Better roadside assistance

[Handy]

I broke down recently and contacted my roadside assistance. I was told my coverage is good for 15 miles or the nearest repair facility. I was in the middle of no where in Idaho and they said the nearest repair facility was Carey, about twenty miles away. A couple problems with that, there is no way that there is a BMW motorcycle repair shop in that tiny town and I have no desire to bring my bike to a shop anyways. I ended up calling my dad to come get me with a trailer.

My question is this: Does anybody know of a roadside assistance service that will just bring your bike home for you?

[rdwalker]

MedJet Assist will recover your bike (in North America only) if you are become incapacitated. Not exactly the same as when your bike breaks down, but just another tidbit to know.

[der_saeufer]

AAA covers bikes in most areas on plans above the basic.

ID/OR's AAA definitely covers bikes on Plus; that gets you 100 miles free towing.

[Sport]

http://rvservices.koa.com/rvresources/rvroadhelp/

Have had this service for years and used it with great results. Got rid of AAA+ which in my area, doesn't pick up motorcycles, and wont tow more than 100 miles, and MTS, a specific M/C towing service that requires all potentially towed vehicles to be listed in your 'file' or they wont tow it. RV's deal is this, they'll tow whatever you're riding or driving, including RVs, M/Cs, M/Cs with a sidecar or trailer, whatever, to wherever you have to go to get repaired. No company will simply take you home if a proper repair facility is nearest, unless you PAY for it. I needed a tow for my 79 CBX on tour one year, with a blown rear tire. Problem was I was about 65 miles S/W of Coulee Dam WA. Couldn't even see any signs of civilization...luckily my Verizon phone worked. They dispatched their nearest flatbed which was another 60 miles south of me and took me to Coulee Dam where I already had a motel. I spent all next morning learning that the nearest place that had a tire for me was just across the Idaho border, 106 miles east. Called them again and they sent a flatbed from Idaho to pick me up and take me there so I could get back on the road. All total, they drove approximately 250 miles the first day and 212 miles the next day. All I paid was the annual premium. One of their dispatchers told me that they picked up a broken Harley with a trailer north of Fairbanks once and had to take him clear to Anchorage to get him back on the road. Told me it cost them over $1,500! All he paid was his annual premium. If they can't find a 'plan' towing service they'll find you another that you'll have to pay for and that they'll reimburse you for. You also get discounts at all KOAs. The premium goes up $10 per year and tops out at $100. Not bad for a 'tow anything you have to wherever you have to go to get repaired ' towing service.

[filmfan]

I have AAA with the added coverage for the bike. I've never had to get the bike towed, but the car has been towed a few times. FWIW, I've never had any grief from them about where to take the car, no matter how many shops are closer. My expecation for the bike service would be the same, hopefully I'll never have a reason to find out.

[univibe88]

Allstate motorclub is very good. They will tow to the nearest qualified repair facility. My buddy has used them 3 times and one time, the resulting tow was over $1000! They picked it up no questions asked.

I also have Allstate. I only used them once. They towed my bike 80 miles to the closest BMW shop, no questions asked.

[Qwik]

Originally Posted by der_saeufer

AAA covers bikes in most areas on plans above the basic.

ID/OR's AAA definitely covers bikes on Plus; that gets you 100 miles free towing.

You MUST have the extra coverage for motorcycles. With plus membership they still refused to assist me when I had an engine failure. Ended up calling a friend ( and canceled my AAA)

[blk-betty]

AAA with RV+

Only had to use it once. The phone operator said a truck would be dispatched and should be there in 1 hour. He was there in 15 minutes, took me and the bike exactly where I asked, only about 25 miles.

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by Qwik

You MUST have the extra coverage for motorcycles. With plus membership they still refused to assist me when I had an engine failure. Ended up calling a friend ( and canceled my AAA)

You need the RV+ coverage for bikes. It also covers motor homes.

[der_saeufer]

Originally Posted by Qwik

You MUST have the extra coverage for motorcycles. With plus membership they still refused to assist me when I had an engine failure. Ended up calling a friend ( and canceled my AAA)

Originally Posted by ttpete

You need the RV+ coverage for bikes. It also covers motor homes.

