daught
Well-known member
If your motorcycle breaks down while traveling in US or Canada, what are the best ways to get it home?
Major motorcycle breakdowns.
- Thread starter daught
- Start date
You can still call CAA. They will tow you. You will have to pay for KMs after 200. I still think it's worth it.
200km isn't exactly a long way away. That's an afternoon ride for a lot of people.
If he's touring then chances are he's many more hundred (or thousand) kilometers away, and the 200 free ones are nothing compared to what the rest of the way would cost to tow.
gtm
Well-known member
And its still cheaper because you get 200 of those x thousand kms free....
biglandfarm
Well-known member
If it's a mjor major break down, u can piggy-back your bike to Toront
r take it apart and mail it back, or u can ask a transport trucker going to Toronto if he has space to fit the bike into the crate ( I'm not sure about this though....are they even allowed to open their shipment crates?) Or, take apart the bike, put it in a box, load it on a train as a oversized luggage, and ride the train back.Your cheapest option is probably the truck, aren't truckers always looking for company on those long drives?Fastest is mail....I remember seeing the guy who rode a r1 across the globe mailing his bike.
r take it apart and mail it back, or u can ask a transport trucker going to Toronto if he has space to fit the bike into the crate ( I'm not sure about this though....are they even allowed to open their shipment crates?) Or, take apart the bike, put it in a box, load it on a train as a oversized luggage, and ride the train back.Your cheapest option is probably the truck, aren't truckers always looking for company on those long drives?Fastest is mail....I remember seeing the guy who rode a r1 across the globe mailing his bike.I can't think of any other solution that would be cheaper. If you have a breakdown in a rural area, you're going to have to pay one way or another. It gets even more complicated when you have a strict time schedule.
When I took my tour, I thought I had a major showstopper problem on my hands. I had a breakdown in Moose Jaw. The front right bearing exploded on me. The dealer in Regina said it could take 2 weeks to get the parts if they don't have them. I didn't have two weeks. My only solution was to tow the bike to the dealer, see if they can fix it. If they can, great. If they can't, then I was prepared to ship the bike home (saw prices from 500-1000), and fly home.
Thankfully, they ended up having the parts and I was out of the shop in an hour.
It'd be really cool if 'touring' insurance was available. All these types of issues could be covered with it.
I never thought of renting a truck. That'd probably be cheaper than shipping and a plane ticket. You'll still have to get to a major centre though so I can't think of any scenario that won't involve a tow truck of some kind. Thus, it's still a good idea to have CAA.
the_mueg
Well-known member
I would rent a discount van and this way you have a car you can drive around and enough space for your bike in the back. Chances are if you are further away from home you might need a motor vehicle to get back. So maybe call around and find a rental agency that will let you rent a van and either have them deliver the van or tow the bike to them. You can also rent a small trailer which you put your bike on and rent a car to tow it around and this way it doesn't have to completely mess up your trip.
The towing to the rental place may be covered by CAA or a place like this: http://motorescue.ca/en/riders-intro.asp
The link below suggests that none of this towing is certain. I would still pick a more dynamic plan, especially if I know where I am going. Which is to pick rental places that will not give you trouble to rent a vehicle and return it elsewhere along the way and have their numbers in handy. Make sure you are covered weekends as well.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48610
The towing to the rental place may be covered by CAA or a place like this: http://motorescue.ca/en/riders-intro.asp
The link below suggests that none of this towing is certain. I would still pick a more dynamic plan, especially if I know where I am going. Which is to pick rental places that will not give you trouble to rent a vehicle and return it elsewhere along the way and have their numbers in handy. Make sure you are covered weekends as well.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48610
stratofortress
Well-known member
I had to call CAA in the states I was transferred directly to AAA , same company no extra charges, fast service as well
This is probably the best idea IMHO (to rent a truck), but many rental companies do not allow US rental vehicles into Canada. I once drove from California in a rental, had to leave that car in Buffalo, rental company had the Ontario rental car ready for me there, so I could cross the border. Just check ahead.
the_mueg
Well-known member
CAA may not tow you if you are in the middle of no where so don't count on them 100%. I heard some rental agencies will drive the car, VAN to you.
Coming from experience to those that do long distance travelling on scooters most motorcycle shops won't touch your scooter outside of Toronto unless it's a Japanese make. And there's not too many scooter dealers outside of Toronto too. I busted a main gasket up in Comox Valley and no one wanted to touch it so I had to ride it down to Victoria 3 hours away while filling it with oil every half an hour.
I did run out of gas heading east towards Calgary just an hour away and luckily had my CAA. AAA showed up. Will never forget that night one of the scariest riding moments in my life. Heavy fog couldn't see anything so safest route was going full throttle all the way so cars couldn't catch up to me lol.
I did run out of gas heading east towards Calgary just an hour away and luckily had my CAA. AAA showed up. Will never forget that night one of the scariest riding moments in my life. Heavy fog couldn't see anything so safest route was going full throttle all the way so cars couldn't catch up to me lol.
On long trips, we've always trailered to somewhere near the area we are going, and then ride out from there. On occasion, we have had to send someone back to get a vehicle for a rescue mission ...
I knew someone whose bike spun a rod bearing on I-75 in Ohio while riding back from Deals Gap. I looped back and picked him up ... which took a while, 10 miles to next exit then southbound about 12 miles, saw where he was, then back northbound 2 miles. Left the bike there, took him to nearest town where we arranged a local tow. I rode back to Toronto, he took the bus, then took his truck down and got the bike. This was in the days before cell phones ... (and the Gap was posted at 55 mph back then, too. Good luck with that!)
I knew someone whose bike spun a rod bearing on I-75 in Ohio while riding back from Deals Gap. I looped back and picked him up ... which took a while, 10 miles to next exit then southbound about 12 miles, saw where he was, then back northbound 2 miles. Left the bike there, took him to nearest town where we arranged a local tow. I rode back to Toronto, he took the bus, then took his truck down and got the bike. This was in the days before cell phones ... (and the Gap was posted at 55 mph back then, too. Good luck with that!)
