Test rides?

[stranger12]

Hi ,

I did a test ride day on suzuki gsxr last year and they were doing loads of those but can't see any days on their website .

how do you go about finding test ride days for suzuki or any other brand :D

I am keen to ride different bikes

thanks

[Bibio]

most dealers will let you test ride any time just phone them up and book it.

[stranger12]

But they force u to buy or ask what is ur intention , and if saying just for test ride probably they would say they don't have a test ride bike.

I rather go to day where it is purely for test ride with no pressure to buy.do you know what happened to those suzuki days?

[Bibio]

your intention is that your thinking about changing your bike.. nobody can force you into buying something you dont want. all main dealers have test bikes but its up to them if they want you to test it and usually require a deposit.

[Sir Trev]

Where abouts in the country are you? One of us may be able to recommend a dealer to you.

[NTECUK]

A good sales person who feels your genuine is going to sort out if any way reasonably possible to get you interested in the bike.
It's how they Make money.
They are also good at sniffing out messers too.

[SIII]

Suzuki do do test ride days, where they take a van full of bikes around dealers.
Do it every year, just keep an eye out for it, or go on uk site and sign up for the newsletter. Had a shot on the gixxer 1000 last year, but they had nearly the full range. Maybe later in the year when all the new models are out?

[Bibio]

i hate tall people sometimes... lol

i can walk into and bike shop in fife and get a test ride there and then of anything i wanted but i cant coz i'm a short arzzzz.

[stranger12]

I am based in north London .

I will try calling around but most dealers do feel you may be messing with them and simply not keen to let you test ride.

you never know, I may change my bike after a test ride :D

[L3nny]

I've done loads of test rides, wrote a thread on here reviewing all the bikes I've ridden, it's on here somewhere.

Most dealers have a demo bike, the sole purpose of this bike is to be ridden. If you meet their insurance criteria they just let you go out on it, no questions asked, afterwards I always discuss price, finance packages etc, but there is never any pressure to buy.

If I don't like a bike I tell them and just hand the keys back, sometimes they say, try this bike instead then and Igo off on another ride.

Best place I went to was BMW in Oxford, they gave me the keys to a brand new S1000RR, asked how long I was going to be, I said about an hour, they said, have two hours, go out and enjoy yourslelf. When I got back they didn't even seem that interested in selling it, just said, here is the price, give us a call if you want to order one. Might have to head back there and try the new model :)

[JulesW]

I am based in north London .

I will try calling around but most dealers do feel you may be messing with them and simply not keen to let you test ride.

you never know, I may change my bike after a test ride :D

I've done several test rides and dealers have always been fine about it. No pressure, no aggressive selling. If fact quite the opposite, dealers have been very welcoming on every occasion.

[stranger12]

Which dealers do you normally go to ?

[carelesschucca]

Best place I went to was BMW in Oxford, they gave me the keys to a brand new S1000RR, asked how long I was going to be, I said about an hour, they said, have two hours, go out and enjoy yourslelf. When I got back they didn't even seem that interested in selling it, just said, here is the price, give us a call if you want to order one. Might have to head back there and try the new model :)

That must be a BMW standard, they gave me a whole morning on the R1100S years ago. I did over 150 miles on it and was away for hours. I was asked to bring it back full of fuel and that was it. There was no hard sell, I had a quick chat about the bike when I brought it back and that was that. Opposite end of the scale was Victor Devines who told me the CBR is the best selling bike in Europe and the best selling 2nd hand bike we don't need to give test rides, people buy them. Told him I wasn't People and walked out with him chasing me.

Stranger maybe you should give your local BMW dealer a look up and even if you don't have a real interest in buy, get some test rides organised with them.

[NTECUK]

Triumph just launching the new 800 tiger.
They probly be keen to demo other bikes too.
I went and tried a few.

[yokohama]

Re the above post, here's an email I got a couple of weeks ago.
For a the test ride, you just go on to their website, choose a new triumph, click a tab and there's a form to fill in with your preferred dates and times.

NEW TIGER 800 LAUNCH EVENING at A1 Moto Services

Visit A1 Moto Services on January 29th, from 6pm, and witness the unveiling of the brand new Tiger 800 XRx and XCx!
Triumph have taken the best middleweight adventure bike and made it even better!
They’ve introduced a plethora of new technologies including Traction Control, switchable ABS, Ride-by-Wire throttle, and three different riding modes to make this one of the most involved riding experiences out there.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity and be one of the first to see the bike in the metal. Plus observe this ground-breaking model’s advanced technology being demonstrated by our experienced dealer staff.
After the unveil you’ll also have the chance to throw your leg over and try this new Tiger for size.
Can’t wait to see it? Book your test ride online now and be one of the first to tame this Tiger!

Be there, A1 Moto Services, 29th from 6pm.

