Roadside Assistance

[Mark]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone from the US may be able to provide details on a good quality Roadside Assistance Service which operates throughout the US and preferably up into Canada.

My wife and I are going to be riding for 35 days and traveling over 7,000 miles from Long Beach CA, up to Jasper AL, then across to Vancouver Island BC, before heading back down the coast to LA.
It is unrealistic to think that our BMW's (R1200R and F800R) will not experience some issue over that distance and if they do I want a reliable roadside assistance service to help us out.

I've contacted BMW Motorrad USA and although I have the Roadside Assistance in Australia and am happy to pay for a years subscription in the US on top of that - they say they can't provide it because our bikes have foreign VIN numbers.
I don't see how that can effect anything but it seems it does.

Anyway, so back to the original question - is there a reliable service for roadside assistance which operates across the US and Canada?

Regards


Mark H.

[Karamazov]

Have you inquired with your insurance company? They may offer roadside assistance coverage that you can add to your policy. Most of the big boys have it.

[Mark]

We will be getting Full Insurance Cover for the bikes while we are riding in the US and Canada so I'll ask them if they provide it.
My concern is about the quality of the service. On a trip where we are riding long distances every day and in areas where there is little to no services, a breakdown would not only be inconvenient but it could put as big hole in our travel plans.
Also from the bikes perspective we want a company that is familiar with bikes and understands how to handle them.

Thanks for the tip about the insurer though - we'll follow it up.

[MTBeemer]

The Allstate Insurance company offers membership in the Allstate RV club. You do not need to be insured through Allstate and you do not need to have an RV. They provide towing for any vehicle the member is on or in to the nearest facility capable of fixing the problem. $99 per year. And they will even bail you out of jail if you are arrested for a driving offense.

http://www.allstatemotorclub.com/

[Karamazov]

As far as I know, they're all pretty much the same here. They'll dispatch a local tow truck to your location, and you'll be taken to the nearest authorized service location. That's exactly what BMW would do if you called them.

[mogu83]

Hi all,
It is unrealistic to think that our BMW's (R1200R and F800R) will not experience some issue over that distance and if they do I want a reliable roadside assistance service to help us out.
Mark H.

It is completely reasonable to expect to do this trip without any problems. I just did virtually the same trip (8,000 miles) with a side trip to Nova Scotia on my 07 R1200R (75,000 miles) accompanied by another R1200R and a R1200RT. All the bikes ran fine and all we used were gas and tires (and Money). We all did a 6K service and new tires before the trip and didn't have to add oil during the trip.

[Scriber]

I suggest two options:

1. Call Australia BMW Motorad and see if they can confirn what you were told by the USA affiliate. You may have spoken to someone who does not know what they are talking about. People travel all over Europe with their BMWs. It seems strange to think their bikes wouldn't be covered from country to country. If so, why would the USA be different?

2. Contact the American Automobile Association (AAA). They offer a roadside assistance plan for motorcycles at a reasonable price. And with a AAA membership card you get discounts at most hotels and motels. The discounts will pay for the membership. Make sure you check on coverage plans for Canada. It may turn out this is your preferred option anyway. And, you can get free maps from AAA with your membership.

[Scriber]

Mark,

Also, go sign up on the BMWSportTouring.com discussion board. Start a thread about your trip. Don't be surprised if you get offers from folks to ride part way with you, and offer places to stay for the night. And if you do have a break down along the way and post it on the site, you'd be surprised at the kinds of help people will offer.

[MTBeemer]

Always ensure you are aware of the limits of the towing service provided. Often it is 100 miles. The Allstate plan tows you to the nearest facility with the ability to fix the problem. For a FD that means a BMW shop.

[garr2]

Mark,
Until recently I never had cause to think much about roadside assistance - BMW's or anyone else's
But after a breakdown during a trip on my 2012RT I now know what to look for -
1) prompt attendance by a roadside assistant (mine was within the hour)
2) towing to somewhere that can fix the problem if the roadside assistant can't - presumably a BMW dealer (mine was 200 km)
3) use of a hire car to continue your trip while the bike is being repaired (mine was 3 weeks)
4) accommodation if you wait around for the bike to be repaired. (I waited 3 days before I found out the part would take 10 - 14 days to come from overseas
(The breakdown was close to my sister's so I didn't need accommodation).
5) relocation (of the bike) to where ever you are once the bike is fixed (600 km in my case).

1-3 are the most important.

From my experience I can say that BMW make lousy switch blocks but run a great roadside assistance program.

Ian

PS The switch blocks on the 2012 1200R are different to the 1200RT and are apparently bullet-proof.

[lynnboyd]

Mark,

You might try BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. Annual membership for non - US residents is $52 and roadside assistance is an additional $26. You also get a copy of the Anonymous Book, which lists phone numbers of thousands of BMWMOA members who are willing to help if you have a problem. I haven't used the roadside assistance so I can't vouch for it. The American Motorcyclist Association also offers a reasonable rate on roadside assistance with an annual membership.

The BMWMOA also offers some kind of discount for Medjet service.

Good luck and have a great trip.

Lynn