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Whether interest rates are high or low or its 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 todays 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.

House insurance is among the most important insurances you can get and in the case of buildings insurance, most mortgage lenders make it compulsory. This is because your home is your biggest asset and if you lose it because of fire, flood or another disaster and you have a mortgage outstanding on it, there may be nothing tangible to repay back your mortgage with.

There are two types of household insurance buildings and contents. These can also be purchased as individual plans or combined. If you buy the insurance combined (ie from one insurer) they you tend to get an overall discount.

Buildings insurance gives your property (and its fixtures and fittings which are permanent fixtures such as fitted kitchen or built in wardrobes) financial protection in the event of damage. Unless your mortgage provider insists you have cover, this insurance is still strongly recommended as it protects probably your most major asset.

Contents insurance while not compulsory is just as important as buildings cover. Again, it offers protection against fire, damage, loss etc. and will cover most of your possessions in the home from baby clothes to DVDs to audio equipment to valuables (up to a set limit which your insurer will define).

If you have something particularly valuable (such as an expensive watch) or something you take outside the home and that is more liable to damage or theft (eg a bicycle or a laptop) contact your insurer to see if you need to upgrade your policy. This should only mean a small increase in your house insurance premium and will give you the peace of mind that the item is covered.

As with all insurance products, when looking for house insurance, do shop around for the most competitive premium. Online insurance brokers, where you enter your details and requirements just once and the search engines goes off and finds the best deals for you, are free and easy to use and give you a good idea as to how much you should be paying.

As with all product comparisons, when it comes to house insurance, do compare premiums on a like for like basis to ensure you get the level of over you need.