Costly breakdown miles from home

[MD]

Don't breakdown on the East Coast !
My weekend turned to crap. I left Wgtn 5am Saturday to join 9 others already at Mahia Beach (Napier-Gisborne). Great blast, bike running as smooth as silk until 40 ks short of Gisborne the electrics shut me down. No spark but everthing else fine - yeah of course we all checked the kill switch a dozen times.
Anyway, thanks to the kindly mechanic at Gisborne Honda he collected me and sad bike from the middle of nowhere - the first $100 down for bike recovery. They can't fix the blade in Gissy, need to get it transported back to Wgtn, cost $???. Told my mates to head off and enjoy the East cape circuit, I can get myself home. No buses or flights that day. Had to find a motel , mind you it was good value $80 (Spunge Bay) and the owner has ordered a Triumph Rocket, lucky him. Flight home $155. So far its looking like $500 without even getting the damn bike fixed yet. Should have stayed home and tried knitting or something cheaper than bikes. All I can say is thank you for cell phones.
Mark D

[Wenier]

that sounds like some major bad luck mate , hope everything works out and doesnt cost ya too much but dont give up on bikes they are still awesome.

[merv]

Have you tried contacting Ericksen Honda at Bay View near Napier - Mark Ericksen might be able to help you?

Sounds like you need to suss out what's wrong first - maybe only needs a cheap part to fix it.

[LB]

Shit Mark, sorry to hear that. Grant D was on the e-riders run today and we were talking about you, he said he felt guilty he hadn't called you to remind you of the breakfast run.

Probably well worth you taking on board Merv's suggestion re Eriksen Honda.....

Good luck mate, let us know how you get on. (who were the others you met up with - was it Dion etc?)

[MD]

Thanks all for the comments. Once I suss out the trucking costs I can decide if Napier is a better option for repairs. Mind you, then I have to get myself up their to collect it - more costs and time off. The consensus was its either the CPU ,coil or ignition switch. Its the old story, "once we can check it in the workshop we'll know" Texted the Lads that night "shit happens, have fun"
Which brings to mind the adage "worse things happen at sea" which gives me no comfort since no bloody motorbikes have ever broken down at sea.
ps Linda, sounds like you liked the new Blade 1000 you saw. One of the group I was in has ordered one and another has ordered the MV1000. Me, I'm ordering a beer, its all I can afford now.
Mark D

[Slim]

Best you look into AA Plus membership - $100 a year and it's well worth it, believe me!

Good luck with the bike. Hope the repairs aren't too bad, but having experienced Honda electrical failure myself, I wouldn't hold your breath for a cheap fix.

[matthewt]

Best you look into AA Plus membership - $100 a year and it's well worth it, believe me!

Does the "Plus" bit mean they will pick it up ??? When I got standed out east I ended up leaving the bike in a gas station and rather than stay in a motel and bus home the next day I rented a one way car and drove home. When I rang the AA (from the scene of the accident) they were like "Sorry, we aren't a vehicle transporting company. You'll need to arrange it yourself."

[Slim]

Does the "Plus" bit mean they will pick it up ??? When I got standed out east I ended up leaving the bike in a gas station and rather than stay in a motel and bus home the next day I rented a one way car and drove home. When I rang the AA (from the scene of the accident) they were like "Sorry, we aren't a vehicle transporting company. You'll need to arrange it yourself."

The AA deal with breakdowns, not accidents, Matthew. You would probably have been better ringing your insurer about vehicle recovery at the time of your accident - that might be worth looking into now so you know what the deal is if it happens again.

AA Plus is $45 more a year than standard AA membership, but gives you the following extras:

• Vehicle Recovery (including anything you're towing) to the nearest repair or all the way home - your choice
• Rental car for up to 3 days and/or
• Up to 3 nights accomodation for yourself & those travelling with you
• Alternative ground transport home or to your next destination for you & those travelling with you
• Free delivery of $10 worth of petrol if you run out (you have to pay for the petrol though)

And that's on top of the standard AA benefits. Check out The AA Site and look under memberships for more info.

The best thing about the AA is that it's specific to you, not your vehicle, so if you're travelling in someone else's car that breaks down, you are still covered.

[LB]

I'm with Slim on this one. I had AAPlus for years and almost flagged it several times but it was easier to keep paying the bill than change back to "normal" AA.

Then 18 months ago I had a major breakdown in the middle of the Paraparas, and the AA got me and the bike home, saved me major hassles.

I wouldn't be without AAPlus now, and highly recommend it.

Matthewt: it wouldn't have helped you at Taneatua, but I'd still highly recommend it.

[MD]

Thanks Slim, sounds worth looking into although I don't tour away from home that much. I rang the AA at the time of breakdown but as a 'standard' member they wouldn't transport bike or me back home to Welly since I had already made it to the nearest town (Gisborne).
Its costing $195 to truck it home. I miss the bike already and am getting the cold shakes without it. Need a ride fix.

[matthewt]

Thanks Slim, sounds worth looking into although I don't tour away from home that much. I rang the AA at the time of breakdown but as a 'standard' member they wouldn't transport bike or me back home to Welly since I had already made it to the nearest town (Gisborne).
Its costing $195 to truck it home. I miss the bike already and am getting the cold shakes without it. Need a ride fix.

You should check you insurance policy. I ended up getting my bike back to Wgtn and hired a rental car so I could get home which was covered by my policy.

[Yamahamaman]

You should check you insurance policy. I ended up getting my bike back to Wgtn and hired a rental car so I could get home which was covered by my policy.

I agree with you Matthew as my AMI policy certainly provides for emergencies such as travel, hauling, accommodation and a lot of other things as well.

[MD]

OK I'm kicking myself now. I'm with AMI ! Now where's that damn policy. Hope the excess doesn't aplly though. Thanks again.
Nope, it covers transport home for me and bike if the bike is DAMAGED OR STOLEN only. Looks like breakdown is not covered but I'll ring anyway.

[SNOman]

Don't breakdown on the East Coast !
My weekend turned to crap. I left Wgtn 5am Saturday to join 9 others already at Mahia Beach (Napier-Gisborne). Great blast, bike running as smooth as silk until 40 ks short of Gisborne the electrics shut me down. No spark but everthing else fine - yeah of course we all checked the kill switch a dozen times.
Anyway, thanks to the kindly mechanic at Gisborne Honda he collected me and sad bike from the middle of nowhere - the first $100 down for bike recovery. They can't fix the blade in Gissy, need to get it transported back to Wgtn, cost $???. Told my mates to head off and enjoy the East cape circuit, I can get myself home. No buses or flights that day. Had to find a motel , mind you it was good value $80 (Spunge Bay) and the owner has ordered a Triumph Rocket, lucky him. Flight home $155. So far its looking like $500 without even getting the damn bike fixed yet. Should have stayed home and tried knitting or something cheaper than bikes. All I can say is thank you for cell phones.
Mark D

You should consider joining the Honda Riders Club. $35 annually and your covered for breakdowns. Even covers the towing vehicle if your are transporting your bike.

http://www.honda-motorcycles.co.nz/Club.htm

[LB]

One of my mates with a VTR got collected via the Honda Club when he broke down between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui (not as isolated as the East Coast, but still a way from the city!) Got his bike fixed at Piopio - it was a flattie though, so could be fixed whereas yours would probably not be fixable at Piopio! However, a good suggestion of SNOman's to look into the Honda Club.