Breaking Down

[Sister Sledge]

OK firstly I apologise if this has been asked a thousand times.. but it's always good to be up to date with information!

I ride for leisure. I probably go no further than 100 miles (radius) from home at any one time. My bike is a CCM 404 DS - the supermoto version.
I do carry basic tooling to do repairs but there's also a limit as to how much I'll carry.

I don't currently have breakdown cover - should I get it?
I've done a quick scratch but they only seem to cover for tubeless punctures and mine is tubed. Do recovery folk fix tubes or do they haul you to a suitable garage? I'm quite rural here and it might be a struggle to find one open never mind one that fixes tubed tyres.
The current tyres (Pirelli) were right twats to fit and a roadside repair by me would be basically impossible I reckon.

If my engine implodes, would the recovery folk even try getting me home or would they simply dump me at a motorcycle dealership and leave me high and dry?
I do all of my own repairs and a dealership would drain my funeral fund. It really isn't an option for expensive repairs.

I suppose I'm asking for real first hand experience of recovery companies - you're the experts.
My preferred thing would be one to attempt a repair and if no go then haul me home - do they operate like that?
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CCM 404 DS

[c_dug]

All of that depends on what you pay for.

By far and away the best recovery company I've used are these guys: https://www.sos-motorcycle-recovery.co.uk/

I've had them come and get me on at least 2, I think 3 occasions though. Every single time they've made a good attempt to get me going before recovering to a destination of my choice.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Sister Sledge]

Bookmarked. I'll have a chat with them tomorrow once a few more replies have come in.

I suppose my needs are slightly different to a lot of peoples who ride for leisure? Older stuff doesn't fit the general group that recovery folk provide cover for. One extreme would be a 1945 bike and it's taken to a dealership for repair - there's always going to be exceptions.

I did chat to some companies but they have generic replies and Jenny didn't know what an inner tube was..
(Ste comes in with smut or cats)
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CCM 404 DS

[Feasty]

I'm not too fussed in the smaller detail of what they may or may not repair, out of a breakdown company I just want an attempt to repair and a lift to home or a garage of my preference.

I'm with GEM but that's because they cover the driver/rider rather than the vehicle. So they cover my 2 cars and bike, and caravan - and I think any other car I'm driving at the time if I break down.
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Easy-X]

I've got AA cover for any vehicle I'm standing next to at the time including bikes.

The last time I called them the repair bloke said AA guys mostly know about cars and would usually just dump you at the nearest garage or your own house (depends on the terms you've signed up for.) Said repair bloke owned a few bikes so it was my lucky day.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Sister Sledge]

Interesting.
Might be worth my while chatting to an actual breakdown van driver next time I see one. As said, the call centres just follow a script and don't experience the recovery process.
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CCM 404 DS

[ThatDippyTwat]

RAC cover me, not specific bikes.

Didn't argue when I told them it wasn't repairable roadside, and recovered it to my house. Firm they sent had straps for putting bikes on a tiltbed, and the bloke rode himself, so knew how to use them.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[RS65]

My Green Flag policy costs about £60 covers both my bikes and my 2 cars based on the cost of my oldest car (2002). Only time I used them, it was for a bike breaking down, and SOS Recovery turned up, tried to get bike going, then recovered bike and me to my home address. A good service was provided.

[Dave....]

I have RAC breakdown cover on a bank account but just read t&c`s and see that it doesnt mention bikes only cars.
Im covered with warranty but would be good if I have got it wrong.
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Honda Africa Twin

[Grubscrew]

If your bike is a reliable type, keep hold of the yearly subscription and if you do run into trouble carry a phone number of a local recovery firm and call them .
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FJR1300/CBR1000F

[Sister Sledge]

Loads more interesting replies. It's a great site this.

Early in my searches I'd considered simply joining once I broke down but just about every quote I got mentioned a few days until the policy kicks in..
I'd never considered local breakdown. Wouldn't mind but not a single friend has a suitable van to fetch me should I need it.
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CCM 404 DS

[Skudd]

RAC for the win.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Freddyfruitba...]

[1198]

The AA have hauled me from the Scottish Borders to home (Yorkshire) twice (once an oil leak, on e puncture) without a problem.
Now with the Nationwide current account which gives me European cover, regardless of vehicle age, £12-£13 per month. I tested this only within the UK, when they recovered my dead van about thirty miles around Glasgow, no problem.
As regards the AA, some policies take you home, some to a garage if open. As mentioned previously, you get what you pay for as a rule.

[MCN]

AA RAC etc.
End of thread.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Sister Sledge]

Excellent. I'll chase all of this up later today.
With the warmer weather coming I'll be out more on the bike and I need the peace of mind.

Random question: Is towing a motorcycle using a car actually legal?
I mean you can tow car with car but what about motorcycle with car?
(I'm not going to - just had the random question pop up)
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CCM 404 DS

[The Shaggy D.A.]

RAC? I'll leave this here.

https://shagzshed.blogspot.com/2017/03/its-dead.html
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[ThunderGuts]

[Easy-X]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Sister Sledge]

That's very interesting.
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CCM 404 DS

[Easy-X]

Live and learn!
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[ThatDippyTwat]

[WD Forte]

SOS recovery are a bunch of useless cunts in my experience
They left me waiting for 6 hours until the insurance company got another recovery firm to fetch me.
Despite the high tech bullshit they boast about on their website
they're just useless twats and arseholes.
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bikers smell of wee

[Sister Sledge]

It's all sorted.
Yesterday I just spoke to a few different firms and went with who were knowledgeable and were on my side. Things like a puncture - nah because of the type we'd just recover you to a repair or destination of choice. That sort of thing. It's basically all I wanted should punctures or implosions happen!

I've gone with the AA.
Everything's covered and I can ride without too much worry. I've had some excellent advice here - always better to hear the goods and bads of experience.
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CCM 404 DS