Financing or Paying Cash for a Bike

[black hills]

  At least in my case, insurance premiums were higher on a vehicle with a lien on it, and certain other little fees for document transfer.  Plus, I found out I could not change insurance companies to get a better rate without the bank's permission, which really PO'd me off, and of course the bank charged a fee to handle the paperwork.  

For me, it's now an all cash deal.

Not sure if the insurance deal is a state by state thing or what? Here, through state farm it's the same price wheter it is financed or not?

[Cablebandit]

I'm sure it just an insurance company thing at best.  They obviously will require full coverage which you may not have if there is no lien.  I've never heard of the coverage being higher on a bike with a lien, all other coverage being equal.  

[darty411]

Paid cash from sale of another bike

[phaze5]

i have only bought my van and a couple of sleds on credit,and that was years ago, i figured sleds would sell the best if i needed to when i am not working which is winter, luckily i have not had to,

i built my house myself and bought the material every week with cash so i got no mortgage, however i think the government may know this and tax me accordingly making me feel like i have a mortgage,

i am trying to talk the old lady into an r/v and say screw your taxes,but now my grandkids have come to stay with us, so i fear i will never be able to afford a new bike, so i guess 3500 bikes will be my bike of choice haha good thing i buy the best my money can get and i am not that picky,

but just once it would feel good to say i will take that one in red hahaha

[Nodaclu]

After I lost everything with the collapse of my business, I was bike-less for about a year (prior to that, I had bought and sold 4 new bikes in a 3 year span).

After I started working again, I saved up some money, and last August, bought a slightly beaten and worn down 92 Honda Nighthawk for $800. A winter of work and some TLC produced a bike in the spring that I sold for $1,500. Added $500 to it and bought a 2007 Yamaha Majesty for $2,000. Decided I didn't like it, so I put a top box on it (great deal off of Ebay) and sold it for $2,250. Added $250 to that, and ended up with the bike I have today - a 99 BMW F650, for $2,500 cash.

From where I was 18 months ago (considering selling my car to pay the rent), if you had told me that I could pay cash for a BMW motorcycle within a year's time - even a used, 12 year old model - I would have said you were crazy. But a little seed money, some elbow grease and mechanical ability, along with adding a few hundred dollars to every sale really can make a difference in a big hurry.