Best Motorcycle Breakdown Cover UK: Expert Comparison

As the old biker’s saying goes, “Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.” However, while we might see ourselves as Steve McQueen riding our motorcycles into the sunset, reality can fail to match Hollywood fantasy. A flat tyre, a dead battery, or a faulty radiator can curtail your 2-wheeled soul-searching just a few miles in. That’s when the best motorcycle breakdown cover can get you back on the saddle in no time.

In this expert review, we’ve looked at the best breakdown cover in the UK to help you make the right choice. Read on to discover the top options for single trips, classic motorbikes, European journeys, and combined car and motorcycle cover. We’ve also highlighted the best value options we could find.

To ensure fair and consistent comparisons, we used a Honda CBR500R as our example motorbike. This has an engine size of 471cc and a typical purchase price of around £7,000, making it an ideal mid-range model to evaluate our quotes.

Where the age of the bike needed to be provided, we said it was 5 years old. All quotes are for annual vehicle cover unless otherwise stated.

Our expert score: 4.7/5

Pros

Cons

This Comprehensive Plus coverage from RAC is an All Zones policy, meaning it covers 48 countries across mainland Europe, including Ukraine and parts of Turkey. The price is lower if you travel only to Zone 2 (including Spain, Sweden, and Portugal). It’s cheaper again if you go to only Zone 1 (including France, Germany, and the Republic of Ireland).

While your motorcycle gets repaired, you’ll be covered for UK onward travel for up to 23 days. The equivalent scenario in Europe means customers are offered up to £3,000 towards transport costs.

The Comprehensive policy from RAC is over £100 cheaper than the Comprehensive Plus but only allows 1 claim per trip.

Why buy? Expert verdict

The RAC’s Comprehensive Plus European motorcycle breakdown cover isn’t the cheapest on the market, but it provides the most exhaustive package.

If you’re a regular rider to Europe, the RAC pips the AA by offering to cover all costs if your vehicle needs to be repatriated. The company will pay up to £1,200 for the cost of accommodation (the AA offers £500) and £1,000 towards labour costs. Whereas the AA offers assistance up to 3 days before departure, the RAC stretches that to a week before you leave.

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Our expert score: 4.5/5

Pros

Cons

The ETA stands for the Environmental Transport Association, which hints at the company’s outlook. Founded by environmentalist Andrew Davis in 1990, the ETA describes itself as the UK’s most ethical provider. It’s also carbon-neutral, planting trees to offset its carbon consumption.

Its single-trip motorcycle breakdown cover is valid for up to 31 days of travel to Europe. If you need more time, consider its annual breakdown policy with European cover, which allows for up to 90 days of travel a year.

The ETA provides 24/7 English-speaking helplines, up to 1 hour of free labour at the roadside, and car hire for up to 14 days (up to a maximum of £60 per day). You’ll be covered in Britain, EU countries, Norway, and Switzerland.

Why buy? Expert verdict

Although the ETA will appeal to environmentally-conscious riders, its comprehensive coverage and speedy service make it more than just an ethical choice.

As of December 2024, the company’s average response time was a speedy 39 minutes. Plus, if your motorcycle cannot be repaired within 72 hours while in Europe, the ETA will arrange for its return to your home. In addition, its generous vehicle eligibility means all motorbikes less than 20 years old will be covered.

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Our expert score: 4.3/5

Pros

Cons

The Guild of Experienced Motorists (GEM) was founded in 1932, and while roads and vehicles have changed drastically since then, the member-led organisation is still going strong. Membership is included in its breakdown cover, which is offered as personal cover only rather than vehicle cover.

Multiple riders and families of up to 4 living at the same address are eligible for discounts. Recovery Extra is the GEM’s fully comprehensive option, which costs £106 for a single policy. Home assistance, roadside assistance, nationwide recovery, and onward travel are all included as standard.

Why buy? Expert verdict

Given the GEM’s history, there’s an air of connoisseurs’ choice with its 2 straightforward personal cover options. The policies include several reassuring features that some providers offer only as add-ons. These include coverage for flat batteries, punctured tyre repairs, misfuelling, and running out of fuel. They even cover driver illness.

Best of all, if you’re looking for classic motorcycle breakdown cover, the GEM covers motorcycles of any age or engine size and charges the same price for classic vehicles as it does for new ones.

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Our expert score: 4.2/5

Pros

Cons

When evaluating Rescuemycar.com, we added a Nissan Juke to our submission along with our Honda example bike to get quotes for a combined car and motorcycle policy. For £30.31, Rescuemycar.com offers local recovery, roadside assistance, nationwide cover, home start, misfuelling, and out-of-fuel cover as standard.

Rescuemycar.com enjoys positive reviews on Review Centre, with customers praising its good service and excellent value for money. The company also has a 5-star Defaqto rating.

Why buy? Expert verdict

Getting personal cover may be better than a vehicle option when you want to be covered on multiple vehicles. But this cover from Rescuemycar.com bucks the trend with a combined car and motorcycle breakdown cover that costs less than its equivalent personal cover (£37.30). If you’re willing to pay a little more per year (£8.04), you’ll avoid paying any excess on claims.

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Our expert score: 4.0/5

Pros

Cons

Dynamo offers the cheapest annual breakdown cover we found in our research, at just £12.45 for the year. Customers must pay a £25 excess per claim, and there’s a £5,000 claim limit per policy term.

But the cover includes nationwide and local recovery, onward journey, home start and roadside assistance. There’s also car hire, relief driver, overnight accommodation, and cover for flat batteries and tyres.

Any vehicles less than 3.5 tonnes, including motorbikes, will be covered as long as they’re under 20 years old.

