Test riding in Auckland

[discotex]

Got myself a 6F and it's time to start test riding some bikes. :wari:

How long is it fair to take a bike out for? I figure if I'm going to lay down 10-15k on a bike I want to be pretty sure I can live with it for the next couple of years.

I figure going for a fang down the motorway and around some local twisty roads will help me make a first cut but to get a final decision I wouldn't mind a bit of open road time. Am I expecting too much to take a bike out for an hour plus?

Anyone have any tips or routes around they normally use that don't take too long but have good twisties?

Any shops more accommodating than others?

[Gremlin]

Depends if the shop knows you... I shop at one all the time, and they allowed me to take 2 bikes out back to back, to clevedon... spent just about the whole day doing so :woohoo:

Some shops have set routes for you to ride as well... best bet is to start with shops you know, and ask straight up. Honesty is always the best policy.

[Swoop]

A recent bike-purchasing mission left me with the impression that test rides are "verboten"...:bash:

Go the Auckland bike shops.......:nono:

[nodrog]

i brought an RSVR from amps a couple of years ago, was just expecting to get to ride it around the block, but then got told i could have it for 2 -3 hours, so it got a "proper" test ride :niceone:

[vifferman]

I've never had any problems with test rides, but then again, I've never tested one for more than about 15 minutes. I guess I should've made the most of it. I've test-ridden maybe 20 bikes in the last few years, the craziest of which was the VifFerraRi, as I had no intention originally of test-riding it, and certainly none of buying it. That just shows that if the shops are free'n'easy with test rides, then they're more likely to make a sale.

[janno]

When my ex bought his new BMW in Perth, he took it out for an hour and the shop was surprised to see him back so soon. I thought that was normal until I came here . . .

[Devil]

I found about 30mins was enough to cull the bad ones, and give me a shortlist.
Then longer was required with each bike. I haven't had an issue with test rides before. When I got down to the final two bikes with Holeshot, they let me take each one overnight.

[owner]

Botany honda has a pretty good test track.
Bloody redbaron told me I could test ride their R1 for only 15 mins :laugh:
How far can an r1 get in 15 mins :laugh: I came back in 30 and they didnt seem to worried
hole shot and colemans seemed pretty cool about it
Wild West Honda is the best shop in ak anyway

[vifferman]

I guess for the purposes of discovering problems, a longish ride is needed. But as far as deciding whether a bike is "the one", sometimes as little as 3 minutes is enough to eliminate the wronguns.

I'd really love to do some more test rides, but as I have absolutely no intention of replacing the VFR, it makes me feel very guilty about going through the charade.

[EJK]

How long is it fair to take a bike out for? I figure if I'm going to lay down 10-15k.....


All I know is, you can take it out for maximm of 20 minutes....

200kph = 3.33km/ minute

3.33 km/ minute x 20 minutes = 66.6km :yes:


Cut the answer in half if you want to stick to the legal limit lol

[007XX]

Ask Jrandom, he's been test riding quite a few lately...:yes:

[jrandom]

I simply rock up to the dealer, make sure they've filled the bike's petrol tank, and say "I'll be gone for an hour or two".

I then ride up the motorway from whichever dealer I'm at and do the Albany hill, Coatesville, Riverhead, Old North Road, Kaukapakapa, SH16 back down to town loop.

I think it's important to get a decent ride in on any bike you're considering buying, and it's also important to do the same ride on the different bikes in your potential lineup.

Just ask politely, book your test ride a day or so in advance to make their lives easier, and make it clear that you're a competent rider and a serious customer. Even if you simply tell them that you're not sure what you want yet for your next bike, it'll be fine. After all, how will you decide what sort of bike to buy if you haven't ridden them?

Binning on test rides is not recommended, though; dealer insurance policies always have a $2000-$3000 at-fault excess.

To name names, so far I have nothing but praise for the relaxed and helpful attitude of the sales staff at AMPS and Haldanes. I've certainly been swayed in favour of preferentially buying from either dealer if I end up choosing a bike that they stock. (No, the brands they sell don't overlap.)

:niceone:

[discotex]

All I know is, you can take it out for maximm of 20 minutes....

