Survive the test ride

Early in my career as a motorcycle mechanic, I had a bad year ... a very bad year. I somehow managed to do serious damage (i.e. crash) three customer units while I was test riding them. 

The first incident I can chalk up to my own youthful exuberance: I looped out a Honda XL 500 on a test ride (I just had to see what kind of wheelies it was capable of). 

Another was a CB900F that I managed to pitch away on a tight corner behind Northlands in Edmonton. The city was doing some power pole construction nearby, and the big work trucks were dragging dirt clods onto the road surface. I had driven the same route on a test ride a few days previously, and everything was fine. I realized too late in my turn that the corner in question was now covered in a fine layer of loose sand. The moment I saw the sand, the old CB900 was well on its way to a lovely skid on its left side, followed by a sickening high side as the tires regained traction. I was ok, but the bike was somewhat worse for wear.

The third incident wasn’t my fault. Let’s just say that I ended up being tossed across a major intersection, locked together in a death grip with a Ford pick-up and a fully loaded gravel truck. I was test riding a customer’s unit after a full service. I was stopped at a red light. The gravel truck had lost its brakes, crashed into the pick up, which then proceeded to crash into the back of the bike I was on, sending all three of us across four lanes of traffic. I was very lucky to have survived that one completely unscathed.

For some strange reason I was laid off from that shop that winter ... permanently.

My point is: test rides are an important part of a mechanic’s job. Without test rides it would often be impossible to determine whether or not a repair was effective. Often a mechanic is asked to take a customer’s unit for a test ride to see if there’s a problem in the first place. And yes, no matter what precautions a mechanic takes, there’s always the risk of an accident during a test ride, whether it’s caused by the mechanics own actions, the actions of other drivers, or a mechanical failure. 

So how can a mechanic lessen the chances of being injured while test riding a customer’s unit?

First, it’s vital to make sure a unit is safe to take out on a test ride, be it a motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile or boat. Make sure that the unit is sound: the throttle works properly (operates smoothly without sticking), there are no major oil leaks, tires and brakes are in good shape, lights are all working etc. Also, make sure there’s enough fuel in the machine to make it back to the shop. If you’re taking a motorcycle for a street ride make sure the bike has proper registration and insurance. If not, use your shop dealer plate. Just make sure you remove the shop plate before returning the unit to the customer!

Next, be certain that you are wearing the proper gear. It’s really tempting to just plop on the old skid lid and head out for a test ride. I can personally attest to the limited friction absorbing qualities of coveralls when sliding down the highway. At least make sure you’re wearing a good riding jacket, helmet, shoes and gloves before you take an unfamiliar bike on a test burn ... I mean “ride”.

ATVs, snowmobiles and personal water crafts (PWCs) present their own problems as far as test rides are concerned. Most often, ATVs are tested in the nearest roadside ditch or back alley. There are obvious legal issues involved with operating an ATV on a roadside ditch. If you intend to do this, be prepared to get a ticket now and then. 

Like ATVs, many shops test ride snowmobiles down a back alley. Basting a loud sled down a back alley will often tick off the neighbours. Don’t be surprised if you end up facing an angry landowner. Once I even had a fellow take a swing at me with a 2x4 as I buzzed past his garage. Also, it’s dangerous to be bombing down an alley or ditch on a high powered sled. Memories of flying through the windshield of a Yamaha Bravo as it pegged a large hidden lump of ice in a snowy ditch and, several years later, barrel rolling an Arctic Cat Thundercat sled in a back alley behind the shop come to mind.

PWCs may be tested in a test tank. While this doesn’t constitute real life operating conditions, it’s the next best thing to hauling it to the lake, and may be the only practical method if your shop is located in an urban centre. Larger watercrafts are often best tested on the lake.

Hopefully you’ll be able to figure out a practical solution to your own test ride issues. Often compromises must be made. 

Tales of test ride fiascos make for great conversations at parties. But the reality is that test ride accidents lead to injuries, irate customers, traffic tickets and unemployment. My best advice: “Don’t goof around on a customer’s machine, and please try to keep the rubber
side down.” n

Craig French is Associate Chair and instructor at NAIT in Fairview, Alberta. He oversees the following programs: Pre-employment Motorcycle Mechanic, Apprenticeship Motorcycle Mechanic and Outdoor Power Equipment Technician.  Also available at NAIT Fairview Campus is Canada’s only Harley-Davidson® Technician training program. For more information on any of these programs, contact Craig French at <craigf@nait.ca>  or 888.999.7882.