roadside assistance??

I'm considering shipping my bike out to the Pacific Northwest so I can ride from city to city and days off thru Canada while I travel for work throughout the spring, summer and fall.

I haven't yet contacted Progressive, my insurer for details on their roadside assistance program, but I'd like to hear your opinions on these kind of programs generally. What to look for, who do you like, Q's to ask, costs, benefits beyond the obvious etc.

thanx

Been using the Allstate Roadside program for a couple of years, discounted through KOA. Needed their service twice and had no problems. prompt and they follow up very well. Had a friend using it also and service was excellent.

bob

Thanx and I'm embarrassed

Thanx for the reply. Just actually looked at my policy. I HAVE roadside assistance. sheesh.

Roadside Assistance

The BMWMOA has it and I have used it twice:

PLATINUM CYCLE CLUB MOTORCYCLE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE will reimburse you for each of the following 24-hour emergency services: Towing (up to 100 miles), Delivery of Essential Fluids & Supplies, Flat Tire Assistance, and Battery Service. You will also receive up to $500 for emergency trip interruption. Other benefits are Trip Routing, RV Rentals and Rental Car Discounts as well as Lost Key & Lockout Service. All supporting towing companies use flatbed trucks with straps or a cycle carrier - no hooks! The cost to a MOA member is only $26.00 per year and covers up to three motorcycles. Coverage is available throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Call the BMW MOA office at (636)-394-7277 to sign up.

A bargain at twice the price.

Bill

+1 on KOA's Roadside Assistance. It has great reviews on other boards. Also, always carry your Anonymous Book with you. I've fortunately never had to use it, but I've been called four times by stranded riders.

fastdogs2 said:

The BMWMOA has it and I have used it twice:

PLATINUM CYCLE CLUB MOTORCYCLE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE will reimburse you for each of the following 24-hour emergency services: Towing (up to 100 miles), Delivery of Essential Fluids & Supplies, Flat Tire Assistance, and Battery Service. You will also receive up to $500 for emergency trip interruption. Other benefits are Trip Routing, RV Rentals and Rental Car Discounts as well as Lost Key & Lockout Service. All supporting towing companies use flatbed trucks with straps or a cycle carrier - no hooks! The cost to a MOA member is only $26.00 per year and covers up to three motorcycles. Coverage is available throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Call the BMW MOA office at (636)-394-7277 to sign up.

A bargain at twice the price.

Bill

Click to expand...

I'd happily trade the printed monthly edition of MOA to have this included in my membership!

AARP also is associated with Allstate, great rates compared to AAA

Just be certain to check the details of your plan. specifically how far they will pay to tow/haul your bike. Many have a 100 mile limit... not enough in many places. The Allstate RV plan that Voni mentioned says they will tow to the nearest facility capable of fixing the problem. In some cases I'm guessing that would be Stutgart.

Couple of months ago I broke down in Tonopah, NV. It's out in the middle of the desert. Nearest motorcycle repair of any kind - 200 miles away in Las Vegas. Progressive sent out a flat bed truck and they took my bike and I to Las Vegas BMW. I asked the driver what Progressive was paying for that ride. "About $1000", he said. All they wanted from me was my signature.

akbeemer said:

.................................................. says they will tow to the nearest facility capable of fixing the problem. In some cases I'm guessing that would be Stutgart.

Click to expand...

Just arrange your own transportation, don't ride as passenger in the tow truck

pffog said:

Just arrange your own transportation, don't ride as passenger in the tow truck

Click to expand...

Why not?

When Barley and I rode across the country last summer I decided to get the Good Sam Club Platinum Roadside Assistance policy. Before that I just relied on my Progressive RA as I rode in the east and figured cities are close enough together, but out west with hundreds of miles between dealers and a dog to care for the risk was a bit too high. I never intended to use it, but peace of mind was high on my list.

In a tiny town in Oregon we had a blowout on the rear, which was a car tire. I called Good Sam and they dispatched a tow from Eugene, 65 miles west of us. The rig was expertly secured to the flatbed, Barley was tucked into the back seat and the driver dropped us at a hotel right across the street from a tire dealer. Plus during the ride he gave me a very colorful history lesson about the part of Oregon that took my mind off the blowout and had me in a great mood by the time we reached Eugene.

Good Sam (underwritten by Allstate BTW) picked up the entire tab, no questions asked. Great folks to deal with.

I'm currently looking for tow coverage also, and the 100-mile limit is a deal-breaker for me. Out here in the west it may be several hundred miles to the nearest BMW dealer so I'm interested in coverage that tows "to the nearest dealer." Next best would be towing to a place that "can fix the problem" but that raises the question of who is defining that term. AAA is generally useless for a MC unless one has upgraded to their RV coverage and it's a bit $pendy.

Oh, and the one time I've needed tow coverage was on the SC rig, and both my wife and I rode in the two truck with the two operators. They were great guys and not only handled the tow expertly, they were riders themselves so stored the rig overnight inside their shop for free AND arranged a UHaul for us the next day AND provided transportation to/from our motel to their shop and the UHaul place. People can be amazingly nice when you treat them with respect and courtesy.

Best,

DeVern

Had to use Progressive's Roadside Assistance last spring after my R1200RT broke down in rural AR. Took the tow truck about an hour and half to get to me, but then towed the bike and me 160 miles to Memphis which was the closest BMW dealership.

Progressive's policy is 100 miles or the closest dealership, whichever is farthest. No charge for the extra distance.

I recommend them.