breakdown cover

[to v or not to v]

are there any decent breakdown cover options for older bikes, 20+ years old? i think the AA only take on new vehicles up to 15 years old.

[diesel dog]

I've been with Autoaid for a few years. It covers my bike, car, etc at home and away. It also covers my Mrs when she drives inclusive.
____________________
MT10

[arry]

Buy personal cover rather than bike specific cover. This works out cost effective if you've multiple vehicles or are regularly carried around by other people - but also just effective at being a one stop shop one size fits all solution anyway.

I have 4 vehicles and pay ~£120 for myself and the wife, any car, anything we're in, no restrictions in age of vehicle.

This is with StartRescue. Last time I used them was on the R NineT when I got a puncture.

Reported it via the website, geo locked in etc, call to check I was alright and not in precarious position, then call to acknowledge and give ETA, texts when driver close, driver arranged in an hour in a proper van designed specifically to take bikes, stuck bike in the back and took me wherever I wanted to go.

Couldn't ask for more.

[Weisse Schlange]

Yup, personal cover , covers all bases.

I change when it suits but am with Green Flag for now.
____________________
Hing Oan

[Blah blah]

I'm on personal cover and so is the teenager with AA as we have 9 of different vehicles at our house, the oldest is from the 1970s, the newest is from 2017

I thought he'd be covered when he dropped his bike last week and broke the foot rest off rendering the bike un-rideable so we rang them.

Nope, the AA wanted £300 to recover him as that wasn't covered.

Worth checking with your breakdown provider to see if they cover that as we will be come renewal time. It just seems that the AA are getting worse in my experience, we used to be insured with them on a couple of vehicles but after their performance following a no-fault accident, we won't be using them again.

[to v or not to v]

thank you for the replies folks.
i only need cover for a bike, not multiple vehicles. i have a company car, that is already covered.

[stinkwheel]

See if your insurance will bundle recovery in with the policy. Many of them will.

It's the only way I can get European cover on my 30 year old VFR for anything short of a small mortgage.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Weisse Schlange]

[Pigeon]

[Bhud]

I have Start Rescue for 2 x old bikes (one 40+ years old and the other 37/38 years). It's nice because it matches your location with GPS and an app. However, I might not renew my breakdown cover with them because the small print allows them to recover it to the nearest bike mechanic if the distance to your home is over x miles. These aren't highly sophisticated bikes, so that might be an additional unnecessary expense plus a taxi ride (and, possibly, a flatbed arranged at your own expense to take the bike back to your home). Always read the small print of your recovery policy. For example, the RAC one might say that they agree to find a flatbed for you and send it to you, but you will have to pay for it. In that case, you might be better off just using your smartphone to either call a friend with a van, or search for a recovery vehicle yourself. I'm not 100% up to date with recovery policies as I haven't had to use one for a long time. However, just check your policy to see if it's worth it. For those of us with old bikes, what we really want is a recovery policy that insures us against the cost of recovery to our own homes. If that's what you want make sure that that's what's for sale.

[arry]

[t121anf]

[ThatDippyTwat]

Had my 20+ year old VFR recovered by the RAC once, and hotwired after a theft attempt once. Zero issues with age of bike.
____________________
'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Freddyfruitba...]

[to v or not to v]

went with insurance which included breakdown cover in the end.

[hellkat]

I think I've called out the RAC to the Snarley twice, and they never had an issue with its age (30 years)

With its condition ... perhaps ...
But never its age.

Mind you, I tend to give it the biggun with the "lone woman/old incompetent woman at the side of the motorway" thing, which might push them along a bit

Not needed to be recovered so far.
Mine was bundled in with the bike insurance.
____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[1198]

Nationwide current account £13 per month, Europe coverage, age of vehicle irrelevant.