im trying to talk my parents into letting me get out a loan for a motorcycle, or i should say financing with harley financing.

im just crunching some numbers and i want to know what everyone else thinks

the main reason why i would like to get one is the added distance i drive and the rise of gas prices, yes i know everyone say its not worth it and such, but i drive around 60 mi a day to school and work and back home then around 300 on the weekends going to see my gf.

so it costs an ave of
$50 to fill my car
+$20-$30 to go to my gf's basicly every weekend

= $80 a week
= 280-320 per month just for extra gas.

i make around $600 a month maybe a little more just an ave @ my job remember i am a full time student and i work part time

i pay $300 a month for my new rent. leaving me with $300 for gas,unilitys, and ect

i can finance a brand new harley davidson sportster 883 in a 72mo loan for $99 a month for 24 months and then 160 after that.@ 8.89apr (i think its 8 something)

so i will pay only 99 a month while im in school and then payments wont go up a year until after i graduate. so i will be working full time and can hopefuly pay most of it off after i grad.

the sportster gets 60mpg hwy, and it has a 3.3gal tank which would cost roughly $15 a week to fill up compared to my grand prix.

also there is the fun factor of riden with my gf and havent the open road.

also i was planing on having this as a daily driver and i would only drive my gp when its rainen HARD or if it was cold as heck and rainen or snowen.

i just want to get everyones input.

and any words of advise i can use to help my parents agree with me getting a bike?

also i wouldnt be buying any extra acc. for the motorcycle the only thing i want to buy are 2 helmets. they arnt required, but i would feel safer if i had them

Good luck getting 60 mpg outa the 883.

You forgot the added insurance. HDs tend to be pricier to insure due to theft. Bigger motors tend to be more.

You can get the same type of financing from Yammi or Honda and get a bike that does better on gas.

for some numbers for you

Both my Vstars get 50-55 mpg (the 50 is two up highway)

Cost brand new 5800

Insurance
with winter discount in Maine it was 240 a year for both bikes In Marietta GA (no winter discount)it ballooned to over 600 a year for both bikes.

As for bullets for convincing your parents.

I don't know them but you have to convince them that their "fears" while warrnted that you'll do your damnest to prevent them.

Sign up for a safety course.

Good luck

i got the info from harleys site, and plus i love the sound of a v twin

i can get the mpg info if you want,

also my all time dream bike is a victory but way outta my pice range

hondas are more spendy a month that the harley would be

These are Vtwins

yami Vstar 650 classic 09s msrp 6200-6500 depending on custom or classic and what paint


custom


Hondas line up from 6400-6800

Shadow spirit


Aero


The HD you'd be financing over 7500

The classic I pay 150 a month for five years no gimmicky low payment for X months then big payments on the back end.

Don't just look at the monthly payment include the insurance. The monthly payment might be a tad higher on one of the others but it will probably be made up on the insurance side.

Just want you to weigh your options. (It'll help the parents if you show that you did some research and not just jumping into something)

hum, but idk about there financing

4drgt i have a old bike that sittin on our shed u can have dirt cheap....jsut throwing it out their 76 kawasaki kz 900

If you really wanna show your parents you'd be responsible and safe you could get

the Rebel
MSRP 3100 You should be able to get it out the door (tax, tags, and all junk fees) for under 4k



granted it's not a Vtwin but it does get in the 80s for MPG will handle the freeway with ease (the 250 cc is more then capable). I know people who get upper 90s to 110 mpg. Those guys try for the best they can get. The guy who gets 110 took the accellerator pump outa the carb. And still runs around town and on the highway without issues.

that's why I said research.

Go to a couple of dealers and start talkin.

Remember even though HD advertises that tempting financing doesn't mean that you'll qualify for it. No knockin your credit or anything just layin the facts out there.

i have looked at the suzuki S40 when i was in highschool but i read reviews and they said it screamed on the hwy because it was just a single cyl.

my parents know i am responsible they just want to make sure i would be safe from other drivers, and to make sure i can make the payments, with the 883 yes they are small "girly" bikes but it would be a good small starter bike, yes i was a KING on my moped and i have riden bikes before everyone else's but i have the ability to to upgrades like the big bore kit and other screamen eagle acc. plus harleys have GREAT resale.

I pulled up progressives online site and just filled out info quick and i have it with a 1000 ded. i can get my ins for 250 a year on a harley and then it was 280 on a yamaha vstar 1100

yes i know that there is no chance i would get the credit, but its a fixed intrest rate, i guess i would have to talk to my parents first then its off to the local HD dealer to see if i qualify for the credit

You plan on just getting a helmet. However, factor in a good riding jacket and gloves. You'll be using them, especially if you ride in any kind of rain or cool weather.

