Trike Financing - Who did you use?

[Papa Zook]

Who did you finance your trike through? Paid Cash or Check doesn't qualify so please don't post that.

Did you finance just the conversion itself or the whole bike and trike? Please share as many details as you are comfortable with such as bank, credit union or finance company, interest rate, months, ease or difficulty, when financed, etc, etc. This is valuable information that many are looking for.

[saab9k]

Just paid, wrote a check.

[hdruss]

Ditto - Paid by check also! Each month I pay myself into savings so I'll have a little for the next one. My interest rates are much better than the Banks.

[Papa Zook]

Ok, I should have added NOT including "paid cash". LOL...Appreciate the responses, but a lot of folks dont have an extra $35K lying around or maybe they do but want to preserve their savings so this thread was intended to share finance options. I'll have to scoot back up there and edit that top post...

[americanbadass]

..I borrowed it from one of my wives...hopefully she'll pass on before I get her all the way paid back

[riverrat]

mine was financed through Honda at the dealership for the complete trike. interest rate was good and it was easier than messing with my bank. it is paid in full now but I did like the way Honda Financial Services handled everything and their online payment system was very good and easy to use.

[Ozarkryder]

Our first trike, a Trike Shop (they now make Roadsmith) V-Cycle Runabout VW based trike we bought in 1994 was financed through our bank at the time when we were living in Minnesota. If I remember the rate was somewhere in the lower 7% range for a 48 month loan, which was a good rate for the time, it I remember correctly. We must have been good customers as the approval took less than 10 minutes.

Rode that for 10 years, and 2004 we sold that trike back to the Trike Shop for $1000 less than we paid for it (Basically rented it for $100/year) and got Her Purpleness, a 1995 GL1500SE. We were re-financing our house here in SW MO at the time so we just rolled the difference of what we got for the Blue Trike and what the Wing cost into the home loan.

After the unpleasantness on the road with Her Prupleness in Sept. of '11 we used the insurance settlement, added some to it to get our 2004 GL1800 Champion.

The first 2 methods are doable, but I don't recommend having an insurance company total your trike to get a new one.

[Bill Reber]

In Sumter SC our local honda shop builds them and aranges finance , but you best have around a 760 or better credit score not to mention debt ratio in the black.

[Pittsburgh Biker]

I borrowed from my Credit Union however it was a signature loan using other proceeds in the account as surety. Don't forget about borrowing from cash value life insurance policies. Sometimes need a combination along with bank financing of the bike.

[jackpoet]

The people that built my trike did the financing. 5 years at 6.5%. Put $3,000 down. Hadn't realized it was a problem. Guess ignorance can work for you sometimes. When I talked to them, I just said ok, I want it, What will payments be? Not even thinking they did not finace. lol

[bigjoey38]

The people that built my trike did the financing. 5 years at 6.5%. Put $3,000 down. Hadn't realized it was a problem. Guess ignorance can work for you sometimes. When I talked to them, I just said ok, I want it, What will payments be? Not even thinking they did not finace. lol

Who built your trike?

[OlManRivh]

Well I went to my bank (Wells Fargo) who I've been with for over 30 years and had a good credit rating. They wouldn't finance a 2003 Goldwing Trike because it wasn't in the Blue Book (sic).

That was 6 months ago and I haven't checked farther.

[Bill Reber]

Loan from my 401K paid myself the interest.

[icedad]

I always financed everything through my bank. Let them make the extra interest on me, but when I needed cash when I was driving OTR, I could always count on them for money when needed. Insurance I guess. No fun being broke down and no money.

[Eagle Man]

Zook / Marge

My wife and I are beneficiaries of a great credit rating, and last year, utilized a 12 month, "same as cash", credit card offer from one of the major credit card companies, who were offering this convenience.

We chose to convert our 2008 Gold Wing, which was paid for, and equipped with the add-ons of our choice, with a CSC Cobra XL kit. We were able to save a lot of bucks this way.

Prospective bikers to trikers, who have their donor bike paid for, might even be able to search out a "same as cash" offer for up to 24 months.

08' GL1800 Cobra XL
Eagle Man

[Rod69]

Traded my 2008 Dyna Lowrider in on a 2009 Red Hot Sunglow TriGlide. Wrote a check for the difference. Wife suggested that I make the trade.

[alwrmcusn]

When we paid off the bike we went to the ABNFCU to finance, good rate.

[spiritdream]

Bought my trike already converted at the factory - 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50 with Lehman Tramp kit. Financed through the dealership's relationship with a local credit union (Greylock Federal CU in Adams, MA), not knowing at the time that hubby had paid a little less than half the sales price with his credit card (I know, but he meant well! ).

All in all, about 1/2 credit card and 1/2 credit union loan. A year or two later I took a loan against my 401K and paid off both.

[KChopp]

I don't have a trike yet but I have one in my future. I now have a 2010 HD Streetglide that I can''t seem to keep off the ground. I'm fine on the road, and even on the twistys, but I have a heck of a time at gas stations and parking lots. (down 4 times)
Now the million dollar question! Do I convert it since it only has 8000 miles and LOTS of chrome extras, or trade it for a Triglide? I got a quote on the trade in thing and they want to screw me on the trade. I laughed when he told me the numbers, plus the $$$ of chrome extras would have to be bought again.
My other option has now become my plan. I talked to my Credit Union where I have the bike financed, and once mine is paid off or close to it (next year), I can borrow the money using the value of the Streetglide to secure the loan. Thats good because my budget is used to that payment already and they have given me a great interest rate.
They determine value by retail, which Harleys hold well, which is different than the dealership's ripoff trade in value. I'm planning ongoing with Hannigan for the conversion. Second choice would be CSC.
I love this site and the great advice you guys give here, thanks

I'm so excited!!!

[pops.anderson]

The '03 RK was paid off, CSC trike kit was $13,500 (kit, shipping, labor) plus $1,000 for the extras I wanted from the shop, so $14,500 total. Went to our bank (Bremer), got the loan for the full amount. They needed the title to the RK and my '05 Dodge truck to cover. Once it was triked, I brought in an estimate from the shop that did the work showing $28,000 value if they were to sell it and the trike so the bank officer could look at it and take pictures. They dropped the truck as collateral. Payments are $450 at 4.375%.
Blue book on the RK is $10,500 and on the CSC kit $17,000.

Talked to HD on trading for a TG before I triked the RK. They would give me $6,000 trade plus wanted another $6,500 cash on a '13 TG. Not a good deal.

Pops