24-HOUR MOTORCYCLE RECOVERY
Motorcycle recovery in Nottingham
Breakdown Recovery Nottingham provides 24-hour motorcycle recovery across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for broken-down, accident-damaged and non-rolling bikes, from scooters and 125s to large tourers. Up to two passengers can travel with us, so the rider and a pillion passenger aren’t left at the roadside. Prices start from £70, with your final quote based on the journey, the bike’s condition and how it needs to be loaded. Call with your location and the bike’s details: we’ll confirm whether we can take the job, agree the price and destination, and give you an estimated arrival time before dispatch.
This page is about recovering your motorcycle: loading it and taking it somewhere. For a flat battery or an empty tank, see roadside assistance. For a planned move, such as collecting a bike you’ve bought, see vehicle transport.
Up to two passengers can travel with us.
THE ESSENTIALS
Motorcycle recovery at a glance
What bikes can you recover?
Motorcycles and scooters, including broken-down, accident-damaged and non-running bikes. Give us the make, model and registration so we can confirm the job before we agree it.
Can you take a bike that won’t roll?
Tell us why: a locked wheel, a disc lock with no key, a flat or damaged tyre, or a bike stuck in gear. We’ll assess what’s needed before agreeing the job.
Can the rider travel with us?
Yes. Up to two passengers can travel in the recovery truck, so a rider and a pillion can both come with the bike.
What about helmets, kit and luggage?
Tell us what you’re carrying when you call, so we can agree what travels with the bike and what travels with you.
Where can you take it?
Your bike garage or dealer, your home, or storage in Long Eaton, subject to access and safe unloading.
When can I call?
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Arrival depends on location, traffic and driver availability.
How much will it cost?
From £70. Your final quote depends on the bike, the collection point, the destination and the loading requirements.
When do I pay?
After agreeing the full recovery price and before the recovery truck is dispatched.
A BIKE ISN’T A SMALL CAR
Why motorcycles need loading differently
A car sits on four wheels. A motorcycle’s side stand or centre stand isn’t designed to hold it steady on a moving truck, so the bike has to be held upright and restrained for the whole journey. How it’s secured matters: fairings, mirrors, indicators and aftermarket parts are easy to crack or scratch if straps go in the wrong place, and a bike with front-end damage may not be safe to strap the usual way.
That’s why we ask more questions about a bike than about a car. Tell us about:
- Bodywork: whether it has fairings, a screen, crash bungs, panniers or a top box.
- Aftermarket parts: exhausts, levers, lighting or anything that sits further out than standard.
- Damage: anything bent, broken or leaking, especially the forks, bars, wheels or footpegs.
- Stands: whether it has a centre stand, and whether the side stand still works.
These details help the driver plan how to load and secure your bike before they arrive, rather than working it out at the roadside.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BIKE
Bikes that won’t roll, won’t steer or won’t start
Some bikes can’t simply be wheeled onto a truck. The reason changes how the bike is loaded, so it’s the one thing we most need to know on the first call. Common reasons include:
- A disc lock with no key. A disc lock left on, or one whose key has been lost, stops the wheel turning.
- Steering lock on and no key. The bars stay locked to one side, which makes the bike hard to wheel in a straight line.
- Stuck in gear. A bike that won’t find neutral can’t be rolled freely.
- A flat, damaged or detached tyre. This often happens after a pothole or a spill.
- Chain or wheel damage. A snapped chain, a buckled wheel or a seized brake can lock the rear wheel.
- Bike on its side. After a spill or a stand failure, the bike may still be lying down.
We recover motorcycles that won’t roll or steer, but every job is assessed on the phone first. The bike’s position, condition and access decide what’s possible.
When you contact Breakdown Recovery Nottingham, tell us what you already know:
- Bike: registration, make and model, and whether it is electric.
- Condition: whether it starts, rolls, steers, brakes and goes into neutral.
- Position: upright on a stand, or on its side.
- Access: road, verge, car park, driveway or back alley. Mention gates, steps, height barriers or soft ground.
- Keys: whether you have the ignition key and any disc lock or chain lock keys.
If your bike is on its side, you don’t need to lift it. A large bike is heavy, and lifting it alone after a fall can injure you. If fuel or oil is leaking, keep away from it and don’t smoke nearby. Tell us, and we’ll plan the recovery with the bike where it is.
If the bike has been in a collision, see our accident recovery page for the insurer and claims side.
DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED
Ride it, fix it or recover it?
