The situation has changed quickly and dramatically.

Too bad mama says NO to kid on a bike.

You and the wife need to work together on this. Get a nightshift job stocking shelves or working at a UPS distribution center.

In reply to OHSCrifle:

For reals

As a youngster I had to trade my bike off for a pickup when kids came along. I often know what has to be done but lack testicular fortitude. Detail the bike and put your salesman hat on. With all due respect you will have to fight your way out of this corner.

Sounds exactly like the role of the state vehicle of Texas, The Suburban. Go grab an early 2000's one for 5-7K and put another 100K miles on it.

As for the Motorcycle for a kid. I was riding on the back with my dad at 8 and riding my own at 13. Not a damn thing wrong with it as long as you give them the proper gear.

I've been here before. Selling the bike while you still can is a great idea. If you can handle this without dinging your credit, recovery will be far better.

If I were in your shoes, I'd focus on getting that is super cheap by virtue of being unloved. For me, that was a 1987 Toyota Van that I bought from the Goodwill store for approximately the cost of one payment on the car I got rid of. If you can get something outright, or something you can buy on a signature loan and pay off in six months, you can then enjoy $200 of breathing room in your budget. Having a savings, rainy day fund, a family vacation, or family night out can be better than having a nicer car. Alternately, the $200 can then go into your next toy, two wheels or four.

Good luck with all of this.

Ranger is cheap, light, rwd, somewhat efficient, versatile, and hoonable. Worth considering.

bluej wrote: Ranger is cheap, light, rwd, somewhat efficient, versatile, and hoonable. Worth considering.

All true, but it's still not a Chevy. Get an S-10.

You guys all suck. The kid would be fine on the back of the bike so we all know this is really a "Mommy wants the bike gone" thread.

This is the same story as told by:

"How I sold my _____ and got a minivan" --Every Bob Costas Ever.

Wally is giving good advice. Price it right. Ride it until it sells for double it's value.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Wally is giving good advice.

Quoted because I've never seen or heard that phrase before and may never again.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: You guys all suck. The kid would be fine on the back of the bike so we all know this is really a "Mommy wants the bike gone" thread. This is the same story as told by: "How I sold my _____ and got a minivan" --Every Bob Costas Ever. Wally is giving good advice. Price it right. Ride it until it sells for double it's value.

She really doesn't want the bike gone. She wants me to have something that I can pick the boy up with if I need to. Unfortunately, the only way that will happen is to sell the bike. She has said that I will absolutely not put him on the back of the bike, which is the easiest solution, although I would have to spend some money. I would have to buy the passenger footpeg mounts and pegs and an appropriate seat along with getting him some gear.

She said let's hold off on making any decisions until she gets a feel for her new schedule so I've got some time.

I hear an ad on the radio for the Mitsubishi dealer in Myrtle Beach where you buy one mirage and get a second one for a dollar.

How far do you need to be able to take the boy? Could you get by with a bike trailer and a bicycle? Lots of places that wouldn't be a good idea, but it would work some places.

In reply to T.J.:

Don't team up with Tommy, he doesn't need the encouragement.

In reply to T.J.:

If they give you a third Mirage for $.50 I'm in.

Can you get a sidecar for the boy?

In reply to Wally:

Sidecars are very expensive.

Huh. I thought my personal service loan and miata idea was the winner..

In reply to WonkoTheSane:

It may be. I know beans about a personal service loan so I need to do some research. However, everything is predicated on selling the bike. If that doesn't happen nothing happens.

Nick_Comstock wrote: In reply to WonkoTheSane: It may be. I know beans about a personal service loan so I need to do some research. However, everything is predicated on selling the bike. If that doesn't happen nothing happens.

Yep, it's all hinged on selling the bike..

A personal service loan just means an unsecured loan: I.e., they hand over cash for you to spend as you wish. It's going to have a higher interest rate than a normal secured loan (like a car loan) because they don't have anything (like a car) against it for collateral.

The bad side is a higher interest rate, the good side is that you can get one for a few grand, and they don't care that you spent it on a 20 year old miata that looks a bit crusty but is mechanically solid.

Nick-Sell the bike, get a cheap running car that you can either keep going or can fix for cheap, pocket the $200 a month car payment, and then get a V-strom in a year or so.

You don't even want THAT Harley anymore. You want a bike but not that one. Sell it and move on. Even if you have to eat the difference, at least it will be gone and you can move on and later get what you want.

If they are both financed I suggest selling her car and the HD and get to cheap cars and move on. I'm not sure what she drives, but hopefully you aren't upside down on that too.

octavious wrote: If they are both financed I suggest selling her card and the HD and get to cheap cars and move on. I'm not sure what she drives, but hopefully you aren't upside down on that too.

This guy got it.

Stop pretending that you are not poor.

Read my Accord build thread on how to still have fun with a $1000 soul sucking FWD econobox, because I'm poor too.

This situation just confuses me--how is it even a situation?

If this is me, I'm selling the bike. I'm buying a street-legal dirt bike, or similar, for $750. I'm buying either a safe and reliable, but fun beater (lightweight, stickshift, new shocks--Focus, Corolla, Civic, lots of stuff to fit this bill) for $3,000 or less. Bonus points for a Miata.

Now instead of having a $7,500 loan, you have a $4,000 loan. Go to credit unions and find someone to finance it. Hopefully your credit is good enough. If not, start saving and find a second job.

If that doesn't work, then sell the bike, go get a Mitsu/Kia, and buy the $750 dirt bike or a $1,500 Miata when you have that much saved up.

Oh, and start looking for a nighttime/weekend side-gig. You need it if you want to keep up your hobby.

tuna55 wrote:

octavious wrote: If they are both financed I suggest selling her card and the HD and get to cheap cars and move on. I'm not sure what she drives, but hopefully you aren't upside down on that too.

This guy got it. Stop pretending that you are not poor. Read my Accord build thread on how to still have fun with a $1000 soul sucking FWD econobox, because I'm poor too.

truth! a DD doesnt have to be a super awesome fun car, mildly entertaining is enough especially when its mostly for kid hauling. I got my volov 850 turbo wagon for $1000 and needed $500 in parts to make completely reliable. Even then I have been driving the car since January and the $500 of parts is still sitting in my garage. its practical, plenty of room for people and cargo and with 220 hp on tap it still puts a smile on my face when the boost gauge climbs.

there are fun, cheap, and practical cars out there, you just have to find them

tuna55 wrote:

octavious wrote: If they are both financed I suggest selling her card and the HD and get to cheap cars and move on. I'm not sure what she drives, but hopefully you aren't upside down on that too.

This guy got it. Stop pretending that you are not poor. Read my Accord build thread on how to still have fun with a $1000 soul sucking FWD econobox, because I'm poor too.

Well now that someone else has said it...yeah, you're pretending that you're not poor, but you are. This is a very dangerous thing to do, I can tell you from experience. 2-3 years ago I thought "I can fix up this old car like any hard-working adult in a skilled job who's been saving up to do so for the better part of a decade should be able to" and then BAM, suddenly I was flat on my ass, where I remain to this day. And I don't even have a family to support.

This is also why I shudder when I hear Scotiabank's slogan "you're richer than you think."