Won Me

Have you ever thought of looking at repo motorcycles to buy as an alternative to the normal new or used option? If you haven’t, then take my advice and check out the idea. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised with what you will find.

Not only are there repo motorcycles but also boats, cars, trucks, campers and more that can be found at auction houses around the country. These bikes and autos have usually been repossessed because people have not been able to repay their loans for what ever reason. Because of this the finance companies repossess the vehicles and then use auction houses to sell them to the highest bidder.

Often you will find these repo motorcycles, boats, cars and so on still in excellent condition when being sold at these auctions. This in itself gives you the perfect opportunity to purchase not only something at a cheaper cost but also something in good order as well.

The down side of this is that because they are sold at auction you wont have the opportunity to test drive these machines or take them to get checked out. But my suggestion is to have somebody with you who is knowledgable enough to go over it there and then to at least give it a quick check over.

You should always do your homework first before bidding on any thing so you know what is worth what. Other wise how do you know if you are getting a true bargain. Once you have done that and you are sure that you want what ever item it is being auctioned then all you have to do is bid. On most occassions you will end up with a fantastic bargain. Remember these finance companies just want their money back and are not there to make a killing.

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of
http://www.bank-repo.ez-online-shop.com Visit her site to find repo vehicles of all types at huge discounts.

Buying new Dirt Bikes can be expensive. A new 4500cc Dirt Bike, for instance, can cost you as much as $8000. So if you still want to enjoy the excitement of riding an off-road motorcycle without spending too much, the best option is to go for a Used Dirt Bike.

Find out the model you need before making any decision. Remember that each model has different engine-power, design and built. Browse through old editions of Dirt Bike magazines or the Internet and find out the features that you’re looking for, and any maintenance and reliability issues associated with a particular model.

Once you’ve decided what Dirt Bike model you want to buy, know that private Dirt Bike sellers offer much cheaper bargains than established dealers if you’re planning to buy one on a tight budget. Look out for their Ads on the classified pages of your local paper or magazines.

Do not be fooled by the overall appearance because the seller would have obviously refurbished the paintwork and other minor parts. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Bike is in good condition. Inspect closely and ask a couple of questions regarding maintenance, number of previous owners, year of manufacture etc. You would not want to buy a Dirt Bike that has been overused or abused, even if it’s darn cheap.

Since these motorcycles are generally used for rough terrain, stunts and other extreme competitions, it is probable that some of the older ones will have cracks and dents near the engine mounts or loose bearings. If you don’t know how to identify these flaws, take along a friend who’s experienced with motorcycle parts.

Lastly, if you find that the condition of the Dirt Bike agrees with the price, ask the seller to take it for a test ride. If the answer is no, then there’s probably something wrong with the Bike. Your best option here is to find another seller immediately.

Dirt Bikes provides detailed information about dirt bikes, dirt bike parts and more. Dirt Bikes is affiliated with Maui Snorkeling.

It is common knowledge that motorcycle lenders base high importance on your FICO credit scores when approving motorcycle loans. However, what many people overlook is that their FICO credit score can highly impact the term on their motorcycle loan along with the interest rate that is assigned to the motorcycle loan.

In order to gain better motorcycle loan rates it is important that you think of your FICO credit score as a picture of how risky you are to the lender. Your FICO score is essentially a benchmark which lenders use to grade you and assign a risk to you when applying for a motorcycle loan. Since factors about your credit change on a daily basis so can your FICO credit score.

The below 5 steps are designed to help ensure you improve your creditworthiness as your credit score changes. Ultimately these steps should help you obtain better motorcycle loan rates in the future.

Watch Your Debt- Keep your account balances below 30% of your available credit limit. This is especially true with your credit card because many motorcycle lenders see credit card debt as more risky. If you have a credit card with a $5,000 limit, you should try to keep the balance owed below $1500 when you apply for a motorcycle loan.

