SA Dealers News and opinions about topics in general

I will be discussing motorcycle repair. The tools you need to always carry at night and what to do when the bike just is not going anywhere. These things can save your bike from being vandalized or stolen if you get stuck leaving it. 40% of thefts or vandalism to bikes is derived from roadside stalls.

First lets discuss the tools or things you should carry with you when traveling at night on any road. Of course each different type of bike will require different things but I will cover the basics. Always carry a few screw drivers at least one slotted and one Phillips. A flash light is essential, you must have a working flashlight or you are dead in the water. Now you will also need a rag and a pair of small vise grips and a crescent wrench.

Ok now we are stuck on the side of the road. There are two key elements to any combustion engine and those are fire and fuel. Make sure you have fuel and it is getting to the carbs or intake. Next time to check if you have spark. Pull a plug wire and put it up against the block in the dark so you can see it spark. Crank the bike over with the button and watch the plug wire and see if it is generating spark. If you dont have either of these fuel or fire you are not going to get the engine to fire at all. Troubleshooting is simple and keep it that way. Spark and fire equals start so you must ensure you have both. If you cannot get both time to go to plan B.
Plan B you got to move the bike by pushing it or having someone come pick it up. If someone can come help you and pick it up no problem you are ready to get it home and off you go to fix it the next day. But if you cannot get someone to come get it or dont have the money for a tow what are you going to do??? Well there is only a couple of options in this situation if you must leave it. Get it to a 24 hour store if possible that has cameras outside in their parking lot. This can help deter would be thieves. Now if you cannot get it to a 24 hour store believe it or not it is time to hide it. I have heard of people literally hiding their bikes behind some trees on the side of the road until they can come the next day and pick it up.

I know this sounds strange but a bike left alone for any extended period of time will be gone. The parts are just too valuable and easy to get rid of. Bikes are stolen everyday like this and would be thieves are literally driving the roads in trucks just looking for bikes left on the side of the road. Take every precaution and do whatever you can to get that valuable baby home!

Lead Writer Carol Heath for
Good Info and writing an article this time for R6 Frame Clean Title

Posted under Motorcycle news

Whether interest rates are high or low or it’s the end of a model year with lots of incentives, motorcycle buyers tend to make the same mistakes when shopping for a motorcycle loan. Here are four common mistakes motorcycle buyers make with motorcycle loans.

Shopping for a motorcycle before shopping for a motorcycle loan. Many motorcycle buyers enter the showroom looking for a motorcycle before they determine how much money a motorcycle lender is willing to loan to them for the purchase of a motorcycle. There is no need to shop for a $20,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle, if a lender is only willing to provide a loan amount of $10,000.

Additionally, once motorcycle buyers enter the showroom slick salespeople often pressure them into motorcycle loans with much higher internet rates than they could have gotten had they shopped for a motorcycle loan at a bank, credit union or online. Salespeople do not like motorcycle buyers to leave the dealership to get a motorcycle loan. In the salespersons mind this only increases the chance of loosing a sale and commission. Therefore, salespeople frequently try for a quick sale which normally results in pushing motorcycle buyers to get motorcycle financing at the dealership.

The bottom-line is that it is always best to shop for a motorcycle loan before entering the showroom.

Diving into the unknown motorcycle loan. Motorcycle buyers often jump into motorcycle loans that they do not completely understand or may not be the best alternative for them. For instance, in today’s age manufacturers frequently run credit card motorcycle loan promotions on their private-label credit cards. But these promotions typically offer a low interest rate for a short term like 12 or 24 months and have a much higher interest rate after the short promotional term. On a credit card promotion if motorcycle buyers can not afford to pay off the loan during the short promotion period, then they are typically better taking a slightly higher interest rate on an installment motorcycle loan for a longer term.

Borrowing too much.

The most common mistake the first time motorcycle buyer makes in not having a clear sense of how much motorcycle they can afford. This is especially true for young motorcycle buyers who look to buy the top sport bikes that cost up to $10,000 – $15,000. What they fail to realize is that financing a $10,000 – $15,000 motorcycle can stretch them to thin, resulting in them having little cash to enjoy themselves and the motorcycling lifestyle. They may also have too little cash to pay for insurance, maintenance, registration or new accessories for their motorcycle.

Not asking the right questions.

The first warning sign that motorcycle buyers should see is that if they do not understand the type of motorcycle loan, then they should be sure to ask a lot of questions.

Here are some good questions to ask:

• Is the interest rate fixed or variable? If fixed how long will it be fixed for?

• Are there circumstances that can make the interest rate on the motorcycle loan change in the future?

• What happens if a payment is 30 days late? Does the interest rate increase?

• What happens if a payment is 60 days late? Does the interest rate increase?

• How long is the term on the motorcycle loan?

• If the loan is an installment loan, does it use rule of 78 or simple interest? (Simple interest is always better because it does not penalize the motorcycle buyer if the loan is paid off early.)

• What is the down payment requirement to get the motorcycle loan?

• Is full coverage insurance required?

• How much is registration and are these fees included in the motorcycle loan?

• Are there any administrative fees to get the motorcycle loan and if so how much are the fees?

Overall, motorcycle buyers can avoid these common mistakes by spending a little extra time focusing on shopping for a motorcycle loan and asking lots of questions.

Copyright (c) 2004, by Jay Fran This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, author’s information and an active live link to http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com is published with the article.

A complimentary copy of any newsletter or a link to the site where the article is posted is greatly appreciated.

Jay Fran is a successful author and publisher at http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com. A comprehensive resource on how to have the best experience and get the best deal on motorcycle financing, bad credit motorcycle loans, high risk motorcycle loans and motorcycle buying.

Posted under Motorcycle news