'AA' will lay your bike down

[PeteMun]

Since I just got my first bike and am a member of 'AA' with the "AA PLUS" I thought I would call them to see if my membership also covers motorcycles. They said yes but there vehicles are not equiped for towing motorcycles. They said they would have to lay the bike on its side as they cant use strops ?? WTF ! trailering a bike on its side would dent it & fuck it right !?!

Has anyone here used AA or towed a bike on its side I just cant picture how to do it

[The Lone Rider]

I have used AA to be rescued.

Story was, AA had to contact a local garage a town back. He rang me, asked me the problem. He said he'd have to be awhile as he has to get a trailer.

Shows up with an MX trailer, ALMOST the correct length for my bike but still bit short. Took us ages to get it on, guy didn't know how to strap them down properly so I had to tell him. His bike ramp was also borrowed and was hard to use.

He then took me back to the town his garage was at and he went out on another call out, came back. Asked me if I wanted to have a tow back to Christchurch.

End of story.


Took me 6 hours total to get back to Christchurch when I was 40 minutes away.

Cost me $250 to get towed back into Christchurch from his garage. I have basic AA membership and that only covers being picked up and taken back to their garage (not to where you live). Then it's up to you to either pay them to give you a ride back or you can store it at their shop and arrange something yourself.

Trailer... well I guess I just got lucky he had a trailer. Barely suitable trailer.

[Nasty]

They stropped mine standing up ... did you ask the call center - because they asked me where my spare tyre was ... and that in itself should tell you how much of their brain they use.

[Mikkel]

Called AA, told them my bike wasn't running and convinced them that nothing could be done at the roadside. They sent a proper tow truck and we put the bike on the flatbed. Was fine, the guy took me and the bike home. No worries whatsoever.

I believe you are entitled to have your vehicle taken either to your home or to a place where it can get fixed.

[crazyv]

Had a breakdown on SH1 (Auckland) -- They only have a couple of AA Trucks for the upper north Island (its contracted out)

Anyway he arrived with a descent sized truck with ramp big enough to tow another small truck in! No problems getting the bike up top as he had done it a few times before. It was tied firmly (upright) and taken back home.

This happend back in Nov 2008 (I think)

[suckingair]

I've used them, once I told them it was a bike they sent out a flat deck tow truck. Had a chat to the towie and he actually transports the police bikes, so it was real fast. Had good strops and cushions to stop them from rubbing against the bike.

[Squiggles]

Never had a time when they didnt have a flatbed come get me... It may pay to say that its a bike, and only a flatbed/trailer will work for towing it...

Unless its something like a flat battery, you're better off asking for a tow straight away straight away(sometimes they'll want to send someone out to you = double time when they cant "fix" the bike)

[vifferman]

I've had several call outs to the AA with a bike, but only once had to have it taken away. Unfortunately, it was a Friday night, and I had to wait over 2 hours so I could get from Ponsonby to Birkenhead ( a 15 minute drive)!
The guy turned up in a flatbed, put the bike on no trouble at all.
Think about it: if you can strap your bike down on a trailer or on a ferry, then a truck's no problem. All you need is something to wedge the front wheel against, and some tie-down straps, which are both things a towie should have.

[GSXR Trace]

Haven't had to use them yet, but i signed up for AA Plus, cause that will get you back to your city, without extra charge to you, rather than simply back to closest town and then you having to pay your way hoem from there. But from the sounds of things the towies know what they are doing, and the call centre is clueless. All I can say is that if they turned up and told me to lie my bike down on the truck id tell them to take a hike. Id camp out and wait for someone i knew to come pick me up!

[pritch]

Haven't had to use them yet, but i signed up for AA Plus,

There was a recent thread hereabout which suggested that for bikes the more expensive AA membership option was the way to go.

Meantime I'll stay with HRCNZ which offers a bike specific breakdown service, even if I do hope never to have to avail myself of that facility.

[Warr]

If its only a tow you are after...
How much for AA Plus ?

Membership to Honda Riders Club costs $50 / year including .
I think some insurance's have towing included also

Honda Rescue Gold includes

* Jump start available for 12 volt machines where the battery is easily accessed
* Emergency fuel supply – up to a maximum of 5 litres
* Transport to the nearest Honda dealer in the event of a mechanical breakdown
* Provision of accommodation and emergency transportation
* Vehicle Repatriation
* Accident, theft and collision advice
* Emergency message service

[UberRhys]

Since I just got my first bike and am a member of 'AA' with the "AA PLUS" I thought I would call them to see if my membership also covers motorcycles. They said yes but there vehicles are not equiped for towing motorcycles. They said they would have to lay the bike on its side as they cant use strops ?? WTF ! trailering a bike on its side would dent it & fuck it right !?!

Has anyone here used AA or towed a bike on its side I just cant picture how to do it

I have had 2 incidents involving call outs from the AA, one was on my regular membership. They came and collected me from SH27 and took me back as far as they could back to Matamata (I was heading north and the closest 'major centre' was Matamata).

The second was on the gf AA Plus membership. This time it was by Tahuna and they took me all the way back to Auckland no charge. Sweet as bro :-)

Both times it was on the back of a flatbed truck and they had stops to lock down the bike standing up. When touring I keep a set packed with tools incase of these types of emergencies as you never know what the towie has in his truck. Also when you cross the strait they don't always have enough strops (or they run out) and the last thing you want is for pride and joy bouncing round the hold of the Interislander...

[PeteMun]

Cheers all, I didnt think them laying the bike down added up ! Now Im about the situation.. I'm meeting family in wellington in september so i'll get them to bring some extra strops..

If its only a tow you are after...
How much for AA Plus ?

$150 for the first year and it goes down from there.

Membership to Honda Riders Club costs $50 / year including .
I think some insurance's have towing included also

Honda Rescue Gold includes

* Jump start available for 12 volt machines where the battery is easily accessed
* Emergency fuel supply – up to a maximum of 5 litres
* Transport to the nearest Honda dealer in the event of a mechanical breakdown
* Provision of accommodation and emergency transportation
* Vehicle Repatriation
* Accident, theft and collision advice
* Emergency message service

Thanks for that I had never heard of the honda riders club before, i'll have a looky..

[PeteMun]

They stropped mine standing up ... iddyou asked the call center - because they asked me where my spare tyre was ... and that in itself should tell you how much of their brain they use.

Thats hilarious they also mentioned to me they can help if I look my keys inside

[rosie631]

If its only a tow you are after...
How much for AA Plus ?

Membership to Honda Riders Club costs $50 / year including .
I think some insurance's have towing included also

Honda Rescue Gold includes

* Jump start available for 12 volt machines where the battery is easily accessed
* Emergency fuel supply – up to a maximum of 5 litres
* Transport to the nearest Honda dealer in the event of a mechanical breakdown
* Provision of accommodation and emergency transportation
* Vehicle Repatriation
* Accident, theft and collision advice
* Emergency message service

Pretty sure Harley have a similar sort of thing. Anyone on here know for sure? Have been meaning to look into joining up.