Also, If you guys have not heard of them you really should sign up with A.I.M.

Aid to Injured Motorcylist... Its a free service..

Its a service you hope you never have to use, however, especially being that you are taking a solo ride it will be good to have. Should something happens to you on the road, the police, hospital etc. will see you have AIM either on your key chain or in your wallet.

The call the 800 number to report that you were injured etc. and then they will contact your family etc. they also offer other services.

The web-site is: WWW.ON-A-BIKE.COM

 

Had AAA (through the BC equivalent, BCAA) for years with the RV package. Only used them for fuel and the odd jump-start for the kid's beaters. So, no complaints about them. The concern I always had was the 100 mile maximum tow as I tend to ride in some pretty remote places that are a lot further than 100 miles from a dealership. Secondly, the cost was bugging me a bit.

So, I recently switched to Good Sam. Although primarily set up for people with RVs, they cover motorcycles and cars also. The cost is less, they cover all family vehicles, they cover all family members and no mileage maximum. A lot of members here have had good experience with them.

 

Well here is what I'm doing. I called Geico and yes for just $7 a year I can add roadside assistance to my insurance plan. On the towing end it only covers 75 miles, but it's to any place I choose in that 75 miles and hey its only $7. Also I am going to do the AAA RV Plus. It will cover towing 100 miles to wherever I choose.
I called Good Sam. While their program is good and they say unlimited mileage towing, they specify that it's unlimited to the nearest facility capable of fixing your vehicle which may not be a Harley dealer. I don't want to get into that pi**ing match if I'm stranded somewhere.
I figure between Geico and AAA 175 miles should cover most situations for me.

Woodworker - To answer your question I'm going in late May from PA to TN and CO to visit relatives. I figured it would be a good way to break up a trip like this for a first time long haul ride. If I had more time I would have loved to get up to Yellowstone, but I only have 10 days to work with.

 

thx RexBuck, that pretty much sealed the deal for me. I to am with BCAA and the price was " bugging" me as well. Since my BCAA expires in sept i think I will go the Good Sam route for the road trip in July.
A little over lap insurance won't hurt.

 

I have road side assistance through my insurance company (State Farm).

 

The catch on almost all the insurance companies is limited towing miles, than the rest is on you. If you ride any great distance into B.F.E. than do yourself a favor and just call the number on the back of your HOG roadside assistance card, spend $20.00 to upgrade the roadside assistance program you were automatically enrolled in when you bought your bike. You will have UNLIMITED MILES and UNLIMITED amount of towes. They even towed my bike twice under one incident for free. I broke down on a Sunday so they towed my bike past the dealership 150 miles to my house. Than on Tuesday, they came and picked it up and towed it again to the dealer, all at zero cost to me, all for a $20.00 bill. You cant beat that!

 

I have AAA for my bike.
It's more than the basic, you need to get the RV coverage plan I think

 

HOG or AMA

 

