I had the throttle cable snap on the bike – luckily I was at home! Got me thinking, If something similar happened out in the wilderness then I’m up a creek without a paddle.

So, can anyone reccomend good cever for motorcycles?

The AA?
RAC?
Green Flag?
Other?

Cheers

What bike?

old Triumph, 1966.

Check who Devitt use, they’re cheap. Or ask at a local Triumph garage.

Now both me and Mrs PP ride modern bikes, but the AA have always been fantastic when we’ve needed them (And her Speed 4 needed them 3 times 🙁 )
They have units with special bike trailers on board, they carry a ‘make your own temperorary cable’ kit, all sorts.
Mrs PP used them last, to get the (yet again, but for the last time) stricken Speed 4 back from the Liverpool ferry all the way to Hampshire. They even offered to carry MY panniers and luggage as well!

I rate them.
🙂

Now both me and Mrs PP ride modern bikes

Surely you mean proper bikes 😉

Do you get your classic insurance from Carol Nash? You get recovery with it. thats the only one I have used

i used the scheme with my insurance was only £30 more i think, had some bad stories from RAC/AA a few years back and so have always stayed away but i suppose if they have changed their kit then it would be good. My only personal experience of RAC was a friend who suffered loss of oil and had to convince the recovery guy that car oil wouldn’t work

I use Green Flag. 2 call outs, 1 was to transport to garage, other was a flat battery needing a jumpstart (I know, but I was in Wales, didn’t have jump leads and neither did the B&B).
Anyway, fine service both times and no complaints, although the transport guy did tell me he was expecting a smaller bike and had taken the small bike trailer not the big bike trailer (I have RST Futura – 1000cc touring bike, but there are also AF1 Futuras 125 and 250 sports bikes), but we managed anyway. Both times, recovery people with me in about 15 minutes.

Join MAG and then get either their 2 wheel or 6 wheel Recovery Rescue. Covers you for Europe too.

You might have to pay a surcharge for classic bikes (didn’t want to say old), but service is great.

Follow the MAG LINK

Be aware that the AA won’t cover you in the event of an ‘off’. They only do breakdowns.

I speak from the experience of spending 5.5 hours sat, with my bike and knackered ribs, at the side of the A52, two weeks ago. I’m an AA roadside relay member but the only way they would come out is if I paid a £102 surcharge and then they would only take me a maximum of 10 miles.

We have used Green Flag for years and they have covered break downs, non-starters, accidents and they’ve always been great.

Thanks people, I ended up joining the AA in the end as a lot of companies won’t cover bikes over 15 years old. Others wanted a rediculous surcharge.

The other thing which swung it was that the online discount meant it was a good price and the cover is for me and not just the bike. So I’m covered for all vehicles, which is nice.

Thanks.

Not for gawd’s sake the RAC.

My T595’s oil light came on whilst pushing it a bit on the north Wales backroads, so in with the clutch and called the RAC. I explained it was a Triumph T595 and the call centre lady said there’d be someone with me in an hour…

Two hours later RAC van turns up w/ no trailer… the chap said no one mentioned a motorcycle and I didn’t fancy a tow! Another two hours later a local garage turns up and gets me home 5 hours after braking down.

RAC, never again.

What bike btw Zeds – yonks ago I had a T120 Triton

T120 Bonnie. The real deal.

My old man had a Triton years ago with fairing, man it was lovely. I’ll need to dig out the photo and scan it. It’s 70’s-tastic!

I have cover for all three included in my insurance. Costs about an extra £30 per year. had the RAC come out to fix the Fazer, can’t fault the guy who came to fix it, no rush, no pressure.

Carole Nash’s breakdown cover is first class…

RAC are honking for bikes. When my starter relay went, I phoned them up, conversation started like this:

“hello, I’ve broken down, I need a recovery”
“What sort of car is it”
“It’s not, it’s a bike”
“Oh, I don’t think we do bikes”
“Eh, you do. In fact it’s a single vehicle policy, here’s the reg”
“Oh, I don’t know, I’ll need to check with the supervisor”

Then,
“OK, apparently we do bikes. What sort of bike is it?”
“It’s a Suzuki SV650”
“I can’t see that in our system, I’ll put down Suzuki Swift”
“That’s a car. I’m on a bike. Won’t that be a problem?”
“Well, I’ve got to put something down don’t I!”

Then went on to them not being able to find me on the map, and asking “what’s the postcode”. I’M UP A MOUNTAIN! The rocks do not have postcodes.” Gave them the road number, the town I’d ridden from, the town I was riding to. “Well, if you won’t give me the postcode we can hardly send someone over can we? Why don’t you just ask at the nearest house?” “Can’t see any, did I mention I’m up a mountain?”

Then, “What’s wrong with it”. “The main relay is broken so the electric’s cut out” “OK, I’ll put down flat battery” “No you won’t” “Don’t worry, they’ll give you a charge and it should be fine” “The battery isn’t flat, it’s the main relay, the whole electrical system is broken.” “OK, well, we’ll let the mechanic look at it and see what they say” “I BUILT THIS BIKE MYSELF! I KNOW WHAT’S ****ING WRONG WITH IT! I CAN SEE THE BROKEN PART SPARKING!”

So, then they sent a van with no bike carrying capacity, who drove past me twice because, surprise surprise, he was looking for a suzuki swift. Spent all of 2 minutes talking to him and he says “Well, if it’s an electrical failure, you need recovery! Why didn’t they send out a relay? I’ll call one but it’ll be a while.”

Never again, I tell you. Carole Nash, on the other hand, led to a conversation like this:
“I’ve got a puncture, I need a recovery”
“OK, where are you”
“I’m on the M9 by Grangemouth”
“Someone will be there soon with a trailer”

Somone was there soon, with a trailer. There are some minor differences between these 2 experiences, see if you can spot them?