If you?re in the market for a new bike and you?ve got a dealer that?s happy to let you take a few options for a spin, you?d be bonkers not to. But sometimes it?s difficult to know exactly what you can take away after testing a new bike other than ?yeah, I quite liked that?. Because let?s face it, most new bikes are reasonably good, and if you?re used to riding a 25 year old bag of nails anything?s likely to feel pretty dreamy; but that doesn?t necessarily mean it is, not by today?s standards, anyway.

If you?re test riding prospective new bikes, it pays to have a think about what you want to get from the test ride, beforehand. There are loads of things to think about, some of which will be different from one person to the next (because we all want a slightly different mixture of things from our bikes), but here are a handful to get you started.
Engine and gearbox

Peak power, torque figures and all that stuff is all good and well, but the only way to really know how an engine feels is to experience it. There are umpteen different engine configurations, firing orders and throttle systems that all make one bike feel fairly different to the next. Do you want something really revvy, with all the power at the top-end. Or are you a grunt lover" Has it got enough top end power to make you smile" Has it got enough low-down grunt to beat your mates off the traffic lights" Is that even what you want to do" And do you want explosive power, or smooth ...