Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Not allowing test rides is a good way to keep people from grabbing way more bike than they're ready for. Insurance companies would end all dealerships if that happened more than a few times.

I live about 10 minutes from Abernathys, and a salesperson told me they offer test rides on all the bikes. You just have to have a valid motorcycle license and you can go.

Who's gonna buy a bike they can't test ride first?

I was refused a test ride at Yamaha without a credit check. I told them they just lost my business and walked out the door.

Honda had no trouble in letting me test ride whatever I wanted, even though I'd just passed my MSF two weeks before.

I now own a Honda bike.

My understanding is that it is the same process as test driving a car. There is insurance on the dealership, not each individual vehicle. Let's face it, if you drop it and cause $800 damage, they'll still sting you for the $1500 excess, and then fix it for next to nothing because they don't really have to pay for parts or labour; it's all there in the shop!

They write the stock off, and sell the bike as used, all the while pocketing your $1500 excess for a bike that they might have had to fork out cost price on a new fairing for.

moo snutz wrote: "Excuse me, I would like to test out that 152hp K 1200 GT.... Oh, and where exactly is the shifter lever thing on this here bike" ?.... heh heh good stuff!

you gotta get that on tape...the sales persons face would be priceless....