AMA Roadside Assistance

[Fred W]

The AMA now provides a "Roadside Assistance" feature as a free benefit with membership if you sign up with a credit card and authorize automatic renewals. That classifies you as what they call a "Champion" Member (that's what she said). They say they will provide "Coverage for all your vehicles and your family's vehicles, from motorcycles to cars to RVs and trailers."

After clicking around the AMA website I cannot find much in the way of detail about what this amounts to and who physically provides the services. FWIW, I am already signed up and have it. There is an 877 number on your membership card you are supposed to call when in need of assistance. But what they will do, and who will do it, is the question... It seems like it is too good to be true for $39 a year, which probably means that this benefit isn't as good as one might assume?

I do not want to get into a discussion on the value of an AMA membership (or lack thereof). My question is only about this benefit, and whether anyone has ever used them before. And if so, what was your experience.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I haven't used it, though I signed up for it last year. Interestingly (to me), I emailed AMA because I had re-upped my membership a couple weeks prior to the new towing benefit. The response was that I was covered for the next year for towing. My new card does not have a phone number on it though. And as for getting details, I agree, Fred it has been difficult. The website isn't very clear. Last year the benefit was only a tow of 35 miles. I didn't know it covered more than my bike though. I'll email back to AMA asking for details and if I find out more I'll post.

The reasoning they give on why they can offer the service free, is that they save on mailings to members to re-up memberships, and are passing the savings on. I wonder if the deal to spin off AMA racing management gave them a financial buffer too (pure speculation on my part).

Aside -- I also signed up for AAA prior to re-upping the AMA membership since they tow a lot farther. I guess I'm really covered now.

 

[FJR Flyer]

I renewed a couple weeks prior to the deal coming out. I also have MOTOW, which I renewd in Nov. I emailed member support and asked about getting the deal and a refund on my Motow. She responded kjust sign up for auto renewal and I'm good', but also said I'm not on record as having Motow. I confirmed that I was billed and waiting to hear back.

 

[vol210]

I just renewed the MoTow for three years prior to the announcement. Wonder if I can get a refund too?

 

[squeezer]

Here's the link to the list of benefits in the program:

https://www.amadirectlink.com/roadride/motow.asp

I especially like the trip interruption insurance. My Progressive insurance includes towing, but when I was stuck in a motel in BFE waiting for parts, that came out of my pocket.

No idea who they subcontract with.

 

[ShawnKing]

It seems like it is too good to be true for $39 a year, which probably means that this benefit isn't as good as one might assume?

The advantage for AMA is that when you sign up, they sign you up to a recurring membership - that is, they automagically sign you up again every year.

In theory, this means that AMA can count on a certain percentage of revenue each and every year from memberships and saves money in not having to chase people down to re-sign up.

 

[Fred W]

It seems like it is too good to be true for $39 a year, which probably means that this benefit isn't as good as one might assume?

The advantage for AMA is that when you sign up, they sign you up to a recurring membership - that is, they automagically sign you up again every year.

In theory, this means that AMA can count on a certain percentage of revenue each and every year from memberships and saves money in not having to chase people down to re-sign up.

Yeah, I got that part. But it still seems like an awfully good deal.

and there's a link on their web page to disable the auto-renew feature in the future.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Here's the link to the list of benefits in the program:
https://www.amadirectlink.com/roadride/motow.asp

I especially like the trip interruption insurance. My Progressive insurance includes towing, but when I was stuck in a motel in BFE waiting for parts, that came out of my pocket.

No idea who they subcontract with.

Thanks for the link. Nice it covers Canada as well. In one place it says tows up to 35 miles, then in another:

"Towing a disabled motorcycle or other vehicle to a shop or the member's home"

I'm a little confused by that one if the shop or your home is more than 35 miles away. I suspect the 35 miles is the limit as stated earlier, but then why separately list the above as a benefit, since it seems a no-brainer if the shop/home is under 35 miles away.

 

[squeezer]

In one place it says tows up to 35 miles, then in another:"Towing a disabled motorcycle or other vehicle to a shop or the member's home"

I'm a little confused by that one if the shop or your home is more than 35 miles away. I suspect the 35 miles is the limit as stated earlier, but then why separately list the above as a benefit, since it seems a no-brainer if the shop/home is under 35 miles away.

I think they're separate restrictions, actually. 35 mi. is the limit before you start paying per mile (and that's not that impressive). The shop or your home means you can't call them to have it towed from your house to the guy who just bought it as a project bike, or from where you broke down to Bobby Joe's house, since he got in on the PR2 group buy, and then to Joe Bobby's, who has a No-Mar tire changer. You can choose the shop or your home.

