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Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:01 pm
by Dodgy69
Would you buy one. ???
As you all know, they're cheaper than new but might have had some mechanically unsympathetic treatment, particularly when the motor might like an easy time. Ykwim..
Any thoughts, asking for a friend.


Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:12 pm
by KungFooBob
Depends on the bike and it's target audience, also on how the shop does test rides, if they only let you ride it for 20mins around the block, it's highly unlikely to have been thrashed.
But then...
It will have been ridden normally by punters from 0 miles without being run in, but then, some shops make the staff run them in first.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:22 pm
by Yorick
Bikes don't need running in nowadays.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:27 pm
by KungFooBob
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:22 pm
Bikes don't need running in nowadays.
Then why did the 2024 bike I bought new have running in instructions in the owners manual?
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:33 pm
by Dodgy69
As you say, reckon it depends on bike.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:39 pm
by Yorick
KungFooBob wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:27 pm
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:22 pm
Bikes don't need running in nowadays.
Then why did the 2024 bike I bought new have running in instructions in the owners manual?
Maybe the makers are scared it's a shit engine?
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 7:55 pm
by weeksy
Bought 3, all were <600 miles and immaculate. All worked perfectly.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:17 pm
by Yorick
Buyers don't have a legal obligation to run a bike in. So if it blows up, it's the manufacturer's problem.
So they make them to run from day 1.
Obvious really.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:21 pm
by Tricky
Wouldn't worry me
P.S.- your incorrect use of apostrophe's (

) keeps triggering my (possibly old old-fart, but I've always been like it) grammar pedant shouty switch!

Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:22 pm
by Pirahna
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:17 pm
Buyers don't have a legal obligation to run a bike in. So if it blows up, it's the manufacturer's problem.
So they make them to run from day 1.
Obvious really.
With modern electronics the manufacturer will know if you've thrashed it from the off or not. My Ducati was not above 5000 rpm for the first 1000km. On the couple of occasions I did exceed the limit the dash turned red. Once it's had it's first oil change you're good to go. I know KTM do a similar thing, other manufacturers probably do too.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:29 pm
by Yorick
Pirahna wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:22 pm
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:17 pm
Buyers don't have a legal obligation to run a bike in. So if it blows up, it's the manufacturer's problem.
So they make them to run from day 1.
Obvious really.
With modern electronics the manufacturer will know if you've thrashed it from the off or not. My Ducati was not above 5000 rpm for the first 1000km. On the couple of occasions I did exceed the limit the dash turned red. Once it's had it's first oil change you're good to go. I know KTM do a similar thing, other manufacturers probably do too.
Maybe. But if it blows, they've got to pay. You didn't sign a contract to say you'll play good.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:32 pm
by Pirahna
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:29 pm
Pirahna wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:22 pm
Yorick wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:17 pm
Buyers don't have a legal obligation to run a bike in. So if it blows up, it's the manufacturer's problem.
So they make them to run from day 1.
Obvious really.
With modern electronics the manufacturer will know if you've thrashed it from the off or not. My Ducati was not above 5000 rpm for the first 1000km. On the couple of occasions I did exceed the limit the dash turned red. Once it's had it's first oil change you're good to go. I know KTM do a similar thing, other manufacturers probably do too.
Maybe. But if it blows, they've got to pay. You didn't sign a contract to say you'll play good.
Fuck knows what I signed, it was all in Spanish.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:40 pm
by Dodgy69
In my last job, if we had a nice motor in we'd give it a rev.

one day a lad came over and said don't, 'they' can tell what revs the engine has been run to, while it's been here. Oops.
Re: Demo bike's...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:44 pm
by Yorick
Dodgy69 wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:40 pm
In my last job, if we had a nice motor in we'd give it a rev.

one day a lad came over and said don't, 'they' can tell what revs the engine has been run to, while it's been here. Oops.
But if it blows, they can't get out of their liability.
Imagine a missed gear. Their problem
Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:47 pm
by KungFooBob
c'mon Dogester, what are you thinking of buying?
Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:48 pm
by Dodgy69
Yep, warranty and all that. I did read years ago regarding ktm. If a bike was run in proper, it wouldn't use oil. All my ktms did, new or 2nds.

Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:54 pm
by Dodgy69
KungFooBob wrote: Fri Aug 08, 2025 8:47 pm
c'mon Dogester, what are you thinking of buying?
It's only at the early thinking stage, well, test ride next week probs, but potentially downsizing the RE 650 for a RE single. We will see, but px price has shit itself on the 650, new ones for 4400.

Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 9:01 pm
by KungFooBob
The 350 RE, it's maybe a bit more refined than your old 500 Trials, but makes less power.
Have you seen the BSA Scrambler?
Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 9:10 pm
by Taipan
My forever bike number 41 was a pre registered, delivery mileage, ex-demo Tmax. It was fine and under warranty if it wasn't so I didnt give a crap.

Re: Demo bike"s...
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 9:49 pm
by demographic
WhatthefuckhaveIdonerongnow?
Oh yeah, Demo, not Demo's.
Err. As you were.