Breakdown recovery advice/recommendations

[thebulletproofpoet]

Hope this is the right section for this question but any one recommend a good bike recovery company?

ideally I'd like to have the bike and car covered by the same deal but primary concern is for the best bike support (car is an obvious second :wink: )

Any advice?

[454697819]

www.nci-online.co.uk get my vote

had to use em a coupla times,

very good and only send out bike realted ppl!

cheap too!

[diamond]

I've just got RAC cover for my car and bike, Home start, accident, breakdown and recovery. Not had to use them yet, but £80 ish for the year i didn't think was to bad, wish i had it before when it cost me £55 to get my bike recovered when i trashed it last month.

[creamerybutter]

I use NCI, very go on the few occasions I have had to call them.

My last bike was a shed of an XJ900 and I had RAC cover which got called out allot and I got sick of them turning up and saying "oh, it's a bike" and them never having the ability to transport my bike anywhere if they couldn't fix it, which happened a few times. Once when I borrowed my sisters SV before I got mine I got a puncture and called the RAC told them it was a bike and I had a screw in the rear tyre, I was then promptly asked do I have a spare with me!

NCI have came out twice to the XJ and Once to the SV every time they have either fixed it or been able to transport me and the bike back home.

[Clunk]

We've got RAC personal cover, covers the person in/on any vehicle.

Cost nothing using Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

Had to use it once on the bike and they turned up with a bike trailer to get me home. Once in the car following an accident, it took them hours to get a recovery truck to me.

On balance its ok and it costs me nothing.

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

uh-oh... I've got RAC and have been assuming they'll sort bike stuff just as well as car stuff... they don't sound too good when it comes to bikes :evil:

[Iansv]

Not tried the AA, RAC were pretty useless as they always tend to send a normal recovery vehicle first who never know anything about bikes and then call a recovery vehicle which a trailer... :roll:

4 hours in the pouring rain on the a406 isn't fun !!

Had reasonable service from an insurance company one but can't remember the name, Heard alot of good things about nci and will use them next

[SteveH]

I've had AA cover most of my biking life and have not had a problem with them. The one year I took the cover you get with the insurance I got S.O.S and they were very good plus it only cost me £15 for the whole year might be worth a look to see who your insurance group deal with

[creamerybutter]

uh-oh... I've got RAC and have been assuming they'll sort bike stuff just as well as car stuff... they don't sound too good when it comes to bikes :evil:

Personally I wouldn't go with RAC again if you paid me, especially when they left me stranded when they refused to come out because I couldn't pay the extra fee (nearly £40 and I didn't have my credit card with me) as they said I had gone over my call out limit but I had been told I had one left, it was 1am and they suggested calling my folks and getting them to pay! I had to leave the bike where it was and call a taxi.

[shutdown]

NCI get my vote too

not used them but for what i've heard and the price...can't grumble

[Stig]

I've said this before so I will keep it brief this time. When my bike broke down with fuel pump failure I called out the RAC of which I was a member.

1. First bloke turns up hours after I call, in van and knew nothing about bikes.

2. Eventually a van comes with trailer and takes me to a local garage where I had to wait more hours for a suitable vehicle to tow the trailor.

3. Start journey and I notice that the bike is falling off the trailer.

4. The guy driving is so preoccupied with trying to make a call on his hands free phone that we are swerving all over the road.

5. Finally get home some 7 or more hours after I breakdown. The guy then makes a complete **** of getting my bike off the trailor and it ends up falling off the trailer and hitting the deck totally upside down.

RAC :?: Fookin forget that.

[Stig]

Oh I use the AA now and everytime I have needed them they have been quick, professional, and got me home or repaired the bike. Also your covered no matter what vehicle you are in/on. The vehicle doesn't even have to be your own.

[Cloggsy]

We've got RAC personal cover, covers the person in/on any vehicle.

Cost nothing using Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

Ditto :wink:

[wheelnut]

Ive had RAC in the past, ok for cars, never needed them with a bike.

Last year I had AA after getting a free year with Suzuki. I used them twice for bike and 3 times for car.

Unless someone knows better, I will renew my AA this week because I need cover for both

[northwind]

I've still got RAC... The one time I had to call them out for hte old bike they were absolutely top notch, they sent out a guy who they knew could work with bikes, which caused a slight delay but meant he could get right to the problem and get me going again... They did send a standard unit not a trailer, but then he was sure he could get me going. He also escorted me to the dealership since my lights were all out, driving behind me and giving me a big bodyguard. Couldn't have been better.

[hall13uk]

the AA for me got a years free cover from suzuki with new bike.
i have not used them thou.!
i have however used the free punchure assistance i got with my insurance more than a few times there five star***** :notworthy: . each time they got me repaired/got me home longest wait was 25mins when i was on the m20 at 2am one moring

[Ceri JC]

AA were/are gash for me, take ages to come out (I thought they'd respond quicker to bikes than cars, particularly if it's a recovery job rather than repair), even when my location meant I was "vulnerable". Very poor communications (every time they were delayed, I had to ring them to get a new ETA :roll:), they couldn't find my location without a postcode(despite me knowing which road I was on and being right next to a landmark)- not so bad in London, but I was stuck on hillside in the middle of the countryside. When they have turned up, 2 times out of 3 the person hasn't had a clue about bikes, nor been carrying a bike trailer. One time they had to borrow tools from me (nothing esoteric or bike-specific, we're talking spanners here!) and on another they sent a non-AA mechanic, who aside from swearing like a trooper, was generally rude and unhelpful. Oh and the one time they have actually "fixed" my bike, they could of told me how to do it myself, in under a minute, over the phone. I understand the call centre people don't have mechanical knowledge, but you think it'd make sense for there to be an option for you to talk to a mechanic to see if there is anything they would recommend you trying, before they come out.

I got the cover bundled with my bike, but at the end of the year I will definately be switching.

[wheelnut]

At the risk of getting it wrong, I have just spent an hour comparing breakdown cover before I go to Oulton Park and set off for the rideout :P

I dont like the small print in the NCI cover, there are too many extras included such as £20 cancelation fees and change of details fees. The AA will recover you within 1/4 mile where the others put a limit of a mile from your address. That extra 3/4 mile is enough to put me off. even an SV with no power takes some shoving.

RAC is a definate no no,

Green Flag worry me too as I believe they use Joe Bloggs with a van and a tow rope.

Give me a clue? :?

[Warren]

dont even bother with green flag, we were stuck in newquay and they refused to get us home saying that no one wanted to travel that far (to london)

got NCI breakdown cover, and that covers me in any veichle. but never had to use it.

[northwind]

The AA will recover you within 1/4 mile where the others put a limit of a mile from your address. That extra 3/4 mile is enough to put me off. even an SV with no power takes some shoving.

Aye, think the RAC's a mile- but there's a nice mile-long slope from the end of my driveway :)

[wheelnut]

I have done it with the AA

Strange thing was my renewal was £102 for Option 200, Roadside & Relay

When I called I got the option of paying by cheque or direct debit.

with annual direct debit the price drops to £87 :?

At least im covered and got an extra week out of it.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Im thinking that NCI is a better bet if you live in London or the Home counties. Derbyshire seems better provided for by the AA

[northwind]

That, my friend, seems incredibly expensive... I'mpretty sure my 2nd year renewal with the RAC and 1 year's no callouts discount was going to be around half that... Could be wrong. In the end I got the full cover through my insurance for £30.

[Stig]

I pay £92 per annum and that covers me for roadside recovery, home start, and recovery from anywhere to home. If they can't fix what's wrong I get free Hotel and breakfast as well. That price is for joint membership for Mrs Ape too.