Modern Vespa

AAA PREMIER RV LEVEL MOTOR CLUB MEMBERSHIP

This may have been posted before. I can use my AAA Motor Club
card on my scooter or anybody else's scoot in my riding group as
long as I am with them.

I really do not advertise it to my scooter riding group. But, I
can have a broke down scooter towed up to 200 miles. This
pretty much covers us on our Regional Extended rides. We
are not usually over 200 miles from home.

I pay $212 a year for this card. Sounds pricey, but it is good for
jump starts, flat tires, tows, and discounts on travel like hotels.

We regularly have 12-18 riders on our day and/or extended day rides.
If you regularly road with a group - everyone could pitch in a few
bucks and everyone would be covered for breakdown towing. The
card would be in one person's name (ride leader) and he/she could
use it on anyone.

Bob Copeland
Minn-Max Riders of Minnesota

I have the same AAA card and had to use it a few months ago for the first time. I needed to get my GTS to my dealer 75 miles away for the ABS replacement.

The tow company/person they sent for the Vespa had only towed one scooter before. He came with a big flat bed truck. It was very cringe the way he strapped it down. Every time I tried to make a suggestion, he just said, "this is the way I always tie a motorcycle down."

It did made it to the dealer but they were also amazed at how it was tied down.

AAA will not tow it back to your house after it is repaired, even though the person on the phone initially told me they would. It is up to you to pick it up somehow.

bluside,

I think you get one tow for each event or disablement.

Bob Copeland

broke down scooter recovery service

In times of need this card is worth its weight in gold.
I have used my AAA card for battery service for my neighbors cars in the past, it's been awhile but they use to have good prices on replacement batteries as well.

That's true, Bob. One event. They will tow the scooter to the shop within 200 miles if it's unridable. Once it's fixed, it's up to you to pick it up and get it back.

In my situation, not knowing this, the person I spoke to on the phone told me they would bring it back to me also. Not the case when it was fixed. It cost me about $200 to get the Vespa towed back home. I didn't have any way to get to the dealer and pick it up. It was still worth it for me and I would do it again.

Been there...Funny to see on the back of big ol flatbed. Broken belt in this case.

Don't feel bad. Once I had to have my vintage Motomarina Sebring moped towed from a famous Hot Dog joint in NJ called "Hot Dog Johhny's". It's a very popular hangout for motorcycle riders (mostly Harley guys). I was shocked when a giant flatbed arrived, and the tow truck operator asked me where my bike was. I pointed to my little moped and he said "you're kidding me. right?". When he realized I wasn't joking, he shook his head and proceeded to load up my moped on his truck. Talk about embarrassment! The Harley guys all had a good laugh at my expense. I can laugh about it now, but it wasn't so funny when it happened.

Great story!

Be VERY careful about any place that says "up to". I used to be a member of Paragon Motor Club, and they claimed "up to" 100 miles of towing. It covered any registered street legal motor vehicle, including cars, pickups, motorcycles, scooters, vans, pretty much any non commercial motor vehicle, no matter who owned it, as long as the member, me, was there. My ex wife's car broke down just over 50 miles from where we wanted it towed to. I went to check it out, it was nothing I could fix where it was. So we decided to have it towed to our daughter and son in laws business, which is actually closer to where it was than my house is. I called them, and told them where the car was, and where I wanted it towed. They refused to tow it that far. I reminded them it was up to 100 miles, to which they replied it was 100 miles OR the closest "place", whatever that means. Could be a gas station, fast food place, who knows. They said they could only pay a maximum of $200 for towing, and that it would cost another $120+ to tow it to where we wanted it towed to. So we had it towed, and paid the other $120+. When I got home, I called them, accused them of fraud, and canceled my membership.

I now have AAA, but not that plan. A bit cheaper, but according to them (verbal only) it would cover an actual 100 miles of towing. I haven't had a chance to find out yet.

I would be happy to pay $212 a year for that plan if they also cover motorcycles and IF they actually mean 200 milesof towing. I have a couple of motorcycles with tube type tires, and where I live is flat city for bikes with tube type tires, because of all the thorns we have here. And a flat tire on a bike with tube type tires means a tow truck. Having a guaranteed 200 miles of towing with no BS means I could ride considerably farther from home on those bikes than I currently do. But I wouldn't get it without actually having something in writing from them that it actually covered 200 miles of towing, no matter how many "places" might be closer.

I think it is a good idea for anyone wherever that has a "broken down service contract" to check what it really says.

I checked mine and it says they will tow me "to the nearest service station" and bring me and passenger and luggage home.

Maybe I have to consider the yearly extra 37€. Then they bring my scooter "to a service station of my choice or to my home".

I have the AMA Roadside Assistance program which comes with my Life Membership at no cost. It will tow my motorcycle to the nearest dealer which is better than 'service station.' It is good for all MY vehicles; cars, trucks, CanAm, Vespa. I've used it for when I was locked out of my truck. The only issue I've ever had was trying to use it twice in a 30 day period, one of the rules. I've had two 'breakdowns' of cars towed to my home and no questions asked. I'm not sure why that was approved but it was. And my wife ran out of gas in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere NM. It cost her the price of 5 gallons of reg.

