test ride

[Elle]

If you're buying an unfamiliar bike, whether new or not, do you take it for a test ride?

A friend has a 3 yr old Tenere, it's done approx. 3500 miles - says he's selling it soon because he wants the MT09.
I've asked if he's test rode the MT09 (he has a neck injury which makes riding some bikes painful) - "no" was the reply, because Bike Magazine gave it 5/5 and that's good enough for him.

I have always test rode before buying & no private seller or dealer has ever said No.

 

[Ian Porter]

I test rode my 1150GS all of about 100 yards

I knew it was a bike I had to own to get it out of my system so just went for it,

big mistake that was as it''s now totally under my skin

but yes I'd want to ride most bike first,

the MT-09 is a hell of a lot of bike for the money though (Ruth's quite interested in the MT-07)

 

[Barftone]

I rode the an MT07. Great ride. Light, fun, and pretty pokey....and the bike was'nt bad either! Shock horror... I thought it felt better than a Street Triple R I rode a week later! I think we have all gone for something untested at sometime but if I was spending 7k+ I would want a go first!

 

[Kjell Lindberg]

I bought bikes without testriding them, and I'll never do that again.
IMHO one should testride for a longer stretch making sure this dream bike really is everything one hoped it should be.
Vibrations, ergonomics, gearbox gearing, brakes, comfort, etc.

I once bought without testriding it, a 1975 BMW r90S Daytona orange/silver as it was my dream bike in those years.
Spent a year polishing and detailing it to a high level.
Went for the first ride the following spring, and realised after 20 minutes of driving that many generations in bike development had passed by.
Sold it the following week...

 

[Philwhiskeydrinker]

A test ride is always adviseable if possible.
Just because some journo, your mate, dog or neighbour or whoever, likes a bike doesn't mean you will.

A fine example;
A while back Vanessa bought an sv650 without a test ride, she had no real confidence on the bike & no real desire to ride it.
When time came for a change, a street triple was her No1 choice.
After a bit of persuasion she made a shortlist with other bikes she quite liked and test rode them.

Ultimately, she didn't quite gel with the triple. Unlike the Hornet which she loved from the off (and bought).

Now if she'd just gone & bought the trip, she'd have ended up with another bike that didn't make her smile

Phil

sent from my 'phone

 

[Traveller]

Only bike I never test rode was my Africa Twin. I had sat on one before and new I fitted on it ok and the bike was pristine, as were the rest of the sellers toys. I initially viewed it and rejected it as too nice to trash off road as that is what I was looking for so I saw it and walked away. I changed my mind when I got home, rang the seller and bought it. Not something I would normally do but its a great bike that I never once regretted buying.

On the other hand, I bought my Goldwing from a private seller. He was happy to let me test ride. Unfortunatly I got lost and couldnt find my way back to his house. I kept turning into the estate and couldnt recognise anywhere. Started to get stressed after an hour, expected blue lights behind at any moment! Phone and details left in my car at the sellers house Sorted eventually and the seller was surprisingly unpreturbed! And he made a sale.

 

[Mervin]

Most of my bikes i have bought are not even running , so no chance of a test ride , I did test the Vigor quickly around the block though , present project Suzuki teapot has fired briefly on WD 40

 

[scouseviking]

I bought my 94 Dommie from a guy in Hamburg with 12000 genuine miles but it had been standing a while..
When I got there it was dark and I had a test ride but didnt notice it was smoking until I got home.
When I stripped the engine I noticed the oil ring was gummed up and when I measured the bore it was only worn 4 thou so it was not a problem.
I fitted a wiseco piston and now love the bike.
Not a smart idea to do a test ride in the dark...

 

[Elle]

I once had a test ride that lasted 2 weeks.

In a previous life, my (ex) hubby and I used to attend Guzzi rallies in Germany for our summer hols. One year, having sold a bike to buy another & with just 1 month to go, I found myself bikeless & still unsure which bike to buy.
So a friend offered to loan me his Guzzi V1000 G5 - it was a well used bike, having already covered 100k+
It wasn't until I joined the M25 did I learn it suffered from clutch drag Apart from that, a fantastic bike. A few thousand miles later, I returned home with a big grin knowing that was the bike I wanted next & found one a few weeks later.
I owned that Guzzi for 21 years

 

[Sharribee]

I've bought bikes I've test ridden and some I haven't.

My CB500 I just bought without riding it as my first bike and loved it, but I had nothing to compare with

I test rode the Buell Xb9s and my 650gs single loved them, bought them and then got rid within weeks because I just couldn't bond with them, the Buell was bloody awful for reliability and the GS had a bent frame.


I Test rode my transalp and loved her so much I did about 25000 in under 2 years, I still pine after that bike.

Didn't test the AT found her to heavy at slow speeds but loved the look. Even if I had tested I'd still have bought her.


I didn't test ride my 800 GS, but absolutely loved the look of the bumble been one so bought it, I loved it and I am now on my third 800

I'd always advise a test ride but an hour doesn't always let you know how the bike will feel after your stuck with it.

P