At the dealership. Buying my first bike!

[JulesMaximus]

I still can't believe he would sign any paperwork without even taking it for a test ride. Why would he have even bought the bike at that moment, knowing that he'd have to come back with a friend driving him so he could drive it home?

Why sign paperwork at a price he didn't want to pay when he could have shopped around and everyone here recommended that he buy an used bike?

I wonder when he's going to start paying back his parents for the tuition they wasted sending him to school.

Dealerships allow test rides on a fairly limited basis and probably leave it up to the discretion of the people on the floor to judge the ability of the person requesting the test ride. Is it ideal? Probably not, but then, given the number of n00bs who walk into a dealership and "claim" to have been riding for years, it's probably the best we have short of a graduated licensing program in this country. At least if we had that they could take a look at your license and see what your experience level is.

I didn't test ride my bike before I bought it...then again, I had already ridden a friends identical bike. I have ridden a few other bikes at dealerships though. I've demo'd a brand new Ducati Monster 1100 S and a used Ducati Monster S4R along with a couple other bikes.

 

[StageLeft]

Another day, another twist in FBT's story. I can't wait! Keep us posted, fuzzy!

 

[james1701]

Most dealerships don't allow test drives. They let you sit on it, and you can test drive it after you buy it, but not before.

 

[StageLeft]

Most dealerships don't allow test drives. They let you sit on it, and you can test drive it after you buy it, but not before.

Will they let you test drive it if you drop it in the show room?

 

[james1701]

Will they let you test drive it if you drop it in the show room?

Thanks, I almost blew coffee all over my monitor .

 

[roguerower]

Yea, when I bought my GS500 (used) last month the dealer wouldn't let me test drive it. When I asked why they said they used to but people would grab a GXSR and take it for a spin. Then they'd drop it in the process and the dealer would get the shaft. Wasn't a big issue with me since I got a 30-day "anything mechanically wrong, return it to us and get your money back" guarantee, but I understand their reasoning.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Will they let you test drive it if you drop it in the show room?

I was talking to a guy in my local dealer a couple months ago and he told me of this time when a guy knocked over a whole row of bikes. I guess he was trying to move the bike so that he could sit on it and it tipped over hitting the bike next to it and like dominos it crashed into the bike next to it.

I'm guessing he didn't get a test ride either.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

yayayayayayayayayay i got my bike i rode it home it is fun yayayayayayay

 

[JulesMaximus]

yayayayayayayayayay i got my bike i rode it home it is fun yayayayayayay

This thread is worthless without pics.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

This thread is worthless without pics.

And we KNOW you have a camera!

 

[Zenmervolt]

No offense, but you're the one grasping in this situation. Go find me ten guys who ride, give them a 250. If a SINGLE one can match the time you posted, I'll personally apologize for making broad generalizations. I'd bet money not a single one could. I've been riding bikes since I was 5 and my wife owns a 08 black 250. I drove it home from the dealer (500 mile drive) and I'm pretty confident even *I* wouldn't be able to make it do a 5.7 0-60, and I can wheelie a six in any gear and fully understand how to launch a bike.

You're still not seeing it... You don't need to hit 5.75 seconds on the dot. If you only manage a 6.0 second time, you're still faster than the vast majority of cars on the road. Most drivers can't match the published 0-60 times for their cars either. In the real world, people aren't brake-torquing their cars and getting perfect launches from stoplights. V6 family sedans put up test track numbers in the low to mid 6-second range (6.2-6.5), a bike that puts up a test track number of 5.75 is going to be faster even in the real world. Those cars with 6.2 second test-track numbers are going to be lucky to manage 6.5 seconds in the real world.

I'm sorry. But you're living in a little bit of a fantasy here, a 250 is not a fast bike.

Which is why I called it a slow bike. Honestly, do you have any reading comprehension ability at all or do you intentionally misunderstand things? I'll say it again, a slow bike (like the 250R) is on par with moderately fast cars.

ZV

 

[Capt Caveman]

Did you buy a helmet for Bun Bun?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Did you buy a helmet for Bun Bun?

Where you been? Bun Bun sleeps with the fishes.

 

[StageLeft]

Where you been? Bun Bun sleeps with the fishes.

Was he torched first or drowned in a bag?

 

[Saga]

Was he torched first or drowned in a bag?

Cement shoes.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Pics!

http://fuzzybabybunny.smugmug.com/M...aki-Ninja-250R/13325324_Jvsd9#968602758_uA2PV

 

[madeuce]

nice looking bike!

if you are ever looking to get rid of the mud flap just google "fender eliminator."

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

nice looking bike!

if you are ever looking to get rid of the mud flap just google "fender eliminator."

Thanks! Is there a reason to get rid of the mud flap? I kinda like the look of it on the back.

BTW, being a newbie, I find it kinda funny that the whole sporty look of the sportbike is really just due to some thin molded plastic parts that are screwed on - the fairings. Heh, seems kinda silly and cheesy now.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The fender's for legal reasons, people remove it for the looks. Great pics.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Pics!

http://fuzzybabybunny.smugmug.com/M...aki-Ninja-250R/13325324_Jvsd9#968602758_uA2PV

Looks good! Is that a Shoei RF1000 lid?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Quick question: can the bike handle a small 100W inverter? Something to keep the laptop and the cell phone charged when I travel? I guess I would need to get something like:

1. 12V cigarette lighter kit with fuse hooked to battery.
2. Standard 100W inverter.
3. Saddle bag to put inverter and stuff in.

I've seen bags and storage compartments that go over the top of the passenger seat. I guess these sacrifice handling (higher center of gravity) for a narrower profile so you don't clip things?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Looks good! Is that a Shoei RF1000 lid?

Ding ding ding. Got it. Last year's model on sale for $270. Kinda wish it had a better design though. Eh. Supporting the little cycle shops I guess.

 

[madeuce]

Quick question: can the bike handle a small 100W inverter? Something to keep the laptop and the cell phone charged when I travel?
?

I wouldn't hook much extra and try to power it while running the bike.

 

[SViper]

Quick question: can the bike handle a small 100W inverter? Something to keep the laptop and the cell phone charged when I travel? I guess I would need to get something like:

1. 12V cigarette lighter kit with fuse hooked to battery.
2. Standard 100W inverter.
3. Saddle bag to put inverter and stuff in.

I've seen bags and storage compartments that go over the top of the passenger seat. I guess these sacrifice handling (higher center of gravity) for a narrower profile so you don't clip things?

You can try a backpack with a solar cell like this: http://www.nelsonrigg.com/info/slrpage.html

Haven't tried it myself, so I can't help you there. Although I have some of their regular luggage that works pretty well for me.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I wouldn't hook much extra and try to power it while running the bike.

Yeah, a bike isn't designed to support a whole bunch of electronics.

FBB-Make sure you buy a charger to keep your battery fully charged. I've had my bike for over 2 years now and haven't had to replace the battery yet. I have a Deltran Battery Tender Jr I bought when I had my last bike so I just picked up an extra set of leads and permanently attached them to my new bike. I plug it in about once a month just to top off the battery.

http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=DEL_021-0123