Who is allowed to ride your motorcycle?

[Jerry]

slightly different question, and i dont want to hijack, but have you all had experience with a dealer not allowing test rides?

I read on Reddit a lot about dealerships not allowing this. Seems to be pretty standard in the US for some reason. Is it the same with car dealerships over there?
Over here, dealerships generally don't have a problem with short test rides. For new bikes they usually have demo models and any occasion bikes are just rideable. You do have to sign a liability contract but that's about it.

 

[Itchytoe]

Car dealerships don't have a problem with test driving the various cars, vans, and trucks. It's just motorcycle dealerships. You can increase your odds of test riding a motorcycle if you ask about a specific used one, and you ride your own into the dealership. If you rode there, and actually seem interested in that one 2016 MT07 with 34,000 on the odometer, you are far more likely to be allowed to take it around the block than the guy who gets out of an old beat up SUV and asks about that brand new R1 on the showroom floor.

 

[Jerry]

Yeah that doesn't sound unreasonable.
I think a big difference is that over here, everyone that can ride a bike is properly licensed to do so. You can't just on a good day decide you want to ride a motorcycle and roll onto the highway 2 hours later.

 

[JH09]

thanks for all the interesting and different responses. i went to 3 different moto dealers. the first would not let me ride anything, the second let me take a new MT-07 out on a short loop with one of their salespeople, and the third let me take a new CB650F out by myself. both test rides i had to sign waivers. everywhere is different, i guess

 

[shypaeine]

I think the people I truly trusted.