Not every stopped motorcycle needs a recovery truck. Some problems have a roadside option, and others mean the bike shouldn’t be ridden until it’s been checked. We can’t inspect your bike over the phone, so this table can’t tell you a bike is safe to ride. It shows which situations have a roadside option and which point straight to recovery.
| What’s happened | Warning signs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Flat battery | If the bike won’t start, or a fault warning light stays on after it starts, the problem may not be the battery | Ask about a jump start. If it won’t start or the lights stay on, arrange recovery |
| Ran out of fuel | If it still won’t run once refuelled, something else is wrong | Ask about fuel delivery. If it still won’t run, arrange recovery |
| Puncture or flat tyre | A flat or soft tyre on a motorcycle can cause a loss of control | Don’t ride. Arrange recovery |
| Snapped chain or clutch cable | The bike can’t drive, and a loose chain can lock the rear wheel | Don’t ride. Arrange recovery |
| Dropped the bike | Damage to the forks, bars, levers, wheels or brakes isn’t always visible | Don’t ride until it’s been checked. Arrange recovery if you’re in any doubt |
| Bent forks, bars or wheel | Handling and braking may be affected | Don’t ride. Arrange recovery. If another vehicle was involved, see accident recovery |
| Oil or fuel leaking | A leak can reach the tyres or catch fire | Don’t ride, and keep away from the leak. Arrange recovery |
| Warning light with a loss of power | Riding on can make the fault worse, and the bike may stop in traffic | Don’t ride. Arrange recovery to a bike garage |
If you’re not sure whether your bike is safe, treat it as not safe to ride and arrange recovery.
YOU DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND
Recovering the rider as well as the bike
When a car breaks down, the driver can usually wait inside it. A rider has no shelter, often has a pillion, and is carrying a helmet, kit and sometimes luggage.
- Up to two passengers can travel in the recovery truck, so the rider and a pillion can come with the bike to the destination.
- Helmets, jackets and luggage. Tell us what you have when you call. Panniers and top boxes can often stay on the bike, but loose items should travel with you.
- Waiting safely. Wait well away from the traffic while the truck is on its way, behind a barrier if there is one. If it’s dark or visibility is poor, keep any reflective or high-visibility kit on.
- Mobility or medical needs. If anyone has been hurt or feels unwell, call 999 first. Tell us about any mobility needs when you book, so they can be discussed before collection.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST
If your motorcycle breaks down on the M1 or a main road
A broken-down motorcycle gives the rider no protection from passing traffic. Follow the Highway Code:
- If you can, leave the motorway at an exit or service area. If you can’t, move into an emergency area or onto the hard shoulder, as far to the left as possible.
- If it’s safe and possible, get yourself and any passenger off the bike and away from the carriageway. Wait well away from the traffic, behind a barrier where there is one. Keep your helmet and protective kit on.
- If you can’t get to a safe place away from the traffic, call 999 straight away and follow the instructions of the police or traffic officers.
- Don’t try to repair the bike or put out a warning triangle on a motorway.
Our full motorway safety guidance is on the accident recovery page, and the official rules are in the Highway Code.
Once you’re safe, call us with the road and your direction of travel, the nearest junction, and the number on the nearest marker post or emergency area sign if you can see it without walking along the road. We handle M1 recovery enquiries around Nottingham, with attendance depending on the exact location, safe access and any police or traffic-officer instructions.
AN AGREED DESTINATION
Where we can take your motorcycle
We agree the destination before setting off, so you know where your bike is going and how it will be handed over.
- Your bike garage or dealer. Give us the address and check it can accept the bike. Many garages that repair cars don’t work on motorcycles, so it’s worth confirming first.
- Your home. Tell us where the bike will be kept and how it gets there. A back alley, side gate, steps or a narrow garage door can decide whether the bike can be unloaded at the door or has to be wheeled further, and whether it rolls at all.
- Storage in Long Eaton. Ask about availability if your garage is closed or you haven’t decided where the bike should go.
If nobody will be at the destination, discuss the handover of the bike and keys when you book. Don’t assume a closed garage forecourt is an agreed drop-off point.
Need storage? Before agreeing, ask for the daily rate, when charging starts and stops, and how to arrange collection. Tell us who is authorised to collect the bike. Take helmets, kit and anything valuable with you if you can, and ask about arrangements for anything left with the bike.
KNOW THE COST BEFORE BOOKING
How much does motorcycle recovery cost in Nottingham?
Motorcycle recovery in Nottingham starts from £70. This is a starting price, not a fixed charge for every bike. Your final quote depends on the journey, the bike’s condition and how it needs to be loaded. Call with the collection point and destination for a price for your job.
| What affects the quote? | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Collection and delivery locations | The distance and the access at both ends affect the work involved. |
| Whether it rolls and steers | A locked wheel, a missing key, a bike stuck in gear or a bike on its side needs more time and handling. |
| Damage | Front-end, wheel or bodywork damage can change how the bike is loaded and secured. |
| Access restrictions | Back alleys, steps, gates, verges and height-limited car parks can change how the bike is recovered. |
| Passengers | Tell us how many people need to travel so this can be agreed with the job. |
| Storage or another onward move | Discuss these separately so you understand the full arrangement. |
We agree the full recovery price with you before dispatch, and payment is due before the recovery truck is dispatched. Ask about cancellation terms before agreeing, and see our terms and conditions. If your location, destination or the bike’s known condition changes, tell us before collection.