What level AAA covers motorcycles varies by region. It used to be that you had to have Plus RV everywhere, but that's changed in some places--Plus RV doesn't exist anymore with some clubs.

NorCal (CSAA) covered bikes on Plus when they got rid of the Plus RV level a couple years ago, but it looks like they require Premier for bikes now. Glad I checked. Those bastards! SoCal (Auto Club) charges $37 extra to cover bikes no matter what level you have. Guess I won't be switching my membership.

As for the OP, AAA OR/ID does still cover bikes on Plus. http://www.oregon.aaa.com/membership...-benefits.aspx

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by der_saeufer

What level AAA covers motorcycles varies by region. It used to be that you had to have Plus RV everywhere, but that's changed in some places--Plus RV doesn't exist anymore with some clubs.

NorCal (CSAA) covered bikes on Plus when they got rid of the Plus RV level a couple years ago, but it looks like they require Premier for bikes now. Glad I checked. Those bastards! SoCal (Auto Club) charges $37 extra to cover bikes no matter what level you have. Guess I won't be switching my membership.

As for the OP, AAA OR/ID does still cover bikes on Plus. http://www.oregon.aaa.com/membership...-benefits.aspx

I specifically asked for motorcycle coverage and bought what I needed. It makes a big difference when one is broke down in East Bumfuck in the rain someplace and needs a tow to civilization where one can get service, a room, and a hot meal.

[achtung3]

I had AAA and they do not tow motorcycles, so I changed my Insurance, I have Progressive and have not informed about they're towing services, I have another service that is free, is called BAM, is motorcyclists helping other motorcyclist, I have not used any of the service but I am signed up and it is supposed to be for the whole USA.
I had my bike towed once when my brother had a membership with AMA- they have towing service once you signed up as a member.

I had the good fortune to find a great fellow in Haines Junction, Yukon when I was traveling to AK this June, and this nice guy just offered to pick up my bike that was about 5 miles from town, I had a flat around 6pm and caught a ride to town, as I was looking for a room in the Kluane Motel lobby/Bar I mentioned that I had a flat and overhearing me a man offered to bring the bike town.
After getting back to town and unloading the bike, the same fellow took me around town to the shop where I may find a tire and mounting for the next day.

At night in bed I thought that I had better chance in finding a tire in Whitehorse 90mi, so I decided to hitchhike to Whitehorse, where there was couple motorcycle dealers to get a new tire because it was an sport tire uncommon size and after getting to the edge of town I was let out because this fellow had to go on an opposite direction of the town and at cafe he asked if anyone could take me to the motorcycle dealer and a someone piped out that he could do that and I was at dealer in no time and after getting the tire mounted he took me back to the cafe I had breakfast and I hitchhiked back to Haines Junction with a firetruck maintenance mechanic and he ended up mounting the wheel on my bike with all his cordless tools and torqued every bolt to spec. From the time I picked up my ride in the morning to Whitehorse 7:15AM and the time the wheel was on my bike just after 1PM, hitchhiking 180miles get to the shop mounting a new tire, having breakfast and the wheel on the bike to a ready state in at total of 6hrs.

It takes my local motorcycle dealer more than half a day to mount ONE tire, and this is 8miles from my house.

I have found that there are a lots of kind people out there just ready to help, specially on remote areas.

I had always stopped and asked bikers on side of the roads to see if they needed any help but now, I look for bikers on side of the roads.

Have a great ride.

[der_saeufer]

Originally Posted by ttpete

I specifically asked for motorcycle coverage and bought what I needed. It makes a big difference when one is broke down in East Bumfuck in the rain someplace and needs a tow to civilization where one can get service, a room, and a hot meal.

Exactly...

My old beat-up cage kicked the bucket in Dunkirk, NY a few years ago when I was moving from Boston to Seattle. AAA took us all the way to Erie, PA, dropped the car at a shop and then dropped us at a hotel. Worth every cent, especially back in the days before cellphones had internet access.

I still think AAA is lame for how widely the cost of covering a bike the same way as a car varies in different places, but being a phone call away from a free return to civilization is worth getting it right.