 

[Fred W]

I think they're separate restrictions, actually. 35 mi. is the limit before you start paying per mile (and that's not that impressive).

Good point. Who the heck breaks down within 35 miles from home. Besides Harley guys I mean...

 

[mdisher]

I think they're separate restrictions, actually. 35 mi. is the limit before you start paying per mile (and that's not that impressive).

Good point. Who the heck breaks down within 35 miles from home. Besides Harley guys I mean...

I dunno, but I think $35 for the bennies and 35 miles of potential towing is pretty cheap. If you need it you need it. Will prolly/hopefully get you somewhere that you can arrange other transportation if needed.

 

[Fred W]

I think they're separate restrictions, actually. 35 mi. is the limit before you start paying per mile (and that's not that impressive).

Good point. Who the heck breaks down within 35 miles from home. Besides Harley guys I mean...

I dunno, but I think $35 for the bennies and 35 miles of potential towing is pretty cheap. If you need it you need it. Will prolly/hopefully get you somewhere that you can arrange other transportation if needed.

Oh yeah. I still think it's a great deal. I just meant being 35 miles from home seemed ludicrous.

Most of the time you're within 35 miles of some kind of shop to get the thing back to running again.

 

[SilverHound]

I have it and I have used it. Two years ago I got a rear flat (not pluggable) on my Valk Interstate, 65 miles from home on a Sunday in the boonies of PA. I called AMA MoTow and I was rescued within a couple hours. I choose to pay for the extra miles to have it towed home as the extra cost (I think it was about $45) was far less than I would have had to pay any shop to remove the wheel and change the tire plus I know it was done properly not to mention I would have still had to call my wife to pick me up from the shop and then go back again.

I think that they also specify that they will tow you to either a shop or your home because sometimes other roadside assitance will only tow you to the nearest "authorized" repair facility. Honda used to offer roadside assistance but they would only tow you to the nearest Honda dealer.

So, if you are really far from home I guess it doesn't matter but if you are reasonable close it's nice to have the choice. IMO it's a great deal and I will be signing up for the auto renewal so I can get it for free with my AMA membership.

 

[Fred W]

Excellent! Thanks for the reply. I'm starting to feel much more optimistic about this.

Who actually came for the tow?

 

[SilverHound]

Excellent! Thanks for the reply. I'm starting to feel much more optimistic about this.
Who actually came for the tow?

Some old guy...and his wife (who came to keep him company and so he wouldn't fall asleep on the ride back home) who owned a generic auto repair shop about 20 miles away from where I broke down. He showed up with a pick-up truck and trailer as his flatbed was broken down. The guy knew how to tie a bike down for sure and we had a nice chat on the hour or so ride home.

Also I should mention that at one point AMA could not get a "service provider" to respond so they offered to pay for a hotel for the night for me but then got this guy who called me right away and advised me of his ETA.

I'm sure that it being a Sunday night and my location made it more difficult to find someone but MoTow kept me updated during the whole thing.

 

[FJR Flyer]

I'm sure that it being a Sunday night and my location made it more difficult to find someone but MoTow kept me updated during the whole thing.

Has anyone confirmed that the new offer with automatic renewal is Motow? Or is it something else.

 

[El Cajone]

It's pretty much the same deal in Canada. If you have the CAA Premier or Plus membership for your car, then roadside assistance fpr your bike is automatically included. If you have the basic memebrship, I think you can add the motorcycle coverage for an extra $35. It's good for travel in the US as well. You also get excellent Provincial and State road maps and campground directories for free.

Personally, I think it's a bit of a "no brainer". They came to my rescue last year when Feejer's battery died in a campground (my fault, I left the lights on) and I would have been kickin' myself real hard if I'd had to pay extra to get rescued from my own stupidity.

 

[Fastfar]

We used it once on a Pashnit Moto Tour...a rented ST1100 lost power, engine quit and would not start, AMA sent a truck out from Truckee and gave it a ride to the nearest bike shop...just made the mileage window so it was a no cost call...

 

[happyPuppy]

I have used MoTow also. IMO it is very good. The rig they sent is setup for bikes too. I was driving down the highway a few years back and a flat bed truck kicked out a spark plug socket. it bounced all over and of course landed in my path. Put a nice big hole and instant deflation. I got it to the side called MoTow and a rig was out with a nice flat bed and ramp. They just take your member card number ( no pre-pay and get reimbursed) and took it to the closet dealer , who fixed me up.