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Roadside repair vs road assistance Roadside repair vs road assistance
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

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Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 2 Dec 2014
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Roadside repair vs road assistance
Hello,

I'm currently in the process of planning my next motorcycle trip which will take me all over western Europe. I will stick mostly to secondary roads on a 1994, but mint, BMW funduro (tubed tyres, carbed, easilly fixed in most pop and mom shops). As a mechanic, you can imagine me as a simpleton with delicate artist hands.

So I'm contemplating the idea of foregoing all that carry your own tool and repair kit idea (which I'm no good at using anyway) and just go for the good ol' BMW aristocrat tool kit: a cellphone and a credit card.

I've done research on how would I go about calling for assistance while on the road in Europe, but all the information I find are for roadside assistance plan. Do I need a roadside assistance plan like ADAC or AA? How do you go about finding towing to a repair shop without a road assistance plan? how do you know what number to call?

I realize this sounds like a total noob question, but I'm a bit confused here...

Thank you!
Last edited by Guillaume; 2 Dec 2014 at 21:02.
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  #2  
Old 2 Dec 2014
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Getting taken to a garage at your own expense is going to cost I would guess £50-100 before they even look at it, I would recommend some breakdown cover if you don't fancy fixing it yourself and can get cover.
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  #3  
Old 2 Dec 2014
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Seriously, buy some breakdown cover. For what it costs it'll pay you back tenfold if you have a major issue. If nothing else it'll give you a native language phone number to call. I'd guess (based on your name) your French might be ok but German? Spanish? Italian? Polish?

Even if you did manage to find a local bike shop's number and explain in Greek that your overhead underhanger is broken the response is likely to be that firstly no one answers the phone and when you do get through that they can't come out to collect you off the motorway for two days and the recovery fee before they even look at the problem will be 150 euros. Breakdown services are not a panacea but calling one when you break down is the Euronorm.

With the age of your Funduro, if you need insurance you might find a UK classic policy that would throw in Euro breakdown for "free".
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Old 2 Dec 2014
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Thank you for your replies.

I will look for breakdown cover in Europe.
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Old 2 Dec 2014
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Definitely take out some sort of cover ! The costs of recovery from the roadside to a garage or, in a worst case scenario, getting yourself and the bike back home after a catastrophic mechanical failure can be high - I met a dutch couple earlier this year near North Cape (northern Norway) whose Yamaha had major gearbox issues - no dealer within 800 miles so they had to get the bike recovered back to Holland and were looking at costs around euro 2,000 !

Don't just go for the cheapest cover - some policies will cover hotel/accomodation costs or hire costs for alternative transport. Look carefully at the small print of the policy and consider as many 'what if' scenarios as possible and see how the policy will deal with them.
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Old 5 Dec 2014
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I contacted my local automobile club, CAA, Canadian version of the AAA, and they would cover me in Europe.


They have an agreement with RAC Europe. Up to 4 towing and they throw in for free an international driving permit (40$ value).


All that for 70 euros (99$CAD).


AWESOME!


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Old 5 Dec 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guillaume View Post
I contacted my local automobile club, CAA, Canadian version of the AAA, and they would cover me in Europe.


They have an agreement with RAC Europe. Up to 4 towing and they throw in for free an international driving permit (40$ value).


All that for 70 euros (99$CAD).


AWESOME!
That is a good deal, in any currency.

Side-of-the-road repairs are probably a rarity nowadays: it seems to me that the road patrol vehicles of those who provide such services, including the RAC, are set up for recovery to get off the highway rather than for diagnostics and repairs on the roadside; that still makes it a good deal.

I was recovered by a RAC landrover lots of years ago - my bike was a Matchless G2 which was pretty much "thrown" in to the back of the long wheel base.
It took them about 5 hours and 3 different patrols before the control centre understood that I was riding a bike and not driving a car - hopefully their communications are better in the 21st century.
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Old 5 Dec 2014
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Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
It took them about 5 hours and 3 different patrols before the control centre understood that I was riding a bike and not driving a car - hopefully their communications are better in the 21st century.

Yes I thought about that, these guys deal with a lot of volume and I'm sure only a small percentage of this is motorcycle. I will make sure to stress the fact that I'm on a motorcycle if I ever need to call for help.


Good thing though, the number I have to call is connecting me in Canada, in Quebec, my province, so I'll be able to speak French and nothing should be lost in translation.
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Old 6 Dec 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guillaume View Post
I will make sure to stress the fact that I'm on a motorcycle if I ever need to call for help.
With a 1994 Funduro they won't have a clue anyway: some of the people you deal with won't have been born when that bike was manufactured.
BUT, they will get you off the highway and to somewhere that can assist which is why it is good insurance for "peace of mind".

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guillaume View Post
Good thing though, the number I have to call is connecting me in Canada, in Quebec, my province, so I'll be able to speak French and nothing should be lost in translation.
Your written English is doing just fine!
With a breakdown you will still end up dealing with the local language when the pickup truck arrives; nothing to sweat over though.
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Old 10 Dec 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
That is a good deal, in any currency.

Side-of-the-road repairs are probably a rarity nowadays: it seems to me that the road patrol vehicles of those who provide such services, including the RAC, are set up for recovery to get off the highway rather than for diagnostics and repairs on the roadside; that still makes it a good deal.

I was recovered by a RAC landrover lots of years ago - my bike was a Matchless G2 which was pretty much "thrown" in to the back of the long wheel base.
It took them about 5 hours and 3 different patrols before the control centre understood that I was riding a bike and not driving a car - hopefully their communications are better in the 21st century.

The RAC patrols are measured on their ability to do a roadside fix. And their IT systems are able to pull vehicle details from the DVLA so the patrol knows what vehicle needs attention. It is fair to say that few of the patrols are specialist bike technicians, but are very able to diagnose and apply principles to bikes.

No, I don't work for the RAC, though I did work with them when they were owned by Aviva
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