Make Your Payment On-time - Paying your current credit bills on-time is one of the biggest factors that contributes to a higher FICO score. Typically when motorcycle lenders see potential customers that do not pay their bills on-time then they either decline them or issue a motorcycle loan at a much higher interest rate. Late payments, collections and bankruptcies have the greatest negative effect on your credit score and how lenders rate you when getting a motorcycle loan.

Establish Credit Early - Time is very important part of improving your FICO score. Therefore, it is recommended that you start building credit early. Getting one or two credit cards can significantly help build credit. However, the key to this strategy is keeping your purchases small and frequent and paying off the balance every month on time. When establishing credit you should also keep the oldest account on your credit report open in order to lengthen your period of active credit use. The length of your credit history can make a big difference in getting approved for a motorcycle loan.

Avoid Excessive Credit Inquiries - A credit inquiry normally happens when you apply for credit. If you have a large number of credit inquiries in a short time period many motorcycle lenders see this as a negative since it affects your FICO score. Therefore, when you are applying for credit or shopping for motorcycle loans be careful how many times your credit is accessed. Be advised that sometimes motorcycle dealerships will pre-screen you by asking you for your driver licenses and social security number. Normally this results in a credit inquiry on your credit report. Be prudent in shopping for credit and motorcycle loans.

Check Your Credit Regularly - In today’s age it is easy to get online to check your credit. Checking your free credit report regularly is very important because it can help you uncover inaccuracies that are affecting your FICO credit score. Don’t let your credit health suffer due to inaccurate information. If you find an inaccuracy on your credit report contact the creditor associated with the account or the credit reporting agencies to correct it immediately.

Copyright (c) 2005, by Jay Fran This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, author’s information and the following active live link with anchored text is published with the article:

Motorcycle Loans -Bankruptcy Motorcycle Financing - Used Motorcycle Loans

About The Author:

Jay Fran is a successful author at http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com - A comprehensive resource to compare low interest rate motorcycle financing, military motorcycle loans, after bankruptcy motorcycle loans and new & used online motorcycle buying tips for Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and more.

The thought of an African safari will probably stir up the emotions of joys and the location of Africa. African safaris have been well accepted in Zambia for years and have become beloved with the Scottish holiday tourists due to the sensational weather and the wonderful wildlife that may be explored.

The very best time to visit Zambia for a magnificent safari is around March as the weather is unbelievable. The number of English tourists who travel over to Africa for a safari has increased in the last seven years due to the strong pound and also due to the increased attention of South Africa. Try Africa safari holidays from Kaingo and explore your wild side.

The wildlife that you can often notice is extensive, you might see cheetahs and eagles all up close. Africa is ideal for those who want to come and explore the animals and also wish for a romantic holiday. The safaris are not too strenuous that you couldn’t go back to your excellent hotel in the evening for a romantic evening. That is why safaris in Zambia should be perfect for a honeymoon. Zambia has some of the very best privately owned houses and safaris in the country and should be experienced by everybody at least once.

Past life regression might often uncover the reasons why we have problems with friends in our current lifetime or why we are worried of certain situations. You have fellow workers around you in your current life that you should have remarkably met with before, just imagine being capable to learn what happened and what your relationship was to them at that past time and lift blocks that plague you in your current time and even ascertain talents and bring them into your current time. Past life regression, also known as PLR, is incredible.

When you are having a past life regression, aka PLR, session you would go back to the life you should most need to know about in your current lifetime. This is incredible and will spell out a great deal about your present life and help you to go forward with your life with a greater understanding of yourself, your life and the family around you. Discover Past Life Regression with Anne Jirsch.

You might often also unearth why you are the person that you are, now that is incredible. If you rejoice in nature perhaps you were once working as a farmer, if you adore to travel maybe you were a gypsy. Instead of minimising our strengths we embrace them.

Every experience is tremendous and unique. Other participants have visited places they?d lived in before and knew where to go.

When you leave employment you don’t have to pull out your pension fund at that moment. As an option, you could well come to a decision to suspend procuring a retirement income until the ripe old age of 75 and if you do so you can find you will get a healthier package. It is referred to as income draw down.