I'll stick with the AMA even though the AAA sounds like a good deal but a little pricey.

For a flat tire a "dealer' is not what I need. I have a horror story about that. 30 or so years ago, I went for a Sunday morning ride on a bike with tube type tires. I was about 200 miles from home when the front tire blew out at highway speed. I almost crashed, the bike was all over the place. No cell phone back then, but a highway patrol cop called a towing service. After waiting for hours, and paying a small fortune, I got it towed to the nearest dealer. But it was Sunday, so the dealer was closed. Before unloading it, I had it towed about a mile down the road to a motel, and got a room. Because dealers are open on Saturday, they are also closed on Monday. So I had to stay at the motel Sunday and Monday nights. I called the dealer Tuesday morning, and a couple hours later they came and picked the bike up. They got it fixed just as they were closing on Tuesday, and I headed home. A huge towing bill, a two night stay at a motel, eating at a fast food place, another huge bill from the dealer for picking up the bike and replacing the blown out tube, two days work missed. I learned my lesson. NEVER ride very far from home on a bike with tube type tires. Have a road service plan, and when they became available, carry a cell phone.

And that incident with my ex wife's car, I learned that you need a road service plan with a GUARANTEED amount of towing, so you know just how far from home you can safely ride on a bike with tube type tires, and get it back home when (when, not if) you have a flat without it costing a fortune.

Hi Bob,
I am in the UK so have RAC recovery. Royal Automobile Club. It worked out this year after they phoned me up to the equivalent of 79.90 US Dollars.
I am covered in or on any vehicle for 5 recoveries a year anywhere in the UK and mileage so if I broke down they could tow me theoretically say from John O' Groats in Scotland to Lands End in Cornwall a distance of 960 miles. Also a loan car for onwards travel and hotel accommodation if not possible to get car repaired till morning which happened once when a serpentine belt was needed on a Sunday and they couldn't get one till Monday. Most likely works out cheaper for them rather than a 200 mile tow. Plus I am sure it can be used in Europe. I remember using it in Ireland before Brexit happened. I wouldn't be without it for peace of mind even though I hardly ever use it. As the minor breakdowns like flats or some other minor things I have worked for myself rather than waiting at busy times for recovery which can be a few hours.

I think everyone has got the correct message. Most plans
are limited to towing to the nearest location. Check your
plan and buy the upscale coverage.

I admit, I am a nut case on maintenance. My Dad was a career
service manager and drilled into me keep the vehicle well
serviced. Replace oil, belts and clutches on manufactures specs.
I have had 15 years of no side of the road breakdowns. My
scooter peers think I am over spending on up keep.

Bob Copeland

Got out riding today after six months and a tough Winter.

I'm pretty sure I pay much less than Bob for the full roadside service RV motorcycle family plan but we don't have snow.

AAA (The Club to SoCal old timers) is known for stellar customer service, in many areas their Auto insurance is the best payer when your car gets smashed but their rates are noticeably higher.

Calcruising,

You are probably right on the cost of the better coverage which tows
scooters. AAA is organized Regionally - so their annual Motor Club
memberships rates may vary from State to State.

I got out yesterday on the Dragon Red GTS300 for a solid 100 miles.
First ride in 6 months. Tough Winter up here.

Bob Copeland

I have the same AAA plan, but the last time I called needing a tow, they told me it would be at least 6 hours to get me. I was on I-71 just north of Cincinnati (in front of King's Island Amusement park) with a broken belt and a severe thunderstorm bearing down on me. I was not in a safe place, but that didn't seem to matter.

I waited roadside for 2 hours with no update, called again and they said no change in ETA. The wind had gotten so hard, I had put the scoot on the sidestand leaning into the wind and was holding it to keep it from blowing over. At this point it was getting dark, so I wound up pushing the scoot 1 mile on the shoulder and then UP an exit ramp to a gas station and called a friend to get me.

I was not very pleased with AAA at that time.

BTW, membership to Vespa Club of America also offers towing services (base is 25 miles, but can be expanded to 100). AMA membership includes 35 miles towing - covers your bikes, cars, trucks, trailers and RV's.

CrazyCarl,

You are right. The roadside assistant plans are only as good as
the local tow companies available to do the work.

Here in Minnesota, on extreme bad weather days, I drive by
multiple cars spun out in the ditch. All the tow companies are
up to their eye balls in service demand. Frequent long waits
for everyone.

Additionally, when it goes sub zero temperature, all the older
car batteries won't start their cars. Big back up wait for a jump
start. So much so, that most folks in this North Land keep
jumper cables in the trunk.

Bob Copeland

AMA does not have a national network of vetted people to take care of you. I have been disappointment multiple times by them. To actually get service, you have to call back multiple times and wait a long time. The last time I needed help, on the third call back AMA ended up calling AAA to help me since they couldn't get someone in their "network" to help me. You get what you pay. AAA does not require multiple calls to make sure that someone will come for you. I had AAA, and will be going back to them after my three year membership with AMA is up. AAA is expensive, but they will be there when you need them.