CHECK YOUR COVER
Should I call my breakdown cover or book recovery myself?
Motorcycle breakdown cover works differently from car cover, and riders are often surprised by what’s included. Checking first helps avoid two trucks turning up, or a bill you didn’t need to pay.
| Your situation | What to check before booking |
|---|---|
| You have car breakdown cover | Check whether it covers motorcycles at all. Many car policies don’t, or only cover a bike that’s been added separately. |
| You have motorcycle breakdown cover, or the bike is new | Check whether it covers recovery rather than just a roadside fix, and whether a pillion can travel. New bikes sometimes include manufacturer assistance for a set period. |
| You have no cover, or you’d be waiting too long | Book directly. Agree the price, destination and payment before dispatch. If you expect to claim the cost back, confirm with your insurer first. |
Every policy is different, so check your own terms rather than assuming what’s included. Booking directly isn’t always an extra cost and using your own provider isn’t always quicker. What matters is knowing which one you’re using before a truck is sent.
FROM FIRST CALL TO DELIVERY
How to book motorcycle recovery
Call from a safe place
Call 0115 646 9746 or send your location on WhatsApp. Give us the registration, what happened, whether the bike rolls and steers, whether it’s upright or on its side, how many people need to travel, and where it needs to go.
For a main-road breakdown, include the road name, direction of travel and nearest junction or marker post if you know them. Don’t walk along the road to find this information.
Agree the price and pay before dispatch
We confirm whether we can take the job, the full recovery price and an estimated arrival time. Discuss access, handover, any storage and cancellation terms before agreeing. Payment is due before dispatch. Sending a message alone doesn’t confirm a booking.
Collection and delivery
Our driver loads and secures the bike for transport to the agreed destination, with up to two passengers travelling in the truck. If your plans change before collection, let us know so we can discuss the revised arrangements.
LOCAL COLLECTION AND ONWARD RECOVERY
Motorcycle recovery across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
We recover motorcycles across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, including Beeston, West Bridgford, Arnold and Hucknall, and from routes such as the A52, A60, A610 and A453. We also handle M1 recovery enquiries around Nottingham. Our storage is in Long Eaton, just over the Derbyshire border.
Bikes break down in places a car recovery wouldn’t usually go. Tell us:
- On a country road or verge: the nearest village, junction or what3words location, and whether the verge is soft or sloping.
- In a car park: the level, and any height barrier on the way in.
- At home or work: whether the bike is behind a gate, in a back alley or in a garage, and how far it is from where a truck can park.
Outside Nottinghamshire? Call with the postcode and destination so we can confirm whether we can help. View our recovery coverage.
WHO WILL COLLECT YOUR BIKE
About Breakdown Recovery Nottingham
Breakdown Recovery Nottingham is a local vehicle recovery operator covering Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, 24 hours a day. We recover cars, vans and motorcycles, including vehicles that won’t roll or steer, and we attend motorway incidents around the city. We run our own 3.5-tonne, 7.5-tonne and 12-tonne recovery trucks and have storage in Long Eaton for when a garage can’t take your bike yet.
HELPFUL ANSWERS
Motorcycle recovery questions
How quickly can you reach me?
We give you an estimated arrival time based on your location, traffic and current jobs. Our 24-hour service doesn’t mean a driver is immediately available at every location. We’ll tell you the estimate when you call and let you know if it changes.
Can you recover a bike with a disc lock on and no key?
Tell us when you call. A locked wheel changes how the bike is loaded, and we’ll assess what’s possible before agreeing the job. If you can find the key or a spare, it makes the recovery simpler.
Do you recover scooters and mopeds?
Yes. Scooters and mopeds are recovered in the same way as motorcycles. Tell us the make and model and whether it rolls.
Can you fix my bike at the roadside instead?
This page covers recovering your motorcycle to a garage or other destination. For a flat battery or an empty tank, see jump start and fuel delivery.
READY WHEN YOU NEED US
Arrange motorcycle recovery in Nottingham
Once you’re safe, tell us where the bike is, what’s wrong with it, how many people need to travel and where it needs to go. We’ll confirm availability, the price and an estimated arrival time before dispatch.
For a collision, see accident recovery. For vans, see van recovery. For a planned move, see vehicle transport.