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Roadside assistance recommendations?

indygt

67-year-old Teenager
I signed up with Signature's Nationwide Auto Club through my BMW dealer a couple of years ago and my membership is about to lapse.
I went to their web site and found verbiage that suggests that they only cover 4-wheeled vehicles. There were no references to motorcycles.
Can anyone suggest a reliable roadside assistance provider for motorcycles?
 
The AMA provides coverage with certain membership levels. They provide an advocate for motorcyclist rights and interests at local, state, and national levels, too.
 
AMA Mo-Tow

FREE towing for ALL your vehicles with an AUTO-RENEW AMA Membership. They bill your card each year, after notifying you of the charge. You can, of course, cancel membership at any time, so not a lifetime commitment, just auto-renew.

I've used Mo-Tow, and the entire transaction exceeded expectations in every way, and cost me not a sou. Flat-bed truck with tie-downs and they used a lot of care. Big network of motorcycle-qualified tow companies, apparently.

Not everybody loves the AMA, but this is a hell of a deal.

Walking Eagle
 
ALWAYS read the fine print. My go/no-go is based on mileage limits. I look for "unlimited mileage to the nearest qualified service provider." Plans with 50 or 100 mile limits are uselsess in the western half of the US if we are talking BMW motorcycles that need to get to a dealership for repair. Battery or tire problems, maybe fewer miles but if it needs dealer skill set limits will kill you.
 
ALWAYS read the fine print. My go/no-go is based on mileage limits. I look for "unlimited mileage to the nearest qualified service provider." Plans with 50 or 100 mile limits are uselsess in the western half of the US if we are talking BMW motorcycles that need to get to a dealership for repair. Battery or tire problems, maybe fewer miles but if it needs dealer skill set limits will kill you.

+1 on not having mileage limits. My last "occurrence" resulted in a tow of over eight hundred miles. The bill was over a thousand dollars. Fortunately my USAA insurance reimbursed me.
 
Markel's towing coverage?

has anyone used the towing coverage available as part of the MOA Markel insurance? I'm planning to switch when we take possession of our second bike next week and thought that it is a good thing to add.
 
I haven't calculated the cost(s), but as a backup I always thought that renting a u-haul or somesuch suitable vehicle would have to be less expensive than a commercial tow.

My thought is to have the Progressive tow coverage either get me to a BMW dealer or a U-haul franchise. From there.....

Had a flat on a trip on a busy highway, called Progressive, (really hard to hear using a cell phone on a highway). Roll back arrived took me to nearby BMW dealer, asked BMW mechanic if he had much experience with an Airhead (the bike not me) He said that he had never been trained or had worked on one. Encouraging.

did OK.
 
i haven't calculated the cost(s), but as a backup i always thought that renting a u-haul or somesuch suitable vehicle would have to be less expensive than a commercial tow.
quote]

+1

OK so your bike breaks down. You get towed to a U-Haul dealer and rent a trailer. Now what?? You gonna camp in the trailer or put your bike in it and try to pull it somewhere by yourself without a running vehicle?
 
NOT Progressive Roadside Assistance! Thank Goodness for MOA!!!

We learned yesterday how much better MOA Platinum membership is compared to the Progressive Roadside Assistance plan we paid for (now cancelled). I never checked the mileage limit on the Progressive RA until we called them for a tow (blown transmission on Rick's GS). The tow company was quite happy to hear the dealer was 72 miles away. Apparently, Progressive RA only covers up to 15 miles, and get this---the overage (60 miles) was going to cost us $6 per mile! We could buy a bike trailer for $360 and never need a tow again!

How likely is it that we'd ever break down within 15 miles of a BMW shop? Not very. Apparently, the pre-negotiated rate with Progressive is so low that the tow companies will make it up on any overage charges which appear to be fair game at any price!

We then called MOA, hearts sunk because in looking at the membership card we realized we had let our membership (platinum plus regular) lapse. Kicking ourselves (and each other), we asked anyway: if we catch our dues up, can we use the roadside assistance right away? Luckily the answer was "yes"! 30 minutes later (about 2 hours total into this ordeal), there was a motorcycle-only flatbed pickup on site loading up the bike, no charge to us. We'll need that $360 to put toward the new tranny (boo hoo)!:cry:cry

All I can say is, BMW MOA platinum is coverage you can actually USE, not just a guise for referrals to ripoff rates. I contacted Progressive when I got home and got my $40 back. We'll use that towards the repairs also... You'll probably see us listing a few things on the Flea Market to raise the funds as well!

