Police presence on test rides

[ogden]

Originally Posted by grimey121uk

I think the main differance is a twin gives you some drama in the low end where as the 4 cyl are so smooth with the drama coming in towards the top end

If by drama you mean vibes and lumpiness, then sure. My inline four is far, far more tractable at 3k than my vtwin, and also goes bonkers at the top end.

Depends what you've ridden though, I suppose. The SV is hardly the benchmark twin and a Z750 or a sporty 600 is hardly the benchmark inline four.

Im SO tempted to use a James May quote here..

'its like a little mountain goat, it just skips along'

[ogden]

Originally Posted by 650

Four pots have little to no torqueyness

Ballcocks.

Honestly, I'm trying to craft a reasoned response to that, but it's so ludicrous I just can't.

[ogden]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

We've ensured that only serious prospects test ride bikes now - we insist on a £1000 cash or card deposit to cover the insurance excess just in case the worst happens and we find the rider hasn't a bean to his name, and every test ride is accompanied by a member of staff.

I'm glad you're not my local dealer. Last time I took a bike for a test ride I rang a few days beforehand (not having an established relationship with the dealer) to book a ride, only to make sure it was available.

I turned up on the day, I filled in a quick form (which included an excess, but no talk of a deposit) and I buggered off on the bike, with no escort, for three hours.

Suffice to say that within 48 hours I'd placed an order for the bike in question. If I'd had to follow someone from the dealer I'm not sure I'd have bothered going for a test ride in the first place, and being asked to put down a 1k deposit ranks alongside taking my lid off at a petrol station in my book.

[ogden]

Originally Posted by femaleacid

I don't think id ever sit on a Aprilia... Don't like the things!

What don't you like about them? The power? Handling? Aesthetics?

I resisted sitting on an RSV4 for a couple of years before I was talked into it by the chap at the dealer I used to service my gixer at the time. Only reason I avoided sitting on one was because I didn't want the gixer to feel lardy. I didn't buy one, but that's only thanks to prudently stuffing the cash into index linked national savings certificates where it can't be touched.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

You've obviously never ridden pillion on a decent RGV250 or Aprilia RS250 then - both put the SV to shame. SVs don't really accelerate very quickly, they are averageish.

I'd love to see an averagish RGV with 100,000 miles on it that's averaged over 40mpg and the engine hasn't had anything other than basic maintenance

I don't see this comparison, is same every time similar thread comes up. The SV's a cracking bike, and simple physics do dictate that a bike with twice as many valves and another 100cc will go faster.
I think you'd struggle to find anything which is anywhere near as good and fun round a twisty back road than an SV with surprisingly few pounds thrown at the suspension and still being near perfect to ride to work on as well.
If you can find me anything as good then I bet there's little enough in it that it comes down to personal choice, which you can't argue with figures.

[ogden]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

I'd love to see an averagish RGV with 100,000 miles on it that's averaged over 40mpg and the engine hasn't had anything other than basic maintenance

I'd have loved to see an RGV with 1 mile on it that could do 40mpg.

Mine used to do more like 25mpg. On a good day. Plus a litre of oil every 300 miles.

[yorkie_chris]

Aye, and at 100,000 miles you'd have spent so much on pistons and cranks it would have been cheaper to buy a brand new transit and put it in the back...

Originally Posted by ogden

What don't you like about them? The power? Handling? Aesthetics?

I resisted sitting on an RSV4 for a couple of years before I was talked into it by the chap at the dealer I used to service my gixer at the time. Only reason I avoided sitting on one was because I didn't want the gixer to feel lardy. I didn't buy one, but that's only thanks to prudently stuffing the cash into index linked national savings certificates where it can't be touched.

I think its because my ex has one and he's a fooking spak and terrified of anything bigger.
The Aprilias just remind me of little 17-18 year old nuggets thinking there Aprilia is the best thing above any other.
I dont like the style or comfort

I think i have a phobia of them.

Originally Posted by ogden

I'm glad you're not my local dealer. Last time I took a bike for a test ride I rang a few days beforehand (not having an established relationship with the dealer) to book a ride, only to make sure it was available.

I turned up on the day, I filled in a quick form (which included an excess, but no talk of a deposit) and I buggered off on the bike, with no escort, for three hours.

Suffice to say that within 48 hours I'd placed an order for the bike in question. If I'd had to follow someone from the dealer I'm not sure I'd have bothered going for a test ride in the first place, and being asked to put down a 1k deposit ranks alongside taking my lid off at a petrol station in my book.

The insurance excess deposit doesn't bother those customers who've asked for a test ride, and it really does weed out the test pilot to55ers who can't afford to keep their own bike on the road let alone buy a new one as well as keeping our demos in good condition and free of abuse. The difference between you and Squirrel Hunter is that you actually could afford and wanted to buy a new bike and weren't just joyriding so you could write half-ar5ed reviews for the SV forum. When I have a serious customer looking to buy a bike I take them on a bloody good test route that gives them a decent chance to learn their way round the bike and see what it can do. I'm not talking about top speed because everyone knows what fast feels like, I'm talking about how they cope with different road and traffic conditions on the bike they plan to buy. If someone is looking to buy a ZX10R for track use we suggest they attend one of the On The Road Tour days where KMUK will have their track ready ZX range, because they won't find out how it handles rapid changes in direction when hard on the brakes whilst on road tyres around rural Cambridgeshire at the speeds I can ride at.

Virtually all of the sports bike customers I take out are very happy with the pace I set so there's never a complaint that they didn't get to see how the bike can go.