[squirrel_hunter]

I've taken one or two bikes for a test ride before...

With new bikes the main dealers should have a demonstrator available to take out, but its not always their whole range. The bigger shop you go with the more likely they will have what you want. I was in a main dealer just before Christmas with a mate and they had a demonstrator for the bike he was looking at that we'd be welcome to take out.

As for secondhand bikes from a dealer they should allow it. If you are serious about the bike and meet the insurance requirements (age and licence) then it shouldnt be a problem. Without a test ride I wouldnt by the bike. I've ridden back to back models before and then picked the best one.

If its from a private seller then its a little more tricky as you'll likely need to arrange insurance and have the cash ready. When selling I'd let someone test ride if they could prove insurance and passed the sniff test. As for buying, the bikes I go for these days need lifting into a van so not really something I've considered recently.