You've all seen the Progressive commercials; Flo rides around in a hollowed-out helmet to keep her hairdo. Serious about riding? I think not.

BMW MOA Rocks!!! Renew for 5 years at a time so you're never not a member!
 
Just FYI the MOA towing program covers the first 100 miles and there is no mention of what happens next. Still it beats AAA which covers I think about the first 5 miles, and sometimes not for motorcycles.

"PLATINUM CYCLE CLUB MOTORCYCLE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE will reimburse you for each of the following 24-hour emergency services: Towing (up to 100 miles)..."
 
has anyone used the towing coverage available as part of the MOA Markel insurance? I'm planning to switch when we take possession of our second bike next week and thought that it is a good thing to add.

From a Markel policy:

"24 HOUR EMERGENCY TOWING SERVICE: When an eligible vehicle cannot be started, it can be towed to within a 35 mile radius. Towing as a result of an accident is included. There is one tow per occurrence, up to five tows per contract period. Member is responsible for charges which result from exceeding the 35 mile tow radius."

:banghead
 
AAA Plus covers 100 miles and includes motorcycles. I've needed and used it happily. In the end, however, you are dependent on the skills and conscientiousness of the tower contracted by your insurer. Anything can happen there!
 
+1 for Allstate Platinum Elite Plan

Got caught once and that will be the last time with a limited tow factor.

Any private vehicle, mine or not.... as long as I am in it, includes the spouse and I added my kids to it also. Great peace of mind. Sure it co$t, but it cost a heck of a lot less when you needed it and you plan does not do what you thought it would.

Checkout the features of it. I have nothing to do with this service, just a proven member of it.

Other roadside services might offer the same or even for less, but the main point, read your fine print of the one you currently belong to or are thinking of joining, it could hold a very un-welcome surprise.

https://www.allstatemotorclub.com/amc/member_services/membershipplans.faces
 
+1 for Allstate Platinum Elite Plan

Got caught once and that will be the last time with a limited tow factor.

Any private vehicle, mine or not.... as long as I am in it, includes the spouse and I added my kids to it also. Great peace of mind. Sure it co$t, but it cost a heck of a lot less when you needed it and you plan does not do what you thought it would.

Checkout the features of it. I have nothing to do with this service, just a proven member of it.

Other roadside services might offer the same or even for less, but the main point, read your fine print of the one you currently belong to or are thinking of joining, it could hold a very un-welcome surprise.

https://www.allstatemotorclub.com/amc/member_services/membershipplans.faces

Larry,

I'm looking at the link you provided and as I read it the towing is limited to $250. That's not much in many areas of the country. Am I reading it incorrectly?
 
AKBeemer,

Yes you read it right, but the times one can call for a tow per day is unlimited. I can not find it in a link right now, but I called 3 times in the past 5 years verifying this is indeed something Allstate MC honors with the Platinum Elite plan. I been told I can do the towing game all the back across the state or states by Allstate customer service. Here in Utah, there are not many places for local repair of BMW's or many cars, trucks or my RV. At times I can imagine I rather tow 2, 3 or more times to get the vehicle back to my home and then decide the best way to fix it.

Might be a PITA calling everytime the $250 limit is reached, but again better than nothing, or a one time shot. I have use this service three times now in the past 12years. I did not even have to sign anything. just got the tow I wanted and needed. But the 1st time I was shocked, all they did was to tow my car, off the interstated and to a closed tire shop. That was when I found out the hard way, the plan I had was not what I wanted (RV Plan). Updated to the Platinum Elite for what I felt was a more desirable plan for me and family here in Utah, some very lonely stretches of road are located here.

Heck it might even be good toward a new tire or two ($250).
Trip interruption - Stuck far from home $$, mere 100 miles, as we know for most of us, the oil is barely warmed up yet. I just did a 210 mile run around a few mountains between these 2 post.

I would not expect the what I expect from any provider (never to break down or if I do, taken back to my home, hundreds of miles away, but knowing I should be able to get my bike back to the place "I want" means a lot to me.
 
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