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Wow--I can't even imagine a dealer that won't let a potential customer test ride a bike. Many dealers have demo bikes for that purpose. Once a dealer knows a potential buyer is very serious, my experience is that they have no problem wit a test ride. A rider must have a motorcycle endorsement, show proof of insurance, and sign something accepting responsibility for damage, all of which I think is fair enough. For me, no test ride = no sale if I decide I want a test ride.
(06-22-2018, 12:32 AM)Sorg67_imp Wrote: It has been forty years since I have ridden an inline four. I remember my old 550 Four as being very smooth. But I was 18 at the time and had very limited experience.
I am now 58, have more experience and am more sensitive to comfort. The dealer that has the 2013 with 12,000 miles on it does not allow test rides. I have not asked the other dealers.
My Harley is pretty smooth by Harley softail standards. At cruising speed it is very smooth and quite. It does not handle bumps well. But it is very smooth and comfortable cruising smooth roads. I like the engine vibe. It is a soothing low frequency vibe.
My Versys has much better suspension. Handles bumps much better. And is probably technically smoother than the Harley, especially over 70 mph. Versys is pretty smooth up to 80 mph. However, I rarely go that fast. I do not go on highways much. And when I do, I am usually in the high 60's, low 70's.
What vibration my Versys does have is a higher frequency, more buzzy vibe. Less pleasing than the Harley vibe.
I have read some places that inline fours are smooth as silk and in other places that they are buzzy. I have particularly read that the BMW inline fours are buzzy.
From all I have read, the CB1100 is a smooth inline four. So I am thinking that I do not need to worry too much if I am not able to test ride one before I buy.
Any thoughts on this? What is everybody's experience about dealers allowing test rides? We have a CB500X. That is almost creepy smooth under 60 mph, but it gets a bit buzzy when you start pushing 70 and above.
Obviously that is a parallel twin, much smaller and a completely different animal. I am guessing the CB1100 is barely breaking a sweat at 75 mph.
With all the posts here about finding new 2014s for thousands of dollars off, you might wish to take the time to look into one of them rather than buy a 2013 with 12,000 miles on it, unless the "no test ride' dealer you are talking to is selling the bike at a very competitive price.
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Yes, I have test ridden every bike I have ever purchased. But they have all been private party purchases. I have taken two dealer test rides. They were very eager for me to take a test ride. I did not buy either of those bikes.
I can see them being reluctant to allow tire kickers and newbies to take a test ride, but it seems that a test ride is a reasonable expectation for finalizing a deal. And I can see them being reluctant to allow a test ride on a brand new zero miles bike since then it is no longer a brand new zero miles bike.
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(06-22-2018, 12:32 AM)Sorg67_imp Wrote: It has been forty years since I have ridden an inline four. I remember my old 550 Four as being very smooth. But I was 18 at the time and had very limited experience.
I am now 58, have more experience and am more sensitive to comfort. The dealer that has the 2013 with 12,000 miles on it does not allow test rides. I have not asked the other dealers.
My Harley is pretty smooth by Harley softail standards. At cruising speed it is very smooth and quite. It does not handle bumps well. But it is very smooth and comfortable cruising smooth roads. I like the engine vibe. It is a soothing low frequency vibe.
My Versys has much better suspension. Handles bumps much better. And is probably technically smoother than the Harley, especially over 70 mph. Versys is pretty smooth up to 80 mph. However, I rarely go that fast. I do not go on highways much. And when I do, I am usually in the high 60's, low 70's.
What vibration my Versys does have is a higher frequency, more buzzy vibe. Less pleasing than the Harley vibe.
I have read some places that inline fours are smooth as silk and in other places that they are buzzy. I have particularly read that the BMW inline fours are buzzy.
From all I have read, the CB1100 is a smooth inline four. So I am thinking that I do not need to worry too much if I am not able to test ride one before I buy.
Any thoughts on this? What is everybody's experience about dealers allowing test rides? We have a CB500X. That is almost creepy smooth under 60 mph, but it gets a bit buzzy when you start pushing 70 and above.
Obviously that is a parallel twin, much smaller and a completely different animal. I am guessing the CB1100 is barely breaking a sweat at 75 mph.
Literally sold my 09' Versys for a brand new 2013 cb1100, my initial impression is that the CB is so much smoother than the versys. It definitely can't transition side to side as well though. I found I miss the bar position of the Versys. I can't say much to over 75mph as I'm still in engine break in period but I will keep you posted. But at 65MPH very smooth.
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i laughed at the bar weights on my CB and took them off for a month before deciding to put closed end grips on and used the weights for surf fishing
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(06-22-2018, 01:42 AM)LongRanger_imp Wrote: I think you'd find the CB to be very smooth at the speeds you prefer to ride. It's a low-revving engine at speed and not frantic. I'm like you -- I avoid freeways and rarely see speeds above 70-75 mph. For this type of riding, the CB is smooth, solid, composed, and completely within its element. I call my '14 the "velvet hammer."
