South East - Longer Test Ride?

Used to get an all day loan from their test fleet when getting my bike serviced by Ducati Worcester, now no longer there though. Got loans of 1200s Monster, V4s Panigale, V4s Multi and smaller Monster. If you have your current bike serviced at a franchised dealer that might be your route into a longer opportunity to try one out.

 

I’d have thought Ducati Alton would give you a longer test. Not been there for a few years though

 

On Yer Bike will. Aylesbury.

 

Just say you got lost.

 

Brian at Alton will look after you.

 

If you are talking about ProTwins then they told me their insurance cover is only for 30 min test rides (I found out after taking a V4S out for over an hour!)

 

Half an hour test ride is a joke, especially when you are spending a large chunk of change, half a day minimum I'd say.

 

When originally looking at a Multi 1200 back in 2016 both the cock-up* and limited, accompanied test ride at Riders of Cardiff (*was booked at Bristol but arrived for pre-booked test ride to be told they'd sold the demo the week before...). I returned to speak to the salesman but only to tell him that the whole experience had been a farce. Went to local MV dealer to compare the MV Turismo which was also on my radar. I arrived at around 10am and he threw me the key to the demo bike and said be back before we close at 5pm. The bike was great and he got the sale. Eventually I saw the error of my ways and bought a 1260 Multi but that's another story...

 

My son recently bought an MV Brutale 800RR, the salesman told him that they were measured as dealers on the number of times the demo stock was taken out by prospective customers. They never sell the demo machines, they are all returned to the factory for refurbishment.... They later lent us both a Brutale 1000RS and a Dragster 800RR to demo ride too. We had them 3 hours of absolute screaming pleasure, hooning around Plymouth and Cornwall. I loved both bikes

MV work on the principle, if you ride it, you'll want it. But they don't sell as many bikes as Ducati and the demo stock isn't sales stock. As mentioned above, try Ducati Alton, very friendly dealership and I bought my Monster+ there after test riding one for an hour or so.

 

Only time I've had a test ride (Hyper) was at Riders Bridgewater. It was a follow-me, but no less enjoyable for that - I had to go WOT at times to keep up! I felt valued as a potential customer there, unlike at Bristol...

 

Back when I lived in the UK, I went for a test ride for the, then new'ish, 1200S and was told I had 15 minutes and given instructions to blast down the motorway one junction then back. Can't remember the dealership, but I had cash in hand to purchase at the time and simply walked out after explaining I wasn't ready to hand over 5 figures in cash based on a 'quick blast'.

Ended up finding a private seller who held the cash and was happy for me to pop out for a few hours on his after I sorted day insurance. I ended up buying it from him.

 

The test ride at Riders, Cardiff was a joke. I was on a 1200 Multi and my mate, who came along, had arranged for a 1299 Panigale (they only had a 959 though). The escorted test ride was led by one of the staff on a Diavel, his pace was pedestrian, the route mostly though the back streets and trading estates of Cardiff... hardly an ideal test of a sports touring bike. My mate was even less impressed.

We did get a chance to spank both 1299 and 959 Panigales around Silverstone a couple of months later on the Ducati Trackstar Day, I turned up on my new MV Turismo and had to ride that in session one. Also tried a Multi Enduro on the roads in the area having explained to the guy leading of my experience at Riders Cardiff. He said "tuck in behind me as we set off" which I did, we gapped the rest of the group and I had a decent chance to try the bike. Too late though as I'd by then bought the MV.

My recently new, to me, 1260 Pikes Peak came from Riders of Bridgewater, and, despite my reluctance to deal with the group again, you're right. The guy that took me out was on a V4 Panigale and I struggled to keep him in sight across a range of road types. A far more useful test ride.

 

There’s a possibility that someone I know may have taken a 1260DVT out for a test ride from ProTwins and managed to sandwich it between the rear of a BMW 3 series and a hedge when they came round a bend and found a lorry blocking the entire road. They ended up paying for the parts and doing a deal to buy a 1260S (not that one though)….

The only reason they had gone to ProTwins was that P&H let them down for the booked test ride.

I wonder if you can guess who it was…