Group test ride, whats the point?

Took an eagerly awaited spin on the KTM Adventure and Superduke today. Got there and told it was a group format. It served no purpose, barely got above 3rd gear, and all I can honestly say was both bikes are quiite adequate for the sort of riding that would see me slip into a coma (gladly)

Never felt like this about riding a bike on a sunny day before, but I wish I hadn't bothered. I'm no clearer on how to spend muchos moolah on a new motorcycle than I was yesterday, except to say that the Superduke seemed much more civilized than I'd hoped/believed following the reviews.

So what say you? have you ever found this type of test ride useful/informative, did I just have a poor run/route/lead rider? do such tests have a place or purpose?

I already know the answer to the "should I quit whinging because I got a freebie on a couple of nice bikes?"

---

Every man carries a circle of hell around his head, like a halo. Every man, every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise

should have taken a wrong turn and enjoyed yourself

---

fazyluckers - creative procrastination & general generalishness

Sock. wrote

should have taken a wrong turn and enjoyed yourself

He's not wrong. I managed to 'loose' a group ride-out while on a Buell thingie. Nice twisty roads, loadsa fun. no following some other bugger

---

"There are certain fixed rules that one observes for one's own comfort. For instance, never be flippantly rude to any inoffensive, grey-bearded stranger you may meet in pine forests or hotel smoking-rooms on the Continent. It always turns out to be the King of Sweden"

H.H.Munro

VDSC#16

Sock. wrote

should have taken a wrong turn and enjoyed yourself

believe me the temptation was there, especially when we passed a RUPP I know well and I was on the Adventure, but I wanted a go on the SD after, didnt think they would be so keen if I had

---

Every man carries a circle of hell around his head, like a halo. Every man, every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise

Probably had fuckers in the past steal or damage them, and if they are new bikes you could potentially fuck it up as it will need running in?

---

.

ratout wrote

Probably had fuckers in the past steal or damage them, and if they are new bikes you could potentially fuck it up as it will need running in?

True but they are insured and there was a 500 excess for damages I was liable for.

As for running in, I wouldnt spend 8k on a motorcycle on the basis of what it was like whilst running it in so I reckon they should run the risk or run em in before we get em, this was after all a truckload of Katooms on a uk tour, not one demo bike from a small independent.

Test ridden Beemers, 2 hour ride and yes it got spanked but then so would my own bike, its sort of the point IMV

I can see why they would want this test format but as a consumer fail to see what it did for me

---

Every man carries a circle of hell around his head, like a halo. Every man, every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise