Motorcycle Tow Truck — What You Really Need to Know Before You Call One

Imagine you are riding your motorcycle at night, your tyre hits a nail accidentally, or your motor engine encounters some issues and shuts down in the rain weather. At this time, when you actually need roadside help, you don’t want to start Googling in panic. This guide will cover everything you need to know before calling the service. After reading this article, you should have some understanding of when to call a motorcycle tow truck, how to choose the right service, common mistakes to avoid, and what to expect from start to end. Here is a quick glance, motorcycles are considered a high-risk group. For example, in NSW, motorcycles made up only 3.8% of registered vehicles in 2024, yet accounted for 19.4% of road fatalities.

When You Should Call a Tow Truck

• Unsafe to keep riding:

If you encounter some failures, such as your tyre hits a nail, your brake sometimes doesn’t work, or you can’t change direction smoothly, you should call a tow truck service.

• After an accident:

If you experience an accident on the road, you should call the service even if your bike still works. Although your bike may look fine after accident, its structural parts, such as forks and clamps, may have already been damaged, which can lead to serious risks if you continue riding it.

• Long-distance transport or relocation:

If you decide to move to other states, or want to sell your bike to someone else, it’s better to call the service. For more details on how it works, visit our motorcycle tow truck service page.

How to Choose a Reliable Motorcycle Tow Truck in Melbourne

1.      Equipment and Method Matter

Choose a flatbed truck with wheel chocks and soft tie fixers is a good choice. Because motor’s paint won’t be scratched and the suspension system won’t be overly pressured during transport. A good operator will further adjust the equipment to make sure the transport goes smoothly.

2.      Check Licence and Compliance

In Victoria, accident towing service strictly follows the regulations. Only a licensed operator can move your vehicle from the accident place to somewhere else. At the same time, the operator must be approved by the Department of Transport and Planning. So you don’t need to worry about the safety or compliance of the service. If you still have concerns, remember to ask the following questions

• Are you licensed?
• Do you have public liability insurance?
• Can you issue a formal invoice?

3.      Pricing Transparency

A professional company will give you a clear total price, it should include base distance price, extra distance price, time/night surcharge and state whether GST and storage fees are included. If you want an official benchmark, refer to the Victorian accident towing charges set by Transport Victoria (https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-and-active-transport/road-rules-and-safety/tow-trucks/accident-tow-truck-charges). It is useful for fair comparison and disputes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• “Two straps are enough” — they’re not. It is recommended to use four-point tie-downs with wheel chocks and padding.
• “If my bike still works, I can ride it home” — Even if your bike looks fine, some hidden damage during the accident can put yourself in danger.
• “Any small trailer can handle the job” — Different bikes have different centres of gravity and special load points. Without the right equipment, your bikes can be damaged during transport.

The Practical Process — From Booking to Delivery

1. Provide location and bike details: share your location, your bike’s production year, any modifications on your bike, and tyre/brake condition.
2. Confirm licence and insurance: ask for insurance cover for both accident and non-accident scenes. Don’t forget to ask for their license.
3. Check tie-downs before departure: avoid pulling hard on the handlebars and remember to do a quick check and take photos.
4. Handover and delivery: on the arrival, inspect your bike again. In accident cases, ask the driver to record arrival time and photos for insurance.

Need the full service handled? See our motorcycle tow truck page for details.

Related Services

If you are in Melbourne and you are looking for a general tow truck service, check out our tow truck Melbourne page for multi-vehicle and multi-scenario dispatch. If you are involved in an accident, we also provide accident towing service. The service covers compliance, insurance and promise for safety delivery. Whether it’s a cross-state relocation or a late-night breakdown, Maningham Towing is all set to help you. We provide professional and specialised motorcycle towing service with a clear price. Just send us where you are and what your bike is like, we will move your bike to where you need.