Life isn't a dress rehearsal. If your passionate about riding and the payment option gets you on a bike now vs. 5 years from now, WHY WAIT? And just because you've got a loan, it doesn't mean you can't pay it off early. Maybe a part job or overtime can be dedicated to the bike's payoff if you want to go that route.

 

I saved and paid cash for my 2003 Electra Glide Classic. 10 years later, 2 new jobs as a result of corporate America leaving the country, and buying 2 houses left me in no position to pay cash for my 13. I AM MAKING PAYMENTS....

 

So your mortgage is $1,000??? I was paying more for rent before I bought my house. You would probably need a new change of underwear if you ever saw my mortgage payment.

 

Nothing wrong with making payments on your toys if you can afford to do so. As cheap as interest is right now, in some cases it might be better to finance than dip into your savings.

 

Bought my '09 in '12 from a private party, paid a couple grand in cash and financed the rest through my bank for a pretty reasonable interest rate. I'll have it paid off summer of 2015.

 

When I began seriously shopping for my (used) Dyna I used one of those low interest promotional checks the bank frequently send. They deposited $7700 right into my checking account. So, when I found the bike I wanted, the seller and I went to a local branch and he walked out with a cashiers check. I paid it off within the 12-month period, before the promotional rate expired.

My Sportster was purchased for cash once I sold the Dyna.

 

Well aren't you special!

 

okay, hows this one- you've essentially made a bike payment for 5 years, but didn't get the benefit of actually riding the bike. and like you said, by then you may be dead. no one knows what tomorrow may bring. i worked with a guy who 'shopped' for his bike for 3 years before he finally made the jump and bought a 2012 ultra road glide. he made 2 payments and then just died in his living room. if he hadn't been so wishy-washy from the start, he could have been riding for a couple of years vs. a couple of months.

i don't have a problem with making payments on a bike. i don't have a car note, so it kinda works out in the wash.

 

I've seen this argument before and it makes total sense to me. Shoot we all know we wanna ride ASAP and AMAP (as much as possible). If you have the means, I say do it, whether it's one payment or 48. You'll never regret riding, or at least I never have.

 

I've got little kids ages 1 and 2.5 so I don't really want to make that high of payments on a new bike. I try to save money but most of that goes to their college funds right now and a savings fund for my wife's piece of mind. Making those high payments probably sucks in winter when you can't ride like now for me I figure, when it's nice I ride as much as possible. If it doesn't affect you then no big deal and that's why I am guessing this isn't shocking to most people who do just that. I was pretty shocked when the dealer told me this and the payment amount but I have been cash and carry with cars, motorcycles, rv's and dirt bikes my whole like so it obviously is another world out there.

I do think this system drives up prices for the cash paying public though… cause otherwise they wouldn't sell so many at these prices. I'd be interested to know the % of Harley-Davidson dealership buyers who finance vs. pay cash for new bikes… I'd guess it's up there over 85%.