- Bikes ride upright on a flatbed with a wheel chock and soft tie-downs.
- Sport bikes, cruisers, tourers, scooters and dirt bikes.
- Tell us if the bike is down, damaged, or has a locked steering head.
- After a crash, report the claim to ICBC online or at 604-520-8222.
- The price is confirmed before we load the bike.
How is a motorcycle towed safely in East Cambie?
A motorcycle can't go on a wheel-lift the way a car can. It needs the whole bike off the road, standing upright, with the front wheel held in a chock and straps on solid points such as the triple clamp or the lower frame. Soft loops keep the straps off the bars, levers and paint. That is how we load every bike, whether it is a 125 cc scooter or a full-dress tourer, and it is the same flatbed we use for car towing in East Cambie when a car needs all four wheels up.
Before we load, we check three things with you: whether the bike rolls in neutral, whether the steering is locked, and whether anything is leaking. A bike that has been down may have a bent lever or a cracked case, and we load it so nothing gets worse on the way.
- Keys with you, or tell us if they are lost.
- Steering lock off if you can reach it.
- Saddlebags and top box closed or removed.
- Tell us the make, model and roughly how heavy it is.
Where do motorcycle tows start around East Cambie?
Most bike calls here come from the same few places. Cambie Road and No. 5 Road are the busy ones, where a bike that quits in a curb lane needs to get out of traffic quickly. Townhouse garages and parkades in California Pointe and around Bargen Drive are where bikes sit through the winter, then won't start in spring. And the King George/Cambie Community Park lot on No. 5 Road fills up on game nights, which is when a bike with a flat or a dead battery gets left behind.
| Where the bike is | What usually happened | What helps us |
|---|---|---|
| Curb lane on Cambie Road or No. 5 Road | Stalled, ran dry or lost a chain | Direction of travel and the nearest cross street |
| Townhouse garage or parkade | Sat all winter and won't start | Building, level and any height limit on the ramp; see underground towing |
| King George Park lot | Flat tire or dead battery after a game | Which lot and which entrance |
| Jacombs Road business lot | Commuter bike won't restart after work | Unit number and where the bike is parked |
| Driveway off Bargen Drive | Project bike going to a shop | Whether it rolls and has both wheels on |
What to do after a motorcycle crash in East Cambie
Riders get hurt more easily than drivers, so the first call after a crash is 911 if anyone is injured. Then get the bike and yourself out of the lane only if it is safe. ICBC's crash checklist says to exchange names, licence numbers and plates, take photos of the scene and both vehicles, and get witness details. You can report the claim on ICBC's collision claims page or by phone at 604-520-8222 in the Lower Mainland.
Once you are safe and the details are swapped, call us. A crashed bike goes on the flatbed exactly as it is and to the shop you and your insurer agree on. Our ICBC towing in East Cambie page covers the claim side, and accident towing covers the roadside steps.
Is it a tow, or can roadside help fix the bike?
Plenty of bike calls end without a tow. A battery that has gone flat over a cold Richmond winter will often start with a jump start, and an empty tank is solved with fuel delivery. We'll tell you honestly which one it sounds like when you describe it.
A flat tire on a bike is different from a car. Most bikes don't carry a spare, and a tubeless plug is a temporary fix at best. If the tire is damaged or the bike has tubes, a tow to a motorcycle shop is usually the safer choice.
Where does your bike go after the tow?
You choose. Most bikes go to a motorcycle shop or dealer in Richmond, back home to a garage, or to a body shop after a claim. If the shop is closed, tell us where they want it left and how they will get the key. For a trip further out, long distance towing from East Cambie is quoted the same way, before pickup.
If the household also has a car or a trailer that needs moving, trailer towing and car towing use the same booking. Everything we do in the area is on our towing in East Cambie homepage, and you can send the details any time.