Red Baron & the 7km test ride

[outlawtorn]

I was just at the infamous Red Baron in Auckland and one of my work mates is looking to buy a bike, he has done loads of research and has narrowed it down to the Versus and some other 650 streetbike.

So we go in there to have a look around, per chance to have a test ride. We then get told that if we want a test ride we can take it on a 7 kilometre route that Red Baron have worked out, we can't do any more than 7km's as it would put too much mileage on the bike.

Now can anyone here please tell me that they would know if they where right for a bike, especially something like an adventure/tourer bike after 7 k's of town riding????

Once again this goes to show how much I dislike Red Baron.........they simply have no idea!

[imdying]

Just say yep, no problem, and then take as long as you need. What are they gonna do? Charge you? Take you to court to get the money? I'd like to see them try

[Mully]

IIRC, there notice says (well, used to) that they were only insured on their set route.

So, I guess you can go where you want, but if you bin it, be prepared to cough up the purchase price.

[suckingair]

I have never taken a test ride from Red Baron, but you might find that their insurance premiums might be reduced if they have a set test ride route.. Just a thought.

I have taken a bike from a bike shop on Barrys Point Rd, and I took it for about 2 hours, I have no idea what km's I did.

Shop around.

[Indiana_Jones]

7km? you can't even get it onto the open road in that lol, that just sounds retarded and another reason not to goto Red Baron I guess

-Indy

[007XX]

Although I can vaguely understand their interest in the concept of a predetermined route for test rides, I'd see it as poor customer relations and would be put off dealing with a company like that.

Hence the fact I will go with Holeshot unless they don't have the bike I want.

[Ixion]

7km may be enough if the bike is pretty similar to the one you already ride.

But IME it takes at least 1000 km or so to get to grips with an unfamilar *type* of bike.

When I first rode the BMW, I thought " OMG. What have I done. This is horrible, I'll never to able to live with this. ".

But, after a bit , I changed my technique a bit, got used to where things were (like the indicators !) adjusted my thinking and decided "Hm, well, yes, it's certainly *different*. But, not actually bad. In fact, quite good".

Similarly, the SV. Initially "Oh, I'm not comfortable, I don't like this, nothing falls readily to hand etc". In that case, a few hundred clicks to think "Hm, OK getting the hang of this machine now". But that was maybe because in some ways (riding position mainly) it is not dissimilar to my old RD350. Old memories came back.

I'm just a poor old man, can't afford new bikes, but if I did ever win Lotto, I don't think I'd bother with a test ride. Or else I'd go the other way and try to hire one for a prolonged period.

[Firefight]

pm sent,

had many test rides, Yamaha, Kawa and Honda dealers, always given full tank of gas and told take bike for a few hours, (mostly north waikato roads)

pm me if you want dealers details


F/F

[Hitcher]

As a point of clarification, does this 7km limit apply just to brand-new bikes or to all bikes that they retail?

If it's the former, I can see a thin shaft of logic. Otherwise it sounds like a great way of driving business elsewhere.

[outlawtorn]

As a point of clarification, does this 7km limit apply just to brand-new bikes or to all bikes that they retail?

If it's the former, I can see a thin shaft of logic. Otherwise it sounds like a great way of driving business elsewhere.

I'm not too sure to be honest, the bikes we were looking at were brand new.

[007XX]

Holeshot are awesome testriderers.
I'm filed with awe every time I go there.
I must go there again soon - haven't test ridden anything for over three years...

Hmmmmm...I'm trying to stay away at the moment, as they have a black lil' number I drool over...

[SPman]

Unless it's changed (doubtful), it's "up New North Road, turn right, take the on-ramp onto the NW motoringway, then take the offramp at Waterview (or whatever it's called), then back through Western Springs to Red the Baron."
Plenty of "open road" unless of course the NW is gridlocked, in which case it's poifick for testing communtering abilities.

I found, on the Z1000 I rode on that route, that 130k down to the motorway with a little wheelie on the way was quite possible, a good test for the brakes and set the tone for the rest of the 7 killermeters. Then I rode the circuit three times, just to be sure!

[FzerozeroT]

Go to Waikato Yamaha, you can intend to go for a 15minute loop around the block, get lost and come back 1 3/4 hours later with 100k's on the clock ops:

[Big Dave]

But IME it takes at least 1000 km or so to get to grips with an unfamilar *type* of bike.

I can sometimes make up my mind in 500mtrs, sometimes it takes 100km to change it.

I reckon if you did the 7km test ride, proved that you have the bona fides to make a purchasing decision and indicated that you needed a slightly longer ride to confirm it, it should be forthcoming.

AMPS are also good with their demos.

[The Pastor]

i was put off with there test ride deals, probably wont be buying from them.