200kph = 3.33km/ minute

3.33 km/ minute x 20 minutes = 66.6km :yes:


Cut the answer in half if you want to stick to the legal limit lol

200km/h? WTF kind of slow arse bike do you think I'm buying EJ? ;)

[discotex]

I simply rock up to the dealer, make sure they've filled the bike's petrol tank, and say "I'll be gone for an hour or two".

I then ride up the motorway from whichever dealer I'm at and do the Albany hill, Coatesville, Riverhead, Old North Road, Kaukapakapa, SH16 back down to town loop.

I think it's important to get a decent ride in on any bike you're considering buying, and it's also important to do the same ride on the different bikes in your potential lineup.

Yeah I'm thinking of doing that for the final showdown. That's a pretty decent test track eh. I'll be doing half my testing at lunch time so half an hour is pretty much my range for the first cut. I figure that's enough to cut a bike or two off the list and hopefully leave me with one or two long weekend runs.


Just ask politely, book your test ride a day or so in advance to make their lives easier, and make it clear that you're a competent rider and a serious customer. Even if you simply tell them that you're not sure what you want yet for your next bike, it'll be fine. After all, how will you decide what sort of bike to buy if you haven't ridden them?

Binning on test rides is not recommended, though; dealer insurance policies always have a $2000-$3000 at-fault excess.

To name names, so far I have nothing but praise for the relaxed and helpful attitude of the sales staff at AMPS and Haldanes. I've certainly been swayed in favour of preferentially buying from either dealer if I end up choosing a bike that they stock. (No, the brands they sell don't overlap.)

:niceone:

I work close to Colemans so popped down their at lunchtime to take a gixxer 600 and SV1000S out. They didn't have a demo gix or K7 SV there but I ended up taking a K5 SV out for a spin. I dealt with Matt and he was pretty cool about it which was great. No "I see you have a temporary licence" type shit. Just here's the waiver and here's the keys. :yes:

Down the motorway to Gt North get the tyres warm and get a feel for the brakes. Bit of a cruise through a few of the local 20km/h corners at the speed limit then back into town via the Waterview on-ramp. I know that curve so well it's a great test of a mid speed corner.

Then port exit and back up via that fun little twistie bit that takes you up to the domain from Stanley st. Then back over Grafton bridge in lunch time traffic to Colemans.

As it turned out it was a pretty good sample of the majority of riding I do as I ride to work every day.

Things I learnt about the SV...

1. The SV isn't thaaat slow to turn in sub 100km/h but it does resist a lot more than my ZXR ever did. Can't wait to get on a supersport and see the difference again.
2. 80-130+km/h is way too easy. 130km/h feels slow with that twin revving so slowly.
3. Around town.. 3rd gear? Do you need more than 2 gears around town on an SV? Motorway.. Do you really need 5th and 6th? :cool:
4. Ergonomics are soooooo much better than the ZXR. My knee caps don't get compressed when riding with the balls of my feet on the footpegs. Reach isn't too bad either. Nice clear clocks and although the seat is hard my arse was fine for the half hour I was out.
5. Getting stuck in the traffic didn't faze me. Not sure why people diss the thou as a commuter. The thou is fine.

So far I'm impressed with how much bike you get for the money with the SV and I was on a K5 model not the K7 with Yoshi deal that Colemans have put together.

Bring on lunchtime tomorrow when I try to find me an R6, 636 or gixxer 600 to take for a spin. Think I'm going to have to raid Holeshot tomorrow then Haldanes on the weekend :2thumbsup

[Black Bandit]

Gotta give the boys at Mt Eden MC a shout:wavey:. One the best in my experience, really understood that customers don't need to be hassled when doing the "next bike trials". Give 'em space, give 'em time and the customer will make the right decision.

[discotex]

Gotta give the boys at Mt Eden MC a shout:wavey:. One the best in my experience, really understood that customers don't need to be hassled when doing the "next bike trials". Give 'em space, give 'em time and the customer will make the right decision.

Oh yeah forgot about them. Nice and close to work too :)

Spoilt for choice really. Really hope I can narrow down to a couple of bikes by the weekend so I can think about a purchase before I have to give obstacle his Hornet back.

