For one, try to use punctuation (like periods) in your posts. It makes it easier to read.
Secondly, they ARE a luxury item, but generally the insurance is CHEAPER if you shop around. I pay the same for full coverage, medical, AND total loss (in addition to liability) for my bikes as I do on just the liability portion of my cars.
Finally, don't get financing from the manufacturer (unless they are running a promotion). "It's a luxury item" or "You don't need it" has NOTHING to do with lending. Lenders don't weight the 'necessity' of the object. Lenders weigh your creditworthiness, debt-to-income ratio, and the value of the vehicle. (For example, most lenders will give you 80-90% of the book value of a vehicle, and require the rest of a down payment. So, on a bike that the book says is worth $10,000, that you buy for $10,000, the bank may ask for a $2,000 down payment before they'll give you a $10,000 check, effictively; they are lending you $8,000 for the bike.)
Manufacturer lending is one of the ways manufacturers make a little extra dough on new and used bikes. Instead, find a good credit union, check your own local bank, or find smaller banks.
I was able to go through my own bank, to them a bike or a car is the same thing. It's an auto loan. So, I got an auto loan, thanks to having good credit I got it at their lowest rate, AND because I tend to wait until I find a good deal and tend to shop for months, looking for bikes dealers are wanting to get sold, both bikes (mine and wifes) were bought for less than 80% of the book value (and the wifes was brand new! Model year leftover, was a 2011 bought in 2012), I ended up with no down payment. Local bank gave me a check, took it to the dealer, bada-bing bada-boom!
I made the mistake once of applying for manufacturer financing. I was offered 16% and got the "It's a luxury item" spiel. Same guy, same credit, got under 5% at a local bank for a used bike, and an even lower rate for my wifes brand-new bike (Typically, banks do have higher rates for used vehicles).
Some areas will assess higher property tax on motorcycles, ATVs, boats, etc. Nothing you can do about that! But there's absolutely no reason to pay more to finance a bike than you would a car. Shop around.
It's only 'harder' because there are lots of no-credit no-money-down car places that do their own financing. They charge insanely high interest rates, and overprice the vehicle; praying on bad credit or no credit families who need a car. There aren't really any business doing that. But when it comes to going through a bank or credit union, financing a bike isn't any different than financing a car. And if the lender says it is, shop around for someone who says it isn't (or at least offers the same rates)
-John
