Depends on the bike. If it is a low miles version of a bike, I'll give it a good going over; mebbe ride it if I think its got some issues or it's older, or it's a high perf bike with a reputation for blowing 2nd or 3rd gears. On high miles bikes; always. The test ride will show issues that even an in depth walkaround will never show... like a tweeked fork or frozen brakes or a sloppy, stiff or worn gearbox; hesitation or backfiring from a wrongly tuned PC etc.......

I usually have no problem getting a test ride(fat, slow olde guy with wad of cash in hand ); on the other hand; you're gonna have to make me real comfortable before I'll decock and let YOU go for a test ride....

If it won't start/run....expect a substantial discount....

Test rode the Buell. Rode the SV in a circle around the parking lot, but that's it, and the sales guy got mad. He thought I was just going to sit on it and listen to it run :lol:

Guy that bought gf's 250 wanted a test ride, I said only after cash in hand.
He handed over cash, I signed over title, and he still didn't want to ride it! I ended up riding it into his pickup.

My Ninja 250 I more or less bought sight unseen. No pictures available and it was in NY. Drove up there, Erik test rode it for me. Handed over money and left with my "new" bike.

The ZX6RR I bought sight unseen. I saw the '03 1-1/2 years prior and liked it. A friend had an '04 636 that I test rode for a comparison, but turned out to be nothing like my 600.

I did, with cash in hand.

Yes, every bike I've ever bought. Old Honda, old Kawasaki, Katana, R6.

When selling the R6, I let the guy test ride it. Considering he drove 4 hours, I figured he was pretty damn serious about buying it. Plus, he gave me the keys to his car, which was in my driveway and was worth more than the R6.

What are your thoughts on both? I'm going to Victory demo days this weekend and plan to ride the Vegas, Kingpin and Hammer. May even ride the jackpot, if they have it for the demos.

Bikes purchased as New (some were leftovers)
O1 Victory yes
03 Victory Yes (wifes Bike)
04 V Strom Yes
05 Hayabusa Yes
05 999 yes

Used
77 Honda 750 Supersport No ( in a Basket)
97 750 Vulcan Yes

My ninja 250 I let my dad test ride it cause I have never been on a bike. The VFR, I test rode before paying. The ER-6N, I payed before taking off. It felt crazy. Flew all that way and who knows. I could have hated it, but I just strapped my back pack to the pas seat and I just mounted up and headed on out.

never.

I bought the ZZR in Jan in alaska... no test ride possible.

Bought the RR in Jan while I was still in Korea... no test ride possible

bought the DRZ in Oct... and had ridden trip's DRZ... paid for it then rode it in stock form for 5hrs while they were working on the bikes ahead of mine in the service line.

I've actually never test rode a bike in my life...

only three bike's ive ridden that weren't mine were my brother's 250, Amorok's cruiser, and Trip's DRZ

You hopped on my SV when you were out too.

that's right... I was trying to remember... thought there was one other.