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Home » Auto And Trucks Articles » Welcome To The World Of Upside Down Motorcycle Loans

Welcome To The World Of "Upside Down" Motorcycle Loans!

With the depreciation on motorcycles being so enormous after they are driven off the showroom floor, the potential for a buyer owing more on their motorcycle loan than the bike is worth it quite high. Owing more on your bike than it is worth is often referred to as the world of up side Down#8221;.

Many people finding themselves in this situation discover that financial lessons are sometimes the hardest and most expensive to learn. Motorcycle loans of more than 48 months (especially without a down payment) put you in the position of owing more than the value of the bike.

Lets take a look at this phenomenon.

First, the interest calculation your lender uses can make a big difference in your situation, especially in the first 18 months. There are two primary interest calculations, pre-computed (combined with rule of 78) and simple interest.

Pre-computed interest combined with Rule of 78, is typically the worst situation for a buyer because most of the interest is paid in the first 24 months. Therefore, in the first 24 months little of the monthly payment has gone towards paying down principal. If a buyer wishes to sell or trade in the motorcycle within this timeframe they will likely find themselves owing more than the bike is worth. Statistics show that the average owner trades in every 18-24 months.

Simple interest on the other hand, is much more favorable for buyers since interest accrues on the balance of the loan. However, buyers that extend their loans for greater than 48 months can still find themselves up side down with simple interest. This is especially true if a down payment is not made. The reason this occurs is that the motorcycle depreciates faster than the principal is paid; leaving the balance owed to the lender to be more than the bike can be sold for.

A common view that many people have is that they will just surrender their motorcycle to the lender if they are caught in an up side Down#8221; position. If you are considering this option dont! Your worries do not just end after your bike is surrendered or repossessed; in fact they are just beginning. The lender will sell your bike at an auction for much less than it is worth. You will still owe the difference between the amount you owed on your loan and the amount the motorcycle sold for at auction. So if you owe $5000 and the bike sells for $1500, you still are responsible for owing the lender $3500. To make it worse lenders may tack on hefty auction fees which you will owe as well. So the net result is that you are now responsible for making monthly payments on a bike you can no longer ride.

So what steps can you take to prevent from being caught up side Down#8221;?

1. Find a lender that uses simple interest. Avoid lenders that use pre-computed / Rule of 78 interest calculations.

2. Always try to put money down on your purchase.

3. Try to avoid motorcycle loans that extend past 36 months.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Seven Ways to Consolidate Your Debt

When it comes to debt consolidation the first thing you want to do is consolidate your debt, but the first thing you should consider are all of your options. There are in fact more options and help out there than you imagined and just because you are in debt does not mean the situation is hopeless so get up and take charge of your credit rather than letting your creditors take charge of you.

Debt Consolidation Tip #1 Renegotiate With Your Primary Lender

For some reason when individuals are in debt all they want to do is avoid their lenders' phone calls rather than calling them and trying to work out new terms and asking for some help. There is help available and primary lenders will frequently offer assistance or even renegotiate terms in the event an individual is behind or struggling with payments. In this situation the last thing you want to do is avoid your lender's phone calls because this will only make the situation worse and negatively impact your credit even more. What you want to do is immediately call your lender or make an appointment when you know your payment is going to be late or if you are struggling with payments. Be upfront and tell your lender the situation and that you want to renegotiate. This of course does not have a 100% success rate, but since your lender will lose money if you default they are more likely to renegotiate and grant you some of the relief you need to make your payments. However, if you never ask you will never know so go ahead and call your lender and see if you can work something out. Making this your first step may very likely negate any of the following steps if it is successful. If not, then you have six more options to consider.

Debt Consolidation Tip #2 Non-profit Credit Counseling Agency

There are a wide variety of credit counseling agencies out there including for profit and non-profit. If you are already in debt and having difficulties meeting your obligations then you should definitely seek out a not for profit credit counseling agency. These agencies have helped millions of individuals get their credit under control and will be able to help you as well. The way these agencies work is you provide them with all of your creditors' information and the agency calls and negotiates lower payments and/or interest rates. Then you pay a fixed amount to the agency each month and the agency divides up the payments among your creditors. This will keep you on time with all of your creditors and help you get your credit back on track.

Debt Consolidation Tip #3 Credit Card Transfers

This is an option for individuals who have good credit, but are starting to become overwhelmed with their monthly fees as well as interest rates. In this situation the individual should seek out other credit cards with offers of no interest or extremely low interest for a period of time. Then, once they receive the credit card they simply transfer the full amount of their other credit card's balance. This way the individual will avoid paying the high interest, but for this to work the individual must be disciplined enough to pay off the full balance of the credit card in the introductory period of no or low interest. If not, then this option will not be of much help. However, if you are truly dedicated and committed it is an easy and fast way of handling your credit problems yourself and avoiding paying high interest rates.

Debt Consolidation Tip #4 Borrow from Retirement

When completely over your head in debt you always have the option of borrowing from your 401(k) plan. Most employers will allow employees to do this, however this should be one of your last options. There are some drawbacks to this option, however. If you cannot pay the loan back in full to your 401(k) or other retirement fund then you will be charged a variety of fees and taxes by the IRS, which is never good. Also, if you are fired or leave your job the loan will be due immediately. In addition to this, the interest is not going to be tax deductible during the time of the loan. If you have a 401(k) plan and your employer will allow you to take a loan from it, then you should do so as long as you know you will be able to pay it back as quickly as possible.

Debt Consolidation Tip #5 Life Insurance

You may borrow against your whole life insurance policy as well. This option allows you to take out a loan against the full value of your whole life insurance policy and while there is no time limit in which to pay the loan back you will certainly want to do so because if you do not pay it back the total value of the loan will be subtracted from your insurance benefits, which goes against the reason you have life insurance in the first place. This is a great option if you are disciplined enough to pay it back.

Debt Consolidation Tip #6 Home Equity Loans

If you own your home and have equity built up then you may qualify for a home equity loan. This will allow you to pay off all of your debts immediately, however you will still be required to make a monthly mortgage payment. The drawback to this option is if you cannot make your monthly payments you will risk losing your home. Only consider this option if you are sure you will be able to meet your monthly loan payment obligations.

Debt Consolidation Tip #7 Credit Unions

Credit unions are typical in the fact that they offer low interest loans. So, if you are a member of a credit union see what options you have for loans and their respective interest rates. This could be a great way to get a loan with low interest rates and fees that will allow you to pay off all of your existing debt and then pay a low monthly payment on the loan.