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test ride at dealership


John

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so why is it that you can test ride a ducati, triumph or BMW before you buy it but not a japanese bike?

is no test rides a dealership policy or a manufacturer policy?

When you test ride a bike, they are demos. BMW, Ducati, KTM, Triumph, and several others have excellent demo programs. They allow the dealer to sell it later for a helluva price and still make a profit. As I understand it, the Japanese manufacturers don't offer great demo programs if at all, so dealers have to sell those bikes at a loss when the new bikes come in.

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I think that if you have a valid motorcycle endorsement you should be able to test ride a bike. It's kinda bs. Obviously, there are some kinks you would have to work out. One option would be...to have customer/possible buyer sign a waiver, stating that if customer/rider dumps/wrecks, or causes any physical damage to the bike that person is 100% responsible.

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Some places let you test ride any bike you want- others won't let anyone. All depends on the dealer.

Bingo. If you walk in just to test ride and aren't serious, it is doubtful you'll get to ride anything. There's no issue with it being a demo or not. And, the Japanese allow demos on bikes. Not sure why that was stated - they do.

The demo idea isn't solely for test riding. It is a way for the dealer to use that bike for marketing and events and to ride on a daily basis for feedback to customers and to allow customers a chance to ride the bike with no issues or strings attached.

However, if you meet the financing requirements, are a serious buyer and are wanting to test ride, you'll get to. But, as stated by Wicked - it is a dealer by dealer basis as some will not allow it...

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Learned my lesson on this one. I've always thought it was "funny" that I test-drove cars before buying them (whether new OR used), but never a bike.

Bought a KTM 625SMC off of a dealer without asking for a test ride. Awesome bike except for one thing: It vibrated so badly that it blurred my vision. Didn't get better with time, and had it back to the dealer, whom I trust, but he wasn't able to fix it. Sold the bike two years later with only about 2k on the clock.

Won't make that mistake again. If I'm approved, and endorsed, I will ride the bike before buying it.

Really did love the KTM except the vibration thing.

On another note, if a car dealer lets you test drive a new car, is it then a used car? Because of 15 miles or so on the clock? I don't think most buyers would view it that way.

Just my $.01 (used to be two cents, until the government decided that someone else was more deserving of half of my money).

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Bingo. If you walk in just to test ride and aren't serious, it is doubtful you'll get to ride anything. There's no issue with it being a demo or not. And, the Japanese allow demos on bikes. Not sure why that was stated - they do.

The demo idea isn't solely for test riding. It is a way for the dealer to use that bike for marketing and events and to ride on a daily basis for feedback to customers and to allow customers a chance to ride the bike with no issues or strings attached.

However, if you meet the financing requirements, are a serious buyer and are wanting to test ride, you'll get to. But, as stated by Wicked - it is a dealer by dealer basis as some will not allow it...

I said their demo programs for dealers wasn't as good as the ones I listed. For instance, BMW's demo program (I've heard) is the best. The dealers can sell those demos for dirt and make money on the deal. This is because of the huge discount they give for demos. As far as I know, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki do not offer that great of a demo discount. This is just as I understand it from a few folks who own dealerships. I've asked this very question before.

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Learned my lesson on this one. I've always thought it was "funny" that I test-drove cars before buying them (whether new OR used), but never a bike.

Bought a KTM 625SMC off of a dealer without asking for a test ride. Awesome bike except for one thing: It vibrated so badly that it blurred my vision. Didn't get better with time, and had it back to the dealer, whom I trust, but he wasn't able to fix it. Sold the bike two years later with only about 2k on the clock.

Won't make that mistake again. If I'm approved, and endorsed, I will ride the bike before buying it.

Really did love the KTM except the vibration thing.

On another note, if a car dealer lets you test drive a new car, is it then a used car? Because of 15 miles or so on the clock? I don't think most buyers would view it that way.

Just my $.01 (used to be two cents, until the government decided that someone else was more deserving of half of my money).

15 miles on a car is very different than 15 miles on a bike, at least in my mind.

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On another note, if a car dealer lets you test drive a new car, is it then a used car? Because of 15 miles or so on the clock? I don't think most buyers would view it that way

you are going to be hard pressed to find a car on a lot that has zero miles on it. most cars that come off the truck at a dealership have 15 to 20 miles on it. they get driven at the factory, they get driven in the shipping areas, they get driven onto and off of the truck etc.

now, technically a car is "new" as soon as it rolls off the line, and once someone gets in and drives it out to the storage lot it is "used"

at the dealership "new" just means never titled. notice, they dont sell "used" cars, they sell pre-owned ;)

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