When you are somewhere aged between 50 & seventy five you are entitled to put off the purchase of your retirement fund from an insurance company. Instead, you are able to take away up to 120% of the retirement fund that could have been originally bought by means of the Government Actuary rates, leaving the remaining resources safe until you want it. On your part, all you have to do is to ensure that you purchase an annuity by the time you are seventy-five years old. For more information to do with Income Drawdown, visit the First Place Financial website today!

Crucially, what would come about if you were to take the income drawdown choice, and then passed on? If this did happen then your current next of kin or those responsible would then get three options: either accept a lump sum, take away tax at 35%, or continue with income withdrawal, or paying for an annuity pension with the financial resources. Your present significant other has until they reach 60 to suspend the purchase of an annuity, although no financial benefits are allowed to be given in the period-in-between.

Why get income drawdown? Well chiefly because it can mean you will earn a more valuable wage from your existing pension by doing so. Secondly, you are able to pick exactly when you want to purchase the pension annuity, hence if you stop working at a point when the annuity rates are very low, waiting mat possibly be a clever decision. If the remaining shares increase as hoped for, then simultaneously with the fact that the annuity rates improve with age, you might in the end be able to obtain a healthier pension than you would have acquired originally.

It also means that when you depart this life your partner or those legally responsible are supported economically, because they are officially entitled to the residual funds, as highlighted before.

Like all financial investments, there are perils as a consequence though. If venture performance on the remaining shares is bad, the extent of retirement income payable could lower. And it is essential to be aware that there is no promise that the pension procured will finally be higher than the whole figure that could have been got at the outset.

In his book, “Super Prospecting: Special Offers and Quick-start Systems”, Tom “Big Al” Schreiter tells the story of an old lumberjack who observed a young lumberjack laboring to chop down a tree. After watching the youngster work himself to nearly exhaustion without accomplishing much, the old man said, “Looks to me like it’d be easier if you sharpened the axe.”

To which the younger man replied before returning to his attack on the tree, “I don’t have time to sharpen the axe, I have to get this tree cut down.”

Now, it seems obvious to most of us that a sharp axe would probably make the work go faster and easier. The young lumberjack would be able to cut down more trees with less work just by taking a few minutes to sharpen his axe. Prepare his tools. Learn his trade, you might say!

You know, it’s funny. Most of us have no problem seeing the point of that story, but everyday, people sign up for network marketing programs and then start hacking away with very blunt axes! Most of these folks have no idea of what network marketing is, how to go about it, or how to measure success.

I recently received an email from a gentleman interested in getting into network marketing. He asked some very insightful questions, but one demonstrated his misunderstanding of most genuine network marketing programs.

He asked, if I remember correctly, how long it would take to make a significant income from a certain network marketing program, and seemed to indicate that he would expect a sucessful program to generate an income of about $48,000 or more within a relatively short period of time. Otherwise, he would consider it a scam.

Well, honestly, I guess my two friends who I often hold up as examples somehow missed that point. It took each of them about three years in perfectly legitimate programs to begin making money anything like what my correspondent expected. At that point, by the way, their incomes began to grow exponentially until they were taking home over $100,000.00 a month. We’ll say nothing about countless Avon ladies who are network marketers and whose income from network marketing is less than $20,000.00 a year, who consider themselves successfully affiliated with an honest company.

Or, I guess I should be concerned about my affiliation with a nationally recognized company (you’ve probably seen their commercials on prime time). The first year, I only made a few hundred dollars. The second year a few thousand. I’m in my fifth year with them, and I am now making the magical number…a six figure income from that program alone. I presently have over 200 fully satisfied customers and tons of repeat business. Not what I would call a scam!

I don’t mean to insult the gentleman who sent me the question. His questions were valid, and I understand his concerns and applaud his attempt to gain some insight into network marketing. However, it appears his understanding of network marketing is limited to a desire to find a program that will in some way do the work for him…make income for him. Unfortunately, network marketing is a business…albeit a special kind of business…and it works best when worked certain ways. Many successful network marketers have written many excellent books and articles on the subject, and there are marketing and internet marketing training programs available for those who wish to learn. Some colleges are even offering courses and classes on network marketing and internet marketing.

