Charging for test rides everywhere now? :(

[Speedy]

Is it just me or is everywhere charging for test rides these days

My local Honda dealer (Swanley) introduced this last year with a £20 charge so they're potentially not getting a CBR600RR customer now.

Today I just called my 'local' Kawasaki dealer that's 22 miles away in Maidstone and they want £25 for a test ride now!

I can understand they don't want people just test piloting the bikes all the time, which is why I thought you had to go through the paperwork and put the temporary £500 charge on your credit card (refundable if you bring it back in 1 piece)

Anyone else been finding this?

They do say they'll refund the £20-£35 if you buy a bike from them, but I still think it puts me off now. Even if I don't buy a brand new ZX6R/CBR600RR from them (as they're normally way overpriced) they still may get a customer from you buying elsewhere and they do say they make the money in servicing/parts on vehicles.

[Chadatious]

Where you live to be 22 miles from maidstone as im 18 miles away down on sheppey. But have you tried lagunas at maidstone im not sure if they charge if not there is a honda dealer in maidstone called chambers that may not charge

[Speedy]

Hi, I'm in the Sount East London (Bromley) area.

It was Laguna's I called earlier actually.

I've just been on the Kawasaki website where you can book a test ride and it says nothing about charges on there, I think it's the Stealers ways of getting some extra cash in. I might write an email and complain

[Davw]

How long a test ride do you get for £25 ( an hour, a day, a weekend?)

[Speedy]

I know, you can hire a car for a day for less than that, never thought of it like that. They call it 'Admin fees'

No more than half an hour or so normally (going by the last ride I had at Maidstone a few years back) and the Honda dealer in Swanley.

AND the last time at the Honda place they said "It hasn't got any petrol in so you'll need to go put some in", I just rode it with the fuel light on and kept my fingers crossed

[Neosophist]

Christ my local Honda Dealer let me have a bike I just mentioned that I liked the look of all afternoon for no fee.

[Chadatious]

To be honest i think its mainly kent who are like this, they say its the garden of england. pffttt yeh my ass it is. like you say about charges but no where else gets that, and like motocross there are loads track in the UK but 1 in the whole of kent. so maybe travel opposite way to see if you have any luck there?

[Speedy]

I'm up in Birmingham next weekend so might see what they've go up there and what they're like.

[RedexRobB]

I test rode a Versys last nov from Colchester Kawasaki for free. 10 mins filling in paperwork and had the bike for 40 mins!

I used to live in Gillingham and a friend of mine works at Lagunas, or at least he did when i last saw him, must see what i can get a ride on next time im down to see the family. Youve also got Bowen Moto down in Luton who are kawasaki dealers and are a personal favourite of mine, used to get all my parts from there. But i dont know what they got on offer for test rides or if they are charging so best to call.

[Speedy]

)Hi Rob,

I actually used to go down to Colchester Kawasaki quite often as it was right by my GFs Uni accomodation (she lived the other side of the river in the Quays) and you're right they're pretty good there, they let me take a 2007 ZX6R out for free. Problem is she has left unit now and Colchester would probably cost more than the £20 to get to

It does sound like this is something more precedent in the SE, I'll see what Kawasaki have to say if I have a moan (nothing ventured, nothing gained )

[alanh]

i had a test ride on a 1098 streetfighter today FOC so cant see why a honda stealer should charge when ducati dont :wanker

[wonderpupp]

when I turned 25, I wanted to go up to a 600.
I had my eye on a shiny blue CBR600RR. Went to the honda dealership, they wouldn't let me test ride without paying a deposit.
Yamaha R6 then, thought I. Nope, wont let me test ride because a) I'm a girl and b) I admitted to never riding a 600 sportsbike before. Regardless of having ridden since I was 16. Triumph daytona, same story.

Bournemouth Kawasaki shop was my last choice. I thought yeah, ZX636 B1 then. they let me ride the 636, a ZX10, whatever I liked. He said that's what insurance is for. No moneys down. Let me ride anything. So I bought a ZX636 C1H from them for about £5k. Almost brand new.
Then my brother wrecked it and gave them another £2500 to put it back together. Also they got the insurance repair jobs for when a trail of people decided to knock me off in they same year.

Bought a 2007 ZX6r from them (Got £4500 back for my ZX636), and a 2009 ER6N (at a cash bargain price). They do my servicing and I highly recommend them to any new riders. For example, new brake pads for the front of my ZX6R, they put some from their race bike in there that had only done a couple of laps on their race bike, so cost a pittance compared to actual new ones.

Now if only they got a shiny blue CBR600RR in their shop, I'd still buy it...

[Speedy]

I think half the problem these days is businesses are too greedy so look at the short term immediate profit rather than like you point out the long term profits they can generate from traditional good custom towards their customers.

Going are the days when you got these nice local chaps that would help you out with quick 5 mins things like just nipping off a seized bolt for you and the like with their airgun, all big chains now who say they have to book you in as a proper job "or their insurance doesn't cover them" etc.

Luckily I have a few friends in car garages who are always happy to help.