A1 Moto Services
Technology House
Lawrence Street
York
YO10 3BU
01904 625676

[TheRamJam]

That must be a BMW standard, they gave me a whole morning on the R1100S years ago. I did over 150 miles on it and was away for hours. I was asked to bring it back full of fuel and that was it. There was no hard sell, I had a quick chat about the bike when I brought it back and that was that. Opposite end of the scale was Victor Devines who told me the CBR is the best selling bike in Europe and the best selling 2nd hand bike we don't need to give test rides, people buy them. Told him I wasn't People and walked out with him chasing me.

Stranger maybe you should give your local BMW dealer a look up and even if you don't have a real interest in buy, get some test rides organised with them.

Yeah Victor Devines is a **** of a shop. Had the same scenario when I wanted to take a blade out. Went to Pheonix in Grangemouth and was out for nearly 2 hours no problem.

Apart from that i've test ridden bikes from Saltire Suzuki, Ducati Glasgow, Cupar Motorcycles, Pheonix Honda and BMW Motorrad with no hassles what so ever.

I think Ducati was the only one that i had to sign any documentation stating that if anything happened to the bike i'd need to pay £2500 up front.

I have also done two Suzuki Ride events that SIII mentioned. They are ok but i personally wouldn't bother as you have to follow some guy on a predetermined route and you can't overtake him. No fun really.

Just ring the dealers and see if they have any demo models in and book up.

[JulesW]

Bikers talk about bikes a lot, even more so after something good like a test ride. Dealers love it.

[JulesW]

Which dealers do you normally go to ?

Bill Smiths Chester, A&D Denbich, Woods Abergele. All very welcoming, I'd have no probs asking them for another ride anytime. Woods would've let me ride one of their bikes for 3+ hours if I'd had the time to do so.

[Sir Trev]

Kings in Kidlington (Oxfordshire) were very happy for me to test ride their GSX-F when I was considering it vs a GRS750. They even fished out a used Blandit S so I could see the differences back to back and almost forced me to take their brand new Strom out in case I was overlooking it.

[L3nny]

Kings in Kidlington (Oxfordshire) were very happy for me to test ride their GSX-F when I was considering it vs a GRS750. They even fished out a used Blandit S so I could see the differences back to back and almost forced me to take their brand new Strom out in case I was overlooking it.

Kings were the ones who let me try an alternative bike when I wasn't to impressed with the bike I went there to test ride.

The first bike was a *cough*SV1000*cough*

[ophic]

I think Ducati was the only one that i had to sign any documentation stating that if anything happened to the bike i'd need to pay £2500 up front.

I've test ridden a few Triumphs and they always took £800 as deposit, which they refund when you bring it back still shiny. So take a credit card and don't bend it.

[NTECUK]

And your photo licence or paper and ID.

[L3nny]

And your photo licence or paper and ID.

And a bill confirming your address.

[NTECUK]

Ongar didn't ask for that.
But well I'd think that it's pretty significant.

[AJC]

Yeah Victor Devines is a **** of a shop. Had the same scenario when I wanted to take a blade out. Went to Pheonix in Grangemouth and was out for nearly 2 hours no problem.

Apart from that i've test ridden bikes from Saltire Suzuki, Ducati Glasgow, Cupar Motorcycles, Pheonix Honda and BMW Motorrad with no hassles what so ever.

I think Ducati was the only one that i had to sign any documentation stating that if anything happened to the bike i'd need to pay £2500 up front.

I have also done two Suzuki Ride events that SIII mentioned. They are ok but i personally wouldn't bother as you have to follow some guy on a predetermined route and you can't overtake him. No fun really.

Just ring the dealers and see if they have any demo models in and book up.

Interestingly enough I was taking to my brother today who had effectively decided he wanted a fireblade 4 years ago. Went to Devines on Boxing Day and he was told they wouldn't have a fireblade he could try til around April. Now this is meant to be "Scotland's top honda dealer" trying to sell one of their flagship models...

Needless to say he ended up at MCS a day or so later, got a test drive that day and bought a brand new Triumph ST...

[theenglishman]

I'm nearly 50 - dealers seem to fall over themselves to offer me test rides, for whole days if I want.

I guess a spotty 20 year old on a scooter isn't viewed the same, but if you pitch up, talk seriously about being interested and have both bits of your license on you you should be out for a test ride in 15 mins if you go on a day they're not busy.

BMW and Triumph are the current best, but they know I've had big new bikes off them in the past.

[Heorot]

In Norfolk I have had test rides with 3 main dealers for Suzuki, Honda & Kawasaki (CJ Ball, Lings & Seastar Superbikes). All were quite happy for me to have test rides. All I needed was both parts of my licence and to sign that I agreed a £750 insurance excess. No upfront payment required.