[Renegade]

man i went to motorad in welly and said "i want to trade in the hyo, pretty keen on that er6f, can i test ride it", they said, "sure but only around the basin and back (10km) cos we dont have demos of them and we want to sell it as a new bike"

i thought fair enough, but i aint gunna buy something i cant try and then fall in love with.

its funny i had great service from TSS when i bought my first bike yet whenever ive been back or to any other shop in welly the service has been crap, some havnt even said hello.

Best service was the honda dealer in tauranga, totally nice people, even let my lil girl sit on a peewee 50, almost felt like a family buzz, made me want to buy from him on the spot.

[discotex]

Bring on lunchtime tomorrow when I try to find me an R6, 636 or gixxer 600 to take for a spin. Think I'm going to have to raid Holeshot tomorrow then Haldanes on the weekend :2thumbsup

Just a quick(ish) update...

Friday lunchtime popped up to Holeshot to check out the gixxers. Had my rubber arm bent into taking the 600 and 750 back to back.

Was really interesting to compare the two side by side. The 750 really is the better bike I think. 99% the same handling wise but the power difference is more than 150cc would lead you to believe.

Was very impressed with ergonomics of both. I think I'd drop the rearsets for commuting and raise them for the track though.

One thing I found really unnerving was the amount of vibrations coming up through the handlbars. After finishing both test rides my palms were tingling.. Not sure I could endure that for hours at a time. Amazing stopping power. Best so far I think.


Today I dropped into Red Baron to check out the R6 and ZX-6 side by side.

First up was the ZX-6. Boy was I surprised to find the reviews are spot on. Low and mid RPM torque sucks (want to try a 636 to compare now). It's still a plenty quick bike but it doesn't get up and boogie as much. Has eaten all the pies hasn't it... Way wide at the tank and feeds vibes up through the seat in the same way the gixxer does with the handlebars (good for girls I guess).

I found the seat uncomfortable but loved the telepathic handling. With my riding style it feels like it corners better than the gixxer.


Then onto the R6. Almost shat myself with the difference in low end. Opened her up in 2nd getting on the motorway and was shocked by the difference. Felt almost the same as the GSX-R750!

Handling was equally telepathic although only when moving on the bike. The ZX-6 seems more forgiving of bad riding style.

What surprised me was the comfort. The riding position was similar to the ZX-6 but the seat was way better. No vibes in the hands or wrists. Everything just feels more classy and of all the bikes made me want to go faster. While down a bit on power to the gixxer 750 the R6 so much more streetable than the ZX-6. The gixxer 750 is in as a close second but for those damn vibrations...


So now I just got to find a CBR to take for a spin and maybe a 636. Triumph 675 should probably make it to the list too.


Holy shit buying a bike is fun :cool: Funny how the budget grows to meet the fun factor eh.....

[owner]

My 2c Yamies and Hondas have the best build quality
Definetly try the cbr

[owner]

Have you been to haldanes yet?
Ive been there 3 times and no one has spoken to me:cool: I guess I dont look like I could afford a new 1098
Interested to here how you go

[RantyDave]

Triumph 675 should probably make it to the list too.
If you're in to low end torque, you should totally ride the 675.

Dave

[discotex]

Have you been to haldanes yet?
Ive been there 3 times and no one has spoken to me:cool: I guess I dont look like I could afford a new 1098
Interested to here how you go

Yep went to Haldanes to take a gixxer for another spin but neither of theirs were demo. Same with the SV's.

Bit of a waste of a trip but they were helpful.


If you're in to low end torque, you should totally ride the 675.

Dave

Didn't quite make it to AMPS in the end. Ahh well.. Maybe next bike ;)


So took the day off work yesterday to try get this nailed once and for all.

First up the 08 CBR600RR demo at Cyclespot.

The ergonomics are 95% perfect for me. As good as the R6. The pegs are a bit cramped (I'm 6') but nothing major. No wrist issues at all. Plenty of room to move around. Nice narrow tank like the R6.

My seat of the pants evaluation found it's got the brakes of the ZX-6, the handling of the R6, the comfort of the GSX-R plus the best power delivery of them all.


Next up is an '05 Z750 at Mt Eden

Was lamenting the lack of much to ride at Mt Eden other than the 636 and Obstacle suggests I should take a naked out just to be sure.

Well if I was buying more than one bike something like this would be in my garage. So much fun to ride around under 100km/h. Basically it's the perfect commuting bike.


