[chromedomeGL]

I am shopping for a new touring machine. Every Honda dealer I have visited has said they don't allow test rides. They tell me it's because Honda corporate will not indemnify the individual dealers. Eagle Rider has only one DCT in in the entire USA (Miami). It seems my only option is to wait for the Motorcycle show in November.

 

[INTHEWIND]

That doesn't make any sense to me. I've never been turned down by Honda for a test ride.:smile2:

 

[Corventure]

Every dealer I have visited here in So. Calif. encourages test rides.


Corventure dave

 

[cycledude]

I highly doubt the motorcycle show will be doing test rides.

Here in Wisconsin getting a test ride at a dealer has always been pretty easy for me.

 

[CarpeDiem]

Don't need to visit, just call them until you find one that has a demo bike or used one.

No problems here in Colorado.

 

[William Anzik]

I think it depends on where you are. In smaller areas where I live you're lucky to find a new GoldWing at a Honda dealership. I special ordered my 2006 without ever having ridden a GL1800. I had a GL1200 at the time. Last month I was lucky to find that a dealer nearby had two 2019s that were for test rides only - not for sale. One a Manual-6 and one was the other... anyway I rode both of them. It is very unusual to have an opportunity like that for me so I jumped on it.

I pick up my new 2017 tomorrow!

 

[T-88]

I'm lucky. Where I live (metropolitan population 1 million, Western Canada), the major dealers for BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph to name a few, have demo bikes OF SELECTED MODELS. I demo tested a 2019 BMW R1250RT and a DCT Gold Wing Tour before voting with my wallet and buying the DCT Tour.

Oddly, I'm one of those motorcyclists who don't need to ride before I buy. The new DCT Tour is one of the few bikes I've test ridden before buying (because I was a VERY satisfied owner of a '14 BMW R1200RT, and it came down to choosing between the new RT or new DCT Wing.)

As a matter of fact, I've bought most of my bikes without test riding, including: '14 BMW R1200RT, '12 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX 1200, '07 Gold Wing, '04 BMW R1150RT, '03 Honda ST1300A, '97 Honda ST1100A. And you know what. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!

But I certainly understand those who need to try before they buy.

Tim

 

[sur48]

I am shopping for a new touring machine. Every Honda dealer I have visited has said they don't allow test rides. They tell me it's because Honda corporate will not indemnify the individual dealers. Eagle Rider has only one DCT in in the entire USA (Miami). It seems my only option is to wait for the Motorcycle show in November.

Talk to Brandon at rick case power house davie fl I am sure you can test ride a dct there .dealers may have to pay extra insurance to be covered for test rides .
Ps no test ride no freaking deal head down the road
Please take the pups for walk or at least a ride cheer up the pups.

 

[skeez]

Did you go to HB Honda? They let me test drive back in 2014.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Go to the wingding this year in Nashville and you can test ride all you want.

 

[Brian_Fenner]

Lucky here.....have about 10 dealers within 75 miles I could get a test drive at most of them.

I would never purchase a $25K+ motorcycle without a long test drive.......that's ridiculous.

 

[William Anzik]

Lucky here.....have about 10 dealers within 75 miles I could get a test drive at most of them.

I would never purchase a $25K+ motorcycle without a long test drive.......that's ridiculous.

Would you purchase a $25K+ motorcycle new that had 1,000 miles on it? Or more?

Maybe it is ridiculous, but I understand why a lot don't do test rides. And I have no regrets with my purchases.

 

[PilotAlan]

Would you purchase a $25K+ motorcycle new that had 1,000 miles on it?

Honda subsidizes demo bikes. The local dealer here is selling a 2018 demo for $7k off list. Probably more if you ask nice.



Not buying a brand new bike without a demo ride. Period.

 

[WVMANDINGO]

Honda subsidizes demo bikes. The local dealer here is selling a 2018 demo for $7k off list. Probably more if you ask nice.



Not buying a brand new bike without a demo ride. Period.

