What breakdown cover do you use?

[2E]

Looking to take out some breakdown cover as I'll be doing around 300 miles a week commuting for a job soon and am not 100% my superglued gun-gummed exhaust will hold up all that well

Who do you use and why?
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Bringing Classic Bikes Back Into Fashion
Rides: 1980 Honda CX500

[Misc]

Insurancechoice breakdown. £50 for everything you'll need. The other popular breakdown charge around £99+ for the same cover i think.

[N cee thirty]

i have AA on my insurance,pretty basic tbh

both times my bikes broke the same guy came and just cleaned out the carb
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Walloper]

AA any vehicle I'm in. 90quid-ish

not just a cost factor. Consider how many agents are on the road for you when your ride shits it's sel'.

It is the longest wait in a cold wet corner of Shitsville and no breakdown wagon.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[The Artist]

£55 full cover.

Make sure when you get it, you are covered fully. Some seem cheap but will only take you to garage within 10 miles of where you breakdown or hotel etc.

I have been picked up twice by a truck, both times the guy just strapped it on without trying to fix it. Both time I told him not to bother because I knew what it was and it wasn't fixable.

[G]

Green flag personal cover - covers you what ever vehicle you are in.
They will send a recovery truck rather than a bloke in a van that will call a recovery truck which will arrive some hours later. Will take you home, to your destination or a local garage if you want.

Avoid the RAC and AA; they suck on most levels.

[Polarbear]

I have both AA and breakdown on my Carol Nash insurance. The AA cause we have 8 different bikes and cars in the family and it covers me for all of them.

The Carol Nash is just for the insured vehicle but is useful as it covers europe as well as UK.

I've found (others might disagree though) that you need relay with bikes. The AA/RAC mechanics aren't trained on them and short of a puncture or something along those lines, won't even attempt to repair a bike.

and G, cant really say I've had a problem with either AA or RAC. I just change companies depending on the deal I can get.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[-LG-]

Remember to use cashback sites when getting breakdown cover if they do it!

I got AA cover for my car for £7 a year.

Had to use it a couple of times, broke down just over a mile away from home, they towed me home, told me to phone in the morning (this was around 10pm) and they'll tow me to the garage of my choice. Think I was meant to pay for that lol.

[G]

Pretty much everytime I've used the RAC I've had issues (one exception), similar for other people with the AA.

[L4Isoside]

Got mine with insurance, eurotow came for me when I came off and rendered the bike unusable.

Lucky really its breakdown cover yet they still came for me even though it was an accident.

[neil.]

I was with AutoAid - you get recovered by whoever you like or someone they send you, it doesn't matter. Then you reclaim the cost back from them. Used them a couple of times, once when stuck in snow (good will gesture from them) and once when my chain snapped. SOS Motorcycle Recovery were the people they used, and the guy repaired my chain when he took me and the bike home since I still had a spare master link from it in the garage.

Not with them now because it is very unclear as to whether they actually cover anything under 150cc. I've read accounts and actually received written confirmation from them that they don't but none of their literature, policy notes etc say anything at all about it. Last email I received they did offer me cover on my 125 as a 'one off' but said they hadn't updated their literature on the engine size limits (although I have been reading accounts of this that date back a few years!). Due to that ambiguity, I am now with Green Flag as I don't want the hassle if something was to happen. A shame because I really liked them, although you need a few hundred in the bank to fork out for the initial recovery which they later refund (takes a week or so).

Be careful, because I think, from what I've read here, that you suspect your exhaust might fail due to a dodgy repair. There is usually a clause like 'if you know something might make you break down and you haven't fixed it properly, then we don't cover you'. Not sure how enforceable it is though or if they're actually bothered in real life.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[woodyeee]

Ive got AA cover through my lloyds bank account, I have use it on the car and bike. it also covers my mobile phone and holiday insurance for the family and some other stuff....costs £17 a month.

[Cheeseybeaner]

I've had mostly poor experiences with both the AA and RAC personally.
On average they will take a minimum of 2 hours to attend you at the roadside even in the rain on the side of a busy dual carriageway/motorway, regardless of the number of vehicles they have in their fleet their service is in no way exceptional for bikes.
Its typical for them to send a repair van out who will declare he can't fix the bike (2 hours wait) then have you sit there a further 2/3 hours while the recovery lorry arrives despite always telling you they'll be on-scene 'within the hour.'
On top of that you'll spend 10-15 minutes queuing on their premium rate mobile lines trying to find out what's going on every time you call.
That said a basic roadside recovery policy at £7/month isn't bad and I can't see there are many alternatives.

[G]

[2E]

Right, perhaps I should be more specific.

Not interested in homestart or european cover, won't be using either service as I have family close by who can help get the bike started.

Probably be changing the bike soon but need to work for the month to afford it!
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Bringing Classic Bikes Back Into Fashion
Rides: 1980 Honda CX500

[dodgydog]

RAC last 25 years, ought to swap really, pretty expensive from them, but only had one problem with them in that time.




Dog
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I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not exactly what I meant

[Clanger]

Not sure, think it's Green Flag...I get it automatically with my insurance so it doesn't cost any extra. I am happy because a quote with AA and RAC come up around £50-90 whereas my fully comp insurance is £90 inclusive. Total bonus!
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[t121anf]

[spetom]

You can get breakdown cover when you buy your insurance as an added extra usually around £40-50 on your motorcycle

Is this worth doing? Or better to go privately? Thanks

Regards

[t121anf]

no its not worth it.

buy Autoaid for £36 or whatever it is, it covers you not your bike.

remember (unless its a multi bike policy) breakdown cover via insurance covers that vehicle only not your car, 2nd bike etc.

only difference with Autoaid is you pay for the recovery and claim it back, no biggy if you have a credit card.

[spetom]

[The Artist]

[Pernig]

Insurance Choice which is £29 a year and includes most stuff except home start. I've never had to use it but have read good reviews.

I also have full RAC cover which is included with my insurance premium which I have also never used, and the basic AA cover which is free with my bank account. This only covers you for roadside assistance and a 10 mile tow and you have to wait ages for a low loader to pick you up anyway. Used it a few times when I have run out of petrol though, and on a friend's bike when a clutch cable snapped. Also used it when my ignition coils failed in heavy rain.

I've found AA men really helpful when I've broken down. One of them made me a clutch cable inner up for a Kymco (which is still in use now). Another tried to get my bike started for over an hour in the pissing rain.
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H100 Breaking for spares

[2E]

Went with Insurance Choice in the end, £29 for everything i need, recovery, roadside.. sorted!

RAC/AA wanted about £70 and Greenflag wouldn't insure over 25 years, but even then they wanted £170+

£29's a bargain!
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Bringing Classic Bikes Back Into Fashion
Rides: 1980 Honda CX500

[theopj]

Yea went with IC £29 today as well - being able to pay with paypal sealed the deal. Green Flag wanted £85 for personal cover with my car as the main vehicle.

Found out that I can get free breakdown and recovery on my car by getting it serviced at Ford Dealership (which I was going to do anyway, and it only a £99 value service). Got the bloke at the garage to check and he was surprised as its a pretty good - full euro cover.

Those free breakdown cover with bank accounts are a con though - your probably paying over £100 a year for basic £28 breakdown cover (which you can get for £7 on the cashback sites!). I used to have the Lloyds one myself.
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Suzuki Bandit SA 1250 & Honda CB750F2T