I must offer a different opinion about 4-cylinder BMW's. The earliest K-bikes (from the late-80's) were indeed quite buzzy. And hot. My '98 K1200RS, also a 4-cylinder, is by far the smoothest motorcycle I've ever ridden. Unless you watch the tachometer, you won't know if you're at 3,000 rpm or 6,000 rpm. It's electric-smooth. The CB is a paint-shaker by comparison (though it's absolutely not a paint-shaker!). I haven't ridden the more recent transverse 4-cylinder K1200S or K1300S, but from what I've read, they don't have vibration issues either.
It depends on which bike you will take for comparison.
Out of the 3 I ride, it is the one with the least vibrations.
The Kawa is also very quiet once having left its typical paralleltwin vibration area somewhere between 3.000 and nearly 4.000 revs. The RE rides in its own field, the 'enfield' as a single cylinder, you get used to it and love it or you will not. I do.
The CB starts to develop a bit of buzzing at 4.000revs but nothing that will disturb your peace. I rode the bike several times and for endless hours with speeds of 140km/h and above where it was possible on my long way home on road trips and despite from a raised fuel consumption it was pretty fine. You can't really talk of vibrations that walk on your nerves.
Wisedrum
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Quote:Some of the reviews of the earlier bikes describe them as perhaps too smooth. A bike that is "too smooth" would be like a woman that is too beautiful. It is an interesting concept in theory, but I have not met one in practice so far. And I haven't got much more left.
This "character" thing is creative marketing, quite necessary to sell ill-designed, vibrating machinery. Works with toys, but not with industrial equipment.
I would not expect a dealer to offer test rides on new bikes if they don't have a demo unit around. I would refuse to buy a "new" bike and pay a new bike price if it has been test ridden.
I would not buy a used bike that I am not allowed to test ride, from either a private party or from a dealer.
One man's opinion...
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(06-22-2018, 07:55 PM)rotor_imp Wrote: Quote:Some of the reviews of the earlier bikes describe them as perhaps too smooth. A bike that is "too smooth" would be like a woman that is too beautiful. It is an interesting concept in theory, but I have not met one in practice so far. And I haven't got much more left.
This "character" thing is creative marketing, quite necessary to sell ill-designed, vibrating machinery. Works with toys, but not with industrial equipment.
I would not expect a dealer to offer test rides on new bikes if they don't have a demo unit around. I would refuse to buy a "new" bike and pay a new bike price if it has been test ridden.
I would not buy a used bike that I am not allowed to test ride, from either a private party or from a dealer.
One man's opinion... A bike that is "too smooth" would be like a woman that is too beautiful. It is an interesting concept in theory, but I have not met one in practice so far. And I haven't got much more left.
This "character" thing is creative marketing, quite necessary to sell ill-designed, vibrating machinery. Works with toys, but not with industrial equipment.
I would not expect a dealer to offer test rides on new bikes if they don't have a demo unit around. I would refuse to buy a "new" bike and pay a new bike price if it has been test ridden.
I would not buy a used bike that I am not allowed to test ride, from either a private party or from a dealer.
One man's opinion...
I think I agree with every single thing you said . . . 
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(06-22-2018, 07:55 PM)rotor_imp Wrote: Quote:Some of the reviews of the earlier bikes describe them as perhaps too smooth. A bike that is "too smooth" would be like a woman that is too beautiful. It is an interesting concept in theory, but I have not met one in practice so far. And I haven't got much more left.
This "character" thing is creative marketing, quite necessary to sell ill-designed, vibrating machinery. Works with toys, but not with industrial equipment.
I would not expect a dealer to offer test rides on new bikes if they don't have a demo unit around. I would refuse to buy a "new" bike and pay a new bike price if it has been test ridden.
I would not buy a used bike that I am not allowed to test ride, from either a private party or from a dealer.
One man's opinion...
One of the reviews I read about the 2017 was that they made it a little less smooth to give it more character. One reviewers opinion.
I found the CB500X so smooth at slower speeds that it almost did not feel like a motorcycle. My son has put a slip on exhaust to give it a grumble. Of course that is a sound, it is still smooth, but not as quiet.
I do not think I would have any trouble with too smooth.
Yes, I can understand a dealer not wanting to offer test rides on a brand new zero miles bike. The only bikes I have test ridden have been used or demo bikes. The only dealer who will not allow test rides is the one selling the 2013 with 12,000 miles on it. They say they do not have the insurance. I even offered to buy it with a 2 hour return agreement. If I damage it or get in a wreck, I own it, they would have not liability, but I would get to return it and get my money back if I returned it in 2 hours. They said no. There might be some issues with transactions costs with this plan.
With private party test rides. Your break it, you buy it.
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