Last for the day is an '06 636

What a fun bike. Would be better in the '07 ZX-6 chassis though. The '07 handles better and has far better brakes but the '06 motor is just soooo nice. Very similar power delivery to the 07/08 CBR actually. Maybe a little more down low.

Only problem is the ergonomics. By the time I got 5km down the motorway I knew I couldn't buy this bike. The angle of the clipons just doesn't work with my wrists. The tank is just too wide for my thighs. Still after doing riverhead/coatsville I was starting to get bummed I just could get used to it. It's a bike that loves high speed sweeping corners.

So that's the following bikes tested since this time last week:
'05 SV1000S
'07 GSX-R600
'07 GSX-R750
'07 ZX-6R
'07 YZF-R6
'08 CBR600RR
'05 Z750
'06 ZX-6R (636)

So what wins? The CBR in the end (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=1327794).

If I was on a very tight budget the SV was a heap of bike for $12,500 with Yoshi's. If my body fitted the 636 that'd be a contender for the best $$ value for fun.

If I was on a slightly less tight budget I'd be extremely happy with the GSX-R600. The vibrations drove me nuts but if they can be sorted with weighted bar ends it's a super all rounder. A 2nd hand '06 could edge out the 636 for value for fun too.

The '07 ZX-6R is out. Too much money for not enough bike when you stack it up next to the R6 and CBR.

So it's down to the CBR and R6. If I was buying on looks it'd be the R6 for sure. But I'm buying on performance. They're so damn close but the CBR has all of the good of the R6 with better brakes and mid range power.

A pure track tool the R6 might win out with it's higher peak HP but it's clutch is a bitch on the street and the power isn't as usable under 100km/h. It was going to win until I got offered a CBR for the same price.

[HungusMaximist]

So far I'm impressed with how much bike you get for the money with the SV and I was on a K5 model not the K7 with Yoshi deal that Colemans have put together.

Bring on lunchtime tomorrow when I try to find me an R6, 636 or gixxer 600 to take for a spin. Think I'm going to have to raid Holeshot tomorrow then Haldanes on the weekend :2thumbsup

It's a great bike, and everything seems so much slower when you have 1000cc of twin power under ya.

And the thing about getting around town, it should be O.K but time will tell and it all depends on how much you ride in town.If it's a quick/long blat to work in one direction and back then it should be fine.

Trust me, not getting the SV over 3-4 thousand revs is not FUN.

[HungusMaximist]

So that's the following bikes tested since this time last week:
'05 SV1000S
'07 GSX-R600
'07 GSX-R750
'07 ZX-6R
'07 YZF-R6
'08 CBR600RR
'05 Z750
'06 ZX-6R (636)



Man, good on yah bro, I have a lot of respect for people who test ride bikes relentlessly to make sure you get the right one. Anyway, it's also balls of FUN!

Hope to see you soon with your new ride!

[owner]

honda wins
AGAIN

[Jinx3d]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

[discotex]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

Actually yeah they are a bit like that but Selby is cool. He talked me into taking the 636 up riverhead-coatsville and back when I'd have been happy on a shorter ride.

Most dealers I've found they don't approach you. I used to think it was them being slack but I also think it's partly a guy thing. I hate being hassled by shop staff so it's kinda refreshing to be able to hang out in a bike dealer without them hassling you for a sale.

[obstacle]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

Hijacking DT's thread, I've been with him most times he's been to Mt Eden and they're all a bit standoffish but there's one guy that's always helpful - maori guy perhaps? - and he's great. Always keen for you to take a bike out to test.

But I know where you're coming from, they're pretty hard to even get them to say hi. But then, they do get a shit load of people just coming to look at bikes because they're there, close to town and good for browsing at lunch time.

Ultimately I say don't write them off, they hae a great range of bikes new and used and it would be silly to shop for a bike without dropping in to see them, unless you know they don't have the bike you want.

[YellowDog]

I think you have the right idea there. You need to know how it handles around bends. How easy it is to ride slowly and manouver. Then finally, blasting up the motorway. Comfort is also a big issue on long rides and may be 15-20k isn't enough to establish how comfortable it will be.

With nay bike I have considered, I have found the Kiwibiker write ups to be a very good starting point.

[owner]

nay bikes or new bikes?

[kave]

I assume nay=any