it, and had to have it. The dealer wrote on the contract "final sale contingent on favorable test ride", since we couldn't exactly test ride it then (no provisions for skis on the bike, not even the Silverado). Anyway, he made sure that we liked the ride a month later before we signed the final paperwork. I don't know what their policy is on new bikes, though, since I haven't been in the market for one. Yet.

 

Hmmm well next time I'm in the market for a new/used bike. I'm only a year into my first bike (vstar 650 custom) but am already looking/drooling for over the 950 so I've got some time.

 

I drove my dealers personal Strat before I bought my Roadliner. But, he is a good buddy of mine.

Every time I have sold a bike privately to someone I did not know, I had them bring me a certified cheque for the full amount before they took the bike out with the understanding that if they bring it back with so much as a scratch, they bought it. If it came back the same way it went out, and they did not want it, they get the cheque back. Then I would follow them in my car to make sure they did not abuse the engine or transmission.

If they did not agree to my requirements, they did not get the bike.

 

BMW and HD usually allow test rides, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki usually do not. But there are exceptions both ways.

If you live anywhere in the South East, Bikeweek in March and Biketoberfest in October at Daytona has factory test rides from most of the manufacturers every year.

 

Also, check Yamaha's website, or anyone else's for that matter, and see when there will be factory events in your area. I had great experiences at Yamaha's event at North American Warhorse in Dunmore, PA and at a Triumph dealer in New Jersey, the name of which slips my mind. These are great opportunities to test ride lots of different bikes, and all you have to do is sign a waiver and let them copy your license.

 

Our local Yamaha dealer doesn't allow test rides even on their used models. The HD dealer down the road insists on a test drive. Very different mentality. I now use a different Yamaha dealer about 45 minutes out of town. They're not happy till the customer is happy.

 

my local yamaha dealer has a june open house, where you can ride just about any bike they have. i rode the roadstar, raider, stratoliner, and 1100. the demand for the 950 required quite a wait, so never got to ride the 950.. also was offered test rides any other time i wanted, so rode the majesty as well. next june i hope to get to ride the styker and maybe the raider again.

 

My dealer does allow test rides , but only if you have secured financing first. They can't just let people rack up miles on their new bikes just going for a joyride. If they know you are serious then they will let you take it for a ride.

 

The one here near Syracuse does. Threw me the keys and told me to take my time, so I did. Since it was nice out i put about 50 miles on it, went back and put the down payment on it. They've treated me right for the last 7yrs.

 

BMW allows test rides. When I bought my last beemer the dealer actaully told me to come back on a Tuesday afternoon when they were not so busy so I could take it for a longer ride.

Victory also encourges test rides, though I have found the dealers to be somewhat inconsistent on allowing them.

Never tried to test ride a Harley.

With the Japanese dealers its hit and miss. My current Star dealer has several bikes that are used for test rides, and since they are dolled up with rims and pipes, paint they usually are a big selling point.

Good luck trying to get any Japanese dealer to let you test ride a sport bike. When I used to be in the market for those, they pretty much told me sign the papers and if you leave the parking lot its yours. If you don't leave the parking lot, I'll let you but something of equal or greater value in the store.

Not sure about Euopean brands like Moto Guzzi, Ducati and Triumph. Seems to depend on the dealer. Our Moto Guzzi and Triumph dealer is also a BMW dealer, so they allow test rides. The Duc dealer is mostly japanese bikes and is the one that told me don't leave the parking lot when I was looking for a Hayabusa years ago,

 

Good luck trying to get any Japanese dealer to let you test ride a sport bike.

i can't imagine any dealership letting out test rides on sport bikes without a huge deposit or refundable down payment and insurance waiver.

 

I have gone on a test ride with HD and kept my vstar. Make sure you know exactly what you are looking for before you shop up to the dealer. If you are there as a serious buyer, rather than browsing, they let you ride. Even on Hayabusa.

 

THAT'S AWESOME. great post

 

Not sure if it's a nation wide thing, but the Victory dealer here is paying $100 if you test ride one of their bikes and then test ride another brand and buy the other brand. So here we have a case of someone putting money up for you to test ride.

 

If they let you test ride. Victory claims to allow this, but I have found the dealers don't always participate.

I was seriously considering a Vision before I bought the Stratoliner. I rode a Vision Premium from one dealer which was too much gadgets, then I considered the Vision 8Ball and actually was ready to buy it, but I will not buy without a test ride and the dealer told me that was a deal breaker. We would not get the bike ready for the road without my money in his hands because it cost him shop labor to prep the bike, and this was a dealer we had bought 3 previous bikes from that had let me test ride in the past.

I left and waited on the Deluxe to show up in showrooms. Actually darn glad of that, I am very happy with it. Not sure I'd have been as happy on the Vision.

 

Around here, they insist on a test drive on every bike you are interested in. My wifes bike had .5 miles on it. we brought it back with 50 on it and said we will take it.

Both the local Harley and Victory dealers are always trying to get me on a test drive every time I come in. The only exception is the Cory Ness Cross Country I am looking at. I can drive a regular Cross Country, but not the Cory Ness. To me that is a good thing as I just might come back and say "I'll take it"

 

Around here, they insist on a test drive on every bike you are interested in. My wifes bike had .5 miles on it. we brought it back with 50 on it and said we will take it.

so if the dealerships keep letting everyone test drive, doesn't that make it harder to sell the 'new' bikes that already have mileage on them? if they let out a particular bike on a few test drives and it wasn't purchased, and then i come in and want to buy it, i'm not gonna pay new price for a bike that has miles on it.

 

They let you test ride around here (Seattle, WA area). I test rode at two different dealerships, assume it's a pretty standard thing if a few allow then others likely have to follow suit in order to stay competitive.

 

Dealership wouldnt let me test ride the Raider before i bought, cuz i was wearing shorts!!! Lol. Had to go home and change. The owner of the dealership was mad when i can back and the bike wasnt clean enough for the test ride!! Lol.

 

Speaking of the Raider, shouldn't there be a full report on your recent upgrade somewhere for those of us who drool over the Raider at the local bike shop......????

 

I probly should huh? Lol I havent even rode it in four days, stupid rain.. Ill try and get a good ride in this weekend. So far, its awesome as hell. Gonna get a ticket soon if i dont watch it!! Lol

 

The Yamaha/Victory/Suzuki stealership here in Tyler, Texas lets you test ride anything. The HD stealership here doesn't.

 

my dealer sells metric and harley. The only test rides they allow are on their twice a year demo days.

 

Yes to rides

MOM's in Foxboro, MA allows rides of any used bike anytime and with a huge inventory, I actually tried a used bike of a new version because I wanted to see how it felt not new. Worked well--it rattled too much and I didn't buy it. I rode two bikes that day, the latter one was better but they did not have a new one of it (Kawasaki Nomad) and I was really trying it for comparison of another different bike (and, well, they said take your time and ride what you want, so I did). They also allow new Victory rides almost all the time.