Does a test ride really tell you.....

I bought my Diavel without a text ride. My first street bike. Never sorry about the purchase and I love the bike.

About 6 months later I test rode the Panigale. I was not impressed at all, however I kept reading everyone else's opinions and decided that I would pick one up as set up is very important on these so text ride may not be a good indication of what one set up properly would be like.

Picked up a Tri two days ago and had sag set at the dealer. I have since tweaked the suspension settings and 200 miles into it and I'm loving it.

rocdoc said:

You bet!

I hate to say it, but it crushed at least 99.9% of the garbage...er, um, I mean, information, posted on the forums....Not our forum, of course,...You know, those other forums.

Seriously, though, I went in there thinking,
1. can I get over the heat issue?
2. can I deal with the herky-jerky engine?
3. can I put anywhere close to 70,000 miles on this bike, like on my 954RR?
4. can I accept that the bike will fall apart, leak itself dry, and refuse to start?

Guess what? I left there thinking...

I gotta get my hands on one o' these!!!

So, yes, after more than a year of researching the bike and scouring the forums, the test ride minimized the negatives, dispelled the myths, and squelched the exaggerations.

May not be perfect, but I got no regrets.

Click to expand...

I couldn't've said it better myself. I went to a certain local non-Ducati dealership to get a feel for the CBR1000RR and an R1. I've ridden a buddy's GSX-R1000 and wanted to get a feel for other bikes in the class. They outright said no to a test ride unless I was ready to purchase - how would I be ready to buy if I've never even ridden one!? I did sit on a few, though, but it wasn't the same.

Off to the Ducati dealer, and they practically threw me the keys to an 899 Panigale. I was set on the 1199, but their demo wasn't available. Riding the 899 absolutely sold me on the Panigale family - the test ride was certainly the deciding factor.

Understanding the 1199 is its big brother, and they fit me just the same, I got mine without a test ride specifically - I was already hooked. I'm mechanically inclined enough to just 'deal' with the mechanical issues should they arise. I have no regrets!


I /do/ still need my suspension set, however.

Merry Christmas!