When your bike simply breaks down, the tow can be handled by several kinds of machines. One is a motorcycle trailer with a channel/chock arrangement for the front wheel; another is a flatbed (also called a rollback) with one of several cycle carts/dollies available; and a third is a tow truck with a special adapter on the truck’s stinger (hydraulic arm) to clamp the cycle’s front wheel.
Motorcycles are towed on their suspension components, not kickstands. First, the bike is put in gear on the kickstand. Ratcheting nylon straps are then attached to the front forks and tightened until the bike sits straight. Additional straps are attached and tightened near the rear of the bike. The suspension should be compressed slightly to keep the bike from hopping on the carrier. And no straps or chains should go around the bike, compressing the seat or bodywork.
When your bike has been in an accident, the tow can be handled by a rollback, trailer, or tow truck. Obviously, if the front wheel is destroyed, you can’t use a system to clamp the wheel. However, a badly wrecked bike can simply be laid onto a trailer or rollback and secured. With a tow truck, the bike can be tied to the wheel-lift crossbar (to prevent swinging) and then picked up by the boom.
Attitude is important here. The tow operator may feel the bike is already totaled and may carelessly manhandle it. And at accident scenes managed by police, the tendency is to pull the motorcycle, lying on its side, across the pavement to clear the scene as fast as possible. See if you can reason with the police and/or tow operator before your bike is abused.
If a bike is impounded, towing it requires moving the bike with locked forks, using go-jacks under the wheel. You won’t be around to witness this tow, and there may be a lot of damage, because those bikes are often snatched in a hurry.
When you get “hooked up,” will you get financially hooked? Fee structures differ throughout the country, and with hookup fees, unhook fees, preparation and special service fees, accident cleanups, and vehicle storage, the costs can mount unmercifully. Rates vary across the country. According to Gene Wagner, founder of Motorcycle Touring Services, “We get the best rates we can from the towers we contract with in our network. I’d say the lowest rates are in the South, and the highest are in California and New England. They generally range from $65 to $100 per dispatch/hookup, and from 90 cents to $7 per mile.”
Notably, only 25 states regulate towing fees, and that’s only for nonconsensual tows (those directed by police at accidents, tows from private property, and tows on roads with designated towing companies). Consensual tow rates, where you call your own truck, aren’t regulated anywhere in the US. So, before your bike gets hooked, ask how much it’ll cost and be prepared to negotiate.
What are the chances you’ll need help? According to Geoff Sundstrum of AAA, about 26 percent of motorcycle owners in the US have some kind of roadside assistance plan. And of those with coverage, 28 percent have had to use it.
We all hope we don’t need a roadside rescue. But in case you do someday, this article might help keep you and your bike off the hook. A little homework done now will go a long way. RB
Top Causes Of Breakdowns
#1 Electrical (battery) 50%
#2 Tires 25%
#3 Mechanical (includes running out of gas) 15%
#4 Road Hazards 7%
#5 Accidents 3%
Provided by Gene Wagner, CEO of Motorcycle Touring Services
What Every Motorcyclist Should Know
If you belong to a motor club or have towing insurance or warranty coverage, know what costs are reimbursable.
Check your insurance against your motor club to see what benefits are duplicated. Find out if you can apply both types of protection against one incident, to get full reimbursement if one is only partial.
In the event of an accident/breakdown, tell the tow truck dispatcher you need motorcycle equipment and someone experienced. Describe your bike and accessories — luggage, fairings, windshield, antennas, etc.
Ask that all charges be outlined before you agree to a tow. Get an estimate in writing.
Don’t sign any repair authorizations. It’s illegal in most places for a towing company to require this. Clearly tell the tow driver not to repair the motorcycle; you have the right to have it repaired by the shop of your choice.
Don’t sign any “designated representative” form that gives the towing company the right to represent you to your insurance company.
Before the tow, you and the tow operator should walk around the motorcycle and note any damage.
Don’t agree to a cash-only payment arrangement. In most states, tow truck drivers are required to accept major credit cards.
Be sure to get an itemized bill — you’ll need it for insurance reimbursement.
In assessing motor clubs, check their response time and dispatching capability. (You don’t want to talk with voice mail.) Try calling various clubs as a test before choosing one to join

 

FIRST: Everybody, please upgrade your roadside assistance as most MC towing services charge $50 Service Fee plus $2+ a mile. This means you are charged $50, plus $ /mile from the time they leave their base until they unload your bike. This means your basic Roadside Assistance will pay for the first 25 miles, then the rest comes out of your pocket. Check with your insurance or this site for more detail on what your coverage should be www.roadbikemag.com/Towing.php
SECOND: call your preferred towing service first, then RA. This gets us on the road to you faster and ensures you get who you want handling your bike. They will contact us about payment arrangements.
I own a motorcycle towing service, but TODAY please know I am about the biker, not the job. I do not care who you prefer to haul your bikes, as long as you use a reputable service and do not get taken to the cleaners in the process.
Example:
We went to Dublin, TX to tow a bike back to Bedford.... a total of 237 miles ...total towing bill $552. His coverage only paid $100, so the other $452 came out of his pocket.. If he had upgraded to the fully covered package (which cost about $50/year) they would have paid for a tow to the nearest Harley dealership (Ft Worth), but since he wanted to go to Bedford, an additional 25 miles, his bill would have been $50, not $450!!
Madisonville Tx, a couple on a Yamaha needs to come home to DFW $775 tow bill, extended warranty pays $50, plus insurance reimburses $100, they owe me $625....
You do the math. "pay us now or pay us later".... buy the best Roadside Assistance/towing package you can if you plan to travel more than 25 miles from home or a dealership.
Ride safe, Fetch