This started on another post and got me thinking. When new bikes are taken out for test rides the miles are on the bike and it shows,,,, that in some cases more than a few people took the bike your about to buy out for a spin!!!! When I bought my bike it had 8 miles on her and the dealer said they all start with that kind of mileage from prepping the bike.. But some bikes have a lot of miles on them and one dealer told me that they don't let them get over 50 miles on a new bike.. So how many miles were on your bike when you bought it new???? And up to what miles on a bike would you still buy it?????Or if it has 50 test miles on it cant that be a negotiating factor??......swifty

 

Mine had 6 on it and the dealer said the same thing about prep miles. Of course I looked it over for damage before signing. Probably would be leery if it had much more than that... no telling who rode it and how.


Same thing as a car and I drove the hell out of some test drives when I was younger.

 

I was all set to buy a left over 2014 Limited....told the guy I was gonna go get my bike and come back and trade it in on the Limited and everything, and right before I left the dealer I turned on the ignition switch and it had like 250 miles on it....I was like WTF??? He said my boss let me use it a few weekends ago and I actually put almost 200 on it and the rest are test rides. I was like no thanks......


I know the bike wasn't hurt but if im buying a new bike for that much money I want it to be NEW. I think his story was BS, why would the owner of that shop tell a employee "here take this brand new bike and ride the hell out of it this weekend".....im not buying that story even a little bit.

 

I worry how the bike was ridden those first 50 miles before you buy it. Here is an example of what Loess Hills HD does with their new bikes.

 

My bike had 5 miles on it when I went for a 5 mile test ride. Had 10 miles on it when I bought it. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who test rode it.

 

The dealer has a route the techs take the new bikes for a test ride. All new bikes that get some kind of parts added on get this test ride. Like bars, pipes, a new seat, a SERT. It is usually a three miles up and three miles back course. If there are more miles on the odometer. Maybe the tech had to come back make an adjustment and go for another test ride. Bikes that have no add-ons don't get this test ride. Bikes that come in for service that need a test ride are taken on this same route.


If you are worried about the warranty. If the new bike has fifty miles on it. The sales contract has a line were the mileage is entered. The warranty starts at zero miles not fifty miles. I think the dealer by law in some states have to tell you if the bike was demo bike.

 

Harley warranties are by time which starts the day the bike is delivered to the original purchaser, not mileage.

 

New bike warranties are 2 years/unlimited mileage. Starting from day of purchase. So rack em up in the first two years. 1 mile or 250 on odometer at purchase two years is the key.

 

in my experience (and I only buy brand-new bikes) there are 10 miles or less on the bike.

When the bike comes in, no one takes it for a test ride like a new customer. Maybe the technician will but it is not used as a bike for the general public to "test ride".

Obviously when you're buying a brand-new bike and it has 20 or 30 or 40 miles on it then you really are not buying a brand-new bike.

That's my $.02.

BuzzCap7

 

Bought my 09 Street Glide from Loess Hills under their "former" name (Walker HD). Mine had 3-miles on it so they probably only had enough burn-out talent at the time to do "smaller" smiley faces...