Roadside assistance

[GARYD]

I have H-D roadside assistance now (never used it) and I'm thinking on switching to the AMA's plan for a couple dollars more ($29/year) it will cover all my vehicles and childrens vehicles.

My question is does anyone have the AMA's plan and have you used it? If so are you
happy with it?

 

[Bikerbozo]

I love the AMA plan. Only been needed with 2-wheels. Trike has never broken down on me (now I jinxed it). They always pick me up with flat bed anyways, it wouldn't matter. Keep in mind, if you go on auto-pay option for yearly dues, that the AMA Roadside Assistance plan is then free.

 

[trikermutha]

I guess you have to consider how many times you think you are going to have a breakdown..In the last 20 years I have only needed a tow once and that was because my clutch jam nut loosened up..

 

[FLTR2008TRIKE]

I had HD road assistance, it only pays the first $100 of your tow. I had a breakdown in the middle of the high desert in Nevada back in 2008. I was 250 miles east of Reno and 340 miles west of Salt Lake City UT on I80

My tow bill after the $100 payment was $800. I now have AAA Premium RV towing. I can get up to 200 miles of towing before I have to pay. It also covers my vehicles

 

[GARYD]

Bikerbozo, I'm a charter life member so unfortunately I don't get that auto-pay perk. It seems like new members get more perks then life members.

When I first joined they said after 20 years you get free membership, free American Motorcyclist magazine and a special pin and $1 off entry when you go to the annual International Motorcycle show. Now I have to still pay for the magazine, they stopped giving out the special pins and the $1, but I do get free membership - - although they are starting Life Member+ membership for $29 so I end up still having to pay a yearly dues. WTF
I do have the option of not getting the LM+ membership.

 

[rhino 2]

I guess you have to consider how many times you think you are going to have a breakdown..In the last 20 years I have only needed a tow once and that was because my clutch jam nut loosened up..

Depends on the bike, 40 + years never needed a tow, Then in 08 i bought a Can- Am spyder, The last year i had it i needed to be towed 4 times, :AGGHH:

 

[tomg]

I had the AARP coverage ($70) for about five years and it is pretty good, but I also have it with Progressive ( bike & trike) that includes better coverage to include a hotel if needed and it is also covered by my other vehicle insurance for those vehicles. Granted it does not cover ANY vehicle you or family are in as the AARP did, but I felt that I didn't need to double pay any more !!
Tomg

 

[DakotaTG]

I have the HOG roadside assistance which is actually provided thru Road America. I pay $49.95 a year which gives me unlimited towing to the nearest HD dealer plus other things like gas and tire repair. Of course it's not exactly easy to change a tire even if it is on a HD TG so I would imagine you will be towed for the repair. This also includes up to two other vehicles. I've never had to use it and really hope I don't need it. It's just one of those things you have for "Peace of Mind".

2011 Merlot and Black TG, lift kit, deflectors, LED headlight, no cat using the SE header and of course some bling.

 

[Boom]

I've got an 11 year-old car so I got AAA w/RV coverage which covers my trike also. It's about $160 per year.

 

[bayoudave]

I have Progressive with free roadside service. Used it last year when I had a flat on the rear of the trike. Called and they sent a truck. The fact that you make one call and they take care of the rest was great. If you are out of state you may have trouble finding and getting a tow.
Plus they pay the towing.

 

[GARYD]

So far I'm not seeing anything better then the AMA plan, but my original post was for actual experiences between the 2 providers not coverages or prices. I'm not interested in any other plans.

I want to know how long it took for a service vehicle to arrive with gas or a tow. Did the operator know what he was doing, was there any additional charges, where do they take the towed vehicle(Harley dealer, any repair shop, home, etc), was it hard to reach an operator.

 

[CRBandit]

So far I'm not seeing anything better then the AMA plan, but my original post was for actual experiences between the 2 providers not coverages or prices. I'm not interested in any other plans.

