Will a dealer let a costumer test ride a bike?

Jeff wrote:
> "J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet.RemoveThis@cox.net> wrote in
> news:g4us8r0ph5@news2.newsguy.com:
>
>> S'mee wrote:
>>> On Jul 7, 11:29 am, .p.jm.RemoveThis@see_my_sig_for_address.com wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 7 Jul 2008 10:10:41 -0700 (PDT), Bruce Richmond
>>>>
>>>> <bsr3....RemoveThis@my-deja.com> wrote:
>>>>> On Jul 7, 4:23 am, akira205 <n....RemoveThis@000.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi! Is there a slick way to get a dealer to let me test ride a
>>>>>> bike? I’m considering a 07’ R1 over the 07’ Gsxr 1000 (I don’t
>>>>>> like the dual pipes). I truly believe that in order to get a
>>>>>> feel
>>>>>> of power and handling of a bike is to actually ride them. One
>>>>>> dealer suggested that I buy the motorcycle but then, bring it
>>>>>> back
>>>>>> for a refund or exchange if I didn’t like it. Your thoughts,
>>>>>> please.
>>>>
>>>>> Sure, hand him cash equal to the value of the bike with the
>>>>> understanding that if you bin it you bought it.
>>>>
>>>> And if you bin it into someone's car, or an old lady crossing
>>>> the street, and if you're nearly ( but not quite ) killed and
>>>> need
>>>> a
>>>> million dollars of medical care plus life-time care ( or if
>>>> you're
>>>> killed and your family is deprived of your continued existence
>>>> and
>>>> all the wonderful benefits thereof ), who pays for all that ?
>>>> Whose
>>>> insurance ? When the insurance runs out and the victim takes
>>>> someone
>>>> to court for another several million in damages, who pays ? Even
>>>> if
>>>> you win, who pays for your lawyers ?
>>>>
>>>> 'Your honor, ladies and gentelmen of the jury, this dealer 'KNEW
>>>> OR
>>>> SHOULD HAVE KNOWN' that it was unwise to hand the keys to AN EVIL
>>>> KILLER DEMON-POSSESSED FAST RACE BIKE, that he was unfamiliar
>>>> with,
>>>> and without providing any safety training or certification', and
>>>> they
>>>> 'KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN' that harm was likely to come to
>>>> plaintiff
>>>> due to their negligence. We hereby request compensatory damages
>>>> of
>>>> $
>>>> 10,000,000, plus punitive damages of $ 30,000,000, plus $
>>>> 2,000,000
>>>> per year for life for ongoing medical care for this vegetable, my
>>>> client'.
>>>>
>>>> Oh, and his wfe wants another $ 5,000,000 because he won't be
>>>> able to get it up any more
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> You don't ride and you PRESUME to use an auto incident that YOU
>>> caused
>>> due to your incompetance behind the wheel. Damn that's pretty
>>> ballsy
>>> for a spineless jellyfish cage monkey like you.
>>
>> It's interesting that it's OK the dealer to sell the guy this
>> lethal
>> weapon but not to loan it to him. Seems to me that they're equally
>> negligent in either case.
>>
>
> When the bike is _purchased_, the buyer assumes the liability and
> signs away the right to sue the dealer as part of the sales
> contract.

In which case one can sign a similar contract waiving liability for a
test ride.

Assuming of course that such waivers have any real force in law.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
 >> Stay informed about: Will a dealer let a costumer test ride a bike? 

"J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet.RemoveThis@cox.net> wrote
>> When the bike is _purchased_, the buyer assumes the liability and
>> signs away the right to sue the dealer as part of the sales
>> contract.
>
> In which case one can sign a similar contract waiving liability for a
> test ride.
>
> Assuming of course that such waivers have any real force in law.
>
The problem is third party liability.
Yuppie signs a waver and goes on a poker run. Hurrying to the next card he
crashes into the minivan carrying the Baptist choir to practice. Several
kids are injured. Yuppie explaines that he was doing a POKER run - clearly
a devil's race. The waver keeps Yuppie from suing the sponsoring club but
the choir sues him and the club. Yuppie signed up to 'hold the club
harmless' but once the choir gets all his assets he can no longer do that
and the club (or sponsoring dealer) pays the rest.
 >> Stay informed about: Will a dealer let a costumer test ride a bike? 

