On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:

> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
> bike before buying it.
>
> I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.

You have. Sometime in the late 90s (98? 99?) I'd arranged a ride around
bits of wiltshire etc, back when ukrm did stuff like that, and you turned
up on Fraser's (I think) zx9r demonstrator.

You managed to pull quite a big wheely on it as we were standing
around in a layby near Silbury hill.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:46:28 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
<stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:
>
>> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
>> bike before buying it.
>>
>> I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.
>
>You have. Sometime in the late 90s (98? 99?) I'd arranged a ride around
>bits of wiltshire etc, back when ukrm did stuff like that, and you turned
>up on Fraser's (I think) zx9r demonstrator.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't referring to new bikes/demonstrators...
--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:41:52 +0000, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0500, Alan <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote:
>
>>And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
>>be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride.
>
>So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
>bike before buying it.

From my list below, the Z750, Z650 and a CB1300 demonstrator.

I had rented GL15s and 18s before I bought either.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:46:28 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
<stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:
>
>> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
>> bike before buying it.
>>
>> I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.

>You have. Sometime in the late 90s (98? 99?) I'd arranged a ride around
>bits of wiltshire etc, back when ukrm did stuff like that, and you turned
>up on Fraser's (I think) zx9r demonstrator.
>
>You managed to pull quite a big wheely on it as we were standing
>around in a layby near Silbury hill.

That wasn't a test ride - that was blagging a go on a demonstrator :-)
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 14:19:59 UTC, Champ wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:46:28 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
> <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:
> >
> >> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
> >> bike before buying it.
> >>
> >> I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.
>
> >You have. Sometime in the late 90s (98? 99?) I'd arranged a ride around
> >bits of wiltshire etc, back when ukrm did stuff like that, and you turned
> >up on Fraser's (I think) zx9r demonstrator.
> >
> >You managed to pull quite a big wheely on it as we were standing
> >around in a layby near Silbury hill.
> That wasn't a test ride - that was blagging a go on a demonstrator :-)

Ah, I stand corrected.

First time I'd seen a ZX9-r 'c' model. Was quite impressed by it really.

On 22/03/2022 09:41, Champ wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0500, Alan <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote:
>
>> And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
>> be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride.
>
> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
> bike before buying it.

I've had four. First was the Trident 900, which was the first "modern"
bike I'd bought (the one before it was a CX500, which was as far as I'd
gone technically). Just a quick ride round to make sure I could fit on
it and get it to go round corners, stop, and go. That was from a private
seller, which was nice of him.

The other test rides have been from dealers. First was a T595 - nice
engine, couldn't cope with the riding position, so I bought a
pre-crashed one (from the same dealer) and converted it into a
SpeedTona. Next, many years later, was a Tiger 800, and I cheekily
bought a second-hand one privately. Most recent was a Speedmaster 1200,
the first feet-forward bike I'd ridden. Great engine, I could manage the
riding position (probably, eventually), but the footpegs scraped so
early. Still, it meant I had experience of the engine in the T120, so I
bought one of them instead. And the Bobber foot controls can be fitted
to the Speedmaster, so I still might get one.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 08:18:34 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
<stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 14:19:59 UTC, Champ wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:46:28 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
>> <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:
>> >
>> >> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
>> >> bike before buying it.

>> >You have. Sometime in the late 90s (98? 99?) I'd arranged a ride around
>> >bits of wiltshire etc, back when ukrm did stuff like that, and you turned
>> >up on Fraser's (I think) zx9r demonstrator.

>> That wasn't a test ride - that was blagging a go on a demonstrator :-)

>Ah, I stand corrected.
>
>First time I'd seen a ZX9-r 'c' model. Was quite impressed by it really.

So much so that you bought one!
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 16:53:11 UTC, Champ wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 08:18:34 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
> <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote:

> >First time I'd seen a ZX9-r 'c' model. Was quite impressed by it really.
> So much so that you bought one!

Quite.

Bought it, crashed it (first and only high-side!), fixed it, rode it for a bit
and then sold it. Probably one of the favourite bikes I've owned.

T246 XAA... where are you now?
It ran out of MOT in May last year and has covered less than 3,000
miles over the last 10 years.

Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0que4$p1u$1@dont-email.me:

> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>
> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
> in Staverton.
>
> This might be old news, but I only found out this week as the boss was
> looking to get his H2 SX [1] serviced
>
>
> [1] Clit bike du jour
>

Fraser's have had some Piaggio brands for a while inc Vespa & Aprilia as
well as the parent brand.

They are now listed as a Moto Guzzi dealer at
https://www.motoguzzi.com/gb_EN/dealer-locator/?f=all

A change in Bristol as well, with Fowlers giving up the Guzzi brand.
Downend Motorcycles have it now. So a little reversal of the trend with
Piaggio focusing on smaller shops selling their whole range.