I'd get the 650 over the 1100. The only thing the 1100 has over the 650 is top end speed. They both accell the same upto about 75.

price out the 650 for insurance you might be surprised.

yes i plan on getting a helmet, i will worry about riding jacket later, i dont like to use gloves for anything like that because i dont like the fact of not being able to feel first hand something, i dont even like useing mechanics gloves, the only time i use them are when something is hot.

I can't stand riding without gloves.

may i ask why ?

also do you see where im coming from with the payments and how i feel it would be economical? (prolly mis spelled lol) or what is your advise on that does it seem possible or decent

I would suggest wearing a leather jacket or something with riding armor in it. Concrete roads will easily tear through a sweatshirt. Road rash isnt fun.

yeah i know that ... i layed my moped over a coupple times riden in mud/grass and being dumb popin wheelies lol

I know your looking at the $ at the end of the month that's why I said do some research and see who offers the best payment along with the best rate for insurance. The numbers are different for everyone that's why I said go talk to some dealers. I know Yami and Honda both offer similar plans in the spring not sure if they are still going on chances are they are if you ask.

As for gloves I don't like the feel of the rubber or how my hands sweat and feel sliperry on chrome. Plus with padded gloves ( I use mechanix impact gloves) the gel helps to absorb vibration and helps keep my hands from going numb on long rides.

Plus it does add a small bit of protection should you go down.

Now if your dead set on an HD then not much use lookin around.

I personally am not a big fan of HD mainly cause all you pay for is the brand name. The quality and performance are no better then the competition.

If I found a good deal on one I'd buy one. But I've yet to see a good deal on one.

If you do the $99/mo @ 8.89 financing. You're actually paying close to $9500 for a $7k bike. If it were me, I'd buy a cheap bike for like $1k. You'll get the same milage and wont have a bike payment.

Unfortunately right now used small CC bikes are selling for close to retail for a new one.

He doesn't care about the BIG picture just the first 24 months.

TRUE, the big reason a harley is because of the name, yes there are other good names out there, i know victory bikes are made in iowa and they use ppg paints, harley a good american name, american jobs, yes some of the hondas and yamais are built in the states but it all goes to a forian company,

some of my family members are DIE HARD HD fans and a big biker dude lol i dont want them upset if i get a forian bike,

as for deals my buddy bought a 89 harley 883 with the big bore kit so it was a 1200 for 3000 came with 2 extra seats and a sissy bar that was a good deal

I dont know your experience level, but a 1200cc is a big bike if you're a beginner. First bike should be smaller so you can learn. Plus the smaller bikes get better mileage.

As for financing. See if you can get a loan from your parents. They probably wont charge interest.

In the end, buy what you want. You're the one paying for it and riding it.

there is NO way my parents would give me a loan EVER because my mom is a loan officer at a bank so yeah, yes 1200 is a big bike ... thats why im gonna get a 883 its small enough to start with and then you can allways upgrade to a 1200

i would get a bike if i could... my mom won't let me bcuz (she makes a good point) today's world has too many distractions i.e. cell phones, laptops, nav, dvd... etc.

i'd say go with the 883 and have your mom help you out with the loan, show her you've done your research and then listen to what she thinks...

a big thing for me is the driving to and from work/school which puts alot of miles on in a day they add up quickly, and no i dont want a sports bike like everyone else they are way to dangerous crazy fast


the reasn why my rents cant really help me to much is we just bought a new 2008 nissan and i dont think they want some other loan in there name

Get an Intruder 800, now is the V50 Right?

I found this page that has a great comparison between some V-twin motorcycles, this is for 97 but there are a lot of information.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/1997_v_twin_motorcycles_comparison/index.html

I love my intruder BTW and for what I've learn into a forum is a very nice, reliable and powerful bike.

They aren't any more dangerous just depends on the driver. I was thinking about getting a sports bike just for the purpose of better gas mileage. How does sport bike's mpg compare?

It doesn't the only ones that get good mpg are the 600s and smaller.

Sit down with Mom and Dad,explain your side,and listen to their side. After almost 4 decades of riding bikes, I'd say start with a cheap beater{safe} bike. Don't worry about "bein cool", your riding. Take a saftey course and LEARN. Good Luck.

Plus even though members of your family are die hard HD I bet they would be just as thrilled to see you out on a Honda or what ever you buy.

As for the buy American well when you have such limited options what are you to do?

well did the talk with my parents... they were kinda upset at the idea of me spending more money again on something, they said since i have a car payment also thats the big problem if i had no car payment then they wouldnt mind on me spending an extra 150 roughly a month and then with winter knocking at our door i would still be driving my car and putting gas in my car, and still making the payments for a bike

Ahh you never said you had a car payment. In that case if you can't buy one outright or if you can't get more income then you are best off to wait.

You said you bring in $600 a month 300 of which goes to rent leaving you $300 left over. How much is your car payment/insurance?

my parents have been paying my car payment its only 100 a month ...

they said they would pay that while im in college