Need some help! student / bike / loans

[Cam]

This month marks a year I have been without my firebird. This time last year I got a pretty large speeding ticket and had to sell the car. Got a ford explorer and haven't had a ticket since. Anyway I went to college and parents are selling the explorer. Until very recently I have had a sport taking up 30-40+ hours of my time so now I can get a job and have time for some hobbies again. With that explained I'm very torn about what to buy and how to buy it.

My parents are completely against getting a car/job and they just want me to focus on school and stay out of trouble. Help from them is out of the question, in fact I'm not planning on telling them any of this.

I do not exactly know where to start with all this. I'm torn between getting a used ls1, another indestructible v6 bird or a gsxr600. Right now I'm leaning toward the bike because its cheaper, insurance isn't so terrible and gas is cheap. Not to mention its fast as hell. I figure the time will come when I graduate get a good job and can afford a nice ls1 and have money to mod it the way I want to.

So, if I decide to go with the bike I plan to spend around 6-7k playing it safe.

First I must admit that I have never driven a bike so this may not be the best option for me. I'm hesitant to buy something and not even have any idea how to drive it, however, there is not a doubt in my mind if I go with anything less then a 600 I will be wanting a new bike within the month. I tend to catch on quick, but I don't have any friends with bikes or have any idea where I could learn to ride one.

Are there student loans for motorcycles/auto's that you don't have to pay back until college is over? Can I just ride it for a year or so, sell it and pay off the loan?

Basically I'm not sure how to go about doing all of this, getting the loans and figuring everything out. I really don't even know who to talk to about all this. I just don't want to get myself into something thats going to be hard to get out of.

Sorry, its late and that was a really long post but any advice is welcome.

-Cameron

[Vanquish]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Don't get the bike. Granted, the "Jigster" is an awesomely fast bike, but you said it yourself, "You don't know how to ride one, and have no friends that ride to teach you" It is not worth your life to learn how to ride on your own and besides, you have to know someone that has a motorcycle licsense so that they can sponsor you when you go to the DMV to get yours.

Get a car they are safe, reliable, and you can drive them in the rain.

My dad road Harley's all his life and was in 13 accidents, 3 of them put him in coma's that lasted over a month each time. And the 13th one took his life.

He and all his other biker friends I knew had one saying in common and that was, "There are two types of rider's. One that has crashed, and one that hasn't crashed YET"

It's undeniable, if you get a bike you will eventually lay it down or even worse, a car will pull out in front of you and you will go over the handle bars and take flight.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Best advice I can give someone who's never really been around bikes, stay off one. There just comes a point in a persons life when basic common sense about ones safety overcomes the positive financial benefits like gas mileage and insurance. Motorcycles are something you need to become VERY familiar with at a distance before you hop on one. They aren't cars, as in a motorcycle is not considered a daily driven machine, regardless where you live. Can't travel on them well, cant move things with them, all you can do is ride them, and hope it doesn't rain. Motorcycles are nothing more than toys, which right now you can't really afford to have a toy, you need something dependable in all conditions.

[V6Bob]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

I'll add my voice to the "don't get a bike" crowd. Another reason to add to the list:

"there is not a doubt in my mind if I go with anything less then a 600 I will be wanting a new bike within the month"

A sport 600 is a terrible first bike. Not only is it much faster than anything you've driven, it has lightning quick reflexes and extreme sensitivity to control inputs. As a beginner you'll make some bad inputs, and it's nice if the bike gives you some time to correct them. The GSXR doesn't, it just does (or tries to do) what you tell it to do real fast.

And it's terrible as practical transportation. Really dangerous in bad weather, poor weather protection, little carrying capacity. There is such a thing as a practical bike for transportation, that's not it.

I'm hardly a "bikes are evil" guy. I own six motorcycles, have many years of riding experience, and didn't have a car of my own until I was 27. From 22-27, a bike was my only transportation (I rode in serious winter). I've BTDT, and got the t-shirt. :-)

[StrtRacer98]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

I would say get the bike normally, but if you get a job.. you need to be reliable, and you live in kansas.

Kansas isnt a 365 days a year kinda bike riding state... so your best bet would be to get a car.. and if your looking for fuel economy, your right a bike is the best way to save on gas, and have a ton of fun. but those rainy and snowy, and blistering cold days you'd be focked.

