Question: Test ride a bike before you buy it?

[b1k3rdude]

So just came back from looking at a 2013, FZ1, 14k for sale by a one man dealer 10 mins from me. But today despite offering to put down full purchase price down as a deposit while I test rode the bike, the guy wasn't interested. My offer was above and beyond the £1k that some dealers charge, so I'm guessing this guy just wasn't setup correctly insurance wise? As in, I Have multi bike policy which allows me to ride  other bikes. I also had the pleasure of his father giving me the benefit of his uninformed armchair opinion, to which I had to respectfully counter several times.

• So my question is, how many of you would buy a bike without test riding it first?
  
• And was I being too reasonable offering a full purchase price as a deposit?
  

[Grahamm]

So my question is, how many of you would buy a bike without test riding it first?

I bought my FZ6 without test riding it, but I'd literally only just passed my Direct Access (in 2007) and knew very little about the subject.

Now I know a lot more about bikes and biking, there's no way I'd buy one without test riding it.

As for the deposit, I'm not sure.

[BBROWN1664]

Personally, I wouldnt buy without riding normally unless it was a non-runner.

If I was selling, cash in my hand before you can test ride and I would expect to hand over the cash if I wanted a ride too.

[coffee]

I would have thought he was certainly bothered about an issue with the bike as your insurance would have been enough just for a test ride,he should have a traders ' policy anyway.I would have walked without a doubt,typical dealer. :finger

[b1k3rdude]

If I was selling, cash in my hand before you can test ride and I would expect to hand over the cash if I wanted a ride too.

This already been agreed when we we spoke on the phone, why after I got there this wasn't good enough I dont know.

I would have thought he was certainly bothered about an issue with the bike as your insurance would have been enough just for a test ride, he should have a traders ' policy anyway.

Exactly, I even offered to show proof of insurance. I think his dad didn't help the situation, several times he gave me his layman's opinion that was so badly wrong it made me wince.

The guy lost an easy sale, he could have had £££ sitting in his bank account but instead has a bigot of a father presumably still wittering in his ear.

[VNA]

As in, I Have multi bike policy which allows me to ride  other bikes.

Have you checked the detail of your policy?  I am of the understanding that most policies do not cover commercially owned bikes, and certainly with my policy this is the case.  I can ride any other privately owned and insured bike, with the permission of the owner.  This would give third party cover only.  I am not covered under my policy for riding commercially owned motorcycles. 

[b1k3rdude]

[cleaned up thread]

@Vna, I am fairly sure my policy covers riding bikes owned by a bike shop. If its insured by the shop to ridden on the road then I am able to ride it with 3rd party cover. But will confirm this is still the case.

[b1k3rdude]

I would appreciate if people can stay on topic.

[Grahamm]

[Cleaned up thread]

GrahamM
Moderator.

[vinnyb]

Back on topic.
  i don't know if I'm daft or naive but i have bought most of my bikes, new and used, without a test ride. most of my used bikes have been bought privately and I would be reluctant to give a total stranger my keys so I wouldn't put someone else in that position and ask.
Just a really thorough poke around and listen, you can generally tell how well a bike has been looked after that way.
  I ordered my mk1 1200 Bandit before any had even landed in the country and there were no demos available on the Thunderbird Sport or my ZZR1100.
  Maybe I've been lucky but I've not bought a total lemon or a bike I've properly hated yet. Ironically the only bike I've really not been able to get on with was my BMW R1150R and i test rode that twice :rolleyes
 

[mtread]

Last 3 bikes I've bought from new. Only one I didn't try out was my Foxeye Fazer. But then I was coming from a 600 Bandit, so it wasn't really necessary, was it...... 

[VNA]

It’s tricky.  If you are buying from a dealer, you have a few years under your belt and a clean license,these days a test ride should not be an issue.


But if you are buying private, well would you let a stranger have a shot of your bike?  But then there should be a decent saving over the dealer on price.


But yeah, my last three bikes have been new.  The FZS600 and FZS1000 I bought new.  They had great reviews in the press and I was sure it was what I wanted - so I didn't bother trying to get a test ride.



On the other hand I’m gad I did a few test rides before I settled on the Beemer.  The MT10 was fun, but the range is sick joke and it is frankly a bit demented.  Then I was sure I would go for the CB1000R – what a lovely looking bike – but whilst it was quick, handled and stopped, well it just did not gel with me, it left me cold, and I was happy to get back on the old thou afterwards. 



I tried the R1250R on the strength of reviews I had read.  I very much doubted I would be interested, but yeah I liked it and bought it.


I guess older bikes you want a shot to check its OK.  Newer stuff, you wanna a shot to see if you like it. 

[Dudeofrude]

I bought my 125 blind from a dealer 40 miles away, never even saw a picture of it or anything. Saw it for the first time when it was unloaded out of the van.

My first big bike I bought (also taxed and insured)  without anything but a single gumtree picture and a text message off the owner to go from, worked out brilliantly ?

And i also bought my FZ1 without seeing it as it was from a dealer on the opposite side of the country. He agreed to deliver it for £100 on the premise that if I didn't want it he would have just put it back in the van for the return trip. Obviously that turned out well too haha

Tbf most of the time I've test rode bikes I've decided against them, I tend to find I'm always looking for the negatives and comparing it to whatever I've owned st the time. Buying blind just seems to be more exciting.... plus the realisation that you own it tends to make most of the smaller niggles seem insignificant haha its amazing what you can look past when you've just forked out a few grand for something ?

[YamFazFan]

.

[mtread]

Last 3 bikes I've bought from new. Moneybags

That was the only way I could make sure they hadn't previously been one of yours  :b