I want to know how long it took for a service vehicle to arrive with gas or a tow. Did the operator know what he was doing, was there any additional charges, where do they take the towed vehicle(Harley dealer, any repair shop, home, etc), was it hard to reach an operator.

A lot of your questions are very location and incident specific. Things like how far from a tow operator, traffic incidents in the area tying up tow vehicles, etc are just a few of the things that would cause the time of response to vary from day to day and time of day.

 

[Bikerbozo]

Never had a problem with tow operators. I think 1 hr. was longest I had to wait (outside Richmond, VA on a sunday). I've been towed to nearest H-D, I've paid the extra mileage to go to a further one (near a friends house) and I've had bike brought home.Note that some of the phone operators get confused if you may or may not be on a road that a tow operator has a contract with (and they don't). I've had to roll bikes short distances to get off those roads. I think the deal was you would have to submit bill for refund after fact if on one of those roads.

 

[GARYD]

oh-oh

 

[GARYD]

CRBandit, I realize that, but I can get some kind of idea - they usually will tell you an approximate time. I'm just looking for an overall likability of each plan.
And how they handle your bike if a tow is needed.

It doesn't seem to be very many people here ever needing a tow. lol

 

[Bikerbozo]

Did I mention that in the 43,000 miles that I have ridden my TG, I have never needed a tow? I got the tire insurance also, so you know I have never had a flat either!

 

[GARYD]

I haven't had a flat on a bike either - just in cars.

Now watch, we'll both get one now. LOL

 

[Chappy]

I have HOG roadside and it works good to get to the nearest HD dealer. However, I seem to nearly always breakdown during after hours, weekends (no repairs), or holidays. So my backup is AAA with the RV and MC coverage. Sometimes I had to be creative and have AAA tow me to a motel that was in the right direction of the nearest HD dealer and call HOG in the morning to tow me to the dealer.

I also remember a breakdown in Conn. just past the NY line on I-84 and called a friend near my New Hampshire home to meet me with his trailer in route at a Massachusets HD dealer parking lot after hours (2am). The dealer location was important because I could get towed by AAA to a repair shop or residence only and as it worked out that that Mass HD dealership parking lot qualified as a destination for AAA to tow me and also worked out to be just a few miles less than when I would pay by the mile for any continued towing. We met just as we planned and my friend only waited about 15 minutes for me and my bike to arrive. We unloaded my Harley with sidecar from the AAA flatbed and loaded it into my friends 7X14 enclosed trailer and headed the 150+ miles home. It was a long night and the sun was just coming up on that Sunday when I got home.

Turned out it was only my battery had given up the ghost. With out AAA and HOG it would have been a much longer and expensive night/weekend. That's just one of my many experiences with a broke bike on the side of the road. All and all I have been very lucky for the most part except those other times. lol

chappy

 

[bayoudave]

I have Progressive insurance on my trike that included road side assistance. I have used it once. About a two years ago I was on the trike headed to Arkansas from Louisiana. I had a flat on the rear of the trike. I was pulling the Timeout camper at the time. I called the service and explained to her my situation. She told me she would check and see what was available in our area and call me back. When she called back she told me that there was one 30 miles south and one 50 miles north. She asked which way I was headed. I told her north.

She put me on hold and in a minute or so came back and gave me the name and phone number of the tow company and driver that was on his way and to call him in about 30 minutes to make sure he was headed our way. In an hour we were loading up.

Road side assistance is insurance. If you don't ever use it you wasted your money, however if you are in a bind away from home it is well worth every penny. Not just to get the tow paid for but in my situation I wouldn't have even knew who to call to get the number of a tow service. I guess what I am saying is that it's not about the money, it's about the peace of mind knowing that if you do breakdown help is a phone call away and you know the number. It's like American Express says, don't leave home without it.

 

[screwball]

Been with AAA 45 years. Just not going to Cal DMV is worth every penny