Id say go with a non v8 car... whether it be an F-body or not.


and Gixxers are so overrated.. everyone has Gsx-r 600's.
They are fast, but dont last long.

[Cam]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Alright, thanks. I understand that is probably not my best bet then. Any idea on who to talk about for getting loans, or hopefully student loans to buy a car and how all that works. I don't want these people to not tell me something then have them **** me later.

[Fbody3400]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Did anybody say don't take out a student loan to buy **** you want? Cause don't do that! Its not a good idea to do such.

Gixxers are the sex, but life is the sex also.

[Cam]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

I am pretty sure there are specific loans FOR STUDENTS buying a car. Its something that I NEED to get around, especially next semester when I have a job.

But whoes to say I cant get something that will be fun too. :)

[Fbody3400]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Why take out a student loan? Why not get a regular loan?

[Cam]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Well student loans you dont have to start paying off until you graduate.

With my major I do not expect much trouble paying off an old car loan after college.

[kala]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

With my major I do not expect much trouble paying off an old car loan after college.

that leads to my question, what's your major? ............... you have your whole life to ride in fast things...........right now your major goal is to finish college and get a job.............. anyway bike is too dangerous just get a a car ..................... whats the point of getting cheaper insurance or gas expance with bike while you are paralyzed in a wheelchair ............... another vote for don't get bike...............




:)

[Cam]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

planning on: major mechan eng. minor buis/finance <-(havent taken any of these classes yet)

I understand a bike is probably not my best option, See last posts.

I'm getting a job next semester and right now I'm trying to figure out how I go about financing or getting a loan for a car to get me to and from that job. Which is what im asking for help for now.

[Xian]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

How do you get to and from school/classes now? Even if you're away from home living on campus, maybe you can get a job working at school or just off campus part time to make some money and save up.

Yes, I said save up: I would NOT go for any kind of loan. Even if you aren't already racking up debt with a standard student loan to pay for your schooling, you don't want to add to the burden you'll have to face upon graduation. As much money as you may THINK you'll be making with a degree, trust me: you won't. Very few people are actually lucky enough to make even a halfway decent salary straight out of school. Once you're out there in the "real world" working your behind off to make a living, you're going to regret having to spend your hard-earned wages on PAST purchases.

What you need now is simple transportation. It's called a "beater car" - dirt cheap, old-as-the-hills. Something you can buy with money saved up from that part time job on or near campus that you walk to at first. The kind advertised in the local newspaper as "it runs".

Call it a rite of passage: every red-blooded American male has had at least one in their lifetime. I was just lucky that one of mine was a 7 year old base-model V-6 Camaro - I drove it for a year before my younger sister totalled it.

..and P.S. - Yes a bike is not a good idea except as a second vehicle. I got a Yamaha 750 myself during my senior year of college and kept it for 2 years before I had to trade it in along with the beater car of the time when the beater died on me. Taught myself to ride without any problems, but it was a big touring bike - not very squirrelly.

[black98V6]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

sounds to me like you are in the situation where you need a car to get a job and to have a car you have to have a job. Personally I would tell you don't get either. you haven't even started your engineering classes yet and your major is subject to change.
if you can go to school and live somewhat decently without a car or a job do that. You will be much happier. When you are in school is not the time to worry about having a little extra spending cash or a car note. work your but off in school if you have the luxury of going without NEEDING a job just work harder take more classes and get out faster.
Trust me on this once you get out you can have LOTS of fun and not owe anyone any money. It's a much BETTER life if you don't owe tons of money.

No one is going to give you a loan on a car and not expect some payment because that car is going to depreciate while you are in school.

Don't worry about the car, don't worry about the job. Go to school get good grades get out and you'll be much happier.

Yeah i got a bike and yeah I love it but it's NOT a good idea at all to have that as your only mode of transporation, especially if you are just getting started in school.

[jollymon]

Re: Need some help! student / bike / loans

Sling your bling on another v6 bird. The college things hard man, be careful. I thought I was just getting a job for some extra money. Next thing I know Its 6 years later, I am attending college again on my own dime, and I am older (but the girls still dig ;)