[Jarhead1100]

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.

 

[Grumpy]

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.

 

[GaryTJ]

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"

 

[bevo1981]

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.

 

[ChiknNutz]

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.

 

[tice]

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.

 

[paddy]

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......????

 

[tice]

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

 

[notfried]

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

 

[GSHayes]

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.

 

[buvoir]

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

 

[Return to Riding]

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.

 

[chiproductionz]

I just bought a new bike and I was able to ride it after I put a $1000 down. It had .7 miles on it when I rode it.

 

[Return to Riding]

Love those Raiders!

 

[lost_punk]

i bought my bike when it wasn't even summerized. i was looking at cam am spyders and one dealer would let me test drive it on thier lot and the other wouldn't even let me start it because i didn't have a license. only my permit. bought my vstar from a yamaha dealer. no test drives because it wasn't ready to ride yet. test ride(and first ride on a bike EVER) was on the way home.

 

[acman308]

None of the local metric dealers will let you test drive even used.

The HD dealer will let you drive anything.

 

[MCSmith]

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.

I don't know...car dealerships don't have a problem with it. You can test drive anything and they seem to be able to sell cars with up to a couple hundred miles on them as new.

 

[arjeepguy501]

When I bought my bike I was able to test drive, anyone doing a test ride had to have a helmet and a motorcycle endorsement though.

 

[Return to Riding]

Charlotte

I am now in Charlotte, and bought a Raider. I was able to test drive a used one, but not a new one.