Why buy? Expert verdict

If saving money is your priority, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another option that’s easier on your wallet. Dynamo may not be the most famous name among motorcycle breakdown providers, but it comes with the reassurance of a 5-star Defaqto rating.

Much like the best car breakdown cover, the 2 main types of motorcycle breakdown cover are personal cover and vehicle cover.

Personal cover means an individual rider is covered for any motorbike they’re permitted to ride. With some exceptions (one of which we’ve mentioned above), personal cover tends to be the better choice for those who own or regularly ride more than 1 motorbike (or car). This option is usually cheaper than buying individual coverage for each vehicle.

Vehicle cover, on the other hand, is limited to the motorcycle named in the policy. This means breakdown assistance will be provided regardless of who’s riding the bike (assuming they’re permitted to do so). In some cases, breakdown assistance providers offer multi-vehicle cover. Other than where stated, all quotes featured in this review are based on vehicle cover only.

What type of motorcycle breakdown cover do I need?

First, decide whether personal or vehicle cover would be best for your needs. Consider vehicle cover if 2 or more riders will be using the same motorbike. Some providers also offer same-family personal cover.

Next, consider the size and age of your motorcycle. Some road rescue services don’t cover bikes older than 20 years, so classic bike owners may need to look for specialist providers. However, most modern motorcycles are covered under standard vehicle breakdown covers.

If you ride your motorbike around the UK only, there’s no need for the pricier European cover. If you’ll be venturing abroad, decide on the frequency and length of your trips. This will help determine whether you need a single-trip European breakdown policy or annual cover for multiple adventures in mainland Europe.

All standard motorcycle breakdown covers include roadside assistance. Mechanics will locate you and attempt to fix your bike on the spot so you can continue on your way.

If your bike needs a little more TLC at a nearby garage, onward travel will cover the costs of overnight accommodations, transport, or even a courtesy vehicle. Then, you can return to your bike.

If your policy includes nationwide recovery, you’ll be covered all over the UK. If your motorbike can’t get out of your garage without a push, home start will ensure a mechanic pays you a home visit to get you over your temporary speed bump.

Common add-ons include key, tyre, and battery replacement, and legal cover can also be included. This will help with financial assistance and support should you encounter any disputes relating to your motorcycle.

When you’re looking for the best motorcycle breakdown cover, consider the following:

Budget and excess

Decide what you can afford and budget accordingly. As our recommendations show, breakdown cover varies in price, so there should be something to suit all budgets.

Coverage

Decide if you need local, national, or international coverage. Remember that you can usually upgrade your coverage if you change your plans later. It’s often much trickier to downgrade your coverage until the end of your policy.

Response time

Do some research into typical response times to see which companies perform well. The worst time to realise that your chosen recovery company is notoriously slow is when you’re standing on the side of the road.

Customer reviews

Similarly, check out the many online reviews from independent parties and active customers. This way, you can assess providers’ customer service, value for money, and general performance.

Optional extras

Take a close look at what’s included in your breakdown cover and make a note of add-ons that might be useful. Always misplacing your key? It might be worth getting cover for the key replacement option. Legal cover, European cover, flat tyre, and dead battery replacement are other typical extras.

We compiled our list after comparing quotes from more than a dozen leading motorbike breakdown covers. We narrowed it down to the top 5 options based on the following criteria:

Price

We compared the costs of each leading breakdown recovery provider and chose those we felt provided the best value for money.

Policy Limits

From claim value limits per policy term to the maximum number of call-outs, we looked at the fine print of each breakdown cover. We also checked where there were age limits on motorbikes covered.

Optional extras

We noted where covers offered optional extras, including key, tyre, and battery replacements, legal cover, and European cover. We also mentioned which companies include this as standard.

Customer support

We scoured the online reviews and customer testimonials to see which breakdown recovery companies offer the best customer service and speediest roadside support.

What happens if my motorbike breaks down when I don’t have cover?

It’s not an ideal scenario, but try not to panic. Some recovery services offer ad-hoc assistance and will come to help. But it won’t likely be as quick as it would be if you were covered, and it’ll certainly cost more. The bottom line is to make sure you’re covered for a breakdown before you set off.

What is usually excluded from motorcycle breakdown cover?

Many motorcycle breakdown covers exclude recovery following a road accident. In this case, your best bet is to call your main motorcycle insurers. Other typical exclusions include breaking down on private property, like shopping centre car parks. Providers will also be reluctant to provide cover if they suspect the motorcycle has been poorly maintained by the owner.

How can I get a cheaper motorcycle breakdown cover?

The first thing to look into is your existing motorcycle insurance. Insurance providers often offer breakdown service as an add-on to their main policy. This may be cheaper than individual breakdown cover.

Other ways to save money include paying annually in full rather than monthly chunks, which tends to increase the overall price. You could also consider joining a motorcycle club that offers discounts with partner breakdown recovery firms.

Additionally, pay only for what you need. For example, don’t pay extra for European cover if you don’t have definite plans to take your bike abroad. Some providers also allow you to opt for a higher excess on any claims in exchange for a reduced premium.

When planning your next motorcycle adventure, nothing could be further from your mind than pulling over and calling for help.

But any motorbike—old or new, luxury or budget—is prone to a blown fuse, oil leak, or clogged radiator. It’s why even the most maverick bikers should know they need reliable breakdown cover,

Luckily, finding the right one for you doesn’t have to be stressful. We hope our expert guide has given you a steer on the top options out there. Now, all that’s left to do is hit the ignition, twist the throttle, and hear that soul-fulfilling roar once more. Safe journey!