People going into network marketing should be doing more than simply listening to the person who recruits them and scanning the company literature. If they were hired to do any job they had never done before, no matter how menial, they would recognize the need to familiarize themselves with the business and how it is conducted. Especially if they intended to rise in the business and succeed.

A few books the beginning network marketer might want to read are:

• Super Prospecting: Special Offers & Quick-Start Systems by Tom “Big Al” Schreiter
• Your First Year In Network Marketing by Mark and Rene Yarnell
• The Wave 4 Way To Building Your Downline by Richard Poe (and several others)
• The Greatest Networker In The World by John Milton Fogg
• Off-The-Wall Marketing Ideas by Nancy Michaels and Debbi J. Karpowicz

These tend to be a little old but can probably be found thru Amazon.com, and they are excellent education for the beginning network marketer.

The person who fails to educate himself or herself about network marketing in general and their chosen business in particular, has chosen to fail. Like the young lumberjack, they will flail at the tree until their strength or motivation fails them, and then they will wander into the forest…perhaps complaining loudly about trees, axes, lumberjacks…anything but themselves. They will not know why they failed, how they could have succeeded, or how to measure success.

Their axes will be dull, indeed.

The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He has been an active internet marketer since 2000, and now makes his living online. To learn more about network marketing, please visit http://networkmarketingsecrets.net. To read more articles by the author, please visit his blog at http://donovanbaldwin.blogspot.com/.

I recently attended a workshop with author and speaker Bob Burg (Endless Referrals) who talked about some of the most common mistakes people make in networking. Things like shoving business cards at someone and telling them you’re the best realtor, life insurance salesperson or you have the best “whatchamacallit” in the biz are sure fire ways to turn off a prospect. His sage advice and system for networking revolves around a very simple but powerful principle: get over yourself and focus on the client or prospect. But do it in a way that is non-intrusive and sincerely interested in the other person.

His message made me acutely aware of a pattern I see repeatedly in both business and social situations. The perpetrators likely don’t even realize their behavior is potentially damaging to their credibility, and even more to their likeability.

Here’s the pattern that pops up time and again: Someone approaches me (or anyone else for that matter) and immediately begins telling their story, talking about their activities, their latest personal breakthrough or whatever. Meanwhile the person who has inadvertently become the listener is subjected to a monologue they may have little or no interest in. Talk about a turn-off!

One of the hallmarks of emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor your own emotional states and behaviors, notice others’ state and behavior, and adjust accordingly to produce a win-win relationship or result. Here are some tips for improving your social savvy:

1) Remind yourself that others really don’t care about you and your story. Remember, everyone has their personal antennae tuned to radio station WII-FM…What’s In It For Me?

2) Get into the habit of taking a sincere interest in others before expecting them to be interested in you. Use simple bridge statements to connect with the person you’re speaking to. Examples include simple but sincere compliments such as “You look great today!” or, a sincerely interested, “How has your week been?” These kinds of comments and questions signal to others that you’re interested in them.

3) Use Bob Burg’s feel-good questions when networking: “Tell me how you got into XYZ business.” “What is the most challenging aspect of your business?” And finally, “How can I know if someone I meet is a good candidate for your product or service?” For Bob’s complete list, refer to his book Endless Referrals, or visit his website at www.bobburg.com.

4) Pay attention to non-verbal cues others are sending. If you notice someone looking at their watch when you’re talking, it’s a clue. Are they looking away? Another clue. Are they turning their body away slightly, as if in an effort to close you out? Take the hint! If you can see that someone is involved in a focused conversation with another, politely excuse yourself or simply mention that you’d like to connect when the person you want to speak to is free. But don’t just stand there as if eavesdropping or waiting your turn to talk.