On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:23:35 -0500, akira205 <none.TakeThisOut@000.com> wrote:

>Hi! Is there a slick way to get a dealer to let me test ride a bike?
>I’m considering a 07’ R1 over the 07’ Gsxr 1000 (I don’t like the dual
>pipes). I truly believe that in order to get a feel of power and
>handling of a bike is to actually ride them. One dealer suggested
>that I buy the motorcycle but then, bring it back for a refund or
>exchange if I didn’t like it. Your thoughts, please.


Generally it works on the 'buy it and if you dont' like it in 10-20
miles bring it back' method. Dealerships do not generally have
insurance that would cover test rides as the cost would just be
insane. Also, they don't know what your riding skill is (or more
often, lack of it) so why in the world would they usually turn a bike
over to you?

There are dealerships that do test rides on bikes. The vast majority
will be cruisers, the odd standards, dualsports, and touring bikes.
They do not normally turn hyperbikes into demo's. The factory will
often cruise around with an 18 wheeler full of their bikes for demo's
but they have their own insurance (not the dealers) and are set up to
ONLY do demo's. Aprilia and Ducati do this.

There are some dealerships, usually high end bikes (Ducati, BMW, etc.)
that will allow test rides. We have one here in town with Ducati, BMW,
Triumph, and a few others that keep ther bikes 'hot' (rideable) and
encourage demo's. I recently took advantage of this with the new 848
and that will be my next sport bike, based heavily upon that demo
ride.

For those that allow the demo's there will be minimum criteria and it
will usually include:

A motorcycle endorsement that covers the kind of bike you are looking
to ride (IE: an under 600cc license won't get you onto a literbike).

Current and verifiable insurance that will cover the motorcycle. Your
car insurance probably will NOT cover them. I'd highly suggest you
call before you ride or you will likely find yourself in a really bad
situation should something happen.

They generally want some form of proof you have ability to buy the
bike you are looking to ride and a genuine interest in purchasing it.

There will be waivers to be signed and generally a 'if I break it I
bought it' clause.

Most places won't even demo a used sportbike. The perception on a
sportbike is dramatically different than a cruiser and it's far to
easy for people to get in over their heads in no time.

Come to think of it, out of all the Ducati and Aprilia demo's I have
seen, I have yet to ever go to one where someone in the first 1-3
groups didn't wreck (or in some cases total) a bike that they swore
they knew how to ride.
 >> Stay informed about: Will a dealer let a costumer test ride a bike? 

"akira205" wrote:
>
> Hi! Is there a slick way to get a dealer to let me test ride a bike?
> I’m considering a 07’ R1 over the 07’ Gsxr 1000 (I don’t like the dual
> pipes). I truly believe that in order to get a feel of power and
> handling of a bike is to actually ride them. One dealer suggested
> that I buy the motorcycle but then, bring it back for a refund or
> exchange if I didn’t like it. Your thoughts, please.

About a year ago I got interested in buying a Suzuki M109R. I asked for a
test ride and the dealer said they couldn't due to liability reasons.
Instead, the salesman let me try his personal ride. Note, however, that I had
already bought a smaller bike, several helmets and other gear from that
dealer. They also knew that I could afford the new bike and that I was
serious about making a purchase decision.

I bought the M109R and enjoyed it a lot. Unfortunately, their mechanic made
some serious errors which cost me a lot to repair. The bike is in the shop
now (different dealer) so I bought a little Honda Shadow to ride while it's
down.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

==============================>
Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650
Customer Service 941-870-2310
Fax 941-870-3252
==============================>
 >> Stay informed about: Will a dealer let a costumer test ride a bike?