The Difference between Buying and Leasing a Harley Davidson

Key Differences Between Buying and Leasing

Ownership

The primary difference between buying and leasing a Harley is the ownership. When you buy a Harley Davidson, you become the owner of it. You have the freedom to do whatever you like with it since it is yours for the keeping. Whether you sell it or rent it to someone in the future, there are no strings attached. On the other hand, when you apply for a lease, the acquired motorbike is not your property. You are basically renting it long-term from the motorcycle leasing company. You will not be allowed to sell or rent it because of a lack of ownership.

Monthly Payments

Another major difference between buying and leasing is that the latter entails monthly expenses. This is due to the agreement signed upon leasing a vehicle. Motorcycle lease prices are, however, approximately 30% lower than purchasing a car. Nevertheless, buying has its perks. When you buy a motorcycle, you have already paid the total cost price of it; hence there are no future payments to haunt you.

Upfront Costs

A significant difference in upfront payment between buying and leasing is also worth noticing. In comparison, the upfront cost before buying a motorcycle is typically 10% of the total price of the vehicle. On the other hand, a lease contract requires a much less upfront cost or even no cost at all. Considering all this, if you have a strict cash flow, a lease provides much better flexibility.

Duration of Ownership

It goes without saying that buying and leasing present a totally different scenario regarding ownership span. When you own a motorcycle, you get to keep it forever. In contrast, when you lease a road bike, you would only be allowed to keep it for a certain period. For instance, if your lease agreement allows you to keep the motorcycle for three years, you cannot extend that period unless you renew the contract.

Return or Sale

When you have bought a motorbike, you can do as you please with it. After all, it is yours. When you feel it is time to let it go, you can either use it as a trade-in or sell it on your own. If you have a motorcycle on a lease, getting rid of it is much easier. All you have to do is take it back to the dealership you got it from and hand over the keys. However, you will not be any richer.

Mileage

Before you go on and ask yourself the question, 'what is the best motorcycle lease near me,' you have to keep in mind that it comes with a mileage limit. Upon returning the vehicle at the end of the lease agreement, the mileage ought to be at or below the agreed-upon limit, or you'll be imposed an overage fine. Before buying or leasing a motorbike, this factor needs to be kept in mind. If your average commute falls under the limit of the lease contract, it is fine. However, buying could be ideal if you believe your commute could exceed the limit offered in the lease. Alternatively, you can also go for a lease that provides more mileage.

Maintenance

In most motorbike lease deals, the maintenance fee is somewhat covered by the lessor. However, if you consider yourself a rough rider, leasing might not be an option for you. Despite the coverage of the maintenance fee, if you do more damage than the maintenance service could cover, you will have to compensate the dealership. Motorcycle lease dealer typically tries to sell the vehicle after you return it back after a few touches. They will not spare you if you return their leased vehicle in a sorry state. Therefore, buying is a much better option. No one will hold you accountable whether you get your motorcycle destroyed in an accident or run it under a bulldozer. After all, you will be the owner.

Customization

When you lease a Harley or any other motorcycle, you must return it in exactly the same condition. Suppose you have made modifications to the motorbike after renting it. In that case, you have to undo everything before returning it to the shop. This could result in a significant loss considering the money you might have spent on those modifications. When you buy a motorbike, you are practically procuring the right to do whatever you want with it. All the distinctions mentioned above really make one think twice about either buying or leasing their potential motorcycle. To further aid in the decision-making, let us shed some light on the pros and cons of both.

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Pros and Cons of Buying

Pros

1. As discussed earlier, ownership is what gives buying an edge over leasing. While you get to keep the motorbike forever when you buy it, leasing a bike has a time period after which you have to return the vehicle back to the dealership.
2. With buying a motorbike, you have the freedom to customize it the way you like. Either get a paint job or upgrade its rims. No holds would be barred.
3. One of the best advantages of buying a Harley is that no periodical payments would entail your purchase. Once you have paid the vehicle's full price, you are free to enjoy it without worrying about any heavy future finances.

Cons

1. Having a new motorcycle to call your own sounds wonderful. However, the hidden maintenance costs could give you anxiety if you are not careful. This cost could significantly increase once the warranty ends.
2. A motorcycle is a depreciating asset. It means that with time its value would only go down. Even if you purchase a brand new bike, you will suffer a good amount of value loss even after a month. You would have to sell it for a much lower cost.
3. You might incur additional charges while purchasing a new motorcycle, courtesy of sales tax. So unless you have deep pockets, you could suffer a financial upheaval.

Pros and Cons of Leasing

Pros

1. The biggest flex of leasing is the low monthly payments you make while riding high-end motorbikes like Harley.
2. You are not stuck with a single brand and model of a vehicle for the rest of your life. You can switch to more desirable options once the lease ends.
3. The dealership usually covers your maintenance fee when you lease a motorbike. And since the vehicles generally remain under warranty throughout the lease period, the maintenance cost usually amounts to nothing.

Cons

1. One of the biggest downsides of leasing a motorcycle is that one is required to have a stable income. Since leasing entails monthly payments, steady cash flow is a prerequisite.
2. When leasing a motorcycle, there is a strict policy on mileage limit, which needs to be adhered to by the lessee. If the limit is exceeded during the lease period, the dealership could penalize you.
3. You have to return the leased vehicle in mint condition, or else the dealership may charge you for the damages. Also, you have to restore the asset to its former appearance. If you have had some modifications done, they will need to come off.

Whether you go for buying or leasing is entirely dependent on your financial situation as well as your lifestyle preferences. If you have money, you can opt for buying. On the contrary, leasing is also a great option if you feel paying low monthly payments is more affordable.

Buying or leasing a Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson is one of the most popular motorcycle manufacturer companies in the world. They offer great deals on both buying and leasing their renowned motorcycle models. With Harley Davidson lease specials, you can obtain motorcycles at affordable rates. Harley Davidson motorcycle dealers are found in almost every corner of the world, owing to its household name. Almost the company can be reached through the internet by Googling, 'lease a Harley near me.' The lease prices of Harley Davidson are some of the best too! The Harley Davidson private lease enables people from lower-income brackets to live out their fantasies of riding Harley Davidson road bikes. Lease Harley Davidson motorcycle and experience the luxury firsthand.

Final Thoughts

The best way to figure out whether to purchase or lease is to get opinions from people who have walked down that path. Keeping in mind the abovementioned factors, make a well-thought-out decision that you will not regret later. After all, it would be your hard-earned money that will be invested.

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