Test rides when selling?

**slopster** · 24th October 2005, 15:38

Today I had someone come around for a look at my zxr 250. He showed up in stubbie shorts and a singlet with a dirt bike helmet for a test ride. I offered to let him use my leathers but he said shorts were more comfortable. He took off for a quick blat and decided to stop off at his mates place for 30mins and finally came back 45min later. Jackass. In all fairness though I think he was a serious and not just wasting my time but thats still not what you do on a test ride!

**Zed** · 24th October 2005, 16:12

Originally Posted by slopster

Today I had someone come around for a look at my zxr 250. He showed up in stubbie shorts and a singlet with a dirt bike helmet for a test ride. I offered to let him use my leathers but he said shorts were more comfortable. He took off for a quick blat and decided to stop off at his mates place for 30mins and finally came back 45min later. Jackass. In all fairness though I think he was a serious and not just wasting my time but thats still not what you do on a test ride!

Strange? How did you now he stopped at his mates house for 30mins, did he tell you that or did you track him thru GPS or summat??

I wouldn't have let him test ride my bike without some reasonable gears, and quite frankly, just a motorcross helmet doesn't cut it...gives bikers a bad, irresponsible name. Twit.

**slopster** · 24th October 2005, 16:50

How did I know he stopped at his mates place for 30min - I asked him and he said "I stopped off at my mates place for half and hour!" It didn't seem to him like an unusual thing to do.

**Zed** · 24th October 2005, 17:02

Originally Posted by slopster

How did I know he stopped at his mates place for 30min - I asked him and he said "I stopped off at my mates place for half and hour!" It didn't seem to him like an unusual thing to do.

Why did you ask him? Did you think that 45mins was too long for a test ride?

Thinking about that, this twerp can't have been serious surely? No gears and only a 15 min test, stopping off at his mates house for 1/2 an hour!!

If this isn't a 'pt' you really should be more careful with who you let ride your bikes slopster. There's plenty of good advice in this thread, take heed.

**rabidnz** · 2nd April 2011, 12:43

You are one trusting person! anyone coming in shorts would not even be pillion on any of my bikes. I usually use personal discression and a couple questions about riding history, combined with the price of the bike to decide if a test ride is on the cards.

Once i let a 15 test ride an rg250 because he had the cash in my hand, showed up two hours later looking sheepish and teary eyed with his dad standing next to him wanting the money back :P

**Swoop** · 2nd April 2011, 13:21

That is a fucking epic thread dredge!

**Owl** · 2nd April 2011, 13:53

Originally Posted by Swoop

That is a fucking epic thread dredge!

Fuck yeah.........Last post more than 2 years before I joined KB

**rabidnz** · 2nd April 2011, 15:45

haha shit thats my best yet! love the search features relevance function and my inability to read

**JK12** · 19th April 2011, 19:51

few months ago a dude came on his scooter to view my ninja250r and told me he had the same bike and it was total-ed as he was hit by a car.

he's looking for the same bike and then asked me "can i test drive it, is it 1 down, 2 up?"

I was

**Owl** · 19th April 2011, 20:49

Originally Posted by JK12

"can i test drive it, is it 1 down, 2 up?"

I was

I hope you said "Fuck off shit-for-brains".

**Blackshear** · 19th April 2011, 20:56

Guy I bought my bandit off must've been in so much shock at me not having ANY gear that he didn't even ask for cash in hand, I had to slap him with it so he'd take it

**rustyrobot** · 24th April 2011, 17:03

Hate to let a good thread dredge go to waste...

Problem I have is that I don't HAVE the cash yet. I have a pre-approved loan, but they aren't going to give me the money until I have a bike to spend it on (because it's their security). I'm not going to buy a bike without having a test ride, but I don't think I'd let someone take my $8000 bike for a ride if al they had was an email promising a loan.

Also - wondering how many times I can go into a bike shop and pretend to be interested in a bike before they realise I'm just getting a feel for bikes I want to buy privately. I'm a terrible liar too, so it's going to take me a bit to work up the story to b/s them in the first place. I briefly thought about buying off a dealer but the price is so much higher and they only offered a 3 month warranty

Have any of you bought from a distance and got a bike shop to do the once-over on the bike? Seems like if I test a similar bike and it feels right, and the bike shop gives the okay to the actual one, I can consider that an alright measure of suitability. (Oh, and how much does that sort of thing generally cost?) More than happy to fly somewhere and ride it back, but not worth it just to give it the once over!

**DR650gary** · 24th April 2011, 17:43

Originally Posted by rustyrobot

Hate to let a good thread dredge go to waste...

Have any of you bought from a distance and got a bike shop to do the once-over on the bike? Seems like if I test a similar bike and it feels right, and the bike shop gives the okay to the actual one, I can consider that an alright measure of suitability. (Oh, and how much does that sort of thing generally cost?) More than happy to fly somewhere and ride it back, but not worth it just to give it the once over!

My riding family, myself, wife, and three sons have bought approx 10 bikes in the last year or so. A few change of minds and a few upgrades in there. All have been bought remotely but we have gone and collected them in the family. Either one of my sons or I have made the collection trip. We have bought them all, paid a deposit but made the sale subject to visual and confirmation that the bike is as described. No duds have been bought and we have sold most of them the same way.

Some of the bikes have been bought without a test ride but we do have a close look at the condition of the bike and use our judgement on condition of the bike and the owner. Admittedly we are in the $6,000 plus bracket so we are not looking at old crappers but trusting the seller is part of the process. We are all fairly competent in the mechanical area but are certainly not mechanics. We always do a reg check for finance etc.

I would also have no problem asking a KB member to have a wee peak for us if I though that was sensible, and would be happy to look locally for another member.

Just my thoughts but what really are you going to learn on a short test ride, unless you are checking the bike for fit.

**D3ALN** · 25th April 2011, 16:34

I personally wouldnt buy a bike unless I got to test ride it. I have never owned nor sold a road bike but when I have had cars I have had the tester leave their vehicle with me. on a test drive I will normally go for a drive in a 50kph area and a 100kph area then take to my mechanic to check out if local. normally takes 25mins.

**2Seat_Terror** · 25th April 2011, 19:06

Bought my first bike without even seeing it first (first 'in the flesh' look when it came off the truck). Being that is was my first bike, there wouldn't have been much point anyway.

Ran great. For 4 days.

Luckily it was an FXR, so easy to fix, and good experience besides.

Next one will certainly be a different story, however.