AA recovery for motorbikes?

**Cynos** · 9th February 2009, 13:39

Hi all,

I imagine there's a few AA members here, how are they about recovering motorcycles? I ask because I have a roadtrip in mind, and would like the back-up, but my brother was left stranded by AA because he got a puncture and had no spare tyre - and they cited this clause:

(Service cannot be provided if)

the vehicle is immobilised due to failure to carry a serviceable spare wheel and wheel changing equipment suitable to the vehicle

http://www.aa.co.nz/terms/aamembersh...embership.aspx

And he was riding a scooter.

**klingon** · 9th February 2009, 13:45

If you're an AA Plus member they will get you and your bike where you're going. That means if they can't get it going on the roadside, they will arrange a tow (at no extra charge to you).

If you're a standard AA member they will get you going using whatever methods they can use on the roadside, but they won't transport the bike if it's disabled.

My partner is an AA plus member and it has been worth its weight in gold. One time his scooter broke down (electrical malfunction in the Purewa Cemetery!) They sent a tow truck to pick up us and the scooter and deliver us all to the repairer.

Another time his SV got a puncture out in the wopwops in Northland. Again they sent a towie, who delivered him and the bike to a repairer in Whangarei. As the garage was closed at the time, they also paid for him to stay in a motel until the following morning when he could get the puncture repaired and ride home to Auckland.

**Squiggles** · 9th February 2009, 14:05

Standard AA membership is worthless for a bike, get Plus

**KingJackaL** · 9th February 2009, 14:08

As the above two posters say, you need the premium/plus membership. In fact, when I went to join the AA, and mentioned I didn't have a car (but had a motorbike), they told me flat out right there that I'd need the higher membership level. And IMHO it's still not bad at around $100/year.

**scracha** · 9th February 2009, 14:17

+1 on AA plus thingie. Basic AA membership is a waste of time, car or motorcycle.

**pritch** · 9th February 2009, 14:23

You guys who are paying $100 to the AA are making me feel a whole lot better about paying $50pa to the Honda Riders Club...

**Squiggles** · 9th February 2009, 14:24

Originally Posted by KingJackaL

As the above two posters say, you need the premium/plus membership. In fact, when I went to join the AA, and mentioned I didn't have a car (but had a motorbike), they told me flat out right there that I'd need the higher membership level. And IMHO it's still not bad at around $100/year.

exactly, my last two tows came to over a grand...

**Oakie** · 9th February 2009, 14:30

I've just got the normal membership and I've been picked up by a recovery vehicle once ... although that was within the city so that may have made a difference. I've also been got mobile again from about 15km out of town and the guy followed me to the city limits to make sure I at least got that far without breaking down again.

**slofox** · 9th February 2009, 14:39

Originally Posted by scracha

+1 on AA plus thingie. Basic AA membership is a waste of time, car or motorcycle.

Errrrmmmmm well, I have had basic membership (mostly for a car) for close on forty years and have had LOTS of use from it. So I cannot agree that it is a "waste of time"....AA has dug me out of plenty of holes over the years....but now that I am back on a bike I have upgraded to plus......

**Cynos** · 9th February 2009, 15:00

Cheers guys, sounds like AA Plus is the way to go.

**Warr** · 9th February 2009, 15:37

Originally Posted by pritch

You guys who are paying $100 to the AA are making me feel a whole lot better about paying $50pa to the Honda Riders Club...

What he said. Got it before I did a South Island trip a year or 2 back.

**klingon** · 9th February 2009, 15:45

Originally Posted by slofox

Errrrmmmmm well, I have had basic membership (mostly for a car) for close on forty years and have had LOTS of use from it. So I cannot agree that it is a "waste of time"....AA has dug me out of plenty of holes over the years....but now that I am back on a bike I have upgraded to plus......

Yeah I've had AA standard membership for a few years, and it has definitely been worth it for cars. I've even used it when I was a passenger in my Mum's car and she locked the keys inside. Other times it's been the usual flat batteries, flat tyres (especially when it's raining and you're in your good clothes!) and once a malfunctioning fuel pump. I also used them once for the bike when I ran out of petrol.

But yeah, AA Plus is the way to go if you want coverage for bikes as well as cars.

**gw555** · 9th February 2009, 16:10

Yes I have had AA+ since it first came on the scene. Have used it a couple of times for a car and once for the bike never had any problem.

**thehollowmen** · 9th February 2009, 16:43

actually, on the normal membership I've got a tow at midnight back into Dunedin, because they had a clause about getting getting the vehicle to a secure location and damned if they'd let me take out a policy for 24 hours if it was left at the side of the road.