5) Become a student of the fine art of conversation. My friend, fellow coach and speaker Loren Ekroth is an expert in conversational savvy and writes about it weekly in his ezine “Conversation Matters.” I always learn something from reading his weekly messages. To subscribe, go to www.conversation-matters.com.

I challenge you to monitor your behavior in social situations. If you’ll practice putting others needs ahead of your own, you’ll find people naturally gravitating toward you. If you find it difficult to make connections, take an honest look at your behavior. Are you hogging conversations? Boring others with your personal stories? Failing to take a sincere interest in others? Or intruding on others’ conversations either verbally or non-verbally?

Remember the old adage, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Starting today, put this rule into practice and watch what happens.

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987. She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach.

It’s something most of us do often. We shake hands. We shake hands with long-time friends, with old acquaintances and with brand-new people. Shaking hands here and shaking hands there.

I took a class in college where they taught us how to shake hands. I remember thinking at the time - more than 20 years ago - that everyone should know how shakes hands effectively. Then, as I reflected, I realized that I had shaken more than a few hands that needed those lessons. I thought then, and agree now that my Dad taught me the basics and importance of good handshakes.

In much of the world, the handshake is a part of the first impression that we make. People think about first impressions from a grooming and dress standpoint, in business situations they practice what they might say, and they often read books to learn what kinds of questions to ask to remain authentic and create a positive first impression.

And while all of that is important, it is the handshake, often overlooked and forgotten, that is the first physical information others receive about us at the early part of a relationship.

In other words, handshakes matter.

And a strong one can make a big difference.

An American colleague who has now been living and teaching in Japan for some time must agree, because she emailed me and part of the email reads:

Next week is the beginning of the school year - and I really want to get my new students off to the best possible start. Would you be willing to share your thoughts on how to give a really great handshake? I have been away from the U.S. for so long, and have few opportunities to practice (though my bowing has gotten really good :))

Here are the secrets to great handshakes, assembled to respond to her earnest request.

1. Start with eye contact and a smile. A great handshake isn’t just about a physical gesture, it is about connecting with the other person. It is a physical greeting and you want to convey your pleasure in greeting the other person. The best way to do that is with your face and your eyes.

2. Go for the thumb. Keep your hand open and make sure your handshake will be a hand shake, not a finger or palm shake. This means getting the joint of your thumb (the lower joint - the tissue between your thumb to your forefinger) nestled into the joint of their thumb. This allows you to truly have a full handshake.

3. Firm, not strong. A good handshake is firm but not overpowering. It isn’t the precursor to a wrestling match, and it doesn’t feel like a dead fish. Do you wanted to be handed or greeted with a dead fish? I doubt it! Always make your grip firm, but make adjustments based on the firmness of the other person’s grip.

4. Up and down, not back and forth. A good handshake has a nice up and down motion, not a back and forth one, as if you were jointly trying to saw some wood. Again, adjust the motion to what seems natural and comfortable to the other person.

5. Adjust duration. Some people prefer a long handshake, others prefer them much shorter. Observe the other person and adjust the duration to the situation, how well you know the person, and what seems comfortable to them.

6. Consider your left hand. While it may not be appropriate in some cultures, I often use my other hand to grasp the other side of the person’s hand or to touch their arm. This gesture makes the handshake warmer and more personal. When I am trying to convey those feelings I include my left hand as well. You might consider doing that too.

7. Close with eye contact and a smile. If the smile and eye contact hasn’t continued throughout the handshake, finish it out that way.

After re-reading and thinking about these secrets several times, I realized that the deeper key to handshakes (as with many things in life) is intention. Keep your focus on the other person, and you will naturally do many of the things on the list. You will make the handshake a natural part of your connection process. You will make eye contact. You will smile. You will connect. You naturally adjust your grip, etc. You will focus on the other person.

As a leader or a person responsible for interacting with Customers in any way, the value of this skill is obvious. The fact is though that having a great handshake is a life skill we should all cultivate. It matters to us in creating first impressions and in building relationships.

Thanks to my Dad for teaching me and thanks to Teresa for asking me the question.

Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.