I was told by the local dealer that Honda only provided demo bikes to large dealers, so no demo bike.. no test rides. I agree with you though, I would not buy without a test ride. It may explain why he had the same two 18s for about a year and a half.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Zee Fifty]

All the more reason you should just be able to buy your goldwing on Amazon and let the dealers perish. They don’t supply any services anymore. No test rides, don’t carry parts and are really slow fixing broken bikes unless their lucky.

 

[Brian_Fenner]

Would you purchase a $25K+ motorcycle new that had 1,000 miles on it? Or more?

Maybe it is ridiculous, but I understand why a lot don't do test rides. And I have no regrets with my purchases.

Plop down $25K+ on a brand new model motorcycle that I have no idea if I would like the way it rides, handles or performs?
Not on your life.....sorry but I work hard for my money and don't take those kind of risks with my cash.

They sell it as a demo bike and make out just fine.......it's the cost of doing business.
Funny thing.....a lot of those dealers not offering demos on a Goldwing don't sell many either, then wonder why? :wink2:

No ride, I walk out the door....I'm on my 5th brand new Goldwing and never purchased any of them without a test ride.......way back to a GL1200.

 

[William Anzik]

Honda subsidizes demo bikes. The local dealer here is selling a 2018 demo for $7k off list. Probably more if you ask nice.



Not buying a brand new bike without a demo ride. Period.

Your choice. And you're not wrong. I did. Maybe not a logical move but it was my choice and I'm glad it worked out. I'm really glad I test rode the 2019s first....

 

[William Anzik]

Plop down $25K+ on a brand new model motorcycle that I have no idea if I would like the way it rides, handles or performs?
Not on your life.....sorry but I work hard for my money and don't take those kind of risks with my cash.

They sell it as a demo bike and make out just fine.......it's the cost of doing business.
Funny thing.....a lot of those dealers not offering demos on a Goldwing don't sell many either, then wonder why? :wink2:

No ride, I walk out the door....I'm on my 5th brand new Goldwing and never purchased any of them without a test ride.......way back to a GL1200.

Again, your choice. I'm very surprised that Great Falls had demo rides on both versions of the GoldWing Tour. They probably average one GoldWing sale every 2-3 years. (Just guessing, I really don't know.)

Anyway, test rides are rare around here and I jumped on the opportunity. And, again, I'm really, really, REALLY happy I got to test ride the 2019s. It gave them the opportunity to sell the 2017 ABS that's been sitting on the floor for 2+ years. :grin2::grin2::grin2: :wink2:

 

[chromedomeGL]

Did you go to HB Honda? They let me test drive back in 2014.

Yes I did. In fact I scheduled a test ride on their website on a page titled "Schedule -a-Test-Ride". Salesman Barry called me the next day and we set up a date & time for the test ride. I arrived about a half hour early and met a guy name Robert who told me he was the Sales Manager. I told him I had an appointment with Barry for a test ride and he told me NO test rides allowed. He further explained that I could test ride the bike if I signed a purchase agreement with him that day. At that point I lost it and told him where to stick it. Prior to my HB Honda visit I was also told no test rides by the guy at DelAmo motorsports as well. I arrived to both dealers on my RT with insurance card and class 1 m/c license available. Didn't mean squat to either of them. Mission motorsports told they just sold the demo bike and would call me when they had another. still waiting for that call. I have $30k burning a hole in my pocket and they don't seem to want it...:serious:

 

[traveler46]

I was told by the local dealer that Honda only provided demo bikes to large dealers, so no demo bike.. no test rides. I agree with you though, I would not buy without a test ride. It may explain why he had the same two 18s for about a year and a half.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

I have a small Honda dealer near me that had not ordered a new Wing for 5 years. He ordered two new Wings in 2018, one was a demo. This would dismiss the small dealer not getting demo bikes. Anyhow, he still has both Wings on the